Beis Moshiach Magazine

לד. קטעים משיחות ש”פ ואתחנן, שבת נחמו, ט”ז מנחם-אב ה’תנש”א (1)

34. 16 Menachem-Av, 5751 − July 27, 1991 (1)

Our sages tell us that the world will exist six millennia in preparation for the Redemption which will be at the seventh, corresponding to the six days of the week which are a preparation for Shabbos. Just as the preparations for Shabbos intensify as Shabbos gets closer, the spiritual preparations for the Redemption get stronger as the years proceed.

Our Sages’ statement upon which the above is based, “Hashem’s day is one thousand years,” can be understood in two ways: one opinion considers each of these “days” as parallel to a twenty-four hour period, including both day and night (beginning at night). Other opinions hold that we are speaking about “Hashem’s days” alone and thus, each thousand years parallels the twelve hours of the day.

According to the first opinion, which the Rebbe follows in this sicha, the year 5500 marked Friday morning, and the year 5751 marks past midday of Friday afternoon. The significance of midday of Erev Shabbos is that according to Halacha one should then cease all work besides for Shabbos preparations (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 251:1).

The Rebbe points to both this calculation (which was predicted centuries ago) and to the “facts on the ground” — the actual fulfillment of the miracles said to take place in the year of Moshiach’s revelation during the Persian Gulf War.

We have spoke often lately, that according to all the signs we are in the “year that the King Moshiach is revealed in.”	דֻּבַּר כַּמָּה-פְּעָמִים בַּתְּקוּפָה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁלְּפִי כָּל הַסִּימָנִים נִמְצָאִים אָנוּ בַּשָּׁנָה שֶׁ”מֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ נִגְלָה בּוֹ”
This is in addition to the calculation according to which the year 5751 began the “past midday” stage of the “Friday afternoon” of history.	(נוֹסָף עַל הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן דְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְאַחַר חֲצוֹת שֶׁמַּתְחִיל בִּשְׁנַת ה’תנש”א)
These miracles are alluded to in the widely known initials of this year א”שנת’ה, which abbreviate a phrase meaning “It will be a year when I will show you wonders.”	– כַּמְּרוּמָז בְּהָרָאשֵׁי-תֵּבוֹת (שֶׁנִּתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל) “הָיֹה תְּהֵא שְׁנַת נִפְלָאוֹת אַרְאֶנּוּ”,
This is particularly visible, since throughout this year we have seen (and will continue to see) many incidents that can be characterized as “wonders.”	וּבִפְרָט שֶׁבְּמֶשֶׁךְ הַשָּׁנָה רָאוּ בְּפֹעַל (וְיִרְאוּ עוֹד) כַּמָּה-וְכַמָּה מְאֹרָעוֹת שֶׁהֵם “נִפְלָאוֹת”,
Moreover, each successive wonder is wondrous, compared even to the preceding one!	וִיתֵירָה מִזֶּה, שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם הוּא בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁל פֶּלֶא גַּם בְּיַחַס לְהַ”פֶּלֶא” שֶׁלְּפָנָיו,
It is a wonder which continues to evoke a new sense of amazement when compared to the previous one.	פֶּלֶא לְגַבֵּי פֶּלֶא שֶׁמְּעוֹרֵר הִתְפַּעֲלוּת חֲדָשָׁה.
The Rebbe provides a recent example:
Among them is a wonder happening these very days: A gathering of Chassidim and Shluchim in Russia!	– כּוֹלֵל גַּם הַ”פֶּלֶא” שֶׁמִּתְרַחֵשׁ בְּיָמִים אֵלּוּ מַמָּשׁ: כִּנּוּס אַנְשֵׁי-שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ וְהַשְׁלוּחִים שֶׁיִּחְיוּ בִּמְדִינַת רוּסְיָא,
… They will be convening in Moscow, the capital of Russia, to discuss and consult with one another (in the spirit of the verse “Each man will assist his fellow” out of love and unity, “as one man with one heart”),	…בְּעִיר הַבִּירָה דְּכָל הַמְּדִינָה, מָאסְקְוָוא כְּדֵי לְהִתְיַעֵץ וּלְהִתְדַבֵּר יַחְדָּו (“אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ יַעֲזוֹרוּ”, מִתּוֹךְ אַהֲבָה וְאַחְדוּת, “כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד בְּלֵב אֶחָד”)
and to pass resolutions to increase with greater intensity and vigor in the dissemination of Torah, Judaism and Chassidus to the farthest reaches of that country and of the entire world.	וּלְקַבֵּל הַחְלָטוֹת טוֹבוֹת לְהוֹסִיף בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וּבְיֶתֶר עֹז בְּהֲפָצַת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַיַּהֲדוּת וְהֲפָצַת הַמַּעֲיָנוֹת חוּצָה בְּכָל הַמְּדִינָה וּבְכָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ,
…Now this convention clearly is a matter of sheer “wonder:”	…שֶׁמְּאֹרָע זֶה הוּא-עִנְיָן שֶׁל “נִפְלָאוֹת”,
*— the very same country that previously fought against the activities of the Rebbe, my sainted-father-in-law Nasi Doreinu* to disseminate Torah and Chassidus, (as well as the same activities of my father),**	שֶׁאוֹתָהּ מְדִינָה שֶׁלָּחֲמָה נֶגֶד פְּעוּלוֹתָיו שֶׁל כְּבוֹד-קְדוּשַּׁת מוֹרִי-וְחָמִי אַדְמוֹ”ר נְשִׂיא דוֹרֵנוּ (וְעַל-דֶּרֶךְ-זֶה בְּנוֹגֵעַ לִפְעוּלוֹתָיו שֶׁל בַּעַל הַהִילוּלָא דְּעֶשְׂרִים בְּאָב) בַּהֲפָצַת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמַּעֲיָנוֹת חוּצָה,
*is now hosting and honoring* his disciples, emissaries and those who follow in his path of disseminating Torah and Chassidus to the remotest reaches!”**	מְאָרַחַת וּמְכַבֶּדֶת אֶת תַּלְמִידָיו וּשְׁלוּחָיו וְהַהוֹלְכִים בִּדְרָכָיו וְאוֹרְחוֹתָיו בַּהֲפָצַת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמַּעֲיָנוֹת חוּצָה
These “wonders” (already observed) awaken and underscore the knowledge that imminently we will witness the greatest wonder	— שֶׁ”נִּפְלָאוֹת” אֵלּוּ (שֶׁכְּבָר רָאוּ בְּפֹעַל) מְעוֹרְרִים וּמַדְגִישִׁים שֶׁתֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד רוֹאִים הַפֶּלֶא הֲכִי גָּדוֹל
— the true and complete Redemption, of which was said “As in the days of your exodus from Egypt I will show you wonders;” i.e., it will be wondrous even in comparison with the events of the Exodus from Egypt.	– גְאוּלָה הָאֲמִתִּית וְהַשְׁלֵימָה עָלֶיהָ נֶאֱמַר “כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת”, “נִפְלָאוֹת” גַּם בְּעֵרֶךְ לִיצִיאַת-מִצְרַיִם.