There is order in all this chaos. By Divine providence, the redemption comes in phases - for a reason. * It was Yehoshua’s duty to pray for the miracle of a complete and instantaneous victory. What was gained by engaging in mortal combat?
By Rabbi Boruch Merkur
We are a nation scattered across the earth, at war again with anti-Semitism. Although the threat is global, recent aggression opposes our living in our indigenous Land of Israel.
Relief from the unprecedented barrage against our civilian population resulted from a ceasefire. Not peace, but a cessation of violence that actually prolongs the war, G-d forbid.
The original conquest of the Promised Land, in Biblical times, was led by Yehoshua. Curiously, instead of praying for G-d to strike down the enemy outright, Yehoshua stopped the sun from orbiting the sky, halting it above the horizon with the command: “Stand still, O sun, at Gibeon!”[1]
Yehoshua could have asked G-d – in fact, it was his duty, to pray – for victory from the outset (precluding the need to stop the sun) … as it states in the preceding verse, “G-d hurled huge stones at them from the sky.”[2]
In terms of magnitude, stopping the sun was the world’s greatest miracle, rivalling the miracles of Moshe Rabbeinu himself.[3] Yet in the simplest sense, stopping the sun served as a preparatory military maneuver, like a massive flare. The miraculously extended daylight facilitated their natural pursuit of the enemy.
Why did Yehoshua not prefer a complete miracle of Divine intervention? Why was there a need for mortal combat, resulting in a prolonged conflict and greater danger for our warriors on the frontline?
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In more recent times, 1927, but also on Gimmel Tammuz, the Rebbe Rayatz was freed from prison in Communist Leningrad and sent instead into exile. At the time, who knew there was reason to celebrate, that a death sentence against the Rebbe had been rescinded? It seemed to Chassidim that their exiled Rebbe was further away than ever. Yet the Rebbe calls Gimmel Tammuz the “beginning of the redemption.”[4]
We learn from the Exodus from Egypt that when the time for redemption comes, it is not delayed “even the bat of an eye.” Rambam enjoins us to see the world in a balanced scale of merit, and through t’shuva, sincere repentance, we tip the scales of justice to the side of favor and are “immediately redeemed.”
True, the Rebbe Rayatz’s freedom was the beginning of the redemption of the Jews behind the Iron Curtain, but it took decades for religious freedoms to be gained and the right for Jews to emigrate granted. Evidently, total redemption is a process:
There is, of course, an order here. By Divine providence, the redemption comes in phases - for a reason … as the Rebbe Rayatz said, a day prior to his departure from Russia: “My journey from here was not compelled. There was a meticulous order.”[5]
*
What is the reason for this extended journey and how can we speed up the process?
The Rebbe hints to the answers in a story about a Chassid who was out past curfew in Soviet Russia:
It was a time of danger. A police officer stopped the Chassid and enquired, “Who goes there?! – kta idiyaht?!”
“Bittul (humility) goes here! – bittul idiyaht!” he dared answer.
Reverence for G-d was something authentic and real to this Chassid. His entire being was bittul. It was bittul itself on its way!
Notwithstanding this Chassid’s genuine attainment of the elusive quality of bittul, he answered in Russian (“bittul idiyaht”), as his bittul extended also to his state of mind and his speaking the national language. Here this Chassid assumed the nature and character of Russia, resembling the principal[6]: “When you visit a city, follow its customs.”[7]
Language is key to culture. As emissaries of the Rebbe, Lubavitchers scatter across the globe to spread the wellsprings in the host language, reaching out to people on their turf and in the way they think, and to be first and foremost – relevant.
It may take longer to accomplish, but there is reason for the delay. This longwinded process of caring enough about others to listen to them and speak to them in ways they can relate to is what is required to reveal in the world what Moshiach has already accomplished behind the scenes.
The heavy lifting has already been done. The world is ready to not only help us bring the complete redemption into every dark corner of the globe, but to give us more resources than we even ask for towards that goal.[8] We just need the faith and courage to go forward with authenticity.
Surely after thirty years since the Rebbe taught us all this, when people in every shul in all denominations are talking about the imminence of Moshiach, we will immediately experience the prophecy of this year’s wrath transformed into “plaos er’enu” – G-d will show us the wonders of redemption.
*
NOTES:
[1] Yehoshua 10:12
[2] Ibid 10:11
[3] Ralbag on the verse.
[4] of the Rebbe Rayatz in 1927, 5687 (תרפ״ז, פרז”ת). Seifer HaSichos 5751, pg. 649
[5] Seifer HaSichos 5751, pg. 650 and FN 11
[6] Shmos Rabba 47:5
[7] Seifer HaSichos 5751, pg. 662
[8] Seifer HaSichos 5751, pg. 663