This year is the 20th anniversary of Gimmel Tamuz. In this article, Rabbi Ginsburgh describes how to continue to feel connected to the Rebbe and in what ways we can advance his life’s goal.
1. HOW DO WE CONTINUE?
The Rebbe initiated ten campaigns, all intended to enhance the physical and spiritual well-being of our generation and to rectify the world. These campaigns were part of the Rebbe’s broader, all encompassing “Moshiach campaign,” which channeled the energies of the Rebbe and his followers toward the goal of bringing the redemption. The Moshiach campaign initially addressed two main issues: Moshiach’s work, and the determination of Moshiach’s identity. Initially, the emphasis was placed on the work of Moshiach vis-à-vis the campaigns that the Rebbe had instituted. In contrast, the issue of Moshiach’s identity — who exactly possesses the messianic qualities that will enable him to bring reality to its consummation — was not emphasized. At that stage, it was possible to say that the Rebbe – who was leading the movement — was the most Moshiach-like personality then identifiable, but this did not necessarily imply that he was assuming the role himself. As time progressed, however, more emphasis was placed on Moshiach’s identity, and it became clear that the Rebbe was expecting everyone to seek and discover the proper candidate, and follow him.
The Rebbe explains that missing an opportunity to bring Moshiach eventually results in an even higher manner of his revelation than was previously possible. The fact that the Rebbe’s physical presence is hidden from us (although, as Chassidus teaches, the tzimtzum – withdrawal — is not truly real) can be understood as a “descent for the sake of subsequent ascent,” meant to awaken the messianic spark within us.
It is crucial to consider what factors brought about this descent and what exactly the coming ascent should be. It is not enough to simply proceed with the same type of messianic activism in which we engaged before Gimmel Tamuz or even to increase it. We must continue to raise Moshiach consciousness, but in a new and totally different manner.
Relatively speaking, whatever one does in response to direct, explicit instructions of the Rebbe is iskafia – simple submission to his will. In order to practice this type of iskafia, it is not necessary to tap one’s hidden potential. As such, this type of service cannot awaken the innermost depth of one’s heart. The Rebbe expressed this grievance in his famous address of the 28th of Nissan 5751 (April, 1991), when he put the responsibility of bringing the redemption into our hands. “Do whatever you can!” the Rebbe said. “Act with the energy of the ‘lights’ of Tohu, though in ‘vessels’ of Tikkun, to make Moshiach come immediately!” In that same address, the Rebbe bemoaned the fact that his followers cry “How long?!” (until Moshiach comes) only in order to fulfill the bidding of the Rebbe, and not because they are genuinely moved to do so. “If they would truly mean what they are asking and shouting for, Moshiach would most certainly have already come!” the Rebbe insisted.
When we don’t know what to do to bring the Moshiach, where to place the emphasis, or how to focus our efforts, our enthusiasm to act is perforce weakened. Clearly, however, no approach is more counter to the messianic spirit than that which dictates that in the face of doubt it is better to do nothing. Someone truly imbued with the messianic spirit will, when he weighs the options, decide that it is better to act. This may entail acting with a certain amount of uncertainty, but messianic fervor by its very nature is the readiness to dive into the realm of the unknown, confident that there really is no other choice. As explained in the Rebbe‘s teachings, the very purpose of the Rebbe’s withdrawal from the scene is in order to stir us to act in those very areas that are ill-defined and uncharted.
2. “CONCEALED” CONSCIOUSNESS
When our identification with Moshiach becomes so strong that it moves us to act on our own, our concern with Moshiach’s identity takes on a new dimension. The awareness that it is necessary to identify Moshiach must flow out of the awakening of the spark of Moshiach within each individual. By identifying the Moshiach within, we will be able to identify and reveal the Moshiach without.
The Torah assures us that if someone says “I have toiled and I have found, he may be believed.” The inner effort required of every Jew is to uncover his personal spark of Moshiach, his own power to boldly and powerfully act messianically. Of course, a chassid draws his inspiration to do this from the Rebbe, but in such a way that he “internalizes” the Rebbe within him, so that the Rebbe‘s spirit–which is the spirit of Moshiach–will appear in him. Our sages said that Moshiach, like any true “find,” comes unexpectedly, which means that the individual must first direct his attention away from seeking the collective Moshiach outside himself, and try to uncover the personal Moshiach within him. And further, in seeking his personal spark of Moshiach, he must direct his attention away from the attempt to identify this spark within himself, but rather focus entirely on doing Moshiach’s work and spreading his teachings faithfully. The unanticipated “find” that results from this effort is the collective Moshiach, the redeemer of Israel, outside of the individual.
The two concepts of Moshiach’s work and Moshiach’s identity as they were before Gimmel Tamuz (the 3rd of Tamuz), must now take on a new dimension. The Torah tells us that “the concealed things are the province of God, but the revealed things are ours and our children’s.” Before Gimmel Tamuz, Moshiach’s work and identity were “revealed things”; the Rebbe gave explicit instructions and directions, producing in his followers a relative state of iskafia, in which he was simply obeyed. (Complete mental clarity about an issue also implies iskafia, since “the mind rules the heart”; if the mind is clear and strong, it forces the heart to submit to it.) In the terminology of Kabbala and Chassidus, this level of “Moshiach’s work” corresponds to the final Hei of God’s essential Name Havaya, and this level of “Moshiach’s identity” corresponds to the letter Vav of God’s Name.
After Gimmel Tamuz, however, these two concepts must manifest the level of the “concealed things.” This is the level of is’hafcha, where the soul in its deepest state of consciousness identifies naturally with Moshiach. (At this level the inner dimension of the heart rules the mind.) In the terminology of Kabbala and Chassidus, this, higher level of “Moshiach’s work” corresponds to the first Hei of God’s Name, and the higher level of “Moshiach’s identity” corresponds to the Yud of His Name.
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Yud |
Moshiach’s identity |
the hidden things; is’hafcha |
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Hei |
Moshiach’s work |
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Vav |
Moshiach’s identity |
the revealed things; iskafia |
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Hei |
Moshiach’s work |
3. REVEALING THE TORAH OF MOSHIACH
What course should our messianic activism take after Gimmel Tamuz (the 3rd of Tamuz)?
Our example for messianic activism is the Rebbe, whose rising messianic fervor went hand in hand with his increasing involvement in current world affairs. The Rebbe saw the political, social and economic changes taking place around the world as signs of the imminent messianic era. He foresaw and foretold these changes, and saw them as being for the good of mankind. The Rebbe emphasized the intrinsic interrelationship and interdependence of all world events, emphasizing that all that takes place in the world at large relates, whether directly or indirectly, to the Jewish People and the Land of Israel.
Before Gimmel Tamuz, the Rebbe took the first steps to fulfill the words of the prophet: “I, God, have called upon you in righteousness, and will take you by your hand; I will guard you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people, a light unto the nations.” According to the commentaries, this verse addresses the people of Israel in the generation of Moshiach, appointing Israel to bring peace (the “covenant” of mankind) to all people on earth and teach all the nations of earth the wisdom (“light”) of the Torah, so they may learn to walk in the ways of God.
Just as Abraham, the first Jew, spread the light of God’s presence and unity to all the people of his generation, teaching them to be good and loving to one another, so will Moshiach and the souls of Israel in his generation teach all mankind to serve God, in awe and joy, together.
Clearly, in order to bring the world “together,” we, the Jewish People, must first be “together” ourselves. Only when we are united, with unconditional and unbounded love for one another, and living together in the way of the Torah, can we have a positive influence on the rest of the world, both in the material and spiritual sense. Our task is to show the world that “Moses is true and his Torah is true.” The Torah of Moses, the revelation of God’s will and wisdom (which are one with Him), is the source of all Divine blessing and beneficence for all of humanity. Ours is the generation and now is the time (especially after Gimmel Tamuz) to bring to the world the truth of the Torah and its blessing.
Obviously, success in all the above depends on our spreading the wellsprings of Moshiach’s teachings (referred to by the verse, “a new Torah will issue from Me”) more and more — incomparably more than we have done until now. As we have seen, the higher-level Messianic consciousness is that of “the concealed things which are the province of God.” This is the level of the concealed wisdom of the inner dimension of the Torah.
The spark of Moshiach in every one of us, our yechida, is our capacity for self-sacrifice. Moshiach is the collective yechida of the Jewish People — the source of our capacity for self-sacrifice. This is the highest level of the collective soul of Israel. Moshiach-oriented activity on the physical plane in general–Moshiach’s work — corresponds to the collective nefesh of the Jewish People, which is the soul of King David (as explained in the writings of the Arizal). This is the lowest level of the collective soul of Israel. The connection between the collective yechida (Moshiach) and the collective nefesh (King David, the progenitor of Moshiach) is forged by means of the Torah, specifically the Torah of Moshiach. The Torah corresponds to the chaya of the collective soul of Israel. This is the level of Adam before the primordial sin, as explained in the writings of the Arizal.
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collective yechida |
Moshiach |
Moshiach |
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collective chaya |
Adam before the sin |
Torah (specifically the Torah of Moshiach) |
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collective nefesh |
King David |
Moshiach-oriented activity |
When God created man, he formed him “out of the dust of the earth, and blew into his nostrils a breath of life, and man became a living soul.” Man’s original state, “the dust of the earth,” refers to humanity in general. The “breath of life” blown into mankind to redeem it is the soul of Moshiach, inasmuch as “one who blows, blows from deep within,” and “the breath of our nostrils is the anointed one [Moshiach] of God.” The “living soul [nefesh chaya]” which mankind ultimately becomes refers to the soul of Moshiach entering the arena of life to rectify it (nefesh), via and by virtue of his new revelation of Torah (chaya).
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“God formed man out of the dust of the earth…” |
humanity in general
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“…and He blew into his nostrils a breath of life…” |
the soul of Moshiach |
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“…and man became a living soul.” |
Moshiach rectifying the world via his new revelation of Torah |
May it be God’s will that we immediately merit to reveal the spark of Moshiach within each and every one of ourselves, and through this witness the revelation of the collective Moshiach and the true and ultimate redemption.
Republished from Gal Einai (www.Inner.org) with permission.