MOSHIACH DOESN’T BITE

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

There is a fascinating letter that the Frierdike Rebbe wrote on Gimmel Tammuz 5695, to his son-in-law, our Rebbe. This long and amazing letter, which everyone is encouraged to read in its’ entirety, speaks about the seder of the chassidim when visiting the Rebbeim.

In middle of the letter, printed in Igros volume 3 page 402, the Frierdike Rebbe describes an event that took place during Tishrei of 5648. That year, two elder Chassidim came to live in Lubavitch. They were the Chassidim Reb Abba of Tzashnik and Reb Shmuel Baruch of Warsaw. The Raza, Reb Zalman Aharon – the older brother of the Rebbe Rashab – made a special farbrengen in which he invited these elder Chassidim to say over stories that they had witnessed or heard from elder chassidim. The Frierdike Rebbe, who was just seven at the time, participated in this farbrengen as well. The elder Chassidim started telling over to the younger Chassidim what they had heard about the behaviors of the Baal Shem Tov and the Mezritcher Maggid.

While they were speaking, the Rebbe Rashab appeared at the farbrengen. Obviously, all of the chassidim stood up and were quiet out of respect. The Raza went to greet the Rebbe Rashab and together they sat down at the head of the table. The Rebbe Rashab asked his brother what the topic of the farbrengen was, and his brother told him over what the Chassidim had said. The Raza asked the Rebbe Rashab if the Chassid can continue talking and permission was granted. The Frierdike Rebbe writes that he tried so hard to listen but he could not understand anything that was being said.

After a while, the Rebbe Rashab started saying over things that he himself heard from elder Chassidim (HaYom Yom 3 Kislev): “One of the differences in conduct between the Baal Shem Tov and [his successor,] the Maggid [of Mezritch], was that the Baal Shem Tov traveled widely, whereas the Maggid remained at home. Moreover, during the period of the Maggid’s leadership, Chassidus was already widely known, even in distant communities, due to the extensive journeys of the “holy brotherhood” [the inner circle of his disciples]. Many common people had already established a connection with Chassidus and were visiting Mezritch.”

On Acharon Shel Pesach 5700, the Frierdike Rebbe described the purpose of the travels of the Baal Shem Tov (HaYom Yom 16 Menachem Av): “In the early years following his revelation, the Baal Shem Tov traveled [widely] for three reasons: to redeem captives, to strengthen Torah observance and the fear of Heaven, and to reveal p’nimius ha’Torah — the Torah’s inner, mystical dimension.”

He continued in that sicha “that the Baal Shem Tov visited all the major Torah centers of his time. When the Baal Shem Tov was asked why he did not remain in Mezhibuzh and wait for the students to come to him, he remained silent. The Maggid of Mezritch, when asked the same question, also did not answer. The first to answer the question was the Alter Rebbe, who gave the pithy reply: One revealed dimension attracts another. Therefore, in the revealed dimension of the Torah, the student seeks out the teacher. However, one inner dimension must arouse and reveal another. Thus, the teacher must go to the student and inspire him.

“[Regarding this last reason] the Mitteler Rebbe explained: Nigleh, the revealed dimension of the Torah, is called water, and people are drawn to approach water. P’nimius ha’Torah is called fire, which arouses fear. Therefore, a person who is teaching the Torah’s inner, mystical dimension must approach the recipient and tell him: ‘Do not be afraid, because “G‑d your L‑rd is a consuming fire.”’”

Dear Chassidim sh’yichyu,

This message is so important for us to internalize as we get ourselves, and those around us, ready for Moshiach. There is a natural fear of the unknown, of Moshiach. People fear it like they fear a fire. It is our job to go to the world and tell them: “Do not be afraid, because ‘G‑d your L‑rd is a consuming fire.’”

How do we do this? The Rebbe made it very clear (Chayei Sara 5752): “From the international convention must come and be brought good resolutions such that every shliach must prepare himself and prepare all Jews in his place and city, etc., to greet our righteous Moshiach. This should be done through his explanation of the concept of Moshiach, as explained in the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, in a way that it will be received by everyone according to his intellect and understanding. This includes in particular learning the subject of Moshiach and Redemption, and specifically in a manner of Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge.”

When I was learning in Yeshivas Lubavitch Toronto, I gave the daily class in Inyanei Moshiach. One day, one of the local members of the Lubavitch community came in to speak with me. He told me that his daughter is learning in a non-Lubavitch girls’ school. That morning, the teacher had asked the class what they were looking forward to in their lives. Most girls answered something personal, like a sibling’s wedding and the like, but his daughter answered that she was looking forward to the imminent arrival of Moshiach. Instead of being impressed by the girl’s spiritual longing, the teacher began yelling at her!

She said “Why do you want Moshiach to come? Don’t you know that there will be a big Judgement Day when Moshiach comes? Are you looking forward to being judged for your aveiros?” The girl came home in tears. She told her father what the teacher had said, but the father did not have a response. When I showed him that the Rebbe writes (Igros Kodesh Vol. 2 p. 65) that the “Judgment Day” is only for non-Jews, he was very excited.

I saw the following article written by a Shliach, Rabbi Eli Friedman, which is apropos to the above point, that I would like to share:

There are Jews who fear Moshiach’s arrival. They may fear the horrible judgement day someone told them will happen when Moshiach comes. They may loath the idea of the restoration of the Holy Temple and animal sacrifices. They may be suspicious of the return of something that was special 2,000 years ago, worried that what was once special is now archaic and backwards. Or they simply might be afraid that Moshiach is like some kind of a Jewish religious dictator who is going to make today’s religious contentions in Israel look like child’s play in comparison.

After everything Torah tells us about the beauty of days of Moshiach, why are people still afraid of it?

It seems that it is an over-correction: having decided that they were too idealistic and wide-eyed in their younger years, they now resolve to disbelieve anything wonderful. Or having been disappointed one too many times in life, they refuse to believe that anything will ever be perfect, let alone everything.

But while their cynical realism might be accurate in today’s reality, Moshiach is by definition the birth of a new reality. Same world, same environment, same people – but different reality.

Three of the top wishes of people everywhere must include these:

1. A cure for all disease;

2. World peace;

3. An easy-to-relate-to G-d.

If those three wishes came true, which they certainly will with Moshiach’s arrival, which person in the world could complain about that? (Other than the suddenly unemployed doctors, soldiers and rabbis?) What concern might someone have with that?

And if someone is still not convinced, help them learn about the human condition in Moshiach’s times. The ugliness of man will be erased. Jealousy, greed and addiction will be things of the past. Cynicism, skepticism – obsolete.

Motivation and ambition will be organic, not driven by outside factors like competition and fashionable-ness. The rat race will be called off in the middle. The Jones’s won’t try to stay ahead. “Dog eat dog” becomes “dog eat dog food.” The need to feed the ego will vanish and instead, even the average ones among us will be struck with a keen need to feed the soul.

And the maddening profusion of blatant anti-Israel and anti-Semitism in the media and in the world community? Poof! Gone with the wind. Israel lives and her enemies and senseless haters will scurry back to their holes when Moshiach’s light exposes their moral rot.

And finally, here’s the main point: Moshiach is a giant step forward and huge step upward. Things will necessarily be bett-er, happi-er, healthi-er, rich-er, deep-er, wise-er, holi-er and loveli-er. There is no possibility that anything will be worse than they are now, because this is contrary to the entire concept of Moshiach which is about the betterment and perfection of the world.

So no need to worry, Moshiach doesn’t bite. I personally guarantee you that cows and sheep worldwide are not frightened by Moshiach and neither should we. If he’s a politician, he isn’t Moshiach. If he’s a dictator of any kind, especially a religious one, he isn’t Moshiach. If he creates more problems than he resolves, he isn’t Moshiach. Moshiach is man and the world as we all wish they could be. Sounds too good to be true, but we’ll laugh about that in due time, even as we marvel that the world was once so confused. Our biggest, scariest and most insurmountable problems will be resolved. The rest, as they say, is commentary. Moshiach is almost here, and there is nothing to fear.

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought-after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com.