THE FINAL GENERATION – AND 3 MORE

Now begins a new stage in the ongoing avoda of Yosef, extending to future generations – “And Yosef saw Efraim’s children of the third generation, etc.” * From Chapter Six of Rabbi Shloma Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined text is the compiler’s emphasis.)

Translated by Boruch Merkur

THE REBBE’S REDEMPTION: A CATALYST FOR THE FINAL REDEMPTION

4. […] The redemption of my revered father in-law, the Rebbe (the Yosef of our generation), is connected with and serves as a catalyst in hastening the true and complete redemption through Malka Meshicha, Moshiach ben Dovid. Moshiach will bring about the recognition of G-d’s reign throughout the entire world, as described in Torah: “G-d shall reign forevermore,” “and kingship shall be G-d’s,” “and G-d shall be king upon the entire earth; on that day G-d shall be one and His name will be one.”

PREPARING FOR THE FINAL GENERATION

5. The latter concept is further emphasized in the final stage of exile. More specifically, within this period itself, its impact is particularly felt in [the sixth generation of Chabad] the generation that the Rebbe Rayatz served as Rebbe in the dynasty of Chabad, as well as [the following generation] our generation:

The Rebbe Rayatz is the sixth generation from the Alter Rebbe, founder of Toras Chassidus Chabad. (The teachings of Chabad find expression in spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus outward into the mind’s faculties of Chochma, Bina, and Daas, in a manner of “isparnasun minei – one gets sustenance from it [becoming a palpable reality, affecting the emotions, rather than remaining abstract, intellectual concepts].” Chabad Chassidus also reaches the “outside” in the context of the world, extending to the furthest possible distance.) And in terms of s’firos, the sixth generation corresponds to the s’fira of Yesod (Yosef), the sixth Divine attribute.

In general, the sixth generation parallels the sixth millennium, the final millennium of the six thousand years for which this world is destined to exist – two thousand years Tohu, Chaos; two thousand years Torah; two thousand years the Era of Moshiach. Within the sixth millennium itself, the sixth generation corresponds to the end of the two thousand years of the Era of Moshiach.

The sixth generation in the sixth millennium serves as a direct preparation for the next generation (the final generation of exile and the first generation of redemption), the seventh generation (corresponding to the s’fira of Malchus) – a preparation for all the men, women, and children of the generation individually – as well as the seventh millennium, “a day that is entirely Shabbos and tranquility for everlasting life.” Although there are “two thousand years of the Era of Moshiach” (the fifth and sixth millennia), there is also the actual redemption [when the redemption becomes a tangible reality]. The pinnacle of the redemption, of course, takes place in the seventh millennium, which is infinity greater than the six preceding millennia (in addition to the fact that it is their culmination and summation). Indeed, in the seventh millennium, all that has been achieved throughout the six thousand years before it is included within it and drawn down to “b’nei shileishim – the third generation,” achieving the perfection of “the tenth shall be holy” (seven together with three) – the perfection in Kesser-Malchus of Dovid Malka Meshicha, as well as all the virtues of ten that shall come to the fore in the Future Era.

THREE GENERATIONS FOLLOWING THE SEVENTH GENERATION?

6. This manifestation of Kesser-Malchus is further expressed on Yud-Beis Tammuz of this year, the 110^th birthday of Yosef, the nasi of our generation, beginning a new stage in the ongoing avoda of Yosef, extending to future generations – “And Yosef saw Efraim’s children of the third generation, etc.”

Also, alluding to drawing down Kesser-Malchus is the number sixty-three, being sixty-three years from the Rebbe Rayatz’s redemption (5687-5750). Sixty-three is fifty plus thirteen. (In particular as the sixty-three years are divided into thirteen years in the previous century (5687 – 5700) and fifty years in this century (5701-5750). For Nun (Shaar HaNun, the Fiftieth Gate) corresponds to Kesser, and it is drawn down to all Jews, alluded to by thirteen (twelve Shvatim as well as the Tribe of Levi, totaling thirteen Shvatim), corresponding to the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.)

Furthermore, sixty-three (Samech-Gimmel) signifies G-d’s Divine name referred to as Sheim Sag, which corresponds to the main avoda of our time (i.e., the refinement and rectification of the World of Tohu). In fact, in the sixth millennium, close to the end, the avoda of Sheim Sag prepares for the revelation of Sheim Av (Ayin-Beis) – Atika Kadisha, the aspect of “maskil l’eisan ha’ezrachi” – with the true and complete redemption.

ALL VANITY COMPARED TO THE FUTURE ERA

7. This discussion relates to the chapter of T’hillim we begin saying as of this Yud-Beis Tammuz (the Rebbe’s 110^th birthday), Kapitel 111:

On the verse (in this chapter), “He has made a memorial for His wonders,” the Tzemach Tzedek cites (in his writings on T’hillim) the Midrash, “All that the Alm-ghty does for the righteous in the present time is nothing other than a memorial of what He prepares for them in the World to Come, and its righteousness stands forever.” The Tzemach Tzedek continues: “‘All that the Alm-ghty does for the righteous in the present time is nothing other than a memorial of what he prepares for [them in] the World to Come’: It is plausible to maintain that this Midrash teaches that even the miracles of the exodus from Egypt are nothing other than a memorial, a premonition, of the miracles of the Future Era, as it is written, ‘As in the day of your exodus from the land of Egypt I shall show you wonders’ … That is to say that in the Future Era there shall be the revelation of the inner dimension of Atik, whereas even in the time of Moshe there was only a manifestation of the superficial aspect of Atik Yomim … Thus, ‘a memorial of what he prepares for [them in] the World to Come’ refers to the aspect of ‘I shall show you [the] wonders’ of the Future Era.”

Then the Tzemach Tzedek elaborates: “All Mitzvos are merely a memorial and symbol for what shall be in the Future Era. For, according to the Talmudic opinion that Mitzvos will not be eradicated in the Future Era, they will actually be far greater than they are now, to the extent that the fulfillment of Mitzvos nowadays is only a memorial and symbol of how they will be then … See Rabbos, the beginning of Koheles, on the concept of ‘vanity of vanities’ – that all that was created in the six days of Creation is ‘vanity’ compared to the Future Era, as stated in Rabbos that even the Torah of our time is ‘vanity’ compared with the revelation of the Torah in the Future Era, etc.”

These teachings underscore the chiddush discussed above regarding Yosef’s hundred and tenth year. Namely, that then [in the Future Era] it will be revealed how the continuation of generations emerges from “Yosef,” beginning with the generation of the true and complete redemption, which is infinitely greater than anything that exists at present (throughout the six thousand years this world is destined to exist). It goes without saying that the Future Era will infinitely surpass the time of exile, but this is likewise so with regard to the time of redemption – the exodus from Egypt. Naturally, worldly matters of the present time pale in comparison to how they will be in the Future Era, but this is also the case with regard to Torah and Mitzvos. It is all no more than a memorial or symbol of “His wonders,” of the revelation of G-d’s “I shall show you wonders,” from the One “Who alone performs great wonders” (of which, as of now, only the Alm-ghty Himself is aware – “His wonders”). The Future Era will see the dawning of “a new Torah shall emerge from Me,” and the fulfillment of Mitzvos will be revealed in the Future Era “as the Mitzvos of Your will.”

(From the address of Shabbos Parshas Balak, 14 Tammuz 5750. Seifer HaSichos 5750, pg. 560-56)