Jewish Holidays & Themes of Redemption

From the book "Living With Moshiach," concise, inspiring and articulate discussions on Moshiach, arranged according to the holidays, based on the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

The second sound, the teruah, is the mournful tune of exile, sung by us—the Jews of Diaspora. It is the mouthpiece for those who know too much pain, leaving them with no energy – or worse, no willpower – to blow on...

Rosh Hashanah holds within it an awesome power. The light of the past is withdrawn and the light of the future has yet to come down into the world and into your life. The Book is open. What will you choose?

Why repent out of worry and trembling of the day of death? It is better to repent joyfully, anticipating the coming redemption!

Why do we fast on Yom Kippur? A common perception is that it’s to de-emphasize our physicality on the most spiritual day of the year. According to chassidic teaching, the very opposite is the case.

With so many "firsts" associated with this day, why does the Torah refer to it -- and by extention, to the entire Parshah -- as "the eighth day"?

The seven-lamp Menorah illuminated the natural world, but Chanukah goes even beyond...

If a cold and dark world mutes the light of G‑d and dulls our minds and hearts, it only accentuates the most basic and essential element of our relationship: the bond between the physical self of man and the quintessential being of G‑d.

Strange is it not? A book of the Bible and not even one explicit reference to G‑d? Why is that? Perhaps we can answer this question with another question....

"See, I have set before you life and goodness, and death and evil... Life and death I have set before you, blessing and curse... And you shall choose life..." (Deuteronomy 30:15-19). These three sentences represent three dimensions of choice -- compelled choice, random choice, and essential choice