תּוֹרָה אוֹר, דִּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל אוֹסְרִי, סְעִיף הַמַּתְחִיל וְהִנֵּה זֶהוּ, צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת: “וְהַעֲלָאַת נִיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנָפְלוּ אֲפִילוּ הַבְּהֵמוֹת יִתְעַלּוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בִּתְחִילַת".

[In the above note, the Rebbe makes emendations to the Hebrew text of Torah Or that have since been incorporated in all of its editions.]

הַסְכֵּת וּשְׁמַע יִשְׁרָאֵל, הָעֵת הַזֹּאת הִיא מוֹעֵד הַגְּאוּלָה עַל יְדֵי מָשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ, וְהַיִּסּוּרִים הַבָּאִים עָלֵינוּ הֵם חֶבְלֵי מָשִׁיחַ, וְאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְאָלִין אֶלָּא בִּתְשׁוּבָה. אַל תַּאֲמִינוּ לִנְבִיאֵי הַשֶּׁקֶר הַמַּבְטִיחִים לָכֶם יְשׁוּעוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת אַחֲרֵי כְּלוֹת הַמִּלְחָמָה, זִכְרוּ דְבַר ה' (ירמיה יז, ה) אָרוּר הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בָּאָדָם וְשָׂם בָּשָׂר זְרוֹעוֹ וּמִן ד' יָסוּר לִבּוֹ. שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד ד' אֱלֹקֶיךָ, וְהָכֵן עַצְמְךָ וּבְנֵי בֵיתְךָ לְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי מָשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ הַבָּא בְּקָרוֹב מַמָּשׁ.

“Take heed and listen, O Israel.”1 The present age is the appointed time for the Redemption by our righteous Mashiach. The hardships we are experiencing are the labor pains of Mashiach, and “Israel will be redeemed solely through teshuvah.”2 Don’t believe the false prophets who promise you salvation and consolation after the war ends.3 Remember the words of G‑d: “Cursed be a man who trusts in mortals, making flesh his strength, and turns his heart away from G‑d.”4 “Return, O Israel, to G‑d your L‑rd,”5 and prepare yourself and your family to greet Mashiach, who is coming in the immediate future.6

Peering Over the Horizon

The Rebbe Rayatz made this declaration during World War II. In the more than half a century that has followed, our people’s yearning for the coming of Mashiach has become characterized by a sense of imminence. And this has been heightened by the Mashiach campaign the Rebbe mounted to communicate this message to people everywhere.

Once, while the thousands of chassidim were singing together during a pause between sichos at a farbrengen, a noted rabbi approached the Rebbe and asked: “Why is there such a need for the Rebbe to remind people that Mashiach is arriving soon? Doesn’t everyone here believe that already?!”

The Rebbe responded by asking a seemingly unrelated question: “Would you be prepared to give a loan to So-and so?”

“Of course,” the rabbi answered.

The Rebbe asked further: “And would you be prepared to extend that loan until Mashiach arrives?”

The rabbi responded with a shrug of the shoulders and a facial expression that betrayed a certain hesitation. A moment later, without another word from the Rebbe, he realized that he had just received the answer to his question....