Living Torah Archives

Maimonides teaches us to imagine the world as hanging in the balance between good and evil. One action may be all that’s needed to tip the scales towards the good and bring salvation to the entire world.

In Temple times, Jews with offerings in hand would make the yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the festival of Shavuos. Those who did not bring an offering on the holiday itself, were able to do so in the six days that followed, known as the Days of Tashlumin. Today, even if we haven’t merited Moshiach before Shavuos, we hope and pray that we’ll still arrive in Jerusalem before the end of Tashlumin so we can still bring our offerings.

The Israelites were exiled in Egypt and forced to engage in slave labor, yet, when their redemption finally came, there were some who didn’t want to leave exile! Life became easy as soon as the slave-labor ceased, so they began complaining, “Why do we need to search for Torah and Judaism in the desert, and follow a wild individual like Moses? We have a competent king, culture and wisdom – let’s remain. But G-d sent a warning through Moses, that Pharaoh will “banish them from his land.” A Jew isn’t given a choice in the matter.

On the 10th of Kislev, the second Rebbe of Chabad, Rabbi DovBer was liberated from prison. He was freed just nine days before Chasidim would celebrate the release of his father, Rabbi Schneur Zalman. Both the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe connected their release from prison to the verse in Psalms, “my soul was redeemed in peace,” a verse that will be fully realized with the ultimate arrival of Moshiach. The lesson for us: A Jew should always be permeated with the idea that every person can bring redemption to the world.

In Moshiach’s time there will also be wealthy people. So you’ll have what to do then too. May you go from strength to strength, and may we very soon gather together with all Jews in the Holy Land. You will take the money along with you, so there is no need to worry. (Collage)

The Rambam writes, “May they be immediately redeemed”. The Rambam is a book of law, so this must be a law as well! That we must be immediately redeemed.

“May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.” The commentaries on the verse explain that these words in Psalms refer to Moshiach. But being that all the revelations we’ll experience in the times of Moshiach will reflect our effort before his arrival, as it turns out, we need not wait to begin actualizing this verse.

Can't we just rely on G-d to bring it at the appropriate time?

Rabbi Moshiach Chudaitov and his family were active in the Jewish underground in Samarkand, Uzbekistan during Soviet times. When they succeeded in leaving the Soviet Union, they received some unexpected attention from the Rebbe, together with a very special blessing. (Early 1970s)

The Rebbe concludes the yearly study cycle of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah in his home on President Street, Brooklyn. In the very last law, Maimonides describes the future redemption.

Maimonides rules in his Laws of Kings about the times of Moshiach: “Do not think that the world will undergo miraculous changes. The world will continue according to the natural order. And prophecies such as, ‘The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,’ are metaphors.”

Maimonides concludes his code of Jewish law, the Mishneh Torah: “In the Era of Moshiach… there will be no occupation in the whole world except to know G-d alone. Therefore, the Jews will be great sages, knowing the hidden matters and grasping their Creator to the full extent possible for man – as it is written, ‘For the knowledge of G-d will fill the earth as water covers the sea.’”

Maimonides concludes his code of law, the Mishneh Torah, by describing the era of Moshiach as a time of peace, abundance and enlightenment. All luxuries will be readily available, and yet they will be esteemed in man’s eyes as the dust. As such, we will devote ourselves totally to the study of Torah.

Passover is ‘The Festival of Our Freedom.’ The Festival itself calls out: “Listen, Jews – we must be free!” The verse states: “There shall be one law for the Passover sacrifice – for you, the convert and the native-born.” Allegorically speaking, ‘native-born’ refers to the ‘true citizen’ of a country – one who thinks that his country is the greatest. A Jew must recognize, however, that he is “Jerusalem-born” – no matter where in the world he is.

Hebrew, the Holy Tongue, is utterly precise. In Hebrew, “Exile” is called “Golah.” But this very word also hints the path to redemption. By inserting the letter Alef, the word “Golah — Exile” becomes “Geulah — Redemption.”

Blessings in your work to ensure that garments in Israel are Shatnez-free. But may we soon merit to use Shatnez properly in the third Holy Temple. A double portion of blessing for everything in the Land of Israel.

Transmit this message to my followers: Moshiach is coming very soon, and they must be prepared to receive him properly!