By now, surely everyone is familiar with the Rebbe’s exhortation, “Do all you can to bring Moshiach.” An important part of our effort must be to learn the sichos of the Rebbe. On Shabbos Lech Lecha, 11 MarCheshvan 5752, the Rebbe said that in our generation, the last generation of exile and the first generation of Redemption, there should be “an increase in Torah study . . . . This needs to be not only with the three intellectual faculties as they are connected to the emotional traits, but also in the essence of the three intellectual faculties. This means specifically an increase in the study of the inner teachings of the Torah (with intellectual explanations), including the subject of Redemption and our righteous Moshiach.”
To facilitate fulfillment of the Rebbe’s directive, we are pleased to publish Reflections of Redemption. It is hoped that these short essays, based on the Rebbe’s sichos, will help “open our eyes” to the presence of Moshiach and the immanence of Redemption.
A word about the sichos themselves is in order. Obviously, even the simplest sicha has many nuances and offers insights from many angles. The multi-dimensional nature of the sichos reflects the multi-dimensional nature of Chassidus. As explained in On the Essence of Chassidus, Chassidus penetrates all areas of Torah, revealing their underlying unity; yet it also exists at a level higher than the process of interpretation. Chassidus is not just a fifth level of interpretation, a rung higher than pshat, remez, drush and sod. Chassidus is categorically different. It can show how an apparently isolated interpretation or discussion actually has a fundamental connection with a central concept. In many ways, the sichos are the paradigm of how Chassidus works.
It is well known that the Alter Rebbe’s famous dictum to “live with the times” means to live with the weekly Torah reading. Every detail of a particular Torah reading contains and reveals a timeless truth. A deep study and clear understanding of the Torah portion illuminates the fundamental principle, the relevant lesson that should permeate and guide our actions for that week. The theme of our times – and thus the underlying theme of every Torah portion – is the Rebbe’s prophecy that Moshiach is coming now. Thus, we would expect the sichos to demonstrate not only the inner unity between various approaches and levels of interpretation; we would expect them to reveal the element of Moshiach within each Torah reading as well. The purpose of this book, then, is to present an aspect of the element of Moshiach in the weekly Torah reading, as revealed in the Rebbe’s sichos.
Some of the essays follow the structure of the sicha itself; others use an incident or insight as a starting point to discuss in a more generalized way central concepts connected to Moshiach, such as exile, Redemption, the role of the non-Jew, etc. Some essays are extended analogies, emphasizing a point of comparison between events in the times of Moses and those of our own day, the times of Moshiach. In other essays, an idea’s relevance to Redemption might emerge only after a detailed examination of the pshat, or literal meaning, of a particular verse. But throughout, what emerges is Torah’s revelation of Moshiach in our times.
Hopefully, the brevity and style make these essays, each of which focuses on one aspect of the Torah reading, accessible to the average reader. For this reason, there is also an introductory summary to each essay. The informality of the format explains the absence of footnotes and other critical apparatus. The citations for references and quotations may be found in the original sichos.
It is customary to acknowledge those people who work ‘behind-the-scenes,’ so to speak. The initiative for this project came from Rabbi Mendy Chanin, who also took responsibility for guiding this book to publication. The manuscript was reviewed and edited by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg; his scholarship and clarity of thought materially improved every essay. Their efforts, without which this book could not have been published, are much appreciated. Of course, any errors or oversights remain the responsibility of the author.
The essays presented here are but part of the Moshiach Awareness Campaign, which is carrying out the Rebbe’s directive to prepare the world for Moshiach. It is our hope that this book will contribute to that preparation. May we soon see, in the most literal sense, the fulfillment of the Rebbe’s prophecy of “immediate Redemption” and “Behold he (Moshiach) comes.”
Vaad L’hafatzos Sichos
Rosh Chodesh Elul 5767
