The main purpose of the exile is, rather than a punishment, in order to purify us so that we can receive the great G-dly revelations in the Redemption through Moshiach. It’s a descent for the purpose of ascent.
During the exile, we make “vessels” to receive the revelations of G-dly light.
This is why when the Ba’al Shem Tov asked the soul of Moshiach when he is coming, Moshiach responded, “When your wellsprings will spread outwards”. The light of Chassidus is the vessel for receiving the light of Moshiach, which is revealed when the vessel is complete.
(from a letter of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita)
Guidance → Don’t Give Up Even a Hairsbreadth of the Land of Israel
“And we should arouse also about guarding the completeness of the Land of Israel – to nullify completely (‘like the dust of the earth’) the idea and the speaking about giving over areas of the Land of Israel that are in our hands to the nations of the world, not even one footstep, and not even a hairsbreadth, rather to guard the completeness of the Land (that was already actually given by G-d to the ownership of the Jewish People in this time), together with the completeness of the nation and the completeness of the Torah – a threefold and everlasting completeness.”
(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, 15th of Shevat 5752 (1992))
Insight → Why an Eleven-Day Journey Took Forty Years
The journey from Egypt to the Land of Israel could have taken just eleven days, but G-d took the Jewish People around the desert for forty years.
Eleven represents G-d’s Essence, which is higher than the ten Sefiros, the ten utterances with which G-d created the world and the Ten Commandments.
Forty years is the time that it takes to truly understand one’s teacher.
G-d’s intention was for His Essence (11) to become internalized (40) by the Jewish People, and for them to bring G-d’s Essence into the physical world.
(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, Beshalach 5752 (1992))
Practical Judaism → Praying with Happy Song
The Alter Rebbe would pray out loud and with song.
In our times, in addition to singing in a way of ascending from below to above, there needs to be now (after the finishing of all the ascents) singing out of attaching and becoming included in the One Above, as a preparation for the “new song” of the future to come.
Especially regarding praying about the true and complete Redemption – that in addition to the feelings of yearning for the Redemption (until now), there needs to be now also and mainly the feeling of happiness from this that the Redemption is actually coming at this very moment.
(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, Beshalach 5752 (1992))
Moshiach → The Goal: For G-d to Feel at Home
We bring the Redemption through Moshiach by our work in Torah and Mitzvos. The goal is to make this world into a home for G-d. Just as a person reveals one’s true self in one’s home, in the Redemption there will be the ultimate revelation of G-d’s Essence in the world, which we have made into a home for Him.
(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, Beshalach 5752 (1992) and more)
