Many probably believe that the Final Redemption is a long way off. As bad as the world may be today, they think, there is still plenty of time to get it back on track. All those people running around warning about the sky falling probably seem to them like a bunch of Chicken Littles. It is hard, though, to refer to Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian in this manner, who said:
I heard in London from the holy Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman, quoting the Chofetz Chaim, that our Rabbis say that the War of Gog and Magog will be threefold. After the First World War, the Chofetz Chaim said that it was the first battle of Gog and Magog, and that in about 25 years time, a second world war would occur that would make the first one seem insignificant. And then, there will be a third battle...
Rav Elchanan concluded that one must suffer the pangs of Moshiach. However, the wise man will quietly prepare himself during that time, and perhaps he will merit to see the comforting of Tzion and Yerushalyim. (Leiv Eliyahu, Shemos, p.172)
Prepare? How? By using up as many gevuros as possible in one’s own sphere of influence. This means spiritual self-disciple. It means taking mitzvos seriously, our own and those of others. It means caring about the world enough to pay attention to it, and to at least pray for it.
It also means taking redemption seriously, and seriously anticipating it. As the Talmud states, one of the six questions we will be asked on our final day of judgment is, “Did you anticipate the redemption?” This means more than just believing in it. It means acting in the here-and-now as if it is imminent, as if you know that it is just a short matter of time before history crosses the threshold into the Messianic Era. More than likely this is the case.
As the Ramchal and the Vilna Gaon both pointed out, Moshiach Ben Yosef does not have to die in battle, as foretold by the Talmud. Negative prophecies do not have to come true. He’ll only have to die in battle part of the way, to sweeten the remaining gevuros, if we leave over too many in need of rectification. We have the power to use up the gevuros in a positive manner, to use them to our advantage, and soften the transition to the Messianic Era.
