The Holy Ruzhiner Rebbe told the following story about his ancestors:
When Reb Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch, felt his end drawing near, he declared, "I will not enter the Garden of Eden until G-d sends Moshiach."
When the Maggid passed away, he was brought to the Heavenly Court and told that a special place was a waiting him in the Garden of Eden.
The Maggid, however, stood his ground and demanded that G-d send Moshiach, or else he would not budge.
After much arguing and cajoling, the Maggid was offered a spiritual reward that enticed him to forgo his promise.
The Maggid's son, Reb Avraham, was known as "the Angel," for he was as disassociated from this physical world as a human being could be, approaching the spiritual level of an angel.
Reb Avraham, knowing that his father had been unsuccessful at forcing G-d to send Moshiach, determined that he would not be dissuaded when his time came, but would refuse to enter the Garden of Eden until he had brought about the coming of Moshiach.
Avraham's end of days approached and he strengthened himself for the celestial battle.
When he passed away and stood before the Heavenly Court, he insisted that he would not enter the Garden of Eden until G-d would send Moshiach.
All manners of spiritual enticements were offered to Reb Avraham. Spiritual pleasure and bliss that had not even been offered to the greatest tzadikim. But Reb Avraham stood his ground.
And G-d stood His ground.
Until finally, G-d took Reb Avraham by the hand, as it were, and shlepped him into the Garden of Eden.
Reb Sholom Shachna was the son of Reb Avraham and the grandson of the Maggid of Mezritch.
Through Divine inspiration he knew of his father's and grandfather's decision to not enter the Garden of Eden until G-d would send Moshiach.
He knew, too, that neither of them had been successful and eventually entered the Garden of Eden although Moshiach had not arrived.
As Reb Sholom Shachna advanced in years, he, too, determined that he would not enter the Garden of Eden until he made sure that G-d would send Moshiach.
Upon his passing, Reb Sholom Shachna was led before the Heavenly Court and was invited to proceed to the Garden of Eden.
But Reb Sholom Shachna remembered his promise and refused, and with utmost determination and stubbornness declared that he would not proceed until G-d sent Moshiach.
Reb Sholom Shachna did not budge. He would not move one iota until G-d agreed to send Moshiach.
Exactly what transpired is not known. But what is known is that G-d extended the boundaries of the Garden of Eden to encompass that area in which Reb Sholom Shachna stood.
At a gathering in 1989, the Rebbe related that the same thing transpired when Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev passed away.
He, too, had promised that he would not enter the Garden of Eden before G-d sent Moshiach.
But, alas, Reb Levi Yitzchak was also persuaded to forego his promise.
The Rebbe then stated, "What should be done to prevent this from happening again is to take a vow, with the people's consent, to not enter the Garden of Eden until G-d sends Moshiach.
A vow which is accepted with the consent of the multitude cannot be nullified without the consent of the multitude."
In simple words this means that the Rebbe took upon himself a vow that if it came to this point, he would be unable to be enter the Garden of Eden without G-d abiding by the Rebbe's vow.
We know with certainty, that the Rebbe is standing outside of the gates of the Garden of Eden, demanding that G-d send Moshiach.
And the Rebbe will succeed!
