BESURAS HAGEULO
The Announcement Of The Redemption
The appointment of David, the King Moshiach, has already occurred, as it says, "I have found David My servant, with My holy oil I have anointed him." It requires only an acceptance of his kingship by the people and a complete revelation of the attachment between the king and the people - in the true and perfect Redemption.
(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim, Parshas Shekalim, Mevorchim HaChodesh Adar, 5751)
In regard to recent events:
First of all, it occurred that on the eve of this Shabbos, the heads of the great and important countries of the world, and at their head the leaders of the two superpowers, convened together. They resolved and announced a new era in the relationship between the countries of the world. The status of war between the nations of the world was nullified, to be expressed in a reduction and elimination of weapons of destruction until there is peace and unity, a working partnership and strong cooperation between nations for the good of all mankind.
Prior to this event (by Divine Providence) the President of this country declared to all his people (on Wednesday, "the preparation for Shabbos," the beginning of the eve of this Shabbos) that he would announce and publicize a reduction and elimination of weapons of destruction, utilizing the money that was not spent to procure weapons to expand economic programs that provide for the citizenry. The announcement was confirmed by Congress, wherein the laws of the country are established and which have the force of law according to Torah ("the law of the government is the law").
One has to consider the lesson as well as the details of the event - its place and time, including its connection to the contents of the time in the Torah, the Parsha of the week, as will be explained.
The lesson of this event is a general and fundamental aspect of the Divine service of the Jewish people ("our work and Divine service while in exile") - to bring the coming of Moshiach:
One of the promises of the true and final Redemption through our righteous Moshiach is connected to the conduct of the nations of the world: "they shall beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
Furthermore, this will occur through the activity of our righteous Moshiach himself, as stated at the beginning of the verse, "He will judge among the nations and reprove many peoples" ("The judge is king Moshiach... for he is the master of all the peoples, and he reproves them; he says to whoever in whom is found sin, let the crooked be made straight... and because of this there will not be war between one nation and another because he will make peace between them, and they will not need weapons of war, and they will beat them to make of them utensils for working the ground").
"At the end of days the mount of the House of the L-rd will be mended... and all the nations will flow to it, and many peoples will go and they will say let us go up to the mount of G-d, to the House of the G-d of Yaakov and learn from his way and go in his paths, because Torah goes forth from Tzion and the word of G-d from Jerusalem," and "the one who will teach them is the king Moshiach, about whom it is said, and he will judge."
The heads of the nations of the world are resolving and announcing the reduction and elimination of weapons of destruction and an expansion of programs that provide sustenance for the country and the world as a whole. This is the content of the promise that "they shall beat their swords into plowshares," breaking weapons of war to make them vessels for working the ground, "ground from which comes bread." [Since they are currently making this resolution,] this is a clear sign concerning the beginning of the fulfillment of this promise of the true and complete Redemption through our righteous Moshiach.
A further clarification:
Since we find ourselves in the "highest time" of the coming of our righteous Moshiach, "Behold he (the king Moshiach) comes," we already see (an example) and the beginning of the effect of the king Moshiach on the nations- "and he judges between the nations and reproves many peoples and they shall beat their swords to plowshares..." Essentially, G-d is inspiring the rulers of the world ("the heart of kings and princes is in the hand of G-d") to resolve and announce together concerning the position and situation of "they shall beat their swords into plowshares."
The resolution and announcement occurred specifically at this time, because of its special connection with the true and complete Redemption through our righteous Moshiach.
It may be added, that the connection of the event to the beginning of the activities of our righteous Moshiach is also emphasized in the details of the event - the time and place wherein the heads of state made the resolution and announcement concerning the position and situation of "they shall beat their swords into plowshares":
The place wherein this event occurred (a place designated for representatives of the nations of the world to gather to deliberate among themselves in a courteous and peaceful manner) is in this country and this city. In the country and city wherein is "Beis Rabbeinu Sh'B'Bavel" [The House of our Rebbe in Babel], "Beis Chayeinu" [The House of our Life], the synagogue and study hall, the house of Torah, Prayer and acts of loving-kindness, [all creations] of my sainted father-in-law, the leader of our generation. He chose [this place] and established here the headquarters from which "Torah will go forth," the dissemination outward of Torah and the wellsprings into all corners of the world until the coming of our righteous Moshiach (when your wellsprings extend outward). For then also will the promise be fulfilled that "they shall beat their swords into plowshares."
The meaning of this concept is:
When the leader of our generation came to the lower hemisphere and established his residence in this country and city, there began in force the purification and refinement of the lower hemisphere, extending there the revelation of the giving of the Torah (which had been in the upper hemisphere). More than this, it became the source from which extended and spread the fundamental activity of disseminating the Wellsprings outward literally into all corners of the world. This was done through the shluchim [emissaries] that he sent throughout the world (also to the upper hemisphere), to the farthest corner imaginable, in order to disseminate Torah and Judaism to all the Jewish people (including and specifically those dwelling among the gentiles and speaking their language and acting in all appearances like them).
Further, and this is also essential, he disseminated matters of goodness, justice and integrity between the nations of the world as well, through fulfillment of the commandments of the children of Noach. As greatly emphasized in recent years, as we come closer to and approach the time of the coming of our righteous Moshiach, "Then I will turn to the nations a pure language to call all of them on the name of G-d and to serve Him with one consent."
In this last period (beginning with the year of miracles, and continuing into the years of "wonders I will show him" and "wonders in everything") this activity has reached its climax, with the breaking down of the boundaries of the country [Russia] that at its inception engraved on its flag and declared a war against the dissemination of Torah and Judaism, to the extent of waging war against belief in the Creator and Guide of the world. (This also includes the imprisonment of my sainted father-in-law, the leader of our generation, and consequently his expulsion from the borders of that country.) Nevertheless, the activities of the shluchim of the leader of our generation extended even there, spreading Torah and Judaism in secret and with real mesiros nefesh [self-sacrifice]. This continued until the recent period, when the decrees of the country were nullified, and it became possible to continue the activities of spreading Torah and Judaism with greater strength and vigor, openly and publicly. Finally, the previous government fell and a new government was established, declaring itself for justice, integrity and peace, based on belief in the Creator and Guide of the world.
As a continuation of this, on the eve of this Shabbos a meeting between the new president of that country and the president of this country occurred, in partnership with many other leaders of the great countries of the world. There they accepted the resolution and publicized its contents that "they shall beat their swords into plowshares."
The location of this conference, its resolution and announcement in the city of the leader of our generation, my sainted father-in-law (in which gathered the leaders of the countries, including as well the president of this country, who had to come from the capital city to this city) implies that all this came as a result of the activities in disseminating Torah and Judaism, justice and integrity throughout the world. That was done, and is being done, through the leader of our generation, the Moshiach of the generation.
This is so to such an extent that through the completion of the Divine service mentioned above, at this time the whole world is made ready for the beginning of the activities of the king Moshiach, "and he will judge between the nations and reprove many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares."
The time in which this event occurred is also appropriately connected with the Redemption because of its connection to the life of the leader of our generation; for it occurred on the eve of the last Shabbos of the month of Shvat, the eleventh month, on the tenth of which is the hilulo (the completion and perfection of the Divine service) of my sainted father-in-law, the leader of our generation. The eleventh [of Shvat] produced an expansion and innovation in his leadership, with greater strength and greater vigor, until the completion and conclusion of all the Divine service of our generation (the last generation of exile which is the first generation of Redemption). [This happened] during the [past] forty-two years, which correspond to the forty-two stages of travel in the desert of the nations [i.e., exile]. Thus we are already prepared and poised to enter the land in the true and final Redemption (as discussed at length at a previous gathering).
For the time (as well as the place) of the announcement that "they shall beat their swords into plowshares" emphasized the connection with the activities of the leader of our generation, my sainted father-in-law, the Moshiach of the generation, through whom is fulfilled the promise that "they will beat their swords into plowshares."
...It may be said that the resolution and announcement of the leaders of the nations of the world on the eve of Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim concerning the condition and situation of "they shall beat their swords into plowshares" is an effect of the resolution and announcement of "our kings, the Rabbis" that "Behold he (the king Moshiach) comes." [The situation today] began with the legal decree of my sainted father-in-law, the leader of our generation, that we have already completed our work and Divine service in the course of the exile and we are already prepared to greet our righteous Moshiach. It then continued through the legal decree of the rabbis and authorities of the Jewish people that the time of Redemption has arrived, "a king from the house of Dovid will arise... it is presumed [b'chezkas] that he is Moshiach " until the situation and position of "behold, he is certainly Moshiach [vadai]." [These are] legal decrees "from Sinai," which extend into and penetrate the barriers of the world as well, to such an extent that the leaders of the nations resolve and announce voluntarily (and "in their courts" for they have the force "the law of the country is the law") concerning the situation and position that "they shall beat their swords into plowshares."
...According to what was said above, the wonder and amazement becomes much stronger, together with the great pain and confusion (a pain so great that one should not go into lengthy discussion of this matter on the Sabbath) - how is it possible that the Jewish people still find themselves in exile?!... Until when?!... Is it possible that after all the signs that the true and complete Redemption is coming imminently and immediately in actual reality, including the event of this eve of Shabbos, when even the nations of the world announce that the time has arrived for "they shall beat their swords into plowshares" we find ourselves on the holy Shabbos day outside the land? Instead of being together with all the Jewish people from all corners of the world, is in our holy land, in Yerushalayim the holy city, and in the Beis HaMikdash [Temple], gathered at the "table prepared and set for the meal before the people," upon which is set the Livyosan, the Shor HaBor and the Yayin Meshumar!
Further, and this is essential, the announcement, the commandment and the power to "make me a Sanctuary and I will dwell among them" (as we read in the Torah at Mincha) in regard to building the Third Beis HaMikdash has not yet been received! From this is understood the great need and the urgency to increase with greater vigor and greater force involvement those things which draw closer, hasten and bring in actual reality the Redemption, imminently and immediately.
First of all, in the matter emphasized in Parshas Mishpatim: "Mishpatim" are the details of the laws between people in order to achieve peace (and obviously the absence of its opposite, nullifying the cause of the final exile), which brings the Redemption, as our Sages of blessed memory said about the advantage of justice [mishpat], that "with it Tzion will be built, as it says, Tzion will be redeemed with justice." [This also applies] to tzedekah ("and its captives through tzedekah") and acts of loving kindness, as explained in our Parsha, "If you will lend money to any of my people that is poor" and "Acts of loving kindness are greater than tzedekah." Also the relevant section of Bava Basra (the "explanation" of parshas Mishpatim in the Oral Torah) explains in detail the concepts of the mitzvah of tzedekah. Among the fundamental ones is "Great...
