Challenging Times
The Zohar predicts, “So will the Geula for the Yidden occur: When the sun of the Geula is about to shine upon them, they will be burdened with crisis after crisis, and darkness after darkness. And while they are in that state, the light of HaShem will shine upon them.” (זוהר חדש בראשית ו,א)
In order for the new state of Geula, to be born, the previous state must first dissolve. Thus states the Maharal.
The Alter Rebbe adds that this is why shortly before the Yidden were redeemed from Mitzrayim, the golus worsened. In preparation for the new revelation at Matan Torah, whatever light remained had to be withdrawn. (נצח ישראל פל"ב, תורה אור וארא נז,ד)
The Rebbe Rashab explains that during the final golus it is our task to elevate the highest sparks that have fallen the lowest. This is the reason for the immense challenges that we face during the present golus. (סה"מ פר"ת ע' קז)
Holding On
The Mezritcher Maggid said, “Before Moshiach comes, there will be a repeat of the confrontation between Eliyahu HaNavi and the prophets of the Baal on Mount Carmel. However, unlike that match, when a fire miraculously descended from Above on to the mizbeiach of the prophets of HaShem, this time the fire will descend on the other side. And that will be the greatest test of all.” (כפר חב"ד גליון 418, דברי שמואל ע' מ)
The Chozeh of Lublin once said, “Before Moshiach arrives, it will be difficult for a Yid to hold on to his emuna. He will have to struggle to remain an upstanding Yid. It will be like climbing up a straight wall, grasping it with no more than pliers.” (ומביא גואל ע 35)
On his deathbed, Reb Volf of Zhitomir, a leading talmid of the Baal Shem Tov, shared with those around him what the future holds:
“Let it be known that there will be difficult times before Moshiach comes. It will be possible for a person to eat at home on Yom Kippur R”L, and then show up at shul in a fancy carriage, and be honored with Shishi or Maftir.
“Publicize this now, so that the Yidden living at that future time will know that many years earlier there lived a certain Reb Volf who predicted that state of affairs, and then they will not be overwhelmed and chas veshalom despair.” (לקו"ס פרלוב ע' רפ"ט)
This is how Reb Simcha Bunim of Pshis’cha would describe the upheaval before Moshiach arrives: “At that time, there will be winters without cold, ‘rich’ without wealth, ‘lomdim’ ignorant of Torah, ‘chassidim’ empty of Chassidus, ‘tzaddikim’ without maasim tovim, and ‘baalei middos’ with every flaw...” (חסידים מספרים סי' תקכ"א)
Once at yechidus, Reb Zalman Gurary asked the Rebbe why in recent times there are so many tzaros among Klal Yisroel, with unrelenting suffering? The Rebbe explained to him that during the time before Moshiach comes, the forces of kelipa gather strength, and thus the darkness grows thicker. (בכל ביתי נאמן הוא ע' 307)
The Golus Advantage
In Tehillim, Dovid HaMelech yearns for HaShem: “My neshama thirsts for You... in a parched and weary land without water. So too, to see You in the holy [place]...”
In this possuk, the Baal Shem Tov saw how passionately Dovid HaMelech envied the yearning that Yidden would experience during the time of golus. Specifically in that state, when the neshama is far from HaShem, it yearns for Him. Halevai, Dovid HaMelech beseeches, that the neshama should similarly thirst for HaShem even when living in a state of holiness. (הוספות לכש"ט אות ס"ד וש"נ)
Before he passed away, Moshe Rabbeinu was shown all the generations of the future. When he gazed upon our spiritually poor generation, whose comprehension of Elokus is close to nothing, and yet despite all of its difficulties Yidden in this generation fulfill Torah and mitzvos and daven with a chassidishe geshmak, with bitachon and simple emuna, he was so utterly overawed that he felt less worthy than them. (סה"מ תקס"ב ע' נא, סה"מ קונטרסים ח"א ע' 106)
The Rebbe points out that even today, when we don’t face decrees against Yiddishkeit, we face another kind of challenge that is sometimes more difficult – abundance and wealth. In order to withstand this challenge, we must battle the Yetzer HaRa fiercely. And since this is the task of ikvesa diMeshicha, we were obviously given the ability to awaken the inner strength of our neshama, so that we can dedicate ourselves to HaShem, His Torah, and His mitzvos. (תו"מ סה"מ מלוקט ח"ד ע' נח)
The Rebbe Rashab said: When Moshiach arrives, people will miss the bygone days of golus. At that time they will start feeling regret for not having devoted themselves to avoda; they will be deeply pained by their lack of avoda. These present days of golus are days of avoda – to prepare ourselves for the coming of Moshiach, speedily, in our time, Amen. (היום יום ג' אב)
Consider
Is the advantage of golus due to the increased thirst, the exceptional efforts or the level of the sparks elevated? What is the common theme of the spiritual challenges predicted for the end of golus?
