Having stated that the present day shlichus of every Jew in our times is to build the Beis HaMikdash and to bring Moshiach, there are those who are taken aback and ask that this seems to be outrageous statements, “wild” talk, new concepts which was never heard; In all the generations until this one the seder avodah was in an orderly and conventional manner, and now all of a sudden the avodah becomes to bring Moshiach and build the Beis HaMikdash? Particularly – they argue – one has to be sensitive what the “world” will say, how will they react to these statements?
In response:
First of all, the primary test on every issue to see if it is appropriate, is to look in Torah to see what Torah says, and whatever Torah says, that is the truth, and that is how we are required to conduct ourselves. We should not at all be fazed by world opinion, that this is “not proper behavior!”
In our case: Torah says clearly and explicitly, in Tanach, in numerous maamorei Chazal, in seforim of many Gedolei Yisroel throughout the generations, that emunah (faith) in Moshiach is a fundamental principle of Torah – “I await his coming every day,” as we say in the Amidah prayer (daily) “In Your salvation we hope every day,” “Es Tzemach ... quickly”, and on Shabbos and Yom Tov “our eyes should behold Your return to Tziyon with mercy.”
Moreover, our present avodah hastens the Geulah!
Therefore we shouldn’t be daunted by the protests of some that “there was embalming and mourning,” (Taanis 5b), neither from conferences and meetings which some make to deal with the problem “what the Jewish people has to do?” Whether to be apologetic, whether questions should be asked, or perhaps to ignore and do nothing... Take a “Bible” [everyone believes in the Bible ...] and look there what is the function of the Jewish people:
In Yeshayahu (43:21) [this is also recited in the Haftorah of Vayikra]: Am zu yotzarti li, tehilosi yesapeiru (the nation I have formed for Myself, that they declare My praise).
This indicates very clearly what the Jewish people and every Jew have to do: Every Jew, no matter what his status, has to “sing the praises” of Hashem, up to the most important praise (as the Haftorah concludes): Hashem has redeemed the Jewish people.
Moreover: the belief in Moshiach, to cry out “Ad mosai”, how long will this golus continue and do everything possible to bring about the building of the Third Beis HaMikdash (the avodah of our time), is not a contradiction to the everyday orderly conventional avodah, because just as Hashem wants us to believe in Moshiach, He also wants us to do the ordinary daily conventional avodah, with all its details.
As for the question: How can one do both at the same time? How can one properly perform a mitzvah, particularly the mitzvah of learning Torah, wherein one has to concentrate on the subject being studied without any external worries and concerns, even concerns of kedushah, (including not to be involved in issues of emunah) – so how can one learn properly when he cries out “Ad mosai” and he’s thinking about building the Third Beis HaMikdash?
The answer is, because Hashem, who is Omnipotent, empowered the Jewish people that they should be able to do both! The finite and the infinite both together!
Thus, one shouldn’t be disconcerted by the outside world, because Hashem gave Jews the shlichus and empowered them to do the avodah in an orderly and conventional manner in the personal sector, and at the same time to prepare for the Geula and building the Third Beis HaMikdash.
(Shabbos Parshas Vayigash, 9 Teves, 5747)
