...On Simchas Torah 5661 (1900) the Rebbe Rashab spoke the famous Sicha regarding the founding of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim; He said that the purpose of its founding was to set up “soldiers go out to the wars of the house of Dovid” (Shabbos 56a) - to illuminate the whole world, and to keep strong the faith in Moshiach’s coming - in a time when “Your enemies have disgraced, that they have disgraced the footsteps of Your anointed” (Tehilim 89).
In the time of “Ikvos Meshicha” (right before Moshiachs coming) there are those who “disgrace the footsteps of Moshiach”, i.e. they object to the announcement and outcry “Moshiach now!” notwithstanding that also they themselves know, that according to the clear indication of the gemara and the medrashim of our Sages, we are presently in the time of “Ikvos Meshicha”.
And this is the war of the soldiers of the house of Dovid - to illuminate the light of Moshaich, to counter those who scoff and to strengthen the faith in the coming of Moshiach.
As is elaborately explained in the above mentioned Sicha which my father-in-law the Rebbe calls a “Maamer”
Since the “words of tzaddikim exist forever,” the announcement and directive to “go out to the wars of the house of Dovid” is relevant also in our times. Since these things are carried out by the followers, and students’ students of the Rebbe Rashab.
The general avoda of the “soldiers of the house of Dovid” bring about the coming of Moshiach. This is so especially in the form of learning in Tomche Tmimim by integrating the revealed part of Torah (nigleh) with the esoteric part of Torah (pnimiyus haTorah) in a way that they become “one Torah”, which was a primary objective of the Rebbe Rashab in establishing the yeshiva, and its’ students the “soldiers of the house of Dovid.”
In order to bring the righteous Moshiach in a revealed way – we need to learn pnimiyus haTorah, as the Alter Rebbe brings in Igeres haKodesh (# 26 (142a)) citing the Raya Mehemna “because in time to come Yisrael will taste from the Tree of life, which is the book of the Zohar and through which they will leave their exile with mercy.” And certainly one needs to learn nigleh of Torah in order to know how to perform the mitzvos – and through these deeds we eliminate the cause of the golus (our sins), and we even transform them to merits and we bring our righteous Moshiach.
Thus, we need to influence every single Jew that they should be amongst those who “go out to the wars of the house of Dovid”- that they should disregard their material and physical interests which is the meaning of “kosev get krisus l’ishto” (as explained in that Sicha (Sefer haSichos 5702 p. 141)) and to be totally dedicated and devoted to the “wars of the house of Dovid” – king Moshiach.
And being a “soldier of the house of Dovid” they will certainly succeed and be victorious, and return home, and he then lives with his wife and raises a family – sons and daughters who study Torah and perform mitzvos as is fit for “soldiers of the house of Dovid.”
(Night of Hoshaana Rabba, 5743)
