BESURAS HAGEULO
With respect to Gideon, we find that: "In his days the Jewish people were in distress. The Holy One, Blessed be He, sought a person who would find merit in them. When He found Gideon to be meritorious, because he found merit in them, an angel immediately appeared to him, as it says: 'And the angel of G-d appeared to him and said to him, 'Go with this power, with the power of the merit you have found in my children.'" "Said the Holy One, Blessed be He, it is within your capacity to find a defense for Israel. In your merit they shall be redeemed."
...The merit which will hasten the Redemption is the following: Even in the Talmudic era it has been said that "all the deadlines have passed." Certainly now that we have endured a lengthy and arduous exile, the duration of which has exceeded 1,900 years, and he has still not arrived... And in regard to Teshuvah ("It depends only on Teshuvah") [repentance, return, a prerequisite for Redemption], they have already done Teshuvah. Indeed, there is no Jewish person who has not entertained a thought of Teshuvah, (not just once, but) several times in the course of his lifetime. This [thought of Teshuvah] can transform "instantaneously" a perfectly wicked person into a perfectly righteous individual, in accordance with the Talmudic ruling that one who would betroth a woman "stipulating that I am a (perfectly) righteous individual, even if he were previously a perfectly wicked person, she is betrothed, for perhaps he had a thought of teshuvah."
Considering the above, it is with utmost certainty that our righteous Moshiach must arrive here and now, immediately, [mamosh] in the most literal sense. Now, this exercise of finding merit in and of itself should suffice to bring about the Redemption. Moreover, in addition to the finding of merit, the imminence of Moshiach's arrival constitutes a definitive ruling issued by many rabbis and halachic authorities. Further, since Torah "is not in heaven," this ruling issued by the earthly courts "obligates," so to speak, and affords a unique privilege to, the heavenly courts. And so it will be confirmed!
In our day and age, after G-d has vented His rage with the destruction of the Holy Temple, and after all of "our deeds and actions throughout the duration of exile," and after all the decrees of oppression and persecution - may Hashem, indeed, shield us and protect us from them - the Jewish people have endured throughout the protracted and arduous final exile, particularly the Holocaust of the very last generation, the process of refinement and purification has, without any doubt, been achieved in full, "enough and even too much." Consequently, the [current] "siege of the Babylonian king" has acquired an exclusively positive connotation, one that is visibly and manifestly good, even to eyes of flesh. In the words of our sages: The Holy One Blessed be He says to Israel, "My children have no fear. All that I have done I have done exclusively for you... the time of your Redemption has arrived."
The emphasis of this generation - particularly this year, the year designated as "It shall be a year of wonders I will show him" - should be placed on the concept of G-d's support of those who have fallen, to strengthen and encourage the Jewish people, emphasizing particularly the support and encouragement acquired through faith in the coming of Moshiach and the implicit trust that "behold he (our righteous Moshiach) is coming." This should be accompanied with enhanced preparation for his arrival by way of teshuvah [repentance, return] and observance of Torah and mitzvos. In the words of the pronouncement of my sainted father-in-law - the leader of our generation: "immediate Teshuvah, immediate Redemption." "Return, O, Israel, unto G-d your G-d; prepare yourselves and your family to greet our righteous Moshiach, who shall arrive soon, in the most literal sense."
(From the talks of Shabbos Parshas Vayechi (and Asara b'Teves, may it be transformed into joy) 5751)
All of the signs mentioned by our sages indicate that we are currently situated at the very end of the period of exile. We have "passed all the deadlines." We have also performed Teshuvah [repentance, return, a prerequisite for Redemption]. Indeed, my sainted father-in-law, the leader of our generation, declared (several decades ago) that we have already concluded all the service [necessary for Redemption], including the "polishing of the buttons," and we now stand ready ("All of you stand ready") to greet our righteous Moshiach.
Despite the difficult and protracted final exile, which has lasted more than 1,900 years (in stark contrast to the duration of the Egyptian bondage which lasted 210 years), the nature of "the Children of Israel" has essentially transcended exile. Thus, every additional moment we remain in exile is a form "having now come into Egypt," "as if they had that very day entered into Egypt."
The Jewish people, therefore, stand with firm faith and conviction that G-d will immediately fulfill his promise that "I have indeed remembered you" by bringing the genuine and complete Redemption, especially when hearing from the Moses of our generation, my sainted father-in-law, the leader of our generation, that we have already concluded all matters of Divine service and are presently standing ready to greet our righteous Redeemer [Moshiach]. This is particularly true now that we have reached the milestone of forty years concerning which the Torah says, "G-d gave you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear."
Additionally, we are now situated in the fifty first year [5751], which in Hebrew forms the acrostic (It shall be a year of) wonders which I will show him [ubtrt ,utkpb- Niflaos Arenu]. The Jewish people should, therefore, be encouraged and their spirits uplifted by declaring that G-d says daily, and literally, anew, that, "I have indeed remembered you," and that your righteous Moshiach "stands behind the wall" and that "this one is coming."
Accordingly we should prepare ourselves to greet him by increasing our observance of Torah and Mitzvos, in consonance with the ruling of the Rambam (whose anniversary of passing is the 20th of Teves, the night after this Sabbath), that through "one Mitzvah, one can favorably alter the balance for oneself and for the entire world, causing oneself and them salvation and deliverance."
(From the talks of Shabbos Parshas Shemos, 19 Teves 5751)
