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His
Last Words Tell It All
By
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Ginsberg
Fifty
years ago, the daughter of the mashpia R’ Nissan Nemenov,
o.b.m., was engaged to be married to the late R’ Shalom Dov Ber
Pewzner. The wedding was scheduled to take place in Adar 5710. But
one month before the chasuna, in the midst of all the
preparations, the events of Yud Shvat, the histalkus
(passing) of the Rebbe Rayatz, intervened.
R’
Nissan, a true Chassid who was bound to the Rebbe Rayatz with
every fiber of his being, was completely shattered by the histalkus.
In his wildest dreams he could not imagine making a wedding in the
period of aveilus. But postponing a wedding was not simple.
He decided to ask the Rebbe MH”H for guidance, even though at
that time the Rebbe had not yet officially accepted the nesius
and was refusing to even consider it. (Of course, by that time,
the Rebbe MH”H had been answering questions for years, ever
since the Rebbe Rayatz had appointed him head of the various
Chabad institutions.)
The
answer to R’ Nissan’s letter is printed on page 242 of Volume
3 of the Rebbe’s Igros Kodesh (free translation):
In
answer to your specific questions:
In my humble opinion, you should rejoice
with the bride and bridegroom with Chabad niggunim, etc.
“He who rejoices merits, etc.” And may we very soon merit the
time of “the voice of joy and the voice of happiness, the voice
of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.”
It is
known that when the Chabad Nesiim (particularly the Rebbe
Maharash) would deliver a maamer, some words would be
directed specifically to certain individuals; each individual
would hear what was pertinent to him. However, the Rebbe [Rashab],
nishmaso Eden, asked his father to be able to hear all
that was said. I heard this from the Rebbe, my father-in-law,
himself.
In
the maamer of the day of histalkus [Yud Shvat],
there are many “Baal Shem’ske” [wondrous, prophetic]
statements. The answer to your question, in my humble opinion, is
found in the beginning of the fifth perek (which discusses
the great significance of bringing joy to the bride and
bridegroom). Surely you will heed these words, and rejoice with
the bride and bridegroom and all the guests. I conclude with the
blessing of mazal tov, mazal tov for the chasan
and kalla, and may the couple build a true house among the
Jewish people and raise a blessed generation in an everlasting
edifice. With blessings of mazal tov.
***
In those
early years, the Rebbe repeatedly emphasized that the Rebbe
Rayatz’s last sichos before his histalkus predict
everything. The Rebbe said, “I am seeking the answers – to all
the questions that are being asked – in the words of these maamarim”
(sicha of Shabbos Parshas VaYakhel-P’kudei 5710, page 15
of the new edition of Sichos Kodesh).
In
addition, the Rebbe MH”M wrote in a letter (Igros Kodesh,
Volume 4, page 240):
Even
the [limited] human mind can comprehend that the notion that one
is alone and forsaken [now], G-d forbid, is false. Thus, it is
obvious that there is no reason for weakening one’s avoda.
Halevai that Anash, and particularly the Tmimim,
would be exacting in my father-in-law the Rebbe’s words,
especially his sichos of 5710 and the year before.
*
* *
In 5710
there was an actual histalkus. The Rebbe Rayatz’s neshama
departed from his holy body and ascended on high, and a new
generation commenced – the ninth generation from the Baal Shem
Tov, and the seventh generation from the Alter Rebbe.
However,
the situation is completely different in our generation, when we
know with certainty that the Rebbe MH”M is chai v’kayam
in a physical body even after Gimmel Tammuz, as G-d promised:
“His light shall never be extinguished.” Understanding the
validity of the above statement requires study of the Rebbe’s Dvar
Malchus. Additionally, in the Dvar Malchus, one
can see how all our needs were anticipated, besides specific
directives for our present circumstances.
Much has
been written in this publication and elsewhere about the
importance and obligation to live with the Rebbe’s most recent sichos,
the talks of the years 5751-2. These holy words are the key to
coping with our present unusual situation.
On
Shabbos Parshas Tazria-Metzora 5751, the Rebbe stated that
learning about Moshiach and Redemption from Torah sources –
“particularly the maamarim and Likkutei Sichos of
the nasi of our generation” – is the “straightest,
easiest, and quickest of all the Torah’s ways to bring about the
revelation and actual coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.”
We must
familiarize ourselves with what will happen in the Messianic era.
But more than that, we must actually live with Moshiach even now,
being constantly aware that “we are standing on the threshold of
the Redemption, when we can point with our finger and say: Behold,
Melech HaMoshiach is coming” (Shabbos Parshas Balak 5751).
There
are common themes to all of the Rebbe’s most recent sichos
kodesh: the buttons have already been polished, we are already
in the Days of Moshiach, Moshiach is already exerting his
influence in the world, etc. The Rebbe even stated, on Beis Nissan
5748, that over-polishing the buttons can only cause harm!
As the
years progressed, these expressions increased in frequency and
emphasis until the Rebbe mentioned them on almost every occasion
that he spoke. The Rebbe declared, shortly after Hei Teives 5747,
that we are entering a new era, and he repeated this point many
times after the Rebbetzin’s passing in 5748. The Rebbe stressed
this even more on Yud Shvat 5750.
The
Rebbe said that learning about Moshiach and Redemption is a Jewish
custom that is becoming more widespread. He explained that hiskashrus
to the Rebbeim is not just a segula for bringing Moshiach,
but helps us live with Moshiach now. In the 11 months from 28
Nissan 5751 to Zach Adar 5752, the Rebbe reiterated these concepts
each week. We must work on ourselves until the ideas conveyed by
these statements completely fill our existence and characterize
our lives.
*
* *
It is
now eight years after Zach Adar. The only thing that can truly
take away our pain is the immediate revelation of the Rebbe Melech
HaMoshiach before the entire world. Given the necessity of living
with the Rebbe’s Dvar Malchus, I would like to reiterate
some of the important points made by the Rebbe in the winter of
5752 about the uniqueness of our times and the special avoda
they require. G-d willing, we will soon be hearing new sichos
kodesh from the Rebbe’s holy lips, “the new [dimension] of
Torah that will go forth from Me.”
*The
service of birurim (separation of the sparks of holiness)
has been completed. Moshiach’s coming no longer depends on teshuva.
Because the Jewish people have already done teshuva,
Moshiach’s coming depends only on Moshiach himself (Shabbos
Parshas Noach, in a conversation with Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu).
Moshiach not only exists in the world, but has already been
revealed (Shabbos Parshas VaYeira). He is already fighting the
battles of G-d, and has already been victorious in several areas.
The only thing left is to greet the Rebbe Rayatz, “the only
Moshiach of our generation,” so he can carry out his mission and
take us out of exile. (Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sara)
*The
declaration, “Yechi Adoni HaMelech Dovid l’olam,” is
an expression of the revelation of Moshiach’s essence, after
which Moshiach’s specific influences in the world and public
revelation follow (Shabbos Parshas Toldos). All that is left to do
is “open our eyes” (Shabbos Parshas VaYeitzei). The service of
birurim is over; the service that is now required is to
bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu (Shabbos Parshas VaYishlach). We are
already in the Days of Moshiach (Yud-Tes Kislev). Moshiach has
already begun to function in the world; we can already see his
effect in the realm of “and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares” in that world leaders are coming together to discuss
ways to bring peace. This is primarily the result of the psak
din of the Rebbe and rabbanim that “the time of
Redemption has arrived,” and that the Rebbe is b’chezkas
Moshiach, leading to Moshiach vadai. (Shabbos
Parshas Mishpatim)
*The
Jewish people are experiencing a foretaste of the ingathering of
the exiles to the Holy Land. (Shabbos Parshas VaYakhel)
*Concerning
Moshiach, the Rebbe repeatedly stated that Menachem is his name,
and spoke about the significance of the words miyad and mamash.
*The
waning of the moon is not a negative phenomenon, but actually
signifies an elevation and increase in drawing down the essence of
Hashem (Shabbos Parshas VaYishlach). The Rebbe also spoke about
the dormita (period of sleep) that occurs immediately
before renewal and revelation. The greater the concealment, the
more sublime the revelation that follows. (Shabbos Parshas VaEira)
*The
Rebbe spoke many times about G-d’s choosing the physical body
(Shabbos Parshas Bereishis, Truma, etc.), and the Rebbe explained
that our generation, the generation of Redemption, will pass
directly into eternal life without interruption. The concept of histalkus,
the separation of the soul from the physical body, does not apply,
in contrast to all previous generations, when the service of birurim
was still underway.
*The
greatest concealment is not just a preparation for the revelation
that follows, but an integral part of it. This specific order of
events mandated by the Torah is part of the process of nesiyas
rosh (rosh Bnei Yisroel), leading to “the
illumination of the skin of [Moshe’s] face,” which is the
level of keser, the concept of sovereignty (Shabbos Parshas
Ki Sisa).
*5752
was a leap year with two months of Adar. Together they contain 60
days of joy, in which all negative influences are nullified. The mazal
of Adar is particularly strong during the last week of the month,
when the Torah tells us that the Jewish people became apprehensive
when Moshe Rabbeinu dismantled the Mishkan. “G-d then
sent Moshe with the message: Why are you afraid? I have already
come into My garden, My sister, My bride…to the original place
of the indwelling of My presence. Indeed, the principal
manifestation of the Divine presence is in the lower
worlds.”(Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh)
The more
we study the Rebbe’s words, the more we see how the Rebbe
provided us in advance with guidance for our current situation —
“Der Rebbe hot altz bavorent.” Let us, therefore,
rededicate ourselves to fulfilling the Rebbe’s directives, which
will surely lead to his complete revelation immediately. |
