Moshiach Yom Yom: 14-20 Iyar
Merkaz Shiurei Torah - Chabad

14 Iyar – Demanding Redemption
This is the lesson of Pesach Sheini: ...The essence of the mitzva came about solely through the Jewish people demanding and insisting, “Why should we lose out?” As a result, the new mitzva of Pesach Sheini was commanded. In fact, this mitzva made all the mitzvos complete, for with the addition of Pesach Sheini the number of mitzvos totals 613...

So too concerning the Jewish people’s demanding the Redemption. Not only is demanding and insisting not opposed to Torah, ch’v, but on the contrary, the Torah commands us to conduct ourselves this way. The Men of the Great Assembly established that when a Jew asks Hashem for his needs while davening, he should say: “Quickly bring forth the scion of Dovid Your servant...for we hope for Your salvation all the day…May our eyes behold Your return to Tziyon.”

It is not enough that we ask and demand this once in our prayers, but we repeat this request and demand in every single prayer, three times a day! ...Through the Jewish people asking and crying out for the Redemption, they make the Redemption come more quickly than it would without this request and demand.

(Hisvaaduos 5744, Vol. 3, p. 1,684)

15 Iyar: ahavas Yisroel takes priority over the Beis HaMikdash
The Zohar establishes that the building of the Beis HaMikdash precedes the ingathering of the exiles (which is also the ruling of the Rambam, as he writes, “and he builds the Mikdash in its place and gathers the dispersed of the Jewish people). This order of events underscores the greatness of the Jewish people, for in order for the ingathering of the Jewish people from exile to be one of utter perfection (through the light and revelation of the holiness of the third Beis HaMikdash), they forego the elevation and perfection that would be inherent in the building of the Beis HaMikdash were it to be built after the ingathering of the exiles when all Jews would be living in Eretz Yisroel. This sacrifice illustrates the greatness of the Jewish people, as it applies even when it comes to building the Beis HaMikdash!

This is the lesson in man’s avoda that is learned from the fact that the Beis HaMikdash will be built before the ingathering of the exiles: Since the Jewish people are so great that they forego the perfection of the Beis HaMikdash for the sake of the wholeness of the Jewish people, we see from this how great and important is ahavas Yisroel!

May we go from speaking about the importance and necessity of ahavas Yisroel to actually acting with ahavas Yisroel, for “action is the main thing.”

(Sicha - Chayei Sara 5743; unedited)

16 Iyar: All should cry out “ad masai”
All Jews must cry out “ad masai,” to the extent that not even one Jew remains who has not cried out “ad masai.” Then certainly Hashem will fulfill the prayer and request of the Jewish people, “for Hashem is great, and He will not reject [their prayers],” in a manner of “immediately they are redeemed.”

[The Rebbe began to cry out “ad masai” and everyone joined in, and then the Rebbe said that in order to negate any sadness they should cry out “ad masai” with a niggun (and they sang “ad masai”)].

(Sicha VaYeira 5748 ; unedited)

17 Iyar: A jew has unlimited abilities
The answer to [one who complains that he has no strength to fight the exile] is that he should realize that he actually has unlimited abilities — “Havaye stands above him.” ...

When a Jew realizes and contemplates his potential, he approaches the avoda he has left to do in the brief moment of exile and does it with a new vitality – “and Yaakov lifted his feet.” It is for this reason that we are joyful in the brief last moment of exile. Through serving Hashem with joy, one negates all concealment.

(Sicha Simchas Beis HaShoeiva 5716; unedited)

18 Iyar: the Redemption of Lag B’Omer
We must add that the emphasis of Redemption on Lag B’Omer also relates to the entire world. We learn in the Gemara that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, “I can absolve the entire world from judgment from the day I was created until now, though if Elazar, my son...were with me — from the day the world was created until now.” First and foremost, may we be absolved of the judgment of exile, so that the Redemption will come immediately.

This is alluded to in the name Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai. Sometimes “(ben) Yochai” is spelled with an Alef and other times it is not. The Alef of Yochai alludes to drawing down and revealing the Alufo Shel Olam (Master of the world) in the gola (exile)...for thereby the gola becomes Redemption, Geula (gola with the addition of an Alef).

(Sicha leil Lag B’Omer 5751; unedited)

19 Iyar: our generation, the generation that completes the Divine service of exile?
How can we say that our generation is more connected to the future Redemption when the Sages say, “If the earlier ones are like angels, etc.” ...

The explanation is based on a parable of the Sages that is discussed in sifrei musar about the midget standing on the giant’s back. Although he is a midget, by standing on the back of the giant, he can see much farther than the giant himself.

The earlier generations are analogous to a giant – “the earlier ones are like angels” — whereas our generation is compared to a midget. Since the sum total of the avoda of our generation comes after the avoda of the earlier generations, it is specifically through the avoda of our generation that we merit the future Redemption. Regarding this, the Sages say, “A task is ascribed only to the one who completes it.”

(Sicha Motzaei Shabbos Tzav 5743; unedited)

20 Iyar: Mesirus nefesh to bring Moshiach
To those who complain about the excited and extensive talk about the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, there is a letter by the Munkatzer Rebbe that was recently reprinted. He writes explicitly and unambiguously, so that it cannot be understood any other way, that we need mesirus nefesh in order to bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu, similar to the mesirus nefesh that is needed for the three circumstances about which it says “be killed and do not transgress

(Sicha Mikeitz 5744; unedited)