Footsteps of Moshiach
 
Chapter 9

Among the prophecies of Bilaam regarding the Jewish people, we find the words, “He [the People of Israel] crouches and lays down (shachav) like a lion; who can rouse him?”

There is an opinion in the Midrash that this metaphorical prophecy alludes to the current Exile, which began in the days of King Tzidkiyahu and will last until the coming of King Moshiach. According to this opinion, the Hebrew word “shachav” (literally, lays down) should be interpreted as ‘falls asleep’ and not just ‘lays down.’ The explanation of the metaphor is as follows:

Lions are powerful and fearsome creatures. Sleep is an external occurrence that overpowers the lion, rendering it helpless during its actual sleep. It does not, of course, transform the lion itself into a weakling; nothing of the lion’s intrinsic power is in any way diminished. Indeed, the moment it awakens, the lion’s original strength springs right back into expression.

The Jewish people in Exile are likened to a sleeping lion. Just as the sleeping lion retains its intrinsic strength, so does the Jew in Exile. The reason the gentile nations have been able to oppress the Jewish people, the “chosen people,” is because during Exile the Jews are like a lion so deeply asleep that it cannot rouse itself. We have been placed in a situation (Exile) in which we are unable to exhibit our inherent power and dominion. But our power itself has not been diminished in any way. When G-d wakens us from our sleep, that is, when He frees us from our confinement (Exile), our power and dominion will roar into expression.

Since the Exile is a state of confinement into which the Jewish people have been placed by G-d Himself, it is self-understood that it does not affect our performance of His Torah and mitzvos. Torah and mitzvos comprise the will of G-d Himself. Thus no force in existence can compel us to neglect Torah and mitzvos in any way. All the oppression in the world (G-d forbid) cannot force a Jew to oppose the will of G-d.

During the dark times of Exile, when we do not experience overt revelations of G-dliness, and we do not notice how the hand of G-d controls all our affairs, it may appear to us that we are not totally free to fulfill G-d’s will. Thus from time to time G-d shows us miracles, reminding us that He alone is the sole Master of everything, and the hostile elements of this world cannot hinder us in our performance of His will.

(See Likkutei Sichos, Volume 2, pg. 337-338)
 

Chapter 10

In another of Bilaam’s prophecies he says, “Behold the nation will arise like a young lion and raise itself like a lion.” This prophecy was said in reference to the time of the Messianic Redemption. The preceding verse says, “Ka’es (at this time) it will be said to Yaakov and Yisroel, ‘what does G-d bring about?’” This is a reference to the existence of prophecy among the Jewish people, for only prophets know ‘what G-d brings about.’ The two verses together thus indicate that the return of prophecy is a prerequisite for Moshiach’s arrival.

The Rambam in his Igeres Teiman writes that Bilaam said this prophecy in the 2488th year of Creation. The Rambam goes on to explain that with the word “ka’es” (literally, like at present), Bilaam was actually saying that when the same amount of years would once again come to pass, the Jewish people would experience the return of prophecy. That year came out to be the year 4976.

Indeed, we find that during that time period, around the year 4976, there lived some very unique spiritual giants. Upon close examination we find that these tzaddikim exhibited certain qualities generally reserved for prophets. To a name a few of these holy men: the famous Rebbi Yehudah ha’Chassid; his father, Rebbi Shmuel HaNavi (‘HaNavi’ means the prophet, his nickname); the Ramban (Nacmanides) of whom the great mystic the Arizal said that he is one of the few Kabbalists we rely on; the Ravad in whose Beis Midrash there was Divine inspiration, and Rebbi Ezra HaNavi.

The return of prophecy during that era made it possible for Moshiach to arrive. However, since that generation was not found worthy, it did not merit his arrival.

Quite a number of generations later prophecy once again returned — this time in the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples. In the generation after, prophecy manifested itself in the Alter Rebbe.  Indeed prophecy continued to manifest itself in each of the Chabad Rebbeim, including our very own generation, which is, in fact, the final generation of Exile and the first generation of Redemption.

(See Likkutei Sichos, Volume 2, pg. 338-339)