Below is Chapter 20 – “Ein Itanu Yodeia Ad Moh, Avol…” of Od Avinu Chai, a comprehensive (but concisely written) work on Rebbe-Chasid relationship, based entirely on the Rebbe’s own words
in Sichos and Igros Kodesh. Compiled and written by Rabbi Yisroel Shmotkin, Head Shliach of Wisconsin. The fourth in a series on COLlive.com in connection with Gimmel Tammuz (read part 1 here, part 2 here & part 3 here)
Click here to download the Chapter 20 Excerpt
Readers are strongly encouraged to read this chapter (and the entire booklet) in its entirety by clicking here: Od Avinu Chai.
You can obtain a printed copy by clicking here: https://www.Chabadwi.org/OAC or from Kehot by clicking here.
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In our current situation, almost twenty-nine years after Gimmel Tammuz and Moshiach has not yet arrived. It is worthwhile to contemplate the Rebbe’s own teachings with regard to the various kitzin throughout Jewish history, and more recently, Chassidic history, especially in the time of the Frierdikker Rebbe. To draw lessons from them, and through them to perhaps interpret our current situation and not despair, C”V. On the contrary, we should draw strength from these previous kitzin to continue in our mission – until Hashem shows His mercy and redeems us from this bitter Golus, with the immediate arrival of Moshiach.
These are the Rebbe’s words on this topic in the sicha of Parshas Devarim 5740:
“With the aforementioned, the statement of the Gemara “all ends have ended,” can be understood.”
At first glance, how can the Gemara use the terminology “the end of all ends have ended” in the plural, when the entire concept of a קץ is that we leave Golus? After all, there is only one “end of Golus.”
[It follows that the authority who determined one particular קץ – necessarily negates the קץ determined by another; for according to his opinion the end of the Exile will be in this particular time, and not in a different time as maintained by another.] If so, how is it possible to say “כלו כל הקיצין” in the plural…?
In the physical world we can only speak of one קץ – the time in which the exile will actually end. How is it possible, then, for the Gemara to say, “כלו כל הקיצין” in the plural? This question is not only about the opinions in the Gemara regarding the end of the Exile, but also of the קיצין stated by all גדולי ישראל after the times of the Gemara – up to the well-known קץ from the Alter Rebbe in his דרוש on the verse, “ואת האלף ושבע המאות וגו'” (and the story connected with it); as with the קץ by the Rebbe in the year 5703, which he declared, “Immediate Teshuvah, immediate Geulah….!”
Each of those Gedolei Yisroel who declared one of these קיצין spoke according to his level and comprehension of the ascension and רכוש גדול that would be achieved in the future; based on this they calculated how much time would be required to continue the work in the era of Golus to achieve this ascension and רכוש גדול [that would come] in the future Redemption … However, since Hashem is אין סוף, when yet another המשכת אלוקות is added – then it is realized that there is yet a higher level of Elokus, Ad Ein Sof…
Along these lines, we may understand, regarding the קץ of the Rebbe from 5703, when he declared, לאלתר לתשובה לאלתר לגאולה (Immediate Teshuvah, immediate Geulah) (as mentioned previously) – there were those “seeking a pretext” who asked, “What happened? Where is the ‘immediate Geulah?!”
The explanation for this is as previously discussed: According to the Rebbe’s level and conception, the conclusion was that the רכוש גדול that would come in the future Redemption was of a level that would be attained through the Avodah in Golus until the year 5703; and this, he taught his students; and had we merited – this would have been revealed to the entire world, as well.
Afterwards, however, the fact that we see that the Jewish people still find themselves in Golus, proves that there is yet a level and ascension of higher order for the Jewish people, to be achieved through additional Avodah in the era of Golus.
According to this, we must ask the opposite question: If there is the possibility for the revelation of a later ketz, why does the Gemara state “כלו כל הקיצין” in the plural?
The explanation to this as explained regarding the statement in the Mishnah – that we will “continue to mention יציאת מצרים in the days of Moshiach, since there is a value to “one hundred as an entity on its own, and not just as it is included in the “two hundred;” we will, therefore, mention יציאת מצרים “in the days of Moshiach….” as well.
The same can be said regarding כלו כל הקיצין.
Even though the final ‘ketz’ includes in it all the preceding kitzin just as “within two hundred, is included one hundred” – nevertheless, there is specific value in each respective קץ as it stands on its own, and not just as it is included in the kitzin that followed it. And afterward, an additional value is revealed.
Even though we do not see [the given קץ] with our physical eyes, (at the very least, there are those who do not see) the “Mikdash of the future” that is shown to everyone on Shabbos Chazon- as “every person knows his place [in Avodas Hashem]” – of this it is stated (as recounted in the well-known story): “Just because the horses are horses– are the angels not angels?!” Just because his נפש הבהמית, and his physical eyes, impacted by the נפש הבהמית, don’t see the “future beis Hamikdash,” shown to him – does his יחידה not see it?
And since he believes that his יחידה does, in fact, see it, this affects a conviction within his conscious as well – as if he actually sees it with his own physical eyes … and it must also affect him in his worldly matters – his eating, drinking and the rest of his activities, to be permeated with the vision of the “future Beis Hamikdash.”
מענה בדבר מישהו שנתרחק מליובאוויטש בגלל הקול קורא של כ”ק אדמו”ר הריי”צ ”לאלתר לגאולה”
עפ”ז צריך הוא להתרחק מן כל אלו שאמרו קץ והם: ר’ סעדי’ גאון, רש”י (בפי’ לדניאל ז’ כה, ח’ יד), רמב”ם (אגרת תימן), ראב”ע (דניאל יא, ל), בעלי התוס’ עה”ת (הדר זקנים ר”פ וישב) הרמב”ן (בספר הגאולה), דון יוסף אבן יחייא בפי’ על המגילות [”בסוף ה’ אלפים ת”ש שנה בקירוב”],ר”י אברבנאל (ספר מעיני הישועה ובכ”מ) אוה”ח (ר”פ צו), הגר”א (פי’לספרא דצניעותא) מעשה אורג על המשניות (מע”ש פ”ה מ”ב) בשם האריז”ל, ועוד ועוד.
וראה ג”כ סנה’ צז, ב. זח”א שלט, ב.
You can obtain a printed copy by clicking here: https://www.Chabadwi.org/OAC or from Kehot by clicking here: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ERE-ODAV
