Been Busy Again
Please excuse the absense of posts as I've been very busy at work.
But, as you know, a little היסח הדעת (distracted thought) can only help the Geula. The Gemara in Sanhedrin 97a says that 3 things come with היסח הדעת and the first is משיח.
On the other hand, the Gemara in 97b says:
א"ר שמואל בר נחמני אמר ר' יונתן תיפח עצמן של מחשבי קיצין שהיו אומרים כיון שהגיע את הקץ ולא בא שוב אינו בא אלא חכה לו שנאמר אם יתמהמה חכה לו שמא תאמר אנו מחכין והוא אינו מחכה ת"ל (ישעיהו ל) לכן יחכה ה' לחננכם ולכן ירום לרחמכם וכי מאחר שאנו מחכים והוא מחכה מי מעכב מדת הדין מעכבת וכי מאחר שמדת הדין מעכבת אנו למה מחכין לקבל שכר שנאמר (ישעיהו ל) אשרי כל חוכי לו
and the Maharsha gives 2 explanations on the question of אנו למה מחכין (why are we waiting expectantly). I want to concentrate on his second explanation:
ועוד יש לומר דהכי קאמר אנו למה מחכין דמשיח לא בא רק בהיסח הדעת וטפי הוי היסח הדעת באינו מחכה ואמר דלכך אנו מחכין לקבל שכר ודו"ק
In other words, why are we waiting expectantly if Mashiah only comes while distracted from him? It would be more of a state of distracted thought if we WOULDN'T be waiting expectantly! The Gemara's answer, says the Maharsha, is that we wait expectantly to receive reward.
Isn't this a פלא??? We should delay Mashiah's arrival so that we should receive reward??? Let's forget the reward and let Mashiah come already!!
Perhaps what is meant is that we need the reward in order to sweeten the Midat Hadin of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and only by sweetening the Midat Hadin can Mashiah arrive. So, perhaps we need both the consistant daily חכה לו reminder to receive reward that sweetens the Midat Hadin - plus, a general state of היסח הדעת. (If anyone has a better answer, and I'm sure there are some out there, please let me know.)
That said, let's hope I have more time to post from now on.
With the arrival of the month of Iyar, the month of אני ה' רופאך, let's hope we have a true healing from Shamayim, both as individuals and as a nation - both physically and spiritually - with the coming of משיח צדקינו במהרה בימינו Amen.
posted by yaak @ 5/02/2006 12:11:00 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
The Mitzva to await Moshiach expectantly relates to waiting that is active. What is required is waiting that leads to action, and it is the action that brings the reward. The reward, therefore, is for bringing Moshiach.
Waiting for Moshiach that is essentially passive, the type of waiting that we see so much in our time, accompanied by claims that all has been done, and the like, delays Moshiach, and should be avoided. The kind of Jews that engange in it will be caught by Moshiach coming in a state of
היסח הדעת
And why is this? The passive waiters will despair. They will have announced Moshiach so many times. This year, next year, this Pesach, next Succot, and it will all go by, and they will despair. They will also not Moshiach when he finally comes.
This will not be so with those who work towards Moshiach. They knew all the time: we are not there yet.
In 5766, most Jews do not yet live in the Land. We did not yet finish Kibush HaAretz. We do not yet have an accepted Sanhedrin. There is much work to do.
I know you don't like me saying this, but the Chabad and Shas movements are today the major forces delaying the Geula. The Tsadikim in the "settlements", the Tsadikim that try to build the new Sanhedrin, the fantastic youth that fights for the Land, they are the biggest force in the opposite direction.
a) You're right that I don't like you saying it. Why must Mashiah become politicized? Saying Leshon Hara against 2 outstanding groups of Kelal Yisrael can only delay Mashiah's coming even more.
b) I agree with you that an active part in bringing Mashiah is necessary - but only to help bring a Geula of Ahishena, where Hashem's Hesed brought Mashiah earlier than expected due to our Teshuva. A Geula Be'ita can come unexpectedly. Don't forget that the 12th of the Ikkarim is "Ahakeh Lo Bechol Yom Sheyavo".
Also, see the Mahloket in Helek between R' Yehoshua and R' Eliezer re: Teshuva's necessity before Geula.
It is not that Moshiach must be politicized. Because we are so close to Moshiach, great spiritual forces act upon our nation. They create movements, and enter politics. Ahakey Lo Bechol Yom sheyavo comes from what the Gemara says. Your Kashah again applies. What with Hisiach Daat? The answer is the same. Also the Rambam refers to action to bring Moshiach closer.
As an aside, Rambam tried to move to the Land, and after that moved to the court of Egypt to try and convince the king to conquer the Land for the Jews.
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