Awaiting Salvation: Preparing to Greet Moshiach
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 23:21
לֹא־הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא־רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ
He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov, nor seen wrongdoing in Yisrael; Hashem his God is with him, and the King's friendship is in him.
1“He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov, nor seen wrongdoing in Yisrael; Hashem his God is with him, and teru'as melech, the King's friendship, is in him.”1
*״לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל ה׳ אֱלֹקָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ״ (כג, כא).
- The sefer's note: Said on the yahrzeit of the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh; transcribed from a recording. Bamidbar 23:21. ↩
In shortBilam declares that Hashem does not behold iniquity in Yaakov or see wrongdoing in Yisrael, and that the King's friendship is in him.
2Notice the wording: the verse begins with hibit, “beheld,” and ends with ra'ah, “seen.” As is well known, habatah, beholding, means looking at something far away, while re'iyah, seeing, means looking at something close at hand. We must also ask why the verse opens with “Yaakov” and closes with “Yisrael.”
יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק מַה שֶׁהִתְחִיל בִּלְשׁוֹן ׳הִבִּיט׳ וְסִיֵּים בִּלְשׁוֹן ׳רָאָה׳, וְכַיָּדוּעַ דְּהַבָּטָה הִיא לְמֵרָחוֹק וּרְאָיָה הִיא לַקָּרוֹב. עוֹד צָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַה שֶׁפָּתַח בְּ׳יַעֲקֹב׳ וְסִיֵּים בְּ׳יִשְׂרָאֵל׳.
In shortWhy does the verse move from “beholding,” a distant look, to “seeing,” a near one, and from “Yaakov” to “Yisrael”?
3Let us first cite the Gemara: “Rava said: When a person is brought in for judgment, they say to him, ‘Did you await salvation?’”2 Rashi explains: “according to the words of the prophets.”3 But why did Rashi not take the question in its plain sense, as awaiting the coming of King Moshiach? And what does it mean to await salvation “according to the words of the prophets”?
וְנַקְדִּים אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַגְּמָרָא (שבת לא, א) אָמַר רָבָא, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין אָדָם לְדִין אוֹמְרִים לוֹ צִיפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה, וּפֵירֵשׁ רש״י לְדִבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר מַדּוּעַ לֹא פֵּירֵשׁ רש״י כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, שֶׁהַכַּוָּונָה בְּצִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה הַיְינוּ לְצַפּוֹת לְבִיאַת מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְכֵן מַהוּ הַכַּוָּונָה לְצַפּוֹת לְדִבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים.
- Shabbos 31a. The judgment is the one a person faces after his life in this world. ↩
- Rashi on Shabbos 31a. ↩
In shortRashi reads “Did you await salvation?” as “according to the words of the prophets”; why not simply as awaiting Moshiach?
4It seems we can explain it this way. “Awaiting salvation” means doing deeds that bring the coming of King Moshiach closer. Every Pesach night my holy father and teacher, zy"a, would repeat the words of the Tiferes Shlomo of R' Shlomo of Radomsk on the Mishnah “‘All the days of your life’: to include the days of Moshiach.”4 The Tiferes Shlomo reads lehavi, “to include,” as “to bring”: all the days of his life a person must do deeds that bring the appointed time of the redemption closer. So far his words. It is not for us, Heaven forbid, to think and inquire who King Moshiach is, for that is not our concern. Our task is to bring the redemption closer and to help Moshiach come through our deeds. As the holy Zohar teaches, even a single community or group that gathers to engage in teshuvah, Torah and prayer, each person at his own level and according to his grasp, brings the redemption closer by doing so.5
וְנִרְאֶה לְבָאֵר, דְּהָעִנְיָן דְּצִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּעוּלּוֹת שֶׁיְּקָרְבוּ אֶת בִּיאַת מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה כ״ק אאמו״ר זי״ע חוֹזֵר בְּכָל לֵיל פֶּסַח עַל דִּבְרֵי הַתִּפְאֶרֶת שְׁלֹמֹה (שער התפלה ד״ה ויברך, שבת נחמו) שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ דִּבְרֵי הַמִּשְׁנָה (ברכות א, ה) ׳כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ לְהָבִיא לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ׳, שֶׁבְּמֶשֶׁךְ כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּעוּלּוֹת שֶׁיְּקָרֵב בָּזֶה אֶת קֵץ הַגְּאוּלָּה, ע״כ. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ ח״ו לַחְשׁוֹב וְלַחְקוֹר מִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, דְּזֶה אֵין שַׁיָּיךְ לָנוּ, אֶלָּא אָנוּ צְרִיכִים לִרְאוֹת לְקָרֵב אֶת הַגְּאוּלָּה וּלְסַיֵּיעַ בִּפְעוּלָּתֵינוּ לְבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְכִדְאִיתָא בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (זוהר חדש רות כג, ב) דַּאֲפִילּוּ אִם קְהִילָּה אוֹ חֲבוּרָה אַחַת מִתְאַסְּפִים וְעוֹסְקִים בִּתְשׁוּבָה בַּתּוֹרָה וּתְפִילָּה כָּל אֶחָד כְּפִי דַּרְגָּתוֹ וְהַשָּׂגָתוֹ, מְקָרְבִים הֵם בָּזֶה אֶת הַגְּאוּלָּה.
- Tiferes Shlomo, Shaar HaTefillah, s.v. Vayevarech (Shabbos Nachamu); Mishnah Berachos 1:5. ↩
- Zohar Chadash, Rus 23b. ↩
In shortAwaiting salvation means deeds that hasten Moshiach, as the Tiferes Shlomo read “to bring the days of Moshiach,” not speculating who he is.
5Beyond this, each person must picture for himself the moment he hears that Moshiach has come: how will he greet him without shame? It is told that my holy ancestor of Shidlovtza, zy"a, said: “When Moshiach comes, I will be ashamed to go out to greet him. But when the holy Baal Shem Tov, the Yid HaKadosh and all the tzaddikim come to greet him, I too will squeeze in among them, hold out my fingertips to him, and run away at once, overcome with shame.” My holy great-grandfather of Biala, zy"a, would remark on this: “Me they will not bring out at all, for they will be ashamed to show me to King Moshiach.”6 This shows how intensely the tzaddikim prepared for King Moshiach and longed for him. And what shall we, who come after them, answer?
יָתֵר עַל כֵּן, צָרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד לְתָאֵר לְעַצְמוֹ שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְבַּשֵּׂר עַל בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, הַאֵיךְ לֹא יֵבוֹשׁ לְקַבֵּל פָּנָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּסוּפָּר עַל אא״ז משידלובצא זי״ע שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר יָבוֹא הַמָּשִׁיחַ אֶתְבַּיֵּישׁ לֵילֵךְ לְקַבֵּל פָּנָיו, אַךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר יָבוֹאוּ שָׁם הַבַּעַל שֵׁם טוֹב הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַיְּהוּדִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְכָל הַצַּדִּיקִים לְקַבֵּל אֶת פָּנָיו אֲדַחֵף גַּם אֲנִי בֵּינֵיהֶם וְאוֹשִׁיט לוֹ קְצֵה יָדִי וְאֶבְרַח מִיָּד מִגּוֹדֶל הַבּוּשָׁה. וְעַל זֶה הָיָה מִתְבַּטֵּא אא״ז מביאלא זי״ע ׳וְאוֹתִי לֹא יוֹצִיאוּ כְּלָל, כִּי יִתְבַּיְּישׁוּ לְהַרְאוֹתֵנִי בִּפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ׳. מִכָּאן רוֹאִים אֶת גּוֹדֶל הַהֲכָנָה וְהַצְּפִיָּה שֶׁהָיָה בְּקֶרֶב הַצַּדִּיקִים לְמֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וַאֲנַן מַה נַעֲנֶה אַבָּתְרַיְיהוּ.
- The first Biala Rebbe, author of Divrei Binah, the Rebbe's great-grandfather. ↩
In shortGreat tzaddikim feared shame before Moshiach; their intense preparation shows how much more we must ready ourselves to greet him.
6This is what Rashi meant when he explained “Did you await salvation?” as “according to the words of the prophets.” A person must take care to walk in the ways of the prophets, who rebuked Israel in order to set its deeds and views straight and establish it in the truth. Then we will not be ashamed to greet our righteous Moshiach, or at the very least we will be able to slip in and approach him unnoticed, like my holy ancestor of Shidlovtza in his story.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ רש״י צִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה לְדִבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים, הַיְינוּ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לָתֵת לֵב לֵילֵךְ בְּדַרְכֵי הַנְּבִיאִים הַמּוֹכִיחִים אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְיַישֵּׁר אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְדֵעוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְהַעֲמִידָם עַל הָאֱמֶת, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא נֵיבוּשׁ לְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחַ צְדָקֵינוּ, וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים נוּכַל לְהִתְחַמֵּק וְלָגֶשֶׁת אֵלָיו בְּהֵחָבֵא כַּנִּזְכָּר.
In shortRashi's “words of the prophets” means following their rebuke and straightening our deeds and views, so we need not be ashamed before Moshiach.
7The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh, zy"a, whose yahrzeit is today, explained “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov” as follows.7 Aven, iniquity, refers to sins of thought. “Yaakov” means the simple folk, who are busy earning a living and supporting their families and do not spend the whole day in Torah, holiness and piety. At times they have thoughts that are not pure. Of them the verse says, “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov”: Hashem takes no notice of the aven, the improper thoughts, of “Yaakov,” the simple folk, for “a bad thought the Holy One, blessed be He, does not join to a deed.”8 “Nor seen amal in Yisrael”: here he reads amal as toil. “Yisrael” means those who fear Hashem and serve their Creator in thought, speech and deed with toil and tremendous effort. We have seen this in tzaddikim who served Hashem constantly, with deveikus, cleaving to Him, and with great effort, and yet were always fresh and renewed, never worn out or weary after their service. That is the meaning of “nor seen amal in Yisrael”: for all their holy service, they feel no trace of weariness or fatigue, and they are always full of strength. That is the gist of his words.
וּבְאוֹר הַחַיִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ זיע״א שֶׁהַיּוֹם חָל יוֹמָא דְּהִילּוּלָא דִּילֵיהּ פֵּירֵשׁ ״לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב״, דְּ׳אָוֶן׳ מוֹרֶה עַל חֵטְא הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, וְ׳יַעֲקֹב׳ הַכַּוָּונָה לִפְשׁוּטֵי הָעָם הַטְּרוּדִים עַל הַמִּחְיָה וְעַל הַכַּלְכָּלָה וְאֵינָם עוֹסְקִים כָּל הַיּוֹם בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וּקְדוּשָּׁה וַחֲסִידוּת, וּלְעִתִּים יֵשׁ לָהֶם מַחֲשָׁבוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן טְהוֹרוֹת, וְעַל זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב ׳לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב׳, שֶׁאֵין הקב״ה מַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת הַ׳אָוֶן׳ שֶׁל ׳יַעֲקֹב׳ הֵם פְּשׁוּטֵי הָעָם, דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה רָעָה אֵין הקב״ה מְצָרְפָהּ לְמַעֲשֶׂה (קידושין מ, א). ׳וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׳, ׳יִשְׂרָאֵל׳ הֵם יִרְאֵי ה׳ הָעוֹבְדִים אֶת בּוֹרְאָם בְּמַחְשָׁבָה דִּיבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּעָמָל וּבִיגִיעָה עֲצוּמָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁרָאִינוּ אֵצֶל צַדִּיקִים שֶׁעָבְדוּ בִּתְמִידוּת אֶת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּדְבֵיקוּת וּבִיגִיעָה עֲצוּמָה, וְהָיוּ תָּמִיד מְלֵאֵי הִתְחַדְּשׁוּת וְלֹא הָיָה לָהֶם שׁוּם עֲמָלוֹת וַעֲיֵיפוּת אַחַר עֲבוֹדָתָם. וְזֶה הַכַּוָּונָה וְלֹא רָאָה ׳עָמָל׳ בְּ׳יִשְׂרָאֵל׳, שֶׁעַל אַף כָּל עֲבוֹדָתָם הַקְּדוֹשָׁה אֵין אֶצְלָם בְּחִינַת עֲמָלוֹת וַעֲיֵיפוּת כְּלָל וְתָמִיד הֵם מְלֵאֵי כּוֹחוֹת, ע״כ תּוֹכֶן דְּבָרָיו.
- Ohr HaChaim on Bamidbar 23:21. ↩
- Kiddushin 40a: Hashem does not count a bad thought as though it had been done. ↩
In shortThe Ohr HaChaim: Hashem ignores the stray thoughts of busy simple folk, and the God-fearing toil in His service without weariness.
8aIn light of what we have said, it seems we can also read the verse along similar lines. “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov”: “Yaakov” means the simple folk, who are not privileged to be bnei Torah, devoted to its study and enjoying the King's table. They are so busy and preoccupied with other matters that the quality of “awaiting salvation according to the words of prophecy” cannot be seen in them. Of them the verse says “He has not beheld,” for with them one must look deep into their hearts. Then one sees that every Jew with a spark of faith, the moment he has some free time, cries out for King Moshiach and does whatever he can, as far as his strength and understanding allow, to bring Moshiach's coming closer. That is the meaning of “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov”: even those on a lower level await the redemption deep within themselves.
וּלְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ נִרְאֶה לְפָרֵשׁ גַּם כֵּן עַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה, ׳לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב׳, יַעֲקֹב הֵם הַפְּשׁוּטֵי עַם שֶׁאֵינָם זוֹכִים לִהְיוֹת בְּנֵי תּוֹרָה וְלֵיהָנוֹת מִשּׁוּלְחָנוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, שֶׁהֵם עֲסוּקִים וּטְרוּדִים בְּעִנְיָינִים שֶׁלֹּא נִרְאֶה בָּזֶה הַבְּחִינָה דְּצִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה לְדִבְרֵי נְבוּאָה, עֲלֵיהֶם כְּתִיב ׳לֹא הִבִּיט׳, שֶׁאֶצְלָם צָרִיךְ הַבָּטָה עֲמוּקָּה אֶל תּוֹךְ לִבָּם, וְאָז רוֹאִים אֵיךְ שֶׁכָּל יְהוּדִי אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לוֹ זִיק שֶׁל אֱמוּנָה, מִיָּד כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ זְמַן פָּנוּי הִינּוֹ מְיַיבֵּב עַל מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא, וְעוֹשֶׂה כָּל הַפְּעוּלּוֹת כְּפִי כּוֹחוֹ וְהַשָּׂגָתוֹ לְקָרֵב בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְזֶהוּ ׳לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב׳, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ אוֹתָם אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֵם בַּדַּרְגָּה הַנְּמוּכָה, בְּתוֹךְ תּוֹכָם הֵם מְצַפִּים לִגְאוּלָּה.
8b[Aven means something without substance, or something false, as the Metzudas Tziyon explains, and the Radak says much the same in his dictionary of Hebrew roots, Sefer HaShorashim.9 When a person's deeds are not done for the sake of Heaven, they count as a kind of aven. But since his inner intent is for the sake of Heaven, that Hashem's glory be revealed through it, and at times a person also shows openly that “our will is to do Your will,”10 the Holy One, blessed be He, looks at this inner intent and sees no aven in Yaakov.]
[׳אָוֶן׳ פֵּירוּשׁוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ אוֹ דְּבַר שֶׁקֶר (מצודת ציון ישעיהו מא, כט. חבקוק ג, ז, וכעין זה בספר השרשים לרד״ק ערך און), וּכְשֶׁאֵין אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה דְּבָרָיו לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם זֶה חָשׁוּב כִּבְחִינַת אָוֶן, אַךְ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה הַפְּנִימִית הִיא לְצוֹרֶךְ שָׁמַיִם וְשֶׁעַל יָדָהּ יִתְגַּלֶּה כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְגַם הָאָדָם לִפְעָמִים מְגַלֶּה דַּעְתּוֹ וּמַרְאֶה שֶׁרְצוֹנֵנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹנְךָ, עַל כֵּן הקב״ה מַבִּיט לָזֶה וְאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה בְּיַעֲקֹב דְּבַר אָוֶן].
- Metzudas Tziyon on Yeshayahu 41:29 (the sefer has 41:21) and on Chavakuk 3:7; Radak, Sefer HaShorashim, s.v. Aven. ↩
- Based on Berachos 17a. ↩
In shortHashem looks deep into the simple folk, “Yaakov,” and finds them longing for redemption, their inner intent for Heaven, so He sees no aven.
9“Nor seen amal in Yisrael”: these are the tzaddikim and those who fear Hashem, who spend all their days preparing and working to bring Moshiach's coming closer. As is well known, my holy great-grandfather of Biala kept a large coin in a silver box, to buy a gift for King Moshiach with it. Though times were hard and his household was in great want, he kept that coin for King Moshiach. My holy ancestor of Shidlovtza, too, kept a bottle of spirits ready to greet our righteous Moshiach. He said that when Moshiach comes, we will tell him, “With this we strengthened ourselves all through the days of the exile.” My holy great-grandfather of Biala remarked that in the same way people will point to his own father and say, “With this we strengthened ourselves in the days of the exile.”
׳וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׳, אֵלּוּ הֵם הַצַּדִּיקִים וְיִרְאֵי ה׳ אֲשֶׁר כָּל יְמֵיהֶם הִינָּם מִתְכּוֹנְנִים וּפוֹעֲלִים לְקָרֵב אֶת בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁאֵצֶל אא״ז מביאלא זי״ע הָיְתָה מַטְבֵּעַ גְּדוֹלָה מוּנַּחַת בְּתֵיבַת כֶּסֶף לִקְנוֹת בָּהּ מַתָּנָה לְמֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְעַל אַף שֶׁהָיוּ זְמַנִּים קָשִׁים וְהָיְתָה דַּחְקוּת גְּדוֹלָה בְּבֵיתוֹ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם אֶת הַמַּטְבֵּעַ הַזֹּאת שָׁמַר לְמֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְכֵן אֵצֶל אא״ז משידלובצא זי״ע הָיָה מוּנָּח בַּקְבּוּק יי״ש לְקַבֵּל בָּזֶה פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחַ צְדָקֵינוּ, וְאָמַר שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּבוֹא הַמָּשִׁיחַ נֹאמַר לוֹ ׳בָּזֶה חִזַּקְנוּ אֶת עַצְמֵינוּ בְּמֶשֶׁךְ כָּל יְמֵי הַגָּלוּת׳, וְעַל זֶה אָמַר אא״ז מביאלא זי״ע שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ מִידָּה יַצְבִּיעוּ עַל אָבִיו וְיֹאמְרוּ ׳בָּזֶה חִזַּקְנוּ אֶת עַצְמֵינוּ בִּימֵי הַגָּלוּת׳.
In short“Yisrael” are tzaddikim who prepared all their lives for Moshiach, like the Biala coin and the Shidlovtza bottle, and who strengthened Israel in exile.
10Of course, these were not their only preparations for Moshiach's coming. Surely they prepared for it day and night through their holy service. Such customs were only meant to make the waiting for his coming tangible, and each tzaddik expressed his longing for the salvation in his own way.
וּבְוַודַּאי שֶׁלֹּא זֶה בִּלְבַד הָיוּ הֲכָנוֹתֵיהֶם לְבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה הָיוּ מִתְכּוֹנְנִים בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם הַקְּדוֹשָׁה לְבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְעִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ לֹא הָיוּ אֶלָּא בִּכְדֵי לְהַמְחִישׁ אֶת הַצִּיפִּיָּה לְבִיאָתוֹ, וְכָל אֶחָד מֵהַצַּדִּיקִים לְפִי דַּרְכּוֹ בִּיטֵּא אֶת הַצִּיפִּיָּה לִישׁוּעָתוֹ בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר.
In shortThe coin and the bottle only gave tangible form to longing; the tzaddikim prepared for Moshiach day and night through their service.
11This is the meaning of the word “seen” in “nor seen amal in Yisrael.” With “Yisrael,” the tzaddikim, no “beholding” is needed; a simple “seeing” is enough [for the commentators, the Ibn Ezra and the Ramban, write that amal means something false and deceptive, from which a person gains nothing but toil in vain.11 It is a synonym of aven, the verse repeating the idea in other words. What a person does for himself counts as mere effort, from which he gains no real benefit, but with the tzaddikim it is plain to all that they do not act for themselves]. For as they serve Hashem in holiness, purity and separation from worldliness, their “awaiting salvation” can be seen at every step they take, since through avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem, and doing His will they bring Moshiach's coming closer.
וְזֶהוּ ׳וְלֹא רָאָה׳ עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאֵצֶל ׳יִשְׂרָאֵל׳ דְּהַיְינוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים אֵין צָרִיךְ לַהַבָּטָה אֶלָּא לִרְאָיָה בְּעָלְמָא [דְּכָתְבוּ הַמְּפָרְשִׁים (אבן עזרא, רמב״ן) דְּפֵירוּשׁ עָמָל, הַיְינוּ דְּבַר שֶׁקֶר וְכָזָב שֶׁאֵין מִמֶּנּוּ רַק עָמָל הָאָדָם לָרִיק, וְהוּא מֵעִנְיַן אָוֶן עַל דֶּרֶךְ מִילִּים הַנִּרְדָּפוֹת, וַעֲשִׂיַּית הָאָדָם עֲבוּר עַצְמוֹ נֶחְשָׁב כִּיגִיעָה סְתָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מִזֶּה תּוֹעֶלֶת אֲמִיתִּית, וְאֵצֶל צַדִּיקִים נִרְאֶה לְכָל שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂים מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם עֲבוּר עַצְמָם], שֶׁכֵּן אֶצְלָם בְּעַבְדָּם אֶת ה׳ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה וּפְרִישׁוּת רוֹאִים בְּכָל צַעַד וְשֶׁעַל אֶת הָעִנְיָין ד׳צִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה׳, דְּעַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ וְקִיּוּם רְצוֹנוֹ הֵם מְקָרְבִים אֶת בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ.
- Ibn Ezra and Ramban on Bamidbar 23:21. ↩
In shortThe tzaddikim's selfless service shows their awaiting of salvation at every step, so a simple look finds no empty amal in them.
12So when all of Klal Yisrael, the simple folk and those who fear Hashem alike, reaches this lofty level of “awaiting salvation according to the words of prophecy,” then “Hashem his God is with him.” The attribute of judgment turns into mercy and has no power at all.
וּמִמֵּילָא כְּשֶׁכָּל כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֵן הַפְּשׁוּטֵי עַם וְהֵן יִרְאֵי ה׳, מַשִּׂיגִים דַּרְגָּה נַעֲלֵית זוֹ שֶׁל צִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה לְדִבְרֵי נְבוּאָה, אָז ׳ה׳ אֱלֹקָיו עִמּוֹ׳, וְנֶהְפַּךְ מִדַּת הַדִּין לְרַחֲמִים וְאֵין שׁוּם שְׁלִיטָה לְמִדַּת הַדִּין.
In shortWhen all of Klal Yisrael truly awaits salvation, “Hashem his God is with him,” and judgment turns to mercy.
13This is the meaning of the Targum Yonasan ben Uziel, which renders “and teru'as melech is in him” as “and the cries for King Moshiach are among them.”12 The Targum is teaching us how we must prepare for King Moshiach: by straightening our views according to the words of the prophets. This is the only way to bring his coming closer and to fulfill “awaiting salvation according to the words of prophecy.”
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם יוֹנָתָן בֶּן עוּזִּיאֵל ׳וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ׳ וִיבָבוֹת מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא בִּינֵיהוֹן, שֶׁבָּא לְלַמְּדֵינוּ הַאֵיךְ צְרִיכִים לְהִתְכּוֹנֵן לְמֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וְזֹאת עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּיַישְּׁרִים דֵּעוֹתֵינוּ לְפִי דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים, וְזֶהוּ הַדֶּרֶךְ הַיְחִידָה לְקָרֵב אֶת בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, לְקַיֵּים צִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה לְדִבְרֵי נְבוּאָה.
- Targum Yonasan on Bamidbar 23:21. ↩
In shortTargum Yonasan's “cries for King Moshiach” teaches that we prepare for him by straightening our views by the prophets' words.
14If we live this way and straighten our views according to the words of the prophets, may Hashem, blessed be He, help us greet the righteous Redeemer soon, speedily in our days. Amen.
וּבְאִם נִתְנַהֵג בְּכָךְ וּנְיַישֵּׁר דֵּעוֹתֵינוּ כְּדִבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים, יַעֲזוֹר לָנוּ ה׳ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁבַּקָּרוֹב נְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי גּוֹאֵל צֶדֶק בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, אָמֵן.
In shortThe Rebbe prays that, living by the prophets' words, we soon greet the righteous Redeemer.
Takeaway
Awaiting Moshiach means doing what we can, each at our own level, to bring him closer, not guessing who he will be. The great tzaddikim prepared all their lives and still feared shame before him, and that should make us ask whether we could greet him today. Hashem looks deep into even the busiest Jew and finds real longing there, and we prepare best by letting the prophets' words straighten our deeds and our views.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.