Awaiting the Arrival of Moshiach t is said about Rav Moshe Teitelbaum zt”l, the Yismach Moshe, that his longing for Rabbi Shimon Schenker IMoshiach to come was incredibly Associate Principal, Yeshiva University intense. He is quoted as saying, “If I High School for Boys had known in my youth that in my old age Moshiach still had not come, I would not have physically survived due to the pain [his delay] would have 2) How does one become a person Rambam writes that this Gemara caused me. My soul would have left who truly believes in and awaits is not just an inspirational concept, me. However, it is only because of Moshiach’s arrival? rather it teaches that “whoever does not believe that Moshiach will come, my trust and hope in Hashem that he Many people are accustomed to or one who does not eagerly await will come that I have survived until reciting daily the version of Rambam’s 1 his coming is a kofer (heretic) in today.” This is the delicate emotional 13 Principles of Faith printed in most the prophecy and Torah of Moshe balance we all strive for on Tisha sidurim. There it says, B’av. On the one hand, we are sad Rabbeinu.”4 אֲ נִי מַאֲמִ ין ּבֶאֱ מּונָה ְ ׁשלֵמָ ה ּבְבִיאַת הַמָ ׁשִֽיחַ , that we are still in exile, while at the It is apparent from Rambam that it is וְאַף עַ ל ִ ּפי ֶ ׁשיִתְמַהְמֵ ֽ ּהַ, עִ ם ָ ּכל זֶה אֲחַ ֶה ּכּלֹו same time, we look toward the future not enough to believe that Moshiach ּב לְכָ יֹום ֶ ׁשיָבֹוא. hoping and believing that Moshiach will come but to eagerly await his I believe with perfect faith in the coming will come. arrival every day. This is clear from the of the Messiah, and, though he tarry, I This idea is punctuated by Chazal in Pesikta D’Rav K’hana,5 paraphrasing will eagerly await daily for his coming. 6 the Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachos2 and from the verses in Yoel and 7 Eicha Rabbah3 stating that Moshiach This belief is not just a mystical Tzephania, “Master of the Universe, was born on Tisha B’av. This is not concept or G-d forbid, Jewish myth, when will You judge the nations of the merely a description of past history. it is in fact an obligation. The Gemara world? Hashem answers, when you On the contrary, the intent is that states: eagerly await My (and by extension, Moshiach’s) arrival.” It is said about אמר רבא: בשעה שמכניסין אדם לדין אומרים every year Tisha B’av generates a Rav Shmuel of Salant that every day לו: נשאת ונתת באמונה, קבעת עתים לתורה, new impetus for the coming of the ,when he would pray Shemoneh Esreh עסקת בפריה ורביה, צפית לישועה... .redemption just prior to reciting the blessing of מסכת שבת דף לא. While we wonder at and are inspired Es Tzemach David, which asks for the by the lofty spiritual level of Rabbi Rava said: At the moment that a person coming of Moshiach, he would pause, Teitelbaum, one must ask two is brought before the Heavenly court, then look right and then left, then questions: they say to him: Did you deal honestly continue praying. His students finally 1) To what extent is one’s obligation in business? Did you have set times one day asked him why he does such to believe Moshiach is coming? Is it for learning Torah? Did you engage in an odd thing when he davens. He enough to believe that he will come or producing children? Did you anticipate answered that he knows that Moshiach is there also an obligation to eagerly the salvation (coming of the Moshiach)? will come today, and he doesn’t want await his arrival? Shabbat 31a to make an unnecessary blessing, so 32 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Tisha B’av 5775 he pauses to see if he sees Moshiach as the King of the universe. Rav individual doesn’t eagerly await the coming before he makes the blessing. Shimon Schwab, explains that we see coming of Moshiach and merely Rav Ezriel Tauber8 challenges us to this idea from a passage that we say knows he is coming, it is a sign that think about the parameters of this every day in our morning prayers. In the individual is spiritually stunted. mitzvah. What is unique about the “Yehi Chevod” we say: That person is disconnected from the ultimate goal that the Creator וְיֹאמְרּו בַ גֹויִם ה’ מָ לְָך ה’ מֶ לְֶךה’ מָ לְָךה’ יִמְ ֹלְך coming of Moshaich that it is it not has for our world, our people and לְעֹולָם וָעֶד:ה’ מֶ לְֶך עֹולָםוָעֶד. אָבְ דּו גֹויִם enough merely to believe in the for us as individuals. His goal is to מֵאַרְ צֹו: coming of Moshiach? Why do we need create a world which will crown Him to eagerly await his arrival as well? And the nations will say, Hashem was King, fulfill His commandments, and King, is King, and will be King, Hashem He provides three unique approaches: eradicate evil in order to give everyone will be King forever more, the nations of their just reward in the World to the land will be lost. Approach #1 – Personal Come. This sentiment is known Growth Rav Schwab explains that this verse widely as the pervasive attitude of the doesn’t G-d forbid mean that when Chofetz Chaim, as illustrated in the Rabbi Dovber Schneuri, the Mittler Moshiach comes, all the nations of the following beautiful story: Rebbe of Lubavitch and son of Shnuer world will be destroyed. It means that Rav Simcha Bunim Alter, the Gerrer Zalman of Liadi who was the author when Moshiach comes, the concept of Rebbe, writes12 that his father Rav of the Tanya, writes that in the times “the other nations,” which segregates Avraham Mordechai Alter, known as of Moshaich, people will still be able and separates different kinds of the Imre Emes, met with the Choftez to perform the commandments and people, will be eradicated from the Chaim at the first Kenessiah Gedolah learn Torah as we do now. The times world. Everyone in the world will be in Vienna in 1923. The Chofetz Chaim of Moshiach will be different because united under one common banner of said to the Imrei Emes, “We say (in in the world as it exists currently, serving the Master of the Universe.10 Kedusha of Shabbos Shacharis) to there are so many outside stimuli Accordingly, each one of us needs Hashem that ‘we are awaiting you,’ but and distractions that prevent us from to desire and await the coming of is this really so? Are we really waiting? reaching our potential. This includes Moshiach so that all beings will We have to feel as if we are lacking and wars, suffering, and anti-Semitism. recognize the Creator. desiring this!” The Chofetz Chaim However, when Moshiach comes, then raised his hands and asked again, we will revert back to a time similar Approach #3 – Inspire the “Are we really waiting?” He told the to Adam in the Garden living in an Generation following parable: “We need to await ideal environment enabling us to his arrival like a father and mother who be engaged in holy actions and to Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto writes are yearning for the arrival of their only reach our potential.9 Therefore, Rav that prior to the end of the days of son whom they haven’t seen in a long Tauber expands, we need the times Moshiach, before the next stage of time. They know that at any minute he of Moshiach to be upon us in order history, the Jewish people need to might arrive, so every carriage and train for us to achieve our greatest spiritual become perfected. Moshiach’s arrival that passes by, they think might be his. heights before we go to the World to will inspire the chosen nation to However, even when they realize that Come for eternity. spiritual greatness and will destroy sin their son was not in the carriage or on and the evil inclination. When people the train, they still wait for him.” Approach #2 – World are confronted with the physical So far we have seen the levels that Recognition of the Creator truth of a Melech Hamoshiach, they our gedolim and Chazal who are will be spiritually overwhelmed and so spiritually engaged have reached Even if individually we reach our uplifted to refocus on their spiritual in terms of their connection to the potential, that still is not enough. growth and less on their physical and Moshiach. The question is, how can The ultimate goal is for all people, mundane needs.11 regardless of race, creed or nationality, an average person begin to reach such to recognize and to coronate Hashem Based on the above approaches, a level and how should one direct their Rav Tauber explains that when an 33 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Tisha B’av 5775 Chiya producing a sefer Torah for אליהו הוה שכיח במתיבתא דרבי יומא חד mind to begin to intellectually and children to be taught with. Each and ריש ירחא הוה נגה ליה ולא אתא א”ל מאי ?spiritually connect with Moshiach every step of the production of those טעמא נגה ליה למר אמר ליה אדאוקימנא Torahs and the teaching of it were לאברהם ומשינא ידיה ומצלי ומגנינא ליה וכן Approach #1 – Living for completely free and unburdened from ליצחק וכן ליעקב ולוקמינהו בהדי הדדי סברי Hashem any intention except the intention תקפי ברחמי ומייתי ליה למשיח בלא זמניה to teach Torah.