Anticipating His Arrival Every Single Day?
(Painting by Zvi Malnovitzer)Although it is a fundamental belief and concept in Judaism, I have to admit that I could never truly relate to it on a personal level. Like the lofty idea of world peace, it seemed too abstract to visualize or imagine. Yes, I davened for Moshiach's arrival every day, yet quite honestly, I don't think I ever knew what I was davening for.
It was not until I read Alim LiTerufah #105 that a light finally turned on in my brain and I understood for the first time in my life; it brought down a macro concept into my micro reality.
In this letter dated 13 Nissan 5593 (1833), Reb Nosson of Breslov instructed his son to attempt to remember what happened every day and not to regard anything that happened to him as trivial. He further explained that when Moshiach came that Moshiach would be able to reveal to him the of meaning every single thing that happened to him every day of his life.
Reb Nosson's words instantly resonated deeply within me. Instead of describing the cosmic changes that would take place upon Moshiach's arrival, he described how it would affect me!
Moshiach will be able to reveal the reasons for all of the frustrations that I have experienced, all of the obstacles I have encountered, and all of the events in my life in a way that will give me complete understanding and a recognition that everything was for my ultimate benefit.
With this new understanding of what his arrival will entail, my tefillos regarding Moshiach have suddenly been imbued with a sincerity and honesty that was previously lacking.
9 Comments:
A beautiful painting. He is waiting so patiently.
I understand what you're saying. Living in galus (even if we're in E"Y), it's hard to really understand or remember what we're waiting and hoping for. Taking it to a personal level is certainly a great way to have this mitzvah speak to you personall.
-Dixie Yid
I really like this approach, and yes, it does make it more meaningful. I try so hard to keep this in mind day to day: "remember what happened every day and not to regard anything that happened ... as trivial."
Thank you for the post, ASJ!
Thank you all for the feedback on the posting. It is always nice to know that the feelings I share are shared by others as well.
I read in Lchaim Weekly around Chai Elul a gevaldik thing about toras baal shem tov. There are two kinds of revolutionaries: those that completely change the way we look at the world with new ideas and those that completely change the world with new ideas that we internally knew all along.
I sense this piece of toras hachasidus is very very much a part of the latter.
Beautiful and Thank You!
By the way I was just thinking today about how Rebbe Nachman's histalkus is Chai Tishrei and the Alter Rebbe and Baal Shem Tov are Chai Elul. Extremely interesting dates. If Hashem cares about the fluttering of a single leaf in the wind, how much more so the histalkus of two true leaders of klal yisroel, in the truest sense of the word.
@menashe,
the Alter Rebbe passed away 24 Tevet. (i only know because it's my birthday)
oy I was thinking of their birthdays. slip of the tongue (or maybe the fingers)
this post inspired me to post: scales that lie
CF The Pshat on these originally Arabic words in the Rambams Ikkarim from Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin in Shut Bnei Banim (I'm in India at the minute, but I think it's in Chelek Daled)
Also, why would one focus on the past when thinking of the Geula and Moshiach. Would it not be an aim to think about a future where one doesn't need to think about why this or that happened, and instead focus on a new Ruchniyus?
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