Yaakov Avinu (and the Rebbe) didn't die

…the situation [after the passing of the Previous Rebbe] is not what it appears to eyes of flesh (physical, and much more so material), that there has occurred, G-d forbid, an interruption [in the life of the Previous Rebbe], etc. – rather, here and now he “stands and serves”.

Immediately a question is raised: now, an incident occurred a certain number of years ago, and we ourselves were there and we did certain things, in accordance with Shulchan Aruch, which are connected with an interruption [of life]!

Now, as has been said several times, everything has its source in the Torah – not only the inner dimension of Torah, but also the revealed dimension of Torah.

This is what the gemara states (Taanis 5b): “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die.” Immediately the gemara questions this: “but they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him?”

Nonetheless, even after this question the gemara does not recant and explain it in a different way, rather the gemara remains with this statement that “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die”, despite that they “they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him”, and despite that these activities were really performed, because after all they are told to us in the Torah!

So the gemara explains: “just as his progeny are alive, so too he is alive”. As long as “his progeny are alive”, then even if “they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him” – something that really happened and in accordance with Shulchan Aruch – with all this “so too he is alive”.

And this is not to be understood according to the explanations of those who want to “cool off” the subject, who want to explain that through the fact that his progeny are alive then it is as if he himself is also alive.

Firstly, according to an explanation like this it would come out that the gemara recanted what it said that “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die”, for it is only as if he didn’t die – that by his progeny being alive he derives benefit from this exactly as if he was alive.

Secondly, this is the opposite of the language of the gemara: the gemara doesn’t say that through this that his progeny are alive it is as if he is alive, rather the gemara equates the two things – “just as his progeny are live” – in exactly the same way – “so too he is alive”. And this is brought by the gemara as an answer to the question “but they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him”.
[…]

The physical aspect [of a true and complete tzaddik]…is nothing more than a secondary thing and merely an external garment.

From this it is understood, that when this secondary thing is removed from him and the main thing remains, this cannot be called by the name “death”, since this is only relevant to say about one whose life was connected with the physical thing in the body and the physicality of the world. But by the tzaddik, even though when he was a neshoma in a body the body was something that had to be taken into account, except that for him the body was not the main thing, rather the spirituality in it; only the external garment was a physical garment. Therefore, when he removed one garment and donned another garment, there is nothing lacking and consequently “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die”.

And when there is a question: but “they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him”? – the response is: all of these activities were done on the physical aspect of his body. By any other person, even a Jew, when he’s down in this world, this is the main aspect of his life…which is not the case by him [this complete tzaddik], that even his life in this world was a spiritual life.

[…]the gemara knows that “they eulogized him”, this is a verse in the Torah, and connected with halacha, etc., but this is no contradiction, because all of this was done with his physical garment, and this garment was exchanged, in order that he could now have a different garment.

Sicha of the Rebbe on the Hillula of the Previous Rebbe, Yud Shevat 5726 (1966)

Ohr Hachayim Hakadosh (Yoma d'Hillula 15 Tammuz)

Ohr Hachayim Hakadosh on Balak 24:15

"I see it but not now...a star shoots forth from Yaakov..."

The entire prophecy is speaking about Melech haMoshiach and it will be explained by the words of the sages on the verse "b'ita achishena" ("in its time I will hasten it"): if they merit, "I will hasten it"; if they don't merit, "in its time").

If it will be a redemption through the merit of Yisrael it will be a miraculous thing whereby the redeemer of Israel will be revealed from the heavens with wonders and signs, such as are described in the Zohar (Vayera 119a, Balak 212b). This is not the case if it will be a redemption from the ketz (prepared end) and Yisrael is not suited for it then it will be in a different way, about which it is said (Zecharia 9:9), "the redeemer will come as a poor man riding on a donkey"...[Bilaam] said "a star shoots forth from Yaakov" that the redeemer will shine from the heavens, and it also hints at the star that goes out in the middle of the heavens in a miraculous and wondrous fashion as described in the Zohar.

Open the Eyes to See the Geulah

Now there needs only to be that they will open the “heart to know”, and they will open the “eyes to see”, and they will open the “ears to hear”. And in this way, to utilize the 248 physical limbs and 365 ligaments – in addition to learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos generally – learning pnimiyus hatorah as it has been revealed in the teachings of Chassidus and fulfilling the instructions of our Rebbeim, including – learning the subjects of Geulah, in a way that this will open the heart and the eyes and the ears – and that they will understand , they will see and they will feel in absolute simplicity in the physicality of the world – the true and complete Geulah in actuality mamash, and to learn the Torah of Moshiach (pnimiyus hatorah) in a way of seeing, that all of this is already prepared, and there is only a need to open the eyes and they they will see this!

Sicha of the Rebbe, Parshas Vayeitze, 5752

Awaiting Moshiach--To Wait with Wisdom

To Wait with Wisdom

by Harav Hamekubal Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

One of the definitions of the word חכמה (widsom) is חכה-מה -- the power to wait and to anticipate that something will tarry, as in the verse that relates to the ketz of Moshiach "if he will tarry wait for him because he will come, he will not be late" (and as the fundament of faith [Rambam]: "even though he will tarry, despite all this I await him").

The power of chochma to wait and anticipate brings closer that which one is awaiting. The degree of power of one who waits is very great -- in the end -- it approaches "close to prophecy". Thus the prophet states עין לא ראתה א-להים זולתך יעשה למחכה לו "no eye has seen what Hashem will do for those who wait for Him", and the sages explain that in the time to come the one who waits will merit to see that which the prophets themselves did not see. In the Zohar it explains "to wait for him" -- "to one who is exacting in the words of chochma". In Kedusha, even one who awaits something that he can't even imagine doesn't wait passively; rather, he strives and dives deep to discover it in the depths of Divine chochma. So, too, in the anticipation of Moshiach and his unimaginable wonders, the one who truly waits does this wisely -- with chochma -- with effort and exacting study of inyanei Geulah and Moshiach and Torah. For it is precisely in the Torah of Geulah and Moshiach can the one who waits already taste "the Torah of Moshiach" about which it is stated "every palate which tastes of it says 'let me have, let me have'. In the merit of the "taste [and see] that Hashem is Good" we merit in the time to come to "and you will see that Hashem is Good" -- "no eye has seen what Hashem will do for those who wait for him."

Evil will be rectified

Yaakov and Esav were twins because also Evil will be rectified as the sages state: "the head of Esav rests in the lap of Yitzchok" which is the secret of Evil returning to the good, the secret that in the future the pig will become pure and the Holy One will slaughter the Angel of Death, namely "death will be swallowed forever" and it will remain an "Angel". Because the head of klipa has an attachment to kedusha like the head of Esav in the lap of Yitzchok, but when it extends from there it becomes tuma...Regarding סמא-ל Sama'el, the Sar of Esav, the סם "Sam" [poison] will be erased and the א-ל "Kel" [Divine name] will remain.

Shelah Hakadosh, parshas Chayei Sarah

Tzaddikim Do Not Die: They Transform the Physical into Spiritual

"And Sara died" (Chayei Sara 23:2)

Ohr Hachayim: The verse hints at what it says "Kiryas Arba" ("City of the Four"), to say that G-d-forbid one should not connect death with tzaddikim. Rather, Kiryas Arba means the city that was built from the four yesodos (fundemental elements) became separated and departed from them. And in saying "this is Chevron" implies that even though she died, she caused them [the four yesodos] to have the aspect of unification (chibur) because tzaddikim, even though they will die yet the body is not negated from life because tzaddikim in their deaths are called living. Go and learn from what occurred with Rav Achai bar Yoshiya (Shabbos 152).

The reason is because when they are in the world they transform the aspect of holy spirituality that is in their nefesh via their good deeds and abundant Torah that they accomplish in this world. Go and learn from the Rambam (Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah perek daled) that it is a rule of Hashem that one yesod can transform into its neighboring yesod: earth transforming into water, and similarly we find that via the clinging of a person to his Creator he can transform all the yesodos to [the highest] yesod of fire, and from the [material] yesod of fire to the yesodof fire of the neshoma.

Four Fundemental Elements United

"And Sara died in Kiryas Arba, this is Chevron, in the land of Canaan." (Bereishis 23:2)

Rabbi Yitzchok said in the name of Rabbi Yochanon: the Holy One created man and put into him four things that are divided in the body. Rabbi Yehuda said [things that are] unified in the body. Rabbi Yitzchok said they are divided in the body because they divide up each to its own fundemental element when the person departs from this world. Rabbi Yehuda said they are unified in the body during his life.

Learn from the verse that states "and Sarah died", this refers to the body; "in Kiryas Arba", these are the four fundemental elements; "this is Chevron" means they were unified in his body in his life; "in the land of Canaan" means in this world.

Zohar, Chayei Sara 122b

Menachem Av: Not mourning, but yearning

We are standing at the threshold of the Era of Mashiach, at the threshold of the beginning of the Redemption, and in the immediate future, it will be brought to its completion. In such a year, there is the potential, not only for the Three Weeks to be seen as a preparation for the Redemption, but for the Redemption to actual come, even on the present Shabbos, and thus transform the Three Weeks into a positive period.

In this context, a greater emphasis has to be put on the custom of studying the laws of the structure of the Beis HaMikdash in these Three Weeks. As G-d told the prophet Yechezkel, through this study, it is considered as if we have been involved in the actual construction of the Beis HaMikdash.

Also, the approach to studying these laws must be different than the approach in previous years. The emphasis must be on, not on mourning over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, but rather, on the desire and the yearning for the Third Beis HaMikdash of which it is said, "The glory of this later house will surpass the glory of the previous house."

Thus the subject must be approached as a present reality. It is not that in the distant future these laws will be relevant, but rather that at any moment the Third Beis HaMikdash which is already built in the heavens will descend and be revealed on earth.

In this context, the study of these laws -- as the study of the subjects of Mashiach and the Redemption -- should not be looked at as merely a means to hasten the coming of this future era. Rather, it is the beginning of the efforts to live with the concept of Mashiach, to "live with the times," with the Era of Mashiach. When these concepts are perceived intellectually, they will affect our feelings, and ultimately our deeds and our actions. Our conduct will be appropriate to the present era, a time when we are at the threshold of Mashiach's coming.

Although our Sages declared, "Mashiach will come when our attention is diverted," this is no contradiction to the emphasis on studying the subjects of Mashiach and Redemption. A diversion of attention can also be interpreted as referring to a step above our ordinary conscious processes. After one has deepened his awareness of Mashiach to the extent that he appreciates that we are standing on the threshold of Mashiach, that we have completed all the service necessary for his coming, and at any moment, he will come, one can step beyond one's ordinary thinking process and consider the Redemption in a new light.

Sicha of the Rebbe, Shabbos Parshas Balak, 17th Day of Tammuz, 5751

Rebuilding the Bais Hamikdash

"The three weeks" and the "nine days"[...]seemingly would bring about sadness[...]. Our prophets have promised us that the sad time from 17 Tammuz through Tisha B'Av will transform to a time of simcha when Moshiach tzidkeinu will come speedily in our days, amen.

In those days, when the Bais Hamikdash stood in its place, the physical building from wood and stone was also a symbol of the spiritual Bais Hamikdash of and within the Jewish people. The physical Bais Hamikdash was able to exist only as long as the spiritual Bais Hamikdash was in existence.

When the first Bais Hamikdash was destroyed -- the spiritual [structure] by the Jewish people itself and the physical [structure] immediately afterwards by Nevuchadnezzar King of Bavel -- it generated for our people a double mission: first, to erect anew the spiritual Bais Hamikdash, and then the physical building, the second Temple. Similarly, the second Bais Hamikdash survived so long its spiritual component was in existence, and with the destruction of its spiritual component, so, too, the physical component of the Bais Hamikdash -- in a way that could not be prevented -- was destroyed.

Regarding the 3rd Bais Hamikdash, the Almighty instructs us that our primary mission -- and according to many opinions, the only one -- is to rebuild the spiritual part alone. The Almighty Himself will take care of the physical part. According to the opinion of Rashi, Tosfos, and others, the 3rd Bais Hamikdash will be built by the hands of heaven.

Therefore, the spiritual Bais Hamikdash must be built through our efforts, through tshuva, Torah, and mitzvos. Every spiritual "brick" that a Jew forms is indestructible, and the process of laying these spiritual "bricks" came about at the same moment that the last part of the 2nd Bais Hamikdash went up in flames. This is one of the deeper meanings of the story in the midrash (Eicha Rabba) that at the moment the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed, Moshiach was born.

The main parts of rebuilding the spiritual Bais Hamikdash which Jews need to build in this long, dark golus, were already built by the earlier generations of spiritual giants of our people. What remains for us is only to complete a small part. But our part must be permeated with the same kedusha of the earlier generations.

The conclusion from this is: that we ourselves should be permeated with this idea, that every good action according to Torah that we do in our day-to-day life, as much as this action may seem large of small to our fleshly eyes, we are thus laying one of the last "bricks" of the eternal Bais Hamikdash for our people and for the world in general, and thus he is building his part of the spiritual Bais Hamikdash and the physical Bais Hamikdash will be built immediately afterward, speedily in our day.

May the Almighty grant that we will merit to the building of the Bais Hamikdash, the physical one also, speedily in our days, amen.

With wishes for all good,

HaRav Menachem Schneerson

Personal letter of the Rebbe, 13 Menachem Av, 5709 (1949), printed in Igros Kodesh v.3, p.164

The Spiritual Beis Hamikdash Within is Always Standing

Even though seemingly the time of "Between the Straits" [17 Tammuz until 9 Av] is a time of unhappiness since we recalll the destruction [of the Beis Hamikdash, the Holy Temple], but it is also obvious that this period of time is not a matter of sadness and depression, for what was destroyed was the earthly Beis Hamikdash which was built of wood and stones, and not the spiritual Beis Hamikdash within. And well-known is the saying of the sages on the verse "I shall dwell among them" -- amidst every single member of the Jewish people.

"Between the Straits" is the time to recall and awaken us to the obligation of every single Jew to make for Hashem a dwelling place below through keeping the Torah and its Mitzvos in daily life, to fulfill what is written "and they shall make for me a dwelling place" and "I shall dwell among them", in actuality, to speed up the complete redemption via our righteous Moshiach by spreading the wellsprings, even among those who are presently "outside".

It is a great responsibility on each and every one of us in these days in particular, after the horrific destruction and ruin which we have seen before our eyes [the Holocaust], and we whom Divine Providence has rescued and left us as a remnant in order give life to a numerous nation. And since the Holy One Blessed be He does not overburden any of his creatures, thus it is clear that together with this doubly great responsibility that falls on each and every one of us (men and women) is given also the powers and the abilities to each one to fulfill his or her task.

Letter of the Rebbe, 29 Tammuz, 5717 (1957) (Igros Kodesh v.15, p.300)