Will the Redemption be in Nissan or Tishrei?

Will the Redemption be in Nissan or Tishrei?

Based on a discourse of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

There is a dispute in the gemora between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua (Rosh Hashana 11a). They disagree on the following point: will the final redemption take place in Tishrei or Nissan. Rabbi Eliezer says that we were redeemed from Egypt in Nissan, but the final redemption will take place in Tishrei. Rabbi Yehoshua says that just as we were redeemed from Egypt in Nissan, so too the final redemption take place in Nissan.

This dispute echoes another dispute between these same two sages: when was the world created? On that question, Rabbi Eliezer says Tishrei (as above) and Rabbi Yehoshua says Nissan (as above).

"When was the world created"—this is a question?! Every Rosh Hashana (first of Tishrei) we celebrate the creation of the world! Where is Rabbi Yehoshua's question coming from? (And even more so: before the world was created there was no such thing as time, so how can we even ask the question "when" was the world created?!)

Chassidus explains as follows: Nissan and Tishrei represent different qualities. These qualities are found in the months (moments in time) of Tishrei and Nissan, but in the Supernal realms where there is no time they still have unique identities. Tishrei is the month of Rosh Hashana, when the spiritual energy of the year is brought down. This is a fixed measure of spiritual "shefa" (energy). Even the Hebrew word for year "shana" reflects the idea of repetition. Nissan, on the other hand, is when we came out of Egypt amidst miracles and wonders. Nissan is the head of the months, the very first mitzvah in the Torah (read in every synagogue on Shabbos Hachodesh). The Hebrew word for month, "chodesh" reflects the idea of newness. Tishrei is nature, Nissan is miracle.

Rabbi Eliezer holds that the world was created in Tishrei, as we know that it was in actuality. This is the laws of nature, the level of Egypt and limitation. Rabbi Yehoshua holds that the world was created in Nissan because the true purpose of Hashem's creating the world was for the sake of the Jews leaving Egypt. Egypt is only created so the Jews can leave; exile is only for the purpose of redemption. The thought of Nissan preceded the fact of Tishrei. If Hashem had no intent for the miracles of Nissan, there would have been no creation in Tishrei. So Rabbi Yehoshua holds that the world was created in Nissan. In thought: the world was created in Nissan; in action: the world was created in Tishrei.

In a similar vein, Tishrei (the month of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) represents tshuva (the work from below, in nature); Nissan represents a bestowal from Above that transcends nature and is not dependent on our efforts (we did not "earn" our liberation from Egypt, as the Hagadah says: we were naked and bare meaning we had no mitzvos). Rabbi Eliezer's asserts that the Jews will be redeemed in Tishrei because he also holds (Sanhedrin 97b) that only if Yisroel does tshuva will they be redeemed. The redemption, according to Rabbi Eliezer, is dependent on tshuva, the characteristic of Tishrei. Rabbi Yehoshua, on the other hand, asserts that the Jews will be redeemed in Nissan because he disagrees with Rabbi Eliezer about the redemption being dependent on tshuva. Bringing the verse from the prophet Yeshayahu 52:3, "you were sold for nothing and you will be redeemed without money", Rabbi Yehoshua argues that Yisroel will be redeemed even if they don't do tshuva—a gift from Above in the manner of the redemption from Egypt: Nissan.

We find that the Rambam (Maimonides) seemingly rules in favor of Rabbi Eliezer. In his Laws of Repentance, Hilchos Tshuva 7:5, the Rambam states that "Yisroel will not be redeemed except through tshuva". Similarly, in Tanya the Alter Rebbe writes that all the revelations of the Messianic age are dependent on our efforts and actions in the time of exile. Yet we find that Midrash Shmuel Rabba 15:11 sides with Rabbi Yehoshua: that the ultimate redemption will take place in Nissan. Seemingly our sources are in contradiction.

The Rebbe resolves the contradiction: the tshuva of Yisroel at the end of exile is a guarantee of Hashem in His Torah! (See the Rambam there: וכבר הבטיחה תורה שסוף ישראל לעשות תשובה בסוף גלותן ומיד הן נגאלין) Therefore the work of Yisroel, the tshuva (aspect of Tishrei) has within it the power of a promise of the Torah which is unlimited by nature (aspect of Nissan). And more than this: they will be able to feel that what they are accomplishing in the way of tshuva is not natural, not within the realm of human nature. Rather, it comes from the power of the Torah's promise that Yisroel will do tshuva—that the Torah's promise is bringing them to tshuva, which is the aspect of Nissan (above nature) within the aspect of Tishrei (tshuva).

This idea: Nissan within Tishrei, the miraculous within the natural is in fact the purpose of the creation of the world. Before there was a world, there was no limitation to Hashem (ohr ein sof). When He created the world, via tzimtzum (cosmic contraction), He imposed limitation on Himself within the world. (It must be remembered that as far as Hashem Himself is concerned, there is no change in Him whatsoever from the creation of the world.) The purpose of all of this, and the purpose of the giving of the Torah, is in order reach a third stage wherein the unlimited ohr ein sof is revealed within the limitations of world. The unity of unlimited and limited--Nissan and Tishrei.

This unity of limited vessels containing unlimited G-dliness is what every Jew will experience in his physical body with the coming of Moshiach—may it occur immediately!

Originally posted 3/21/06

The original Chassidic discourse upon which this essay is based can be viewed on the internet both in English and in Hebrew

The Test: Waiting for Moshe to Come Down from the Mountain

The Test of Waiting Nisayon Hahamtana, Rabbi Yitzchok Ginsburgh

Before his sin Adam Harishon was the collective Chaya of the souls of Israel (from the five general levels of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshoma, Chaya, Yechida), and Moshiach will be the collective Yechida of the souls of Israel. If Adam Harishon had withstood the test of the tree of knowledge, he would have merited to the level of the "Yechida" and transformed himself into Moshiach. But he didn't withstand the test and he didn't wait 3 hours (until the onset of Shabbos, when the it would have become permissible to eat from the tree of knowledge).

Similarly, when Israel stood at Mount Sinai the venom of the primoridal snake was nullified -- they arrived at the state of Adam Harishon before the sin -- but once again they didn't withstand the test of waiting. They didn't wait for Moshe and sinned with the calf, and therefore they didn't merit to the coming of Moshiach in their generation. Why is there a need for a test of waiting in order to merit Moshiach? Withstanding a test reveals a person's higher powers, and when a person waits for something he strengthens his emunah in that thing and reveals this level within himself. One who waits for the tzaddik, for Moshiach, and withstands the test of his faith in him reveals the Moshiach within himself -- and he "transforms into Moshiach".

source: http://he.galeinai.net/medina/mashiach/nisayonHahamtana.asp

Moshiach: Revealed, Concealed, Revealed

In our future redemption with the revelation of the final redeemer...the redeemer will be revealed and he will again be concealed...for so we find with the redemption from Egypt that Moshe was revealed to them and he was again concealed from them. And so says the midrash 'my beloved is like a deer' just as a deer is seen and revealed and is again concealed, so did the first redeemer [Moshe Rabbeinu] appear to them and was again concealed from them, and once again revealed to them...also the future redeemer [Moshiach] will be revealed and again concealed...

Rabbeinu Bachya, Shemos 4:9

Moshiach Alive When he appears otherwise

"Tzaddikim that never benefited from this world, they still exist in body and soul...and with certainty [Moshiach's] burial won't take place, only on that day in the eyes of the world being that the world is judged after the majority, but [despite appearances] he will be alive in body and soul like the case with Rabbeinu Hakadosh"

Bnei Yissachar, Agra d'Kallah, p' Re'eh p.206

"Everyone will imagine of him (of the last sprout from the root of Yehuda - the King Moshiach) that his last day arrived, that his essence is nullified...but behold specifically that time, when history has buried him, they will already order the coffin for his body...'to him nations shall gather', the man shall rise and inherit the 'gatherings of nations.'"

Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, p' Vayechi 49:6

Erase the Memory of Amalek

EXPLAINING WHY A JEW IS OBLIGATED TO DRINK TO INTOXICATION ON PURIM

There are two types of love:

a) Love like the love a man has for his friend, which is conditional and goes according to reason. Because he understands in his mind the benefit to himself, he has love for this thing. This love is inherently limited according to his degree of appreciation, more or less appreciation leads to more or less love.

b) The love of a son to hs father, even if his father hits him and gives him rebuke his love remains firm because it is not dependent on his mind because he himself doesn't know the reason he loves his father--it is without reason.

Both kinds of love exist between Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He. The first is not for everyone except one who has a deeply developed knowledge of G-dliness. However the second kind of love is in all Israel, even the rebellious and willful sinners, because, regardless, they are called "sons" and they are truly a piece of G-dliness from Above. This love is very concealed in them, in a state of exile, and only through being trodden down by suffering does it get released from concealment.

The Divine service which comes from the core love doesn't change ever since it's source is the "piece of G-dliness from Above", as it states "I am Hashem I didn't change", and is called the Tree of Life which lives forever, without change, because he doesn't take his own being into account to see whether it seems to him good or bad, rather all that he sees is that everything is Hashem's G-dly life force, and there is nothing else besides Him, seeing nothing but Hashem. His very existence is nullified before the will of Hashem, which is the level of Mordechai, refined without any impurities, not seeing himself as separate at all from Him and not wanting anything for himself at all since he is considered as nothing before the Endless, blessed is He.

Haman was the total opposite of this, all of his deeds were only to benefit himself like the nations of the world that "all the good they do is for their own aggrandizement." So the gemara asks Where is Haman in the Torah, what is his source? The answer: hamin ha'etz, from the tree, meaning the Tree of Knowledge. Haman is the level of Amalek, of whom it is said "when you will be given relief from your enemies...wipe out the memory of Amalek."

First a person needs to know how to love Hashem, and if he wants then to wipe out Amalek, which is the level of "for his own benefit" (i.e., to serve Hashem without any benefit to himself), he won't succeed and the result will be that he won't do any avodah at all. First, he needs to go out of Egypt, which refers to the limitations of physicality, even the limitation of "for his own sake", and afterwards he will wipe out the memory of Amalek.

Amalek attacked Israel when they came out of Egypt, meaning in the middle of the way as they go from limited to unlimited in mind. This pains Amalek, the level of "for his own sake". Also, the spies mention Amalek, as they wanted to go up to Eretz Yisrael, which is above spacial limitations. This is where Amalek sits and conceals himself and clothes himself as the Good Inclination, basing himself on the rationale of Torah.

One who reaches such a level where he perceives G-dliness in everything can transform his heart and can wipe out Amalek, but this requires a tremendous battle. It is preferable to reveal the hidden love within, that he will nullify his will before His will, and so the sages said "wine enters, secrets come out" because wine can reveal the hidden things, just as the wine itself was concealed in the grapes and pressed out from them, so too one who drinks the wine will reveal what is inside him (i.e., this hidden love of Hashem). This is "wine makes joyful the heart of man", since the concealed is brought out to revelation his joy is awakened, because joy is also a revelation of his inner being, and thus the entire rebuke is "because you didn't serve Hashem your G-d with joy".

This is why a person is obligated to drink on Purim, meaning "to make others drink" until "he doesn't know", meaning there is no level of mind, until he doesn't know the difference between "cursed in Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai", which (between them) is the level of Amalek. One who is extraordinarily holy and wise can come to a "complete heart" via his mind, and then to a "desirous soul" as well. This is not the case for one who is not complete, has not perfected his mind -- it is impossible to overcome Amalek (i.e., self-interest) other than through joy, which is above mind...

Based on Maamorei Admur Hazoken, v.1, p. 387

7 Adar--the day of Moshe Rabbeinu

The Redemption is intrinsically related to Moshe as reflected in his wish "Send by the hand of he whom You will send," which our Sages interpret as a request that the person sent to redeem the Jews from the Egyptian exile be the ultimate Redeemer.

This matter is slightly problematic. On one hand, we can assume that G-d fulfilled the request of a tzaddik. On the other hand, Moshe was the one chosen to redeem the Jews from Egypt. This difficulty can be resolved on the basis of the concept, "he was the first redeemer and he will be the ultimate redeemer." Just as Moshe redeemed the Jews from Egypt, he will be the ultimate Redeemer. For the Redeemer will be the Moshe of the generation, in our generation, the Previous Rebbe.

Talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, night after 7 Adar 5752

The need to unite with the Moshe of the generation

There is a tzaddik like Moshe in the world, the secret of da'as, and when the rest of the people in his generation are connected and unified with him as one they are called a generation of knowledge. This is the secret of the revival of the dead.

The opposite is true when there is separation between them, they are separated from life energy and knowledge, and this is the reason for the exile of Egypt and Pharaoh, the secret of the "back of the neck" which is behind the da'as. Thus it can be understood that when they spoke evil of Moshe and separated from da'as this is the cause of exile.

Kesser Shem Tov, #370