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Disruption of Life

by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

Fear of the disruption of our lives is perhaps the greatest concern that we confront.

People are resistant to the prospects of Moshiach's coming because they feel they will lose their standing in life. Years of toil, sweat and tears will in their imaginations revert to naught. They think their life's work, will be neutralized. Doctors will no longer be necessary, and all the acquired functions, positions and activities we are all so used to and fond of, will no longer exist. But what is most disturbing and difficult to articulate, is that in the minds of those who have this problem, Moshiach will invalidate all that for which they stand. There can be no more daunting consideration than one's own invalidation.

The resolution of this fear, the Rebbe explains, lies in the analysis of the two words Golah (exile) and Geulah (redemption), which share the same letters in the Hebrew alphabet, save for the aleph in the word Geulah. This, the Rebbe states, teaches us that Geulah will not eliminate anything of value from Golah, it will "merely" introduce the aleph, or the Oneness of G-d into the equation. Therefore, on the contrary, everything we do now will become more complete, not discontinued or disrupted.

In other words, we should not view the relationship between exile and redemption as an adversarial one where Geulah is positive and golah is negative. Rather, Golah is the path to Geulah. The thousands of years of the world's existence were not just a time of waiting for a better world, but a time when we created a better world through our actions. When Moshiach will be fully realized, all of the functions of Golah will be seen and felt for what they really are. "The exile itself," in the Rebbe's words, "will be elevated into redemption." All of our activities will continue, but will be more wholesome, more gratifying, more meaningful, because we will see their true value - the aleph, the Oneness of G-d."¹

There are those of you who might have seen the concluding words of the Rambam's Mishneh Torah² in which it is stated that the ultimate occupation of the world will be only to know G-d. The Rambam states in no uncertain terms that there will be no other activity except the knowing of G-d. How does that reconcile with the reassurance that our lives will not be disrupted?

To resolve this problem it would be helpful to cite the analogy of chinuch - the education of a child. We don't tell the child to learn Torah because it is the most sublime Divine wisdom, but because if he does so he will be rewarded, as the Rambam advises³. Ultimately, the same child, who is now a mature adult will appreciate that his desire for Torah has a far more sophisticated rationale. Now, in analyzing the pedagogic advice of the Rambam, we might wonder whether the Torah advocates using a bribe for a good cause. Does the end justify the means?

Perhaps, upon deeper reflection we could say that it is not a bribe, but rather a genuine incentive. Though not its primary focus, Torah results even in physical delights. When the father gives the child a candy or a toy, he is providing the child with a reward generated by Torah. Torah on the level of the child generates the treats he receives. When one's level rises, Torah provides other more sophisticated delights. When Moshiach will come, we will initially appreciate the revelations of Moshiach on our very primitive, immature level. Then we will grow step by step to the point where we will not want the candy anymore, because we will realize the infinite value of the giluy(revelation) of Moshiach.

Does the adult, who no longer receives a toy for learning Torah, feel that his life as a child has been disrupted and destroyed? Obviously not! Similarly, as we grow and develop we will not feel any disruption.

In conclusion, when Moshiach will come, he will elevate each one of us, from our respective levels, and introduce us to the Divine revelations, in a way that will be good and satisfying for us. At no point will Moshiach make us feel that we've lost something⁴.

¹ Sefer HaSichos 5751, vol. II p. 504ff.

² Hilchos Melachim 12:5.

³ Hilchos Teshuvah 10:5; Commentary on Mishnah, Sanhedrin 10:1.

⁴ See Sefer HaSichos 5751, vol. II p. 520ff.

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