What is Redemption?
דלמא רבי חייא רבא ורבי שמעון בן חלפתא הוו מהלכין בהדא בקעת ארבל בקריצתה וראו איילת השחר שבקע אורה. אמר רבי חייא רבה לר' שמעון בן חלפתא בי רבי כך היא גאולתן של ישראל בתחילה קימאה קימאה כל מה שהיא הולכת היא רבה והולכת...
It happened that Rabbi Chiyah Rabbah and Rabbi Shimon Ben Chalafta were walking in the Arbel Valley at the break of the morning before the light of day. They witnessed the rising of the dawn as it spread out its light. Rabbi Chiyah Rabbah said to Rabbi Shimon Ben Chalafta, “Rabbi, this is the Redemption of Israel - in the beginning, it comes slowly, slowly and then afterward it increases and grows.”
(לג) א"ר יודן לפי שאין הגאולה של אומה זו באה בבת אחת אלא קימעא קימעא. ומהו מגדיל שהיא מתגדלת והולכת לפני ישראל. לפי שהן עכשיו שרויין בצרות גדולות ואם תבוא הגאולה בבת אחת אינן יכולין לסבול ישועה גדולה שהיא באה מתוך צרות גדולות. לכך הוא באה קימעא קימעא ומתגדלת והולכת.
Rav Yodan says, “For this nation’s redemption does not happen all at one time, but rather bit by bit. So, what does the verse, ‘He gives great salvations,’ mean? That [the redemption] grows continuously before Israel. Since Israel currently endures great tribulations, should the Redemption arrive all at once, they would be unable to withstand the great salvation following directly after [a period of] great affliction. It, therefore, comes bit by bit and grows continuously.”
וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם...
Who brings a redeemer to their children’s children...
Rav Schwab says the following:
This means us. this is expressed in the present tense, because the geulah, does not happen all at once, but rather, it is an ongoing process which culminates with bi'as HaMashiach (Rav Schwab on Prayer, page 417).
What is the order of the Redemption?
(נא) אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף וכִי יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ וּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים לַאו חַד הוּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, לא. דִּתְנַן, בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קוֹדֶם לְקִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת, קִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת, קוֹדֶם לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, וּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים הוּא אַחֲרוֹן שֶׁבְּכֻלָּם. מְּנָא לָן, דִּכְתִיב (תהילים קמ״ז:ב׳-ג׳) בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַםִ יקוק נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֵּס הָרוֹפֵא לִשְׁבוּרֵי לֵב וּמְחַבֵּשׁ לְעַצְּבוֹתָם. זוֹ הִיא תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, שֶׁהִיא הָרְפוּאָה לִשְׁבוּרֵי לֵב עַל מֵתֵיהֶם. בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַםִ תְּחִלָּה, וְאַחֲרָיו נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֵּס, וְהָרוֹפֵא לִשְׁבוּרֵי לֵב אַחֲרוֹן עַל הַכֹּל.
(51) Rav Yosef asks if the days of Messiah's coming and the resurrection of the dead are the same. He responded, No, as we have learned that the building of the Temple precedes the gathering of the exiles, which precedes the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead is the last act of all. We know this from the verse, "Hashem builds Jerusalem, He gathers together the outcasts of Yisrael. He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds" (Tehilim 147:2-3). This refers to the resurrection of the dead, which is the healing of the brokenhearted and their dead. First He builds Jerusalem; then He gathers the outcasts of Yisrael; last of all, He heals the brokenhearted.
How did our nation’s servitude in Egypt end?
(א) ויהי בימים הרבים ההם... ותעל שועתם אל האלקים מן העבודה. כי אע"פ שהגיע הקץ כבר לא היו ראוים לגאולה אלא מרוב שצעקו אל יקוק מן העבודה קבל תפלתם... ללמדך שאין תפלתו של אדם שלמה כאותה שהוא מתפלל מתוך הצרה והדוחק שהיא יותר מקובלת והיא העולה לפניו יתברך...
Even though the time of the redemption had arrived, they weren’t worthy of being redeemed. However, once they all cried out in unison from the work that they were undergoing, their prayers were accepted… This teaches that no prayer is as complete as one submitted with anguish and stress, for that [prayer] is accepted and ascends before the Creator.
(ה) וְיִשָּׂא עֵשָׂו קוֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְ. (אמר רבי יוסי אותו בכי דבכה עשו) וְאִינּוּן דִּמְעִין, אֲחִיתוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּיִכְלוּן אִינּוּן דִּמְעִין בְּבִכְיָה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, יִפְקוּן מִגָּלוּתֵיהּ...
Eisav raised his voice and wept (Genesis 27:38). These tears caused Israel to descend into exile; and when these tears are [outweighed] by the weeping of Israel, Israel will go out of exile.
The Chofeitz Chayim states:
“All the many troubles that have fallen upon us, from which we have still not been saved, are because we don’t scream and increase our prayers in response to them. If we had prayed properly, we would not have returned empty-handed… several times daily he must pour out his requests in solitude, in his house, from the depths of his heart… if each person would contemplate in solitude his own plight... then he would pour out his heart like water to Hashem. Such a prayer would emerge with very deep intent with a broken heart and with great humility. Such a prayer will certainly not go unanswered…!” (Redemption Unfolding by Alexander Aryeh Mandelbaum, page 82)
When an infant wants his parents to give him attention, he cries. If they don’t hear him or choose to ignore him, he cries, screams even louder or throws a tantrum, until his parents come and attend to his needs.
(ג) וְעוזֵר דַּלִּים. וְעונֶה לְעַמּו בְּעֵת שַׁוְּעָם אֵלָיו...
(3) He responds to His people at the time they cry out to Him...
(ה) כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיוּ נוֹשְׂאִין עֵינֵיהֶן וְהָיוּ הַמִּצְרִים רוֹדְפִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם... כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיוּ מֻקָּפִין מִשָּׁלשׁ רוּחוֹת, הַיָּם סוֹגֵר, וְהַשֹּׂוֹנֵא רוֹדֵף וְהַחַיּוֹת מִן הַמִּדְבָּר, תָּלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם וְצָעֲקוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא... וְלָמָּה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָהֶם כָּךְ, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן.
When Yisrael went out of Egypt, they looked back and saw the Egyptians chasing after them… When Yisrael saw, they were surrounded on all sides – the sea in front of them blocking their path, their enemy chasing after them, and wild animals on both sides in the desert – they lifted their eyes up to their Father in Heaven, and cried out to the Holy One Blessed be He, as it is written: “…and Bnei Yisroel cried out to Hashem.” Why did the Holy One Blessed be He, do this to them? Because Holy One Blessed be He yearned for their prayers
(ד) וְלָמָּה נִתְעַקְּרוּ הָאִמָּהוֹת.. שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן וּמִתְאַוֶּה לְשִׂיחָתָן...
(4) Why were the Matriarchs made barren? …It is because the Holy One, blessed is He, yearned for their prayer and their supplication...
מפני מה היו אבותינו עקורים מפני שהקב"ה מתאוה לתפלתן של צדיקים...
For what reason were our forefathers initially infertile? Because the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires the prayers of the righteous, and He therefore wanted them to pray for children...
א"ר אלעזר מיום שנחרב בית המקדש ננעלו שערי תפלה... ואע"פ ששערי תפלה ננעלו שערי דמעות לא ננעלו...
Rabbi Elazar says: Since the day the Temple was destroyed the gates of prayer were locked, and prayer is not accepted as it once was... Yet, despite the fact that the gates of prayer were locked with the destruction of the Temple, the gates of tears were not locked, and one who cries before God may rest assured that his prayers will be answered...
If that’s the case, then why “don’t” we cry to G-d? Both children and adults, want to think of themselves as macho. Even if they’re undergoing mental anguish, they’d rather bottle themselves up, then express their emotions to others or even our Creator! They believe crying is showing a sign of weakness or maybe that’s what America has brainwashed us to think. In the words Rav Shimon Schwab zt”l: “Most of us are – and forgive my expression - emotionally constipated.” [See Rav Schwab on Chumash by Rabbi Myer J. Schwab, pages 47 – 48 (Israel Bookshop Publications)]
כל כתבי חפץ חיים השלם, שיחות החפץ חיים, דף עב, מספר יד
אנו צריכים לבקש על הגאולה. כמו שפעולת שכר שכיר ביומו, אם אינו תובע אין החיוב לתת כמו כן אנו צריכים לתבוע את הגאולה.
Kol Kisvei Chofeitz Chayim HaSholeim, Sichos Chofeitz Chayim, page 72, #14
Even though we pray for the redemption several times every day, requesting by itself is not enough. One must demand the redemption, just as with the wages of a hired worker (Mishnah Bava Metzia 9:12 and Meseches Bava Metzia 111a). Failure to do so shows that this matter is not that urgent to us!
(א) א"ר סימון בבר מנסיא אין ישראל רואין סימן גאולה לעולם עד שיחזרו ויבקשו שלשתם, הדא הוא דכתיב אחר ישובו בני ישראל ובקשו את יקוק אלהיהים זו מלכות שמיים, ואת דוד מלכם זו מלכות בית דוד, ופחדו אל יקוק ואל טובו זה בית המקדש:
Rabbi Shimon ben Menassia teaches that the redemption will not come until the Jewish people pray for the return of the three things it had rejected in the days of Yeravam: *the rule of G-d, the kingship of Dovid and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash.
When should a person pray for these three things? Perhaps when reciting וְתֶחֱזֶינָה עֵינֵינוּ בְּשׁוּבְךָ לְצִיּון בְּרַחֲמִים in shemonah esrei; before they say בָּרוּךְ, they should have in mind these three things* or verbalize it in their own words [this is just my opinion].
Click here for part 3.
Dedicated in memory of:
- Velvel Volf Zev ben Aharon - sanctified G-d's Name amongst Jews and non-Jews.
- Shimshon ben Meshulam Dov - exemplified living with happiness and did the same to others despite the challenges he was going through in his own life.
- HaRav Zechariah Shimon ben Yitzchak HaKohein - gave of himself both physically and spiritually on behalf of the Jewish People.
- Bryna Bracha bas Aryeh Yaakov - was a 🌟 in relationships with people and our Creator.
- Rav Meir Yaakov ben HaRav Aharon - revolutionized the transmission of the Written and Oral Torah on behalf of the Jewish People.
- Rav Yisrael Meir ben R’ Aryeh Zev HaKohein, Menachem Mendel ben Levi Yitzchak, Elchonon Bunem ben Naftali Beinish Hy”d.
- Reva Leah bas Dovid Yehoshua, Eliezer Moshe ben Avraham, Kayla Rus bas Bunim Tuvia, Rabbi Uri Zohar, Shmuel Aharon ben Nasan Nattah and Ezra Yonatan ben Gary.