In response to an article which seeks to convince us that the redemption is being held up because of lashon hara, I have written the following:
I'm not saying anything against the Chofetz Chaim. I have only the greatest respect for Chazal. But, I am not familiar enough with his teachings to know them in detail and in their proper context to know whether the current interpretations going around are accurate or not.
We have to be very careful, because the Gaon miVilna said that at the end of days, the majority of rabbis would be from the Erev Rav. It is possible to take something good like shmirat halashon and use it to distract people from even bigger issues.
We have a treasure-trove of information for what Hashem wants from us and what He finds unacceptable in the examples of the forefathers and in the words of our prophets. And I do not hold by anyone who says that these are invalid for us today because things have changed; people are not the same. I do not believe that we have changed anymore than Hashem has changed and this is clearly evident from the way we keep repeating all the mistakes from the past.
The Torah prescribes exile from the camp for those who rebel against G-D’s authority. When they repent, they are to be welcomed back with open arms. The key here is the rebellion aspect. In society, if someone is plotting rebellion against the king, anyone who assists him and does not condemn his actions is considered a traitor as well. It can’t be that we would signal approval of open rebellion against Hashem and His laws through silence and acceptance. We have to distance ourselves from such people and not have normal relations with them until they change their evil behavior. I do not give greetings to such people.
Just like nothing stops Shabbat coming in when the sun goes down---it comes whether we are ready or not---so, too, Redemption will arrive and nothing on earth can stop it. Chances are very good, unfortunately, that we will still not be ready and still won’t deserve it and Hashem will intervene only to spare Himself the rampant desecration of His Name.
There are much bigger issues at stake when we are talking about being prepared for the Geulah. I am convinced that the biggest problem that holds back Mashiach is our general unwillingness to follow him. Hashem will not send a redeemer early to a people who aren’t going to follow him. It would mean eliminating the vast majority, so nothing can be gained by bringing redemption early. However, when the last possible moment arrives, he will come, but only to those who will follow him and barring a really mass teshuva in this area, many---maybe most---will not remain.
This idea can clearly be seen reflected in the incident that occurred in Mitzrayim when Moshe Rabeinu first went out to his brothers to act as a redeemer. That day he saw a Mitzri beating a Jew and he killed the Mitzri. The next day, he saw an Ivri beating his brother and castigated him for it. Was the Ivri contrite? Did he admit that Moshe Rabeinu was right and stop acting wrongly? No, he despised Moshe Rabeinu’s words and showed so little regard for him and his authority that he threatened to reveal the act from the previous day, putting Moshe Rabeinu in danger. This caused a delay of many, many years before Hashem would once again send Moshe Rabeinu to redeem Am Yisrael right before they would have reached the fiftieth level of impurity from which redemption would have been impossible. And even so, four-fifths of the Jews did not get out and why? Because their hearts were attached to Mitzrayim and they did not want to leave.
The final redemption will be like the first redemption. To what is your heart attached? To Hashem or to materialism, comfort and sensuality? Are you in rebellion against Hashem’s sovereignty over His world and over your individual life? When He says, I brought you out of the Land of Mitzrayim to bring you into the Land of Israel, are you anxious to move or do you dread it or even outright refuse it? When Mashiach will come and give the orders to wipe out our enemies, will you obey? Or will you object on the basis that these people are our "friends" or in the name of human rights, etc.
The redemption is coming, but at the last possible moment. There is nothing we can do at this point that will stop it or slow it down. But! Whether we survive to participate in it and to reap its rewards is up to us. The time when the many can mess everything up for the few will soon be over. Thank G-D!
I'm not saying anything against the Chofetz Chaim. I have only the greatest respect for Chazal. But, I am not familiar enough with his teachings to know them in detail and in their proper context to know whether the current interpretations going around are accurate or not.
We have to be very careful, because the Gaon miVilna said that at the end of days, the majority of rabbis would be from the Erev Rav. It is possible to take something good like shmirat halashon and use it to distract people from even bigger issues.
We have a treasure-trove of information for what Hashem wants from us and what He finds unacceptable in the examples of the forefathers and in the words of our prophets. And I do not hold by anyone who says that these are invalid for us today because things have changed; people are not the same. I do not believe that we have changed anymore than Hashem has changed and this is clearly evident from the way we keep repeating all the mistakes from the past.
The Torah prescribes exile from the camp for those who rebel against G-D’s authority. When they repent, they are to be welcomed back with open arms. The key here is the rebellion aspect. In society, if someone is plotting rebellion against the king, anyone who assists him and does not condemn his actions is considered a traitor as well. It can’t be that we would signal approval of open rebellion against Hashem and His laws through silence and acceptance. We have to distance ourselves from such people and not have normal relations with them until they change their evil behavior. I do not give greetings to such people.
Just like nothing stops Shabbat coming in when the sun goes down---it comes whether we are ready or not---so, too, Redemption will arrive and nothing on earth can stop it. Chances are very good, unfortunately, that we will still not be ready and still won’t deserve it and Hashem will intervene only to spare Himself the rampant desecration of His Name.
There are much bigger issues at stake when we are talking about being prepared for the Geulah. I am convinced that the biggest problem that holds back Mashiach is our general unwillingness to follow him. Hashem will not send a redeemer early to a people who aren’t going to follow him. It would mean eliminating the vast majority, so nothing can be gained by bringing redemption early. However, when the last possible moment arrives, he will come, but only to those who will follow him and barring a really mass teshuva in this area, many---maybe most---will not remain.
This idea can clearly be seen reflected in the incident that occurred in Mitzrayim when Moshe Rabeinu first went out to his brothers to act as a redeemer. That day he saw a Mitzri beating a Jew and he killed the Mitzri. The next day, he saw an Ivri beating his brother and castigated him for it. Was the Ivri contrite? Did he admit that Moshe Rabeinu was right and stop acting wrongly? No, he despised Moshe Rabeinu’s words and showed so little regard for him and his authority that he threatened to reveal the act from the previous day, putting Moshe Rabeinu in danger. This caused a delay of many, many years before Hashem would once again send Moshe Rabeinu to redeem Am Yisrael right before they would have reached the fiftieth level of impurity from which redemption would have been impossible. And even so, four-fifths of the Jews did not get out and why? Because their hearts were attached to Mitzrayim and they did not want to leave.
The final redemption will be like the first redemption. To what is your heart attached? To Hashem or to materialism, comfort and sensuality? Are you in rebellion against Hashem’s sovereignty over His world and over your individual life? When He says, I brought you out of the Land of Mitzrayim to bring you into the Land of Israel, are you anxious to move or do you dread it or even outright refuse it? When Mashiach will come and give the orders to wipe out our enemies, will you obey? Or will you object on the basis that these people are our "friends" or in the name of human rights, etc.
The redemption is coming, but at the last possible moment. There is nothing we can do at this point that will stop it or slow it down. But! Whether we survive to participate in it and to reap its rewards is up to us. The time when the many can mess everything up for the few will soon be over. Thank G-D!
