Welcoming Moshiach

The Lubavitcher Rebbe says the world is ready for Moshiach, and that we only need to accept Moshiach for the redemp­tion to proceed. The Hebrew phrase for this last stage of preparation is Kabolas Pnei Moshiach, which translates variously as accepting/ welcoming/ greeting/ receiving the face/ receiving the inner quality ... of Moshiach. Obviously all these meanings are closely related. The common theme of all these aspects is to iden­tify a specific person (The Rebbe) as Moshiach.

Accepting Moshiach includes accepting his Kingship. In our era, devoid of meaningful leadership of any kind, let alone true respected royalty, the idea of Moshiach as our king needs elaboration. In one sense, kingship means authority, and from this perspective accepting Moshiach means accepting Torah study, prayer, and acts of kindness as the basis of one's lifestyle.

At a more personal level, the king is the heart of the people according to our sages. In fact the Hebrew word for king, melech, is comprised of three letters that each stand for an essential internal organ, namely moach, layv, and kaved, translated as the brain, the heart and the liver. On this basis accepting his Kingship means forg­ing an inner bond.

Then there is the historical dimension to accepting Moshiach. Kings of the House of David were accepted through a process of coronation, which primarily consisted of a verbal decla­ration of Yechi HaMelech "Live, the King" or more closely to the English idiom, long live the King. The Rebbe, as a king of the House of David, has also been coronated with such a proclamation. Although acceptance of the king in this fashion is not and cannot be a legislated matter, the Rebbe has prompted and encouraged the proclamation of Yechi HaMelech with regards to himself,1 and this has been and is carried out by thousands.

In his own handwritten notes on this matter, the Rebbe asserted, "this declaration refers to the resurrection of the David [ic] king Moshiach." This aspect of welcoming Moshiach takes on added signif­icance now that we have been informed that it hastens the physical return of the Rebbe to be revealed within the material world.

As the Rebbe became increasingly explicit in his talks regarding the identity of Moshiach, he also become more encouraging about Chassidim accepting the Rebbe as Moshiach. In 1991 the Rebbe began encouraging the singing of "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach L'Olam Va'Ed' or "Live, our Master, Teacher, and Rebbe, King Moshiach forever and ever." Starting in the fall of 1992, the Rebbe gave his constant and unqualified public approval and encouragement to the singing of this song.

The Rebbe has told his thousands of emissaries and indeed all of world Jewry that the Jewish mission in the world is complete and all that is left is Kabolas Pnei Moshiach. All facets of this Divine Service must be tirelessly explored. The welfare of world Jewry and indeed all peoples of the world are depending on it.

Still, if one were to condense all his or her Divine Service with all 613 mitzvos into a single phrase, one that could split the heav­ens as a heartfelt prayer; a phrase that could resurrect Moshiach and revitalize one's fellow Jews; that could project the Rebbe's message to the world and inspire adherence to every detail of the Torah and its commandments, what phrase would one choose?

For the Jew who wishes to complete the Jewish journey through history on a high note of victory, with goodness and kindness, light and joy, finally triumphant forever,  there is one most simple, sincere and straightfor­ward proclamation to make to oneself and to the world at large. And that is, "Live our Master, Teacher and Rebbe, King Moshiach forever and ever." Not that this is a substitute for any or all of one's Divine service but rather it is the summation and culmination of our individual and collective destiny to which we aspire right now.

FOOTNOTES:

1. Sicha of 2 Nissan 5748 (1988)