to understand why those who doubt
Preparing Ourselves for Moshiach
Laying the Eternal Foundations of the Bais Hamikdosh
By Rav Moshe Shternbuch
The following was written by Rabbi
Daniel Yaakov Travis based on a
drasha given by Rav Moshe
Shternbuch, Rosh Av Beis Din of the
Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalayim.
•••••
A STATE OF CHURBAN
“How [Eichah] can I bear your
cumbrance, your burden and your
strife?” (Devarim 1:13).
“How [Eichah] the city which was
once so populous remains lonely like a
widow!” (Eichah 1:1).
Both Moshe Rabbeinu and the novi
Yirmiyahu bemoaned the fallen state of
the Jewish people with the word
eichah. What is the connection between
the Jewish people in the midbar and the
destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh?
For forty years, Klal Yisroel had all
of their needs provided for: monn to
eat, water from Miriam’s well, the
Ananei Hakavod to light up and pave
their way. Nonetheless, during this
time, there was strife and lack of re-
spect amongst the Jewish people.
This shows us that when Klal Yisroel
lacks the basic foundations of derech
eretz, their situation is likened to the
churban Bais Hamikdosh. Notwith-
standing the miracles of Yetzias
Mitzrayim and Matan Torah, despite
living in an era when Hashem openly
revealed His Presence constantly and
even though they were led by a tzaddik
as great as Moshe Rabbeinu, these were
not enough to save us from falling into
this trap. As long as sinas chinam and
lashon hara prevail, we will continue
to live in a state of churban.
In our days, we have seen tremen-
dous miracles, yet they have not trans-
formed us. If we have tarnished our
neshamos with baseless hatred for other
Jews, and other interpersonal transgres-
sions, the miracles will not have an ef-
fect on us. Only when we are worthy
will Hashem’s revealed Presence touch
us personally.
G-D OF VENGEANCE
Someone once traveled from
America to ask the Brisker Rov for a
bracha. Before the Rov had a chance
to open his mouth, the man said, “Give
me a blessing that I should see
Moshiach!” The Brisker Rov looked at
him and asked, “Have you prepared
yourself for Moshiach? Perhaps you are
soiled with transgressions.”
Taken aback by the Rov’s sharp re-
10 Av 5769 • July 31 2009
Every day, their yeitzer hara gives them
Hashem are considered so wicked. We new ideas and novel ways to try and
all have questions; why one person is conceal the revelation of Hashem in the
rich and another poor, why one person world and eliminate any semblance of
is healthy and another sick, why one holiness from the Jewish people. What
person dies young and another in old can we learn from their actions?
age. It is normal to be confounded by The posuk says, “From my enemies
the mysteries of Hashem’s universe. So I became wiser regarding Your
sponse, the man replied that he did not what makes the apikores’ questioning mitzvos” (Tehillim). The Chofetz
think that he had many aveiros. The so objectionable? Chaim would often say that we must
Brisker Rov said, “You have no idea While the ma’amin may have a learn a lesson from the great enthusi-
the shame you will feel on the day that healthy inquiring mind, he knows that asm with which the apikorsim pursue
Hashem reveals Himself to the world. there is one answer to all of his ques- evil. While our pursuit of truth is
Prepare yourself now, while you still tions. Flesh-and-blood man cannot un- tainted by a false assessment of our true
have the opportunity.” derstand the ways of Heaven. We must capacity to achieve this goal, they pur-
On the same note, the Baal Shem Tov strengthen our emunah in Hashem and sue falsehood with such single-minded
offers the following analogy, based on then the sting in all of these questions dedication and ambition that it is the
the posuk, “He is a G-d of vengeance, will disappear. true embodiment of these virtues.
G-d of vengeance reveal yourself” The Zohar writes that during the era We should admire and emulate their
(Tehillim 94:1). preceding the coming of Moshiach, the ruthless drive, for while they labor to
build fleeting castles on the quicksand
of worldly strivings, we will likewise
struggle, with Hashem’s help, to build
There will be no greater punishment than the the glorious and eternal Bais
shame felt by those who are not properly Hamikdosh on the everlasting founda-
tions of derech eretz and the mitzvos
prepared for this experience. bein adam lachaveiro. Bimeheirah
beyomeinu. Amein.
•••••
A king once got lost on the road and power of apikorsis will grow stronger Rabbi Travis is a rosh kollel of
found himself in a small village in his and stronger. This is analogous to a fire Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim,
kingdom. When he told the people liv- which has a last moment of surge right and is the author of Shaylos
ing there that he was their king, they before it goes out and is extinguished U’Teshuvos Toras Chaim and “Pray-
jeered at him and called him a lunatic forever. So, too, although the power of ing With Joy - A Daily Tefilla Com-
before running him out of town. apikorsis seems so strong in the world panion,” a practical daily guide to
When the king managed to return to right now, soon it will be no more. improving one’s prayers, available
his palace, he took counsel with his ad- As we get closer and closer to the from Feldheim Publishers. For more
visors regarding how he should punish day of the final redemption, the power information about his work, contact
the people of that town for this disre- of the apikorsim grows ever stronger. dytravis@actcom.com.
spect. Some said that every person in
the town should be put to death. Oth-
ers suggested locking them up in the
royal dungeon.
One of the wiser counselors sug-
gested that such a harsh revenge was
unnecessary. All the king needed to do
was to appear in the town wearing his
royal crown. When the villagers rec-
ognize his royal personage, they will
be shocked to realize that the person
whom they had humiliated was none
other than their own king and that they
had seriously mishandled a golden op-
portunity to earn his favor. Their ago-
nies of remorse and shame will be all
the punishment needed.
So, too, Hashem is a “G-d of Ven-
geance” and His Presence is over-
whelming. By merely “revealing Him-
self,” as described at the end of the
verse, His vengeance will be felt on the
final Day of Judgment. At that auspi-
cious moment, there will be no greater
punishment than the shame felt by
those who are not properly prepared for
this experience.
The Almighty certainly wants to re-
veal Himself even today and return to
His dwelling place in the Bais
Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim. Although
yearning for Moshiach is one of the
foundations of our emunah, looking to-
wards the future is not sufficient for
this to happen. We must first rectify our
transgressions, especially sinas
chinam, in order to be ready for Him
to reveal His Presence.
A QUESTION OF BELIEF
“How (Eichah) can I bear your
cumbrance, your burden and your
strife?” (Devorim 1:13). Your burden
refers to apikorsis (Rashi).
At first glance, it may be difficult
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