"ANI MAAMIN I BELIEVE Part II"

Last week, we introduced a discussion concerning Ivesa D’Meshicha, the period prior to Moshiach’s coming. One of the greatest Torah sages of the previoius generation, HaRav Elchonon Wasserman, offered startling insights and a Torah perspective for our times. This week we continue:

R’ Elchonon spoke on all levels. He spoke about chinuch; he spoke about the level of Torah observance; and he spoke about the leadership and the changes that had to be effected. He would give a critique of the American scene – the things that were happening and what he felt had to be done. R’ Elchonon was moved by what he saw in America. He had great ahavas yisroel ; his love overflowed and everybody felt it. On the other hand, he also was not afraid to speak his piece. Sometimes he would enter an institution and would see something going on that was incorrect, and would not remain silent. At times, because he stood for what was right, he was not accorded the proper respect and would suffer financially. R’ Elchonon did not care. There was only purpose that R’ Elchonon had in this world: to be marbeh kvod Shomayim, to increase the honor of Hashem.

As he was ready to board the ship to return to Europe from one of his last trips to America, a petitioner ran up to R’ Elchonon and asked, “Rebbi, tell us, what we can do to save ourselves from this world situation.”

R’ Elchonon answered, “I’ll write you.” And when R’ Elchonon returned to Europe he did write back, in the form of a sefer, Ikvesa D’Moshicha. This is the sefer that he gave to American Jewry in particular, and world Jewry at large. This sefer addressed the matzav, the current situation, what was going on in the world, and what was occurring in American society, the problems and the challenges that he had witnessed. R’ Elchonon addresses them and pleads with the people, encouraging them to improve, and how they could be the nation that Hashem says “becho espo’er – through you I will be glorified.”

We will examine, b’ezras Hashem, in this work the exact message that R’ Elchonon wished to impart, a bold message that could just as well have been written by R’ Elchonon today. We must understand what the Ikvesa D’Moshicha are all about. The difference between the terms Ikvesa D’Moshicha the footsteps of Moshiach; Chevlei Moshiach, the birth pangs of Moshiach; Yemos HaMoshiach, the days of Moshiach – all different terms signifying various aspects of Moshiach’s coming.

The Yad Rama makes a fascinating comment: He notes that if you take a look at the mishnah in Mesechta Sotah that describes the days of Moshiach, every siman, every sign that the mishnah relates will be present when Moshiach is coming, is indeed already present.

The Yad Rama says it is mystifying that Moshiach hasn’t come. The Yad Rama said this many years ago. You can imagine how close we must be after reviewing all the simanim that are related in the mishnah. When we analyze the mishnah, we can clearly understand that the sages of the mishnah had a special telescope; they were able to look directly into our generation and see what would be happening, the mindset of the people are, the nisyonos, the challenges, and all that is transpiring. This is written about in fine detail in both the mishnah and gemara.

So R’ Elchonon wrote back the Ikvesa D’Moshicha as a response and as a prescription, from the greatest of spiritual doctors to help us survive these turbulent times. (To be continued next week….)