Redemption's on its Way

B"H

We pray 3 times a day for it, our ancestors longed for it all their
lives, and its a basic tenet of our religion: The coming of Moshiach
and the Jewish People's Redemption from exile.

Since the destruction of the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem about 1,800 yrs.
ago, the Jewish people have been in 'galus'-exile. Dispersed among the
nations of the world, under trials and tribulations, practicing our
religion in danger, Jews have experienced exile harshly. But even in
good times, physically and spiritually successful and free, Jewish
People are still considered in Exile. Until our righteous Redeemer,
descendant of King David, comes and returns us to Israel with the
rebuilding of the 3rd and final Temple, ushering in world peace and
true happiness-we are still in exile.

During the long years of exile, the Jewish People have radiated the
light of Torah and Mitzvos amid all conditions and situations. Our
final challenge is to confront today's unprecedented moral confusion
and spiritual oblivion. We Jews are sent to be a 'light among nations'
in this world-to radiate goodness and truth to those around us and of
course in ourselves.
In the Talmud (written about 1,500 yrs. ago) it is written: "With the
advent of the footsteps of Moshiach, insolence will increase and
prices will soar...the government will turn to heresy and no one will
rebuke them; the wisdom of scholars will degenerate, those who fear
sin will be despised, and the truth will be lacking; youths will put
old men to shame, elders will rise in deference to the young, a son
will revile his father, a daughter against her mother..."

But when Moshiach comes, he will bring only goodness and joy,
perfecting both individual & community.
Today, truth is unrevealed, evil overpowers good, and relationships
are confused.
Our world is abnormal. But once Divine truth is revealed, the world
will be transformed to an ideal state.
Imagine people who live in darkness. Having developed all kinds of
ways to cope with their predicament-canes, ropes, sound signals-they
can't imagine managing without such things. Yet the minute a window is
opened for them, their life changes completely. We are those people.
It's hard to imagine, but WHen Moshiach comes, we will truly desire
Torah and Mitzvos like we huger for food today. There will be no wars,
hatred, or jealousy; there will be no need to fight evil, for goodness
shall reign.

But how long do we have to wait for Moshiach to come already? Another
1,800 yrs.?? 1st of all, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, leader of our
generation, declared repeatedly that Redemption was coming at any
moment. The Rebbe, on countless occasions, told us that we are now the
last generation of exile and the 1st generation of redemption. Our
redemption is imminent, the Rebbe told us, we just have to increase in
Torah and Mitzvos, like Tefillin for boys or lighting shabbos candles
for girls, to increase in goodness and kindness to others, and
anticipate Moshiach's imminent coming!

But how else can we see how close it is?
A great Rabbi (Kli Yakar on Parsh. Shemos) writes: "every day, close
to dawn, darkness is at its deepest...in winter, close to sunrise the
cold becomes stronger and is eventually conquered by the
sun...likewise Pharoah was more wicked to the Jews right before the
Redemption." These tough moments we have seen clearly in recent times.
Exile is like pregnancy: the fetus slowly grows and matures, until it
nears birth. Suddenly its mother experiences sudden birth pains, until
finally the child is born to intense joy and gladness around him.
Through the good deeds of us and our forefathers before us, the
maturity of redemption is fully ripe. Even the sudden birth pains have
surely been experienced by the Jewish people (I don't need to point
these pains out unfortunately), and now the birth of redemption will
occur at any moment to intense joy and gladness!
The toughest and darkest times are during these last years and
moments, we only have to light it up with faith and positive action.
Anything truly good we can imagine, true life and joy, is on its way.
let's just increase in good and prepare for it! Now between Purim and
pesach, between our 2 greatest redemptions, what better time than now
for Redemption. Moshiach Now!

(Most information here was taken from 'The Days of Moshiach-by Meachem Brod)

Shabbat Shalom
-daniel