King Moshiach in Limbo

Even a pessimistic “Redemptionist”, he who rejects a qualified Moshiach candidate, understands we will not know anyhow for certain, until the war with Amalek is waged and the 3rd Temple is built, who Moshiach really is; Only then can we identify him with certitude. That’s according to Rambam.

In 1991 the Rebbe shook the Jewish populace at its core. He said, in effect, that Jews today, in order to bring on the Redemption, “need accept” him (e.g. see here or here).

With their return to the Holy Land, Jews now have a commandment to “choose for themselves a king”. I think the Lubavitcher Rebbe alluded to this very opportunity. Now that we've repossessed the Land of Israel, we become obliged to appoint a king.

However, even if a Jewish king can meet all requirements for being Moshiach, (as per Rambam), including the right pedigree, he does not nor can he behave as king of the Jews - unless Jews first designate him. If no Jewish king preceded him recently, then the people must launch this initiative.

Observant Jews know Chabad (“Lubavitchers”) considers the Rebbe as Moshiach, but the Jewish world at large, observant Jews not affiliated with Chabad, must also proactively participate. They too must recognize and acknowledge the Rebbe, as do Chabad chassidim, otherwise the pace of Redemption shall chug along.

Three commandments pertain to Jews in their land of Israel. The first is to nominate a king. The next two (war with Amalek and 3rd Temple Construction) must follow from the first; Nominating the king is a prerequisite to the other two.

This is what the Rebbe probably meant when he came out with his clarion call in 1991 to his thousands of emissaries, that the last step to take is to “accept him”. In fact, said he, without this step he “cannot” proceed. Moshiach’s mission cannot proceed unless sanctioned by the Jewish people. They must get together on this to move things forward.

Without acquiescing on this issue, even hypothetically, or by letting irrelevancies prevail, Jews hinder the process of Redemption; Moshiach needs Jews to accept his sovereignty!

Some Jews think all they need do is passively wait; They feel no need to contribute. But that’s because they do not yet appreciate the immense potential of their Jewish soul. They don't have time to think outside their box of conveniences.

Alas, most Jews so preoccupy themselves with Politics or Business every day - as if that really determines their Jewish future - for it will be Jewish when all is said and done. As if Jewish spirituality is insignificant ether. Meanwhile, that Jew does not yet “live Moshiach”.

Every single Jew is vital component and every Jew owns the obligation to participate in his King’s nomination.

Yes, there are plenty of Jews (observant with or without a kippah, with or without a beard) who still get thrills like when seated in a new auto, but the observant Messianic-thinking Jew regards this adolescent pleasure empty of adult priorities. The ultimate, he or she knows, is nothing less than Moshiach times; And everything else annoyingly distracts from the significant pleasure of remarkable revelations due when the Era of Redemption is in open bloom.

Eventually, I’m afraid, if not enough Jews embark on the bandwagon of the Rebbe as Moshiach, if critical mass is threatened by indifference, Hashem might tighten the screws to lurch apathetic Jews out of their exile slumber.

All this is NOT to say the Redemption is NOT in progress. On the contrary - we are well into this period that Rambam describes as “the world seeming to operate as usual”.

Sometimes the topic is, say, “Ebola”, another day it might be “ISIS”, or yet another day it might be “the stock market”, that preoccupies the casual, unaware Jew, but that the Redemption is past threshold and that he can accelerate its ultimate agenda (by preoccupying himself with Chassidus, Moshiach and Torah) - he still does not realize. He simply underrates or is ignorant of his own Jewish soul’s SPIRITUAL potential to reconfigure the fabric of this PHYSICAL world.

He does not know his own spirit’s strength. Who’d have thought an atom, 99.9% of which is empty space, could have produced the atom bomb?

The Rebbe first broke the news of the Redemption phenomenon. If we carefully squint to see clearly among the “usual” happenings, we can, in fact, see Redemption unfolding before our very eyes (e.g., here), only the process is in slow gear. Only the popular support of Jews can speed the Redemption’s ultimate revelations to come fast forward.

If only all Jews would, now, cherish the mitzvah to pick a king to rush us into the said utopia.