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| Art Mike Worrall |
The Gemara teaches us that three things come בהיסח הדעת - unexpectedly.
One of these three is Moshiach.
“Three things come unexpectedly : Moshiach, a lost object and a scorpion.” – [Sanhedrin 97a]
The Lubavitcher Rebbe translates בהיסח הדעת not necessarily as "unexpectedly", rather as "with one’s reason set aside" [Likkutei Sichos, vol. 5, p. 171. Cited here]
This teaching does not mean that a person should not (G‑d forbid) think about the Redemption and anticipate its coming. It means that though his reason sees no possibility for Redemption, a Jew persists with an intense belief that transcends his reason. This meaning springs directly from the Hebrew idiom בהיסח הדעת (here translated “unawares”), which literally means “with one’s reason set aside.” [Likkutei Sichos vol. 5]
Rabbi Brod then cites the Rebbe in Toras Menachem and says:
Distraction is the highest form of waiting for Moshiach [תורת מנחם כרך ט עמ' p. 111]
So, according to the Rebbe, Behesech Hadaas does mean unawareness (peshat reading). However, it should be read as "with one's reason set aside". That's the basis for the explanation of Rabbi Brod in sefer Yemos HaMoshiach.
The author ends with the explanation that when the situation is such that the mind and intellect see no place for redemption to come - this "distraction" is a sign of the coming redemption. This is בהיסח הדעת - Behesech Hadaas.
Beautiful. Exactly as we are taught 'when we least expect him, he will come'.
ReplyDeleteThe Yiddishe neshamah is one of true emunah (belief) in our Father in Heaven, Hashem We do not need evidence as the other nations when they need 'evidence' to believe, such as archeology because we 'know' there is Hashem and His Promises are True and Eternal.
yanky w.
I see. M.M.
ReplyDeleteConfusingly, on the one hand, i just read that tzaddikim are supposed to become healed when they they partake of the meal consisting of shor habor and livyasan.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, there's the following source which states that the healing is via חמה מנרתיקה:
על דעת ר' שמעון בן לקיש, שאמר: אין גיהנם לעולם הבא, אלא הקדוש ברוך הוא מוציא חמה מנרתיקה, מן הכיסוי שהיא מצויה בו בזמן הזה ואינה מגולה, צדיקין מתרפאין בה באותה חמה ורשעים נידונין בה.
The source of the latter may be (מלאכי ג, כ) though not sure of that.
Can it mean that the chama will come out of nartika to heal the righteous during the meal consisting of shor habor and livyasan?
...or does it actually mean that the flesh of the shor habor and livyasan will heal them?
M.M.
M.M.