032 - אחרון של פסח ה'תשמ"ט - והחרים הוי' את לשון ים מצרים והניף ידו על הנהר בעים רוחו

I. The Sea and the River: Two Levels of Revelation

The verse in Yeshayahu (read during the Haftarah of Acharon Shel Pesach) states: "And G-d will dry up the tongue of the Egyptian Sea... and He will wave His hand over the River with the strength of His spirit."

The Rebbe Maharash (known for the approach of Lechatchilah Ariber—going "straight over" obstacles) explains that in the future, there will be two stages of miracles. First, the drying of the Sea, which is a repeat of the miracle from Egypt. Second, the splitting of the River (the Euphrates).

As you noted in your class, the splitting of the River is a much higher level of revelation than the splitting of the Sea. While the Sea was already split in the past ("He turned the sea to dry land"), the River represents the ultimate novelty of the future ("They shall cross the river by foot").

II. No Time Gap: From Egypt to Moshiach

Why does the verse mention both? The Rebbe explains that by placing them together, the Torah is telling us that we can move from the level of "Sea" (the past) to "River" (the future) immediately. There is no required waiting period or time restriction between them.

This is especially relevant on Acharon Shel Pesach. Since this day follows Shvii Shel Pesach (the anniversary of the Sea splitting), and we celebrate it with Seudas Moshiach (the Meal of Moshiach), we are literally bridging the two redemptions. Because the Torah is an "inheritance" for every Jew, every single person—man, woman, and child—has the power to make this jump instantly, without delay, in the blink of an eye.

III. Personal Redemption Through Mitzvos

This transition isn't just a global event; it depends on our personal "actions and service." When a person performs a Mitzvah properly, they achieve "Padeh B'Shalom"—a personal redemption. You aren't just doing a ritual; you are entering a state of true internal freedom.

Crucially, as you explained from Tanya, this isn't a temporary feeling. Because a Mitzvah creates an eternal union with G-d "Above," its effect remains "Below" forever. That one moment of freedom impacts your daily life from then on. When we stack these personal redemptions together, they culminate in the general Redemption, where G-d’s sovereignty is revealed throughout the entire world.

IV. The Power of the Four Cups

While all Mitzvos bring Moshiach, there are specific "omens" or tools—like the Four Cups of wine at Seudas Moshiach.

• The First Nights: The four cups correspond to the four languages of redemption from Egypt.

• Acharon Shel Pesach: The four cups correspond to the four languages of the future redemption and the "four corners of the earth."

The Rebbe points out a beautiful hint: It is the exact same number of cups. If the future required more cups, we might think we need more time to "earn" them. But since it’s the same four, it proves we can go right away from the first redemption to the last. We already have everything we need!

V. "Midgets on the Shoulders of Giants"

We might feel small, but the Rebbe reminds us we are like "midgets on the shoulders of giants." We are standing on the work of all the previous Rebbes. Our small actions today—especially eating the Matzah and drinking the four cups with the right Kavana (intention)—have the power to finally tip the scales.

The goal is for this to be a physical redemption. Just as you can point your finger at the physical Matzah and wine, we should soon be able to point our finger at the actual Redemption and say, "This is it!"

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Key Concepts from Your Explanation:

 

 Summary: The Immediate Path to Redemption

1. The Core Comparison

• The Sea (Past): Represents the miracle of Egypt. It is a "past tense" revelation.

• The River (Future): Represents the ultimate miracle of Moshiach. It is a "higher" level of revelation because it has never happened before.

• The Lesson: The Torah places them side-by-side to show that we can move from "Sea" to "River" instantly, with no time gap in between.

2. Personal vs. General Redemption

• Individual Freedom: When you do a Mitzvah with the right focus, you experience a "Personal Redemption" (Padeh B'Shalom).

• Lasting Impact: Because G-d is eternal, the freedom you feel during a Mitzvah stays with you in your daily life forever.

• The Goal: Our personal redemptions are what "pull down" the General Redemption for the whole world.

3. The Secret of the Four Cups

• The Number 4: We drink four cups at the Seder (Egypt) and four cups at the Meal of Moshiach (Future).

• The Connection: Using the same number hints that the power for the final redemption is already in our hands. We don't need "new" tools; we just need to use what we have with the right intention.

• The Closed "Mem": (Advanced) The future redemption "closes" the world from all four sides, leaving no room for evil to enter.

4. Our Role Today

• "Midgets on Giants": We don't have to do all the heavy lifting. We are standing on the shoulders of the great Rebbes who came before us.

• The "Now" Factor: The Rebbe emphasizes that because our ancestors did so much work, our small actions today can bring Moshiach "in the blink of an eye."

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Key Takeaway: Redemption isn't just a future event we wait for; it is a reality we "trigger" right now through our physical actions and the joy of the holiday.

Concept	Explanation
Short & Urgent	The Maamar is unusually brief because the Rebbe wasn't looking to give a long lecture; he was trying to "pull down" Moshiach through the text.
Open vs. Closed Mem	(From the footnote): The "Closed Mem" represents a future world where the "North side" (the opening for evil) is finally sealed off.
Blood and Flesh	The Matzah and Wine of Moshiach’s meal become part of our physical bodies, internalizing the redemption.