69 —הגאולה בניסן ובתשרי, תשובה, גזירה אלוקית ורצון חופשי

Shalom u'Vrachah!

...To conclude with a matter related to the month: Our Sages said (Rosh Hashanah 10b), "It was taught: Rabbi Eliezer says... in Tishrei they are destined to be redeemed; Rabbi Yehoshua says... in Nissan they are destined to be redeemed" (see also Tosafot there 27a s.v. k'man). The reason is explained: Rabbi Eliezer derives it from the shofar of Rosh Hashanah—"Blow the shofar at the new moon"—while Rabbi Yehoshua derives it from "a night of watching," said regarding the Exodus from Egypt, a night that is guarded and comes from the six days of Creation.

It can be said that their disagreement about the timing of redemption aligns with their disagreement regarding the spiritual state of Bnei Yisrael at that time in their fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos. In Sanhedrin (97b), Rabbi Eliezer holds that Israel will be redeemed when they do teshuvah on their own—which is also hinted at by the shofar of Rosh Hashanah, as Rambam elaborates in Hilchos Teshuvah 3:4. This is generally connected to the idea of Tishrei, as our Sages said (Vayikra Rabbah ch. 29): "Blow the shofar at the new moon—if you have improved your deeds... in Tishrei, let Tishrei come and atone for your people's sins."

Rabbi Yehoshua holds that even if they do not repent on their own, they will still be redeemed because G‑d will appoint a king whose decrees are as harsh as Haman's and thereby bring them back to righteousness—similar to what happened at the Exodus from Egypt, where they were redeemed by virtue of accepting the Torah (Shemos Rabbah ch. 2). Our Sages said (Shabbos 88a) that G‑d "held the mountain over them," indicating compulsion.

This explains why Rosh Hashanah (ibid.) uses the phrase "guarded and comes from the six days of Creation"—these three words seem superfluous but hint that redemption does not depend on man's own service. Note also what is written: "These are the generations of heaven and earth when they were created... and there was no man..." Our Sages said (Bereishis Rabbah ch. 13): "And there was no man—to work for G‑d."

Nevertheless, there is a significant difference between then and now. At Matan Torah they were not yet commanded [in mitzvos], so they could claim compulsion or great duress; but now that we are commanded, even when repentance comes through a harsh king appointed by G‑d, since it is G‑d who places him over them, our Sages say it is certainly done wholeheartedly. As Rambam explains (Hilchos Gerushin 2:20): If someone's evil inclination forces him to annul a mitzvah and he is beaten until he complies, this is not considered coercion—since he truly wants to be part of Israel and fulfill all mitzvos.

With blessings for a kosher and joyous festival, immediate repentance, immediate redemption.
Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Summary

The letter analyzes differing views on redemption's timing—whether it depends on our own repentance or Divine intervention—and clarifies how free will operates even when external pressures lead us back to observance. Redemption ultimately involves both human effort and G‑d's guidance.