70 —גאולה בניסן ובתשרי, תשובה, ותפקיד הרצון החופשי

Shalom u'Vrachah! [Nissan 5713]

...And in this month of redemption: Our sages said (Rosh Hashanah 10b and there) that Rabbi Eliezer says in Tishrei we will be redeemed (see also there 27a Tosafot s.v. k'man), and he explains his reasoning that Rabbi Eliezer derives shofar from Rosh Hashanah, while Rabbi Yehoshua derives it from 'a night of watching' which is guarded and comes from Egypt. And it can be said that each follows their own reasoning in Sanhedrin (97b) that according to Rabbi Eliezer, we are redeemed only when we do teshuvah on our own—later I saw this is also written by Mahari”d—and this is also derived from the shofar of Rosh Hashanah and based on what Rambam writes in Hilchot Teshuvah (3:4), and see also Vayikra Rabbah (29), 'shofar—if you have improved yourselves... Tishrei—and you will leave and be atoned...' But Rabbi Yehoshua holds that even if they do not repent, the Holy One, blessed be He, will set up a king for them... and return them to good, just as at the Exodus they were redeemed by merit of accepting the Torah (Shemot Rabbah 3), and our sages said (Shabbat 88a) 'He held the mountain over them... from here is a great declaration...' And it is known there is olam-shanah-nefesh (world-year-soul), and what was mentioned above applies to year and soul. And perhaps in world (space), the difference is simple: according to Rabbi Eliezer it must be only if they are meritorious—which is 'I will hasten it,' while Rabbi Yehoshua holds even if not meritorious—in its time. The practical difference in world is explained in Torah Or s'deh ad d'lo yada and Shaarei Orah s'deh yavi'u levush malchut.

Nevertheless, this does not resemble the great declaration at Matan Torah, because then they were not yet commanded and had a claim of compulsion; but now that we are commanded, through compulsion we act with a full heart. As Rambam explains (Gerushin 2:20): If someone’s evil inclination forces him to nullify a mitzvah... and he was beaten until he did it... this is not considered compulsion since he wants to be among Israel and wants to fulfill all mitzvot...

With blessings for a kosher and joyous festival; immediate teshuvah; immediate redemption.

Summary

The Rebbe discusses how redemption may depend on our own initiative in teshuvah or come through Divine intervention regardless. He emphasizes that today, fulfilling mitzvot—even under pressure—reflects our true inner desire as Jews.