Q: We have heard many times that our generation is the generation of Mashiach. What makes us so sure that Mashiach is actually coming soon?
A: We can rely on the words of the Lubavitcher Rebbe who said that the redemption is very close, and that we do not know why it tarries from day to day and from month to month. Nevertheless we believe that "Hashem's salvation will occur like the blinking of the eye."
There are a number of dimensions to our strong belief and trust that the arrival of Mashiach is imminent:
- The signs that our Sages gave for the generation in which the Mashiach arrives have been fulfilled before our very eyes.
- All of the proposed dates found in our holy books for the arrival of Mashiach have already passed.
- We can no longer bear the spiritual hardship of the exile.
- The deep internal point in the hearts of the true servants of Hashem clearly feels that the Mashiach and the redemption are very near. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, the neshama klallit (all inclusive soul) of our generation, reiterated this thought on many occasions.
Q: What can I do to bring the Mashiach faster?
A: Spread the truth of Torah in your surroundings. Especially the inner dimension of Torah– Kabbalah and Chassidut.
Q: To what degree should we try to influence other Jews to come closer to Torah and to fulfill God's commandments?
A: One of the main missions of each Jew in our generation is to spread the light of Torah to all. This cartainly helps to hasten the arrival of Mashiach in our time.
Q: Will Mashiach only come when every Jew is ready, or can he come even if a select few are ready?
A: The Lubavitcher Rebbe said that even if ten Jews are ready, and even if one Jew is ready, the Mashiach can come, as is written in the Zohar.
Q: Can personal fasting help to bring the Mashiach faster?
A: You don't have to fast to be fast! It is better to eat to get energy to run fast to spread the light of Torah. The faster you run, the faster Mashiach comes! (This answer applies to personal fasting only, and not the fast days prescribed by Jewish law.)
Q: Can a few people truly make a difference? So many tzaddikim could not bring our righteous Mashiach. How can we?
A: As the Rambam explains, even one good deed can change the world. All we need is one more small effort!
Q: If Mashiach is so vital and critical, why aren’t all Jews taking the matter seriously?
A: One must study about the Mashiach and the redemption in order to relate to it in a serious manner. Would we take the matter of Mashiach seriously, and do all in our power to hasten his coming (spreading Torah and commandments) he would arrive immediately.
