I Will Show You Wonders, 5751

Publisher’s Foreword

For some people it takes a crisis to identify a genuine leader. At a time when the media were peddling panic, when many public figures were vague and vacillating, Jews from all walks of life spontaneously asked: “What does the Rebbe say?” Whether they were private citizens, Rabbinic scholars, politicians or opinion-makers, they sought the kind of direction and inspiration that would enable them to continue their lives with confidence. And for this they turned to the Rebbe. At a time like this they yearned for a taste of the Rebbe’s unflinching optimism, since the Rebbe’s belief in G‑d’s providence stands on a rockbed of Torah.

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Reminiscing over their visits at the court of R. Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch, elder chassidim used to say: “When we were at the Maggid’s table, miracles used to roll about freely on the floor; we didn’t even bother to pick them up.”

As Purim this year came closer, more and more people around the world did choose to take the time to pick up the miracles that have been happening right under our noses. In this they were helped by the numerous statements of the Rebbe on the situation. For when the newspapers were vying with each other in publishing pictures of the horrors of chemical warfare in Iraq and Iran, and the most urgent public debate in Israel concerned the distribution of gas masks, the Rebbe gave the widest possible publicity to a now-famous passage from Yalkut Shimoni. This Midrashic passage predicts a world-shaking crisis in the Gulf zone which makes the Jewish people ask, “Where shall we go?” And this same passage proceeds to say that the Almighty will answer them: “My children, have no fear. Whatever I have done, I have done only for your sake. Why are you afraid? Have no fear: the time for your redemption has arrived!”

Interestingly, for many months in advance, Purim figured prominently in the Rebbe’s statements. For example, a delegation of elder chassidim from Kfar Chabad was surprised to hear the Rebbe tell them — on erev Sukkos — that the miracles of the forthcoming year would give rise to a festive joy that would equal even the joy of Purim. And on Thursday, 2 Shvat (17 January), only six weeks before Purim, when Baghdad was first bombarded, the political commentator of the official Kol Yisrael airwaves was not quite sure how to report the Rebbe’s smiling comment to US Army Major Yaakov Goldstein back in November ‘90, when he was on his way to the war zone, that the Gulf War would be over by Purim.

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This booklet is a chronological reprint of six essays gleaned from many records of the Rebbe’s public addresses, as published by Sichos In English in the course of the past few historic months. Each of these essays summarizes the major themes of the talks of the Rebbe Shlita during the preceding days or weeks.

1. “The Message of the Year 5751,” published 5 Kislev, 5751 (November 22, 1990), connects the events in the Gulf zone with the predictions of Yalkut Shimoni, and points out that the Hebrew letters which spell the date of the present year 5751 are an acronym for the words הי’ תהא שנת אראנו נפלאות — “This will surely be a year when ‘I will show you wonders.’ ”

2. “Every Jew Has a Silver Lining,” published 24 Teves, 5751 (January 10, 1991), champions the cause of the Jewish people, highlighting the unique spiritual potential of every single Jew, and arguing that surely they are deserving of no harm.

3. “The Safest Place in the World,” published 28 Teves, 5751 (January 14, 1991), as the ultimatum to Iraq was about to expire, gave the world the Rebbe’s reasoned message of quiet optimism.

4. “Purim Miracles Today,” published 8 Adar, 5751 (February 22, 1991), six days before Purim, again connected current events with the Divinely-engineered cosmic process leading up to the ultimate Redemption.

5. “The Ultimate Wonders are Yet to Come,” published 26 Adar, 5751 (March 12, 1991), sees the recent wonders in the Gulf zone as an encouragement to the Jewish people to teach the nations of the world to acknowledge G‑d’s sovereignty.

6. “Divine Miracles are Not Past History,” published 27 Nissan, 5751 (April 11, 1991), warns that insensitive complacency in the face of visible miracles can lead to ingratitude; acknowledging them will lead to new ones.

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For some people, it takes a crisis to identify a genuine leader. Others do not have to wait so long. In either case, as the Rebbe is showing us stage by stage how to recognize the miracles that are happening here and now, we can wholeheartedly say: Thank G‑d for the foresight and the vision that are unfolding before our eyes. And, as the Rebbe enters his ninetieth year, may G‑d grant him the health and vigor to proceed from strength to strength with his clear-voiced leadership. For the ultimate wonders are yet to come.

Publisher’s Foreword

Well before the beginning of last year,¹ people of all walks of life looked forward with anticipation to see what the new year held in store. The Rebbe Shlita had said that the letters ה’תש”נ (5750) stood for the words, הי’ תהא שנת נסים — “This will surely be a year of miracles.” And soon one thing became clear in everyone’s mind — that this was no mere play on words. Within a very short time, cataclysmic upheavals overwhelmed one regime after another, with unprecedented results for humanity at large and for the Jewish people in particular.

Well before this year began, people of all walks of life have again been looking forward with impatient anticipation to see what this new year holds in store. For the Rebbe Shlita has repeatedly said² that the letters ה’תשנ”א (5751) stand for the words, הי’ תהא שנת אראנו נפלאות — “This will surely be a year when ‘[G‑d] will show you wonders.’ ” Here again it is clear in everyone’s mind — that this is no mere play on words. As the present essay records, the Rebbe Shlita sees a direct connection between the international events which are engaging the earnest concern of the world at large, and the teachings of the Sages in the Midrashic work entitled Yalkut Shimoni.

Together with the entire House of Israel, then, we look forward to a year whose message will bring unprecedented results for humanity at large — and for the Jewish people in particular.

A Year of Miracles; A Year of Wonders

The Baal Shem Tov taught that everything which a Jew sees or hears should serve as a lesson in his service of G‑d. Thus, the letters whose numerical equivalent totals the date of any particular year can provide us with insights that lead to an advance in our study of the Torah and performance of its mitzvos.

The letters whose the numerical equivalent signifies the present year, תשנ”א (5751) can be interpreted as an acronym for the phrase, הי’ תהא שנת אראנו נפלאות, “This will surely be a year when ‘I will show you wonders,’ ” referring to the prophecy of the future redemption,³ “As in the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show you wonders.”

The significance of this acronym can be further understood when compared to the acronym of last year’s date, תש”נ (5750), הי’ תהא שנת נסים, “This will surely be a year of miracles.” Both “miracles” and “wonders” reflect a step above the natural order, a transcendence of the limits of ordinary experience. In particular, however, there are differences between these two expressions.

Miracles Can Pass Unseen; Wonders Strike the Eye

“Miracles” are associated with the exodus from Egypt. In contrast, as evident from the verse quoted above, “wonders” are associated with the future redemption and the coming of Mashiach. The wonders that will be revealed at that time will dwarf and obscure the miracles of the exodus. Thus, the wondrous nature of the present year will surpass the miracles of the previous year.

Furthermore, the expression, “I will show you wonders,” implies that these wonders will be openly revealed. In regard to miracles, it is possible that, as our Sages teach,⁴ “the person to whom a miracle occurs does not recognize the miracle that has happened to him.” A person may benefit from a miracle, and yet may never realize that a miracle has transpired. In contrast, G‑d will show us the wonders of the present year; the transcendent nature of the forthcoming events will be evident to all.

On the Global Level

The “year of miracles” was highlighted by the collapse of regimes that for more than half a century had stifled Jewish expression. During that year, these nations began to allow freedom of religious practice within their borders. Furthermore, they not only allowed, but even assisted, Jews to emigrate, and a major portion of those who left have settled in Eretz Yisrael.

On the Cosmic Level

In the present year, we have already begun to see the first stages of — and surely, the climate is set for — even greater wonders. The entire world is gripped with pregnant anticipation of the future. Our Sages spoke clearly of such an era. To quote Yalkut Shimoni:⁵

In the year that Mashiach will be revealed, nations will challenge one another. The King of Paras will challenge an Arab king… and the entire world will panic and will be stricken with consternation… Israel will also panic and will be confounded.

This ominous situation, however, contains the potential for good, indeed, the ultimate good, as the Midrash continues:

[G‑d] will tell them: “My children, have no fear. Whatever I have done, I have done only for your sake. Why are you afraid? Have no fear; the time for your redemption has arrived!” Mashiach will stand on the roof of the Beis HaMikdash and proclaim, “Humble ones: The time for your redemption has arrived!”

On the Personal and Interpersonal Level

Chassidic thought explains that the spiritual influences G‑d manifests within the world and the conduct of the Jewish people are interrelated. In response to these spiritual influences and to further their manifestation, we should strive towards a level of conduct that parallels miracles and wonders.

Miracles and wonders reveal a higher order of existence, elevating the world beyond its natural limitations. Similarly, at present, G‑d is granting every Jew the potential to serve Him in a “wondrous and miraculous” manner, to step beyond his or her limits entirely. It is not enough that a person merely improve and increase his divine service through Torah and mitzvos; rather, he should change radically, adopting a totally new and more elevated pattern of behavior. It is now demanded of every Jew — man, woman, and child — to work with himself and to elevate himself to a new plane of conduct which is truly miraculous when compared to his conduct in the previous years.

Similarly, since this is a year when “I will show you wonders,” when there is an emphasis on revelation, we must also communicate the above with others, inspiring Jews (and gentiles⁶) to make similar leaps forward. Our scope of activity cannot be confined within the realm of prayer and study, but rather should extend into the world at large. Within the context of the world itself, we must show how the totality of existence is a dwelling for G‑d, a place where His Presence can be revealed.

“I Will Show You Wonders”

The revelation of this “wondrous” pattern of behavior will further enhance the wonders which G‑d reveals this year, and will draw down unlimited Divine blessings on every individual, on the Jewish people as a whole, and on the world at large. May it also include the most vital miracle, the coming of the true and complete redemption, and the fulfillment, in the most literal sense, of the prophecy, “As in the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show you wonders.” May this take place in the immediate future.

Lubavitcher Rebbe

Publisher’s Foreword

There are times at which you feel, while listening to an address, that history is in the making; that the words being spoken, though poignantly relevant to the audience which is hearing them immediately, are meaningful to a wider range of listeners over a greater scope of time.

Exactly this was felt by those who heard the recent public addresses of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita on the Tenth of Teves and on Shabbos Parshas Vayechi. They sensed that the Rebbe was directing his words to the spiritual realms: he was espousing the cause of the Jewish people, pointing out their virtues, and ensuring that no harm would befall them, heaven forbid.

Simultaneously, however, his words are a classic exposition of the underlying principles that have motivated Lubavitch outreach activities for years. In the most powerful manner, the Rebbe explains the unique spiritual potential each Jew possesses, and how that potential can be activated when one reaches out with love and joy. Conversely, the Rebbe notes how fruitless, inappropriate and incorrect are harsh criticism of one’s fellow Jew and threats of Divine retribution. Within the context of his remarks, the Rebbe also dwells on the luminous legacy bequeathed to us by the holy martyrs of the Holocaust.

On these two occasions, the Rebbe spoke for some three hours. In this essay, we have attempted to summarize and highlight the major points of these addresses. A detailed, documented and authoritative transcript of the Rebbe’s message has been published in Hebrew. This has been translated and is also available from Sichos In English.

It is our prayer that an appreciation of the virtues of every Jew will lead us all to true Jewish unity, the key to Divine blessings. In a celebrated teaching, the Baal Shem Tov compared the relationship of G‑d with the Jewish people to that of a father with many children. Nothing brings the father greater joy than seeing his children together in loving harmony. Similarly, when Jews join together in joy and unity this brings happiness to G‑d, and encourages Him to grant us abundant blessings — including the greatest blessing of all, the coming of Mashiach. May this take place in the immediate future.

“G‑d loves every Jew more than parents love an only child born to them in their old age.”¹

This teaching of the Baal Shem Tov applies to every member of our people without distinction. Even a Jew’s failure to observe the Torah and its commandments cannot detract from this love, for it is rooted in the very essence of his being and that of G‑d, as it were. The essence of every Jew is his soul, which is “an actual part of G‑d from above.”² This defines his fundamental personality.

A person’s failure to manifest this dimension in his actual conduct does not affect this essential connection. A Jew always remains a Jew. Thus Maimonides rules that every Jew, even one who protests the contrary, “wants to be part of the Jewish people and desires to fulfill all the mitzvos and separate himself from sin, and it is only his Evil Inclination which forces him [to do otherwise].“³

What does a Jew really desire? — To fulfill G‑d’s will. And if he does not conduct himself accordingly, we should realize that he is momentarily not in control of his behavior: it is his yetzer hara which is forcing him to act contrary to his true self.

G‑d Loves Every Jew as He Is

It is therefore utterly out of place to belittle the virtues of those of our people who do not yet fully observe the Torah. Moreover, unloving rebuke is likely to break their spirit and dampen their innate Jewish zeal. With a more positive approach, however, the response is heartening indeed. In the last few decades, thousands of individuals and families have chosen to return to a lifestyle inspired by the Torah. In overwhelming proportions, the immediate reason for their choice is that someone reached out to them warmly and lovingly; a fellow Jew showed them how the practice of Judaism can infuse joy and meaning into their lives — because it attunes them to their innermost selves.

G‑d Alone Can Judge

There is a yet more fundamental flaw in criticizing the conduct of one’s fellow man. No person has the right to sit in judgment over his colleagues. Maimonides writes:⁴ “The reckoning [of sins and merits] is not calculated on the basis of the mere number of merits and sins, but on the basis of their magnitude as well. Some solitary merits can outweigh many sins. The weighing of sins and merits can be carried out only according to the wisdom of the All-Knowing G‑d: He alone knows how to measure merits against sins.”

Can any mortal presume to be capable of assessing a colleague’s ultimate spiritual worth “according to the wisdom of the All-Knowing G‑d”? This is particularly true in the present generation. In our days, a Jew whose performance of the commandments of the Torah is imperfect must be judged leniently, according to the principle of tinok shenishba. (In its original context, this phrase describes an individual who for no fault of his own was deprived of a childhood environment conducive to Torah observance.⁵) If, then, though pressured by tensions of time and place, a person does fulfill any mitzvah — and, of course, every Jew has numerous mitzvos to his credit — how dearly must it be cherished in the Heavenly Court.

Compassion for the Remnant of Our People

Looking at all our fellow Jews with a favorable eye is in place especially now, for our generation is “a firebrand saved from the blaze,“⁶ the smoldering remnant preserved from the horrors of the Holocaust. After so many of our people have perished, we must try to appreciate — and in this manner, help reveal — the positive potential that every Jew possesses.

This potential is enhanced by the luminous legacy bequeathed to us by the martyrs of the previous generation. Our Sages⁷ teach that the very fact that a person dies al Kiddush Hashem, in sanctification of G‑d’s Name, elevates him to such a level that “no creature can stand in his presence.” Thus, every man and woman who died in the Holocaust is a holy martyr.

Accordingly, to say that those very people were deserving of what transpired, that it was a punishment for their sins, heaven forbid, is unthinkable. We cannot explain the Holocaust, for we are limited by the earthbound perspective of mortal understanding. As G‑d says, in a prophecy of Isaiah, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts.”⁸ No scales of judgment could ever condemn a people to such horrors.⁹

The Torah promises that¹⁰ “[G‑d] will avenge the blood of His servants,“¹¹ indicating that the death of these martyrs is against His will.¹² On the contrary, G‑d is “the Master of mercy.” It is blasphemous to picture Him as a cruel king who punishes His people for their disobedience and then waits until it mounts again to the point at which it is fitting to punish them again.

The very opposite is true. As our Sages say,¹³ “What does G‑d do since creation? — He arranges marriages”; i.e., He is involved in bringing joy and happiness to mankind, establishing families, “eternal structures” which produce ongoing joy in future generations.

Neighborly Outreach

We must seek to emulate this conduct and try to spread happiness among Jews, reaching out to all our brothers, regardless of their level of observance. In this manner, hopefully, “one will be able to draw them close to the Torah and the service of G‑d, and even if one fails [in this goal], one has not forfeited the merit of loving one’s neighbor.”¹⁴

This is the direction in which we should focus our efforts, for, as our Sages taught,¹⁵ “The totality of the Torah is” — not to criticize, to chastise, nor to threaten with Divine retribution, but rather — “to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’.“¹⁶ Furthermore, as mentioned above, brotherly efforts in reaching out to our fellow Jews are meeting with ever-increasing success, and thousands are awakening to teshuvah, to repentance, and discovering their Jewish roots.

Personal Renewal: Universal Renaissance

The collective experience of these individuals is projecting its image on the cosmic canvas. The renewal of their personal connection to their Jewish heritage is a foretaste of the renewal to be experienced by the Jewish people and the world at large, for our Sages taught that “teshuvah brings the Redemption near.”¹⁷ Indeed, “All the appointed times [for the coming of Mashiach] have passed, and the matter now depends on teshuvah alone.”¹⁸

These teachings indicate that the Redemption is at hand, for teshuvah is an instantaneous process, which transpires “in one moment, in one turn.”¹⁹ This is reflected by the ruling of our Sages²⁰ that when a person consecrates a woman as his wife on the condition that he is a righteous man, the marriage bond is established even though he was known to be wicked. We assume that, at the time he made that condition, he had thoughts of teshuvah that were powerful enough to change his spiritual status from one extreme to the other at that very moment. Since every Jew has thoughts of teshuvah, which is the catalyst of the future Redemption, that day must surely be imminent.

Furthermore, G‑d will bring about the ultimate Redemption speedily even when teshuvah is lacking. In the prayers of Selichos we say, first: “G‑d, redeem Israel from all his afflictions;‘²¹ and afterwards: “And He will redeem Israel from all his sins.”²² First G‑d will redeem the Jews from their difficulties — including the greatest difficulty, the exile — and then He will redeem them from their sins. In this spirit our Sages²³ explain that, at the time of the ultimate Redemption, G‑d will ignore the sins of the Jews and redeem them in His mercy.

There is heightened relevance to the above this year, a year when “I will show you wonders.”²⁴ This name implies that, not only will G‑d perform miracles for the Jewish people, but that these wonders will be openly revealed.

Thus, in a time when “the entire world will panic and will be stricken with consternation,“²⁵ the Jews can remain at ease, confident that “all that I (G‑d) have done, I have done only for your sake. Have no fear: the time for your redemption has arrived!”

Lubavitcher Rebbe

Publisher’s Foreword

At the very outset of the current Gulf episode, the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita pointed out the contemporary relevance of a Midrashic passage¹ that describes an international crisis which erupts in the Gulf zone in the year in which Mashiach will be revealed — a crisis that strikes panic among the great powers, and provokes the Jewish people to ask, “Where shall we go?”

The same passage goes on to say that the Almighty will answer them: “My children, have no fear. Whatever I have done, I have done only for your sake. Why are you afraid? Have no fear: the time for your redemption has arrived!”

Throughout these past months, moreover, the Rebbe has repeatedly reminded his listeners that the Hebrew acronym for this year’s date (5751) means, “This will surely be a year in which ‘I shall show you wonders.’ ”²

And on the Tenth of Teves, a fast day commemorating the onset of the siege of Jerusalem by an ancient king of Babylon, the Rebbe explained that even this painful event was ultimately intended to support the Jewish people.

The present essay assembles points made by the Rebbe on several occasions — in his public addresses on Shabbos Parshas Vayechi and on Shabbos Parshas Shmos; in earlier talks that were published in the Likkutei Sichos distributed for Shabbos Parshas Shmos and in the course of distributing dollars to be contributed to tzedakah on Sunday, the 20th of Teves.

At a time when the eyes of the world are anxiously focused on the exploits of “the king of Babylon,” the message that these talks consistently radiate is — quiet optimism. This message does not defy reality: it does not for a moment advocate that natural responses to the current situation should be abandoned. At the same time, however, we ought to take to heart the advice of the Tzemach Tzedek: “Think good, and the outcome will be good.” For, as the above-mentioned passage from Yalkut Shimoni reassures us, when “the entire world will panic and will be stricken with consternation,” our people can remain at ease, confident in the Creator’s promise that “Whatever I have done, I have done only for your sake. Why are you afraid? Have no fear: the time for your redemption has arrived!”

In a time of personal crisis, the Tzemach Tzedek once advised one of his followers, “Think good and the outcome will be good.”³ The optimism this directive encourages is not euphoric. Instead, it is based on the firm belief that everything which transpires in the world is guided by G‑d’s Providence and “Everything the Merciful One⁴ does is intended for the good.”⁵ When a person internalizes this belief, his life is suffused with bitachon (confident trust) and he is able to carry out productive and fruitful activities without being inhibited by worry or fear.

Bitachon is the very opposite of escapism. It does not mean that a person should believe that because G‑d’s mercies are infinite, He will save him without any effort on his part, or that whether his conduct is worthy or unworthy,⁶ he will prosper. Instead, it requires a person to act maturely within the world and employ all the natural means at his disposal. Nevertheless, he should realize that these efforts can never, in and of themselves, promise success. Therefore, one must “cast your burden on G‑d,” confident that “He will sustain you.”⁷

When a person has total dependence on G‑d, he has the confidence to face trials and challenges. He does not shirk his responsibilities or try to avoid difficulties. When confronting them, however, he does not place his trust in his own efforts, but in G‑d. He relies on Him alone, fully confident that G‑d will bring him open and revealed good.

This approach of total and complete reliance is sufficient in itself to evoke positive Divine influence. In response to a person’s efforts to arouse his trust and confidence in G‑d, G‑d creates situations which allow him to use his energies in positive and beneficial ways.⁸

If the above applies in the individual sphere, it is surely relevant when a major portion of the Jewish nation, millions of Jewish men, women, and children, are involved. How much more so does it apply in regard to Eretz Yisrael, G‑d’s chosen land, of which it is written, “the eyes of G‑d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to its end.”⁹

There is no safer place in the world today than Eretz Yisrael. Heaven forbid that anyone living in Eretz Yisrael should think of leaving at this time. On the contrary, whoever is planning to visit Eretz Yisrael, should go without fear and should let others know of his trip as well, for this will raise the confidence of the Jewish people throughout the world.

The above is particularly true because of the great merit of the Jewish people today. Despite all the trials to which our people have been subjected in the present exile, “even the least worthy member of our people possesses as many mitzvos as a pomegranate possesses seeds.”¹⁰ Indeed, “Your people are all righteous…, They are the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, in which I take pride.”¹¹ G‑d takes great pride in every Jew. There is no way our mortal wisdom can comprehend the immense merit every Jew possesses.¹²

This is what is required of us at present — to emphasize the virtues of every Jew, to spread love and unity among the Jewish people, and to encourage the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos in our everyday lives. As the Rambam writes,¹³ “with one mitzvah, one can tip his personal balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit and bring deliverance and salvation.”

These activities will no doubt call down G‑d’s benevolence. We say in our prayers, “Bless us, our Father, all of us as one.” The Alter Rebbe explains¹⁴ that when we are “as one,” united by bonds of unity, we are worthy of blessing — including the ultimate blessing, the coming of Mashiach.

Lubavitcher Rebbe

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Publisher’s Foreword

On Shabbos Parshas Terumah and on several other occasions in recent weeks the Rebbe Shlita has commented on the connection between current events — and the Divinely-engineered cosmic process leading up to the ultimate Redemption. In particular, the Rebbe has translated this connection into specific life-tasks that confront the individual. This essay summarizes some of the recurring themes.

A Month of Miracles

Our Sages state,¹ “When Adar enters, joy increases.” In fact the service of G‑d should be animated by joy at all times — not only when one is motivated by the love of G‑d, but even when one is standing in awe of Him. As the Rama rules in his final gloss to the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, “A good-hearted person is always celebrating.”² Adar”), however, is a unique month when this quality reigns supreme. It is a month which our Sages associate with good fortune and strength for the Jewish people.³ Indeed, the Megillah itself describes it as “the month transformed… to happiness, and… festivity.”⁴

Based on this verse, our Sages⁵ perceive the Purim miracle as being the theme of the entire month. Thus, Adar is also a month of redemption in which G‑d performed miracles, totally nullifying the power of Haman, and bringing the Jewish people of his era into positions of power and prestige.

Purim is not Ancient History: It’s Today’s News

Now the events of Purim are not merely a historical narrative. A hint of this may be found in the mishnah⁶ which teaches that “One who reads the Megillah in improper sequence does not fulfill his obligation.” This the Baal Shem Tov interprets⁷ as follows: A person who is unaware of the sequence of past and present and reads the Megillah only as a story of the past, has missed the point.

Just as G‑d utterly destroyed Haman, his family, and his entire power base, He will utterly destroy the Hamans that arise in all subsequent generations, erasing all traces of their influence.

Conversely, just as Mordechai was elevated by the ruler of his land to a position of affluence and power, so, too, the gentile nations of later generations will assist the Jewish people. The full extent of their power and wealth will be used to help the Jewish people advance in both material and spiritual ways.

We are in the midst of a unique period of Divine favor for the Jewish people.

There is no need for the Jewish people to do anything to remove the threats to their safety: these threats will be removed by G‑d Himself.

“The Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.”⁸ He will destroy the nations which threaten the Jewish people and will leave only those which help them in their observance of the Torah and its commandments.

Miracles on All Sides

The personal and public miracles which are happening at present are unique in nature. To see them, one does not even have to go so far as to open a newspaper and read how one non-Jew aimed a missile at a concentration of Jewish people and another non-Jew, a righteous gentile, dispatched another missile which intercepted it. All one has to do is look at the world around him and appreciate the miracles, miracles of a positive nature, which are occurring to him and to those around him.

The World Serves Me: I Serve the World

Our Sages taught,⁹ “A person is obligated to say, ‘The world was created for me.’ ” Everything that happens in the world, including the unique and miraculous Divine Providence which we are witnessing, was created “for me.” And on the other hand, in the world G‑d created there is room enough for every single individual to make his own personal contribution to the world’s welfare.

The task of transforming the world into a dwelling place for G‑d should begin in one’s own immediate surroundings. One can always help those around him meet their material needs; one can also teach them, enriching the insight and understanding which they already possess. And beyond one’s immediate environment, there is no limit to the scope of one’s possible influence. Indeed, this is reflected in the miracles we are witnessing.

Giving Tzedakah — and Enjoying It

The acknowledgment of G‑d’s miracles is also particularly related to the mitzvah of tzedakah, whereby one devotes part of his financial resources for a G‑dly purpose. Jewish law requires one to give away a minimum of ten percent of one’s capital, and preferably twenty percent.¹⁰ At present, however, one should give without any reservations at all,¹¹ particularly since our Sages teach that “Tzedakah brings the redemption ever nearer.”¹²

And in the spirit of Adar, these activities should be carried out happily. Our happiness will bring G‑d happiness, as it were, and thus augment the Divine blessings that are being showered upon us, nullifying our enemies, and encouraging other nations in their support of the Jewish people.

A Foretaste of Redemption

These two developments, the nullification of the enemies of the Jewish people and the assistance offered them by the gentile nations, represent a foretaste of the era of redemption. For at that time we will see prophecies fulfilled: “I will cause the spirit of impurity to depart from the earth,”¹³ and “And all your brethren from among the nations shall bring an offering for G‑d… to My holy mountain, Jerusalem.”¹⁴

May we soon no longer have to content ourselves with a foretaste, for the redemption will have actually come. Thus, we will “join redemption to redemption,”¹⁵ and even before celebrating the redemptions of Purim and Pesach, experience the ultimate and complete redemption. May this take place in the immediate future.

Lubavitcher Rebbe

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Publisher’s Foreword

As a preface to this essay, we would like to reprint a portion of the Publisher’s Foreword to the essay entitled “The Message of the Year, 5751,” which Sichos In English published on 5 Kislev, 5751 (November 22, 1990).

Well before this year began, people of all walks of life have again been looking forward with impatient anticipation to see what this new year holds in store. For the Rebbe Shlita has repeatedly said¹ that the letters ה’תשנ”א (5751) stand for the words, הי’ תהא שנת אראנו נפלאות — “This will surely be a year when ‘[G‑d] will show you wonders.’ ” Here again it is clear in everyone’s mind — that this is no mere play on words. As the present essay records, the Rebbe Shlita sees a direct connection between the international events which are engaging the earnest concern of the world at large, and the teachings of the Sages in the Midrashic work entitled Yalkut Shimoni.

On 24 Teves, 5751 (January 10, 1991), we published an essay entitled “Every Jew Has a Silver Lining,” which reassured Jews of all degrees of spiritual attainment that they surely deserve a future free from fear. Subsequently, on 28 Teves, 5751 (January 14, 1991), we published an essay entitled “The Safest Place in the World,” conveying a message of support and hope for Eretz Yisrael. And on 8 Adar, 5741 (February 22, 1991), we published an essay entitled “Purim Miracles Today,” associating the events in the Gulf with the Purim festival.

In grateful appreciation of the miracles we have witnessed, we would like to publish the present essay, based on a public address on Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei (23 Adar”), 5751/March 9, 1991), in which the Rebbe Shlita assures us that “the ultimate wonders are yet to come.”

Towards the end of last year, it was announced that the Hebrew letters numerically equivalent to the date of the present year 5751 (תשנ”א) form an acronym for the words הי’ תהא שנת אראנו נפלאות — “This will surely be a year when ‘I will show you wonders.’ ”²

At that time, we saw the beginning of a chain of events that gripped the attention of the entire world, reflecting the prophecies of our Sages in the classic text, Yalkut Shimoni. That text relates that:

In the year that Mashiach will be revealed, nations will challenge one another. The King of Paras will challenge an Arab king… and the entire world will panic and will be stricken with consternation… Israel will also panic and will be confounded.³

Wonders that Compel You to Take Notice

In light of the above, the promise conveyed by the name of the year became even more significant. The phrase, “I will show you wonders,” implies that not only will miracles take place, but that their wondrous nature will be openly revealed. Our Sages consider the possibility that, although a miracle transpires, “the person to whom the miracle occurs does not recognize it.”⁴ In contrast, the nature of the miracles which we will be shown this year will force us to appreciate their wondrous nature.

And on Purim, we saw a climax of such miracles.⁵ The individual who personally threatened the Jewish people was routed entirely, to the point where he had to flee for his own life. The war which was touted to become the most horrible of all wars took far less time and cost far fewer casualties than could ever have been expected. The wondrous nature of these events defies all explanation.

Furthermore, this miraculous sequence did not end with the cessation of the hostilities. Even afterwards, we saw the Iraqis undergo a turnabout that was totally out of character for them, publicly expressing regret for their conduct and returning the prisoners and the property they had taken. Indeed, they returned more prisoners than they were known to be holding.

Focusing our Attention on G‑d’s Hand

Adequate attention is not being paid to these miracles. Although their nature is such that even the popular media throughout the world took note of this miraculous sequence, there is a need for clearer focus. As the impact of the miracles recedes, there is a tendency to offer rationales and explanations for what has happened; i.e., that there were superior arms, superior planning, and the like.

We must publicize that these are miracles which were performed by G‑d and which came as a result of this being a year when “I will show you wonders.” This will lead to a recognition that “sovereignty is the L‑rd’s,”⁶ allowing the nations of the world to recognize and to acknowledge G‑d’s presence. In a complete sense, this awareness cannot come about through bloodshed and destruction, but rather must be taught. By peacefully spreading the message of G‑d’s sovereignty, the Jews will help the nations of the world attain their desired spiritual fulfillment.

This Miraculous Sequence is Not Over

The Jews have no need to fear the aftermath of this war. Indeed, the wonders will continue. We will see even greater miracles, miracles which will cause the gentile nations to acknowledge G‑d’s providence and to recognize that He controls not only the spiritual realms, but even this material world.

Miracles in Our Conduct

May we be able to focus our attention, not on wars between the nations of the world, but rather on the wars of Torah; i.e., on the vigorous debates in which Torah sages sharpen each other’s minds. These are wars which, as our Sages say,⁷ will end in love, as seen in the relationship between the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel.

The miraculous sequence we have witnessed reflects how dearly G‑d loves every Jew. May we appreciate that lesson and reach out to our fellow Jews in love, caringly showing them their place in their Jewish heritage, providing every Jewish child with a Torah education. Similarly, this awareness should motivate us to help our fellow Jews in their material concerns, in particular providing them with their needs for the forthcoming Pesach holiday. The wondrous nature of the present year also demonstrates how — if we dedicate ourselves to these activities — they will produce success which exceeds all possible expectations.

May these activities hasten the fulfillment of the promise in the passage from Yalkut Shimoni cited previously:

[G‑d] will tell His people: “My children, have no fear. Whatever I have done, I have done only for your sake. Why are you afraid? Have no fear: the time for your redemption has arrived!” Mashiach will stand on the roof of the Beis HaMikdash and proclaim, “Humble ones: The time for your redemption has arrived!”

Lubavitcher Rebbe

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Publisher’s Foreword

Our Sages ordained that whenever a person sees a place where miracles occurred to him or to the Jewish people as a whole, he is obligated to recite a blessing.¹ This law reflects one of Judaism’s fundamental ideals — not to be kefui tovah, unappreciative of the favors one has received. In recognition of the miracles G‑d performs, we should express our thanks and praise.

The results of ingratitude can be awesome. Our Sages relate² that G‑d desired that King Chizkiyahu be revealed as the Mashiach. Nevertheless, when he failed to recite a song of praise after the miraculous defeat of Sancheriv and his armies,³ G‑d withheld this from him and from the Jewish people at large.

As the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shlita emphasizes — and has emphasized over the entire course of the past nine months — we have witnessed miracles and, indeed, wonders so great that no one can fail to notice them. These are times of epic proportions; our experiences are of historic import.

As this miraculous sequence continues, it is easy to lose one’s awareness of G‑d’s hand, and to begin to accept today’s events as a matter of course. The Rebbe warns against such complacency, and assures us, moreover, that our acknowledgment of G‑d’s wonders will amplify their effects and lead to new wonders in the near future.

May we see a complete fulfillment of the prophecy, “As in the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show you wonders”⁴ — in these days, the season of the exodus, with the coming of Mashiach.

In each and every generation, a person is obligated to regard himself as if he personally left Egypt… It was not only our ancestors whom the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed; rather, He redeemed us together with them.⁵

The Pesach Seder does not merely commemorate the events of the past. Rather, it offers every individual an active, dynamic experience which brings him to a present awareness of redemption.

We, Too, Witness Miracles

In the midst of this experience, however, a person may ask: How can we compare our individual appreciation of redemption with the redemption of our ancestors? Our ancestors’ redemption from Egypt was accompanied by visible miracles and wonders. Why do we not see miracles like our ancestors did?

The answer is that indeed we do! One of the miracles which accompanied the exodus from Egypt was that G‑d “smote Egypt through their firstborn.”⁶ After Moshe informed Pharaoh that the last of the Ten Plagues would be the slaying of the firstborn, the Egyptians’ firstborn sons demanded he release the Jews. When he refused, the firstborn waged war against him.⁷ This turnabout represented a great miracle: the firstborn — the symbol of the Egyptians’ might — waged war against them for the sake of the Jews.⁸

In this present year, the year in which “I will show you wonders,”⁹ beginning from the days of Purim,¹⁰ we have seen a reenactment of the miracle of “smiting Egypt through their firstborn.” Mitzrayim, Egypt in Hebrew, is related to the word meitzarim which means “cause suffering,” and thus refers to “those who cause suffering to the Jews.”¹¹ The firstborn of Egypt, i.e., the most powerful forces among the gentile nations, struck out against the tyrant who desired to cause suffering to the Jews, weakening his power, humiliating him, and forcing him to carry out all the directives which they dictated to him, beginning from his acknowledgment of regret for his previous conduct.

The Loving Relationship between G‑d and the Jews is Still Vibrant

This miraculous sequence of events cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed. We must realize that it is not only in the distant past that G‑d has worked miracles for the Jewish people. Ancient events like the exodus from Egypt or the Purim miracles of Shushan are not the only examples of our unique relationship with G‑d.

As we have seen, miracles are happening today. Indeed the miracles of Purim this year surpassed those recorded in the Megillah. Those miracles were disguised within the natural order of political intrigue and took several years to unfold. In contrast, the miracles of the present year were openly revealed. Despite the grim forebodings of the international opinionmakers, we ourselves have seen how the enemy of the Jewish people has been routed and humiliated, and furthermore, how that humiliation has continued and increased until the present day.

Purim was just the beginning of his downfall; his descent has continued from day to day, until at present, in the last days of Nissan, the firstborn (the mightiest forces) of the gentiles (i.e., the United Nations) have given him a detailed list of instructions including: a) the return of all captives, which is to be supervised by the U.N. to insure that this commitment is indeed kept, and b) the payment of reparations for all the damages that he caused, according to a fixed timetable. Furthermore, they are compelling him to reveal and to destroy all the weaponry which he has concealed until the present.

What We Can Do

Everyone knows about all these matters because they have been widely publicized by the media. Indeed, we have been thoroughly saturated with reports of the goings on in the Gulf; and in truth, over-saturated. There is a limit to the extent of interest and involvement a person should invest in these events. There is no objective need to investigate all the particulars, to listen precisely to the statements of all the generals, and then to venture a sage opinion on strategy and tactics.

A person’s energies should be directed into areas in which they bear fruit. For in truth, a Jew’s direct effect on global crises is very limited. How can he have an effect? By reciting a chapter of Tehillim or by increasing his study of the Torah and enhancing his performance of its mitzvos, and doing the latter behiddur, in a beautiful and conscientious manner. And most importantly, by studying pnimiyus haTorah — the inner, mystical dimension of the Torah — which prepares the world for Mashiach’s coming. This is where a Jew should devote his energies.

There is, however, positive value in being aware of the above-mentioned current events, for this allows us to appreciate how — not only in the past, but also at present — G‑d works miracles for the sake of the Jewish people. Surely, we will see more wonders of this nature in the future, and, indeed, in the very near future.

There are individuals who have convinced themselves that nothing special is happening, that everything is carrying on in an ordinary manner. We should reach out to such people, and help them open their eyes to G‑d’s wonders. After an honest look at the sequence of events that is unfolding before us, they will surely realize that these are indeed miraculous.

A Present-Day Exodus

There is another dimension to the miraculous sequence of events which is taking place at present that resembles the exodus from Egypt. Our Sages relate that when the Jews asked the Egyptians for gifts in partial payment for the labor of centuries,¹² the Egyptians uncovered all the gold and the silver which they had hidden away and, in fact, forced the Jews to take their treasured property.¹³

Similarly, today, after the enemy of the Jews was routed, he was forced to reveal all his hidden treasures and surrender them to other nations. Among the recipients are generous nations who will employ these resources for positive purposes. These include the granting of assistance to Jews who have in a very real way recently experienced an exodus from Egypt, i.e., the Jews who are leaving Russia to settle in Eretz Yisrael, ensuring them the possibility for a safe and flourishing future, both materially and spiritually.

It is noteworthy that, in addition to the assistance rendered by other nations, the entire Jewish people are extending themselves in helping these Russian Jews settle in Eretz Yisrael. Among those offering this assistance are Jews who previously did not have a visible connection to the Torah and its mitzvos. They are now beginning to develop such a connection by helping other people advance in their observance. No doubt, step by step, they and their families will themselves take a further interest and begin studying the Torah and observing its mitzvos, and do so with happiness and joy.

Why be Embarrassed to Celebrate?

May we be privileged to witness a continuation of this miraculous process. And this will start with our appreciation of the miracles which have happened already — an appreciation so vibrant that we will not be embarrassed to dance in celebration, as befits the overt miracles which we are witnessing every day. Moreover, these miracles will be further amplified when we make an effort to share our awareness of them with others.

This, together with our increase in the study of Torah and the performance of its commandments behiddur, will bring about the time when “the pleasantness of G‑d [i.e., the ultimate satisfaction that will be revealed in the era of Redemption] will be upon us” and “the work of our hands will establish it.”¹⁴ I.e., this revelation will be earned by our own service of G‑d. And may this take place in the immediate future.

Lubavitcher Rebbe

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