The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat tells that after a person leaves this world, he will be asked four questions:
1) נשאת ונתת באמונה – whether he dealt honestly with people.
2) קבעת עיתים לתורה – whether he set aside time for Torah learning.
3) עסקת בפריה ורביה – whether he involved himself in building a family.
4) ציפית לישועה – whether he anticipated the final redemption.
As we approach Tisha B’Av, let us take a moment to reflect upon this final question – ציפית לישועה.
The Gemara here makes it very clear that hoping for Mashiah is among our most fundamental obligations, alongside things like honesty, Torah learning, and having children. In fact, one of the Rishonim (the Semak) considers the belief in the arrival of Mashiah as part of the basic mitzvah of emunah. We are commanded to believe in Hashem in the pasuk, אנכי ה' אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים – “I am Hashem your G-d who took you from the land of Egypt.” According to one opinion, this pasuk obligates us to believe that Hashem will redeem us from our current exile just as He redeemed us from Egypt.
In our daily Amidah prayer, there is just one blessing in which we ask for livelihood (ברך עלינו), and just one blessing in which we ask for health (רפאנו). But there are several blessings in which we pray for Mashiah (בונה ירושלים, את צמח דוד). When the Rabbis composed the text of the Amidah, they placed a great deal of emphasis on yearning for the rebuilding of the Bet Ha’mikdash.
The Midrash teaches that tragedies befell Beneh Yisrael during the time of King David because they were not concerned enough about building the Bet Ha’mikdash. The people were punished because it did not bother them enough that the Bet Ha’mikdash was not yet built.
Why is this so important? Why is ציפית לישועה such a crucial obligation?
Every parent has heard his or her child use the “everybody/nobody” argument. When a parent forbids something, the child says, “But everybody does it.” When a parent requires something, the child says, “But nobody does it.”
I hear adults using the “everybody/nobody” argument, too. The funny thing is, I’ve heard it in opposite directions. Some people say, “Everybody goes to classes in the summer,” and I’ve heard, “Nobody goes to classes in the summer.” I’ve heard, “Everybody keeps Shabbat nowadays,” and I’ve heard, “Nobody keeps Shabbat nowadays.” I’ve heard, “Everyone is on their phones Shabbat afternoon,” and I’ve heard, “Nobody is on their phones Shabbat afternoon.” I’ve heard, “Everybody has great marriages nowadays,” and I’ve heard, “Nobody has good marriages nowadays.”
It all depends on who your “everybody” is. Some people’s “everybody” all go to classes during the summer, and other people’s “everybody” do not. Some people’s “everybody” would never think to use their phones on Shabbat, and other people’s “everybody” regularly use their phones on Shabbat.
The obligation of ציפית לישועה is meant to put us with the right “everybody.” It is intended to make us part of the “everybody” who care deeply about spirituality, for whom Torah and mitzvot are a priority, who want to come close to Hashem. If this is our “everybody,” then we are bothered by the fact that we do not have a Bet Ha’mikdash to help us come closer to Hashem.
Whenever we hear ourselves excusing ourselves from certain things, or allowing ourselves to do certain things, because “everybody does it,” we need to ask ourselves who our “everybody” is. Are these people of ציפית לישועה, who are concerned about spirituality, for whom Hashem is important? If they aren’t, then what “everybody does” should not matter, because this is not the “everybody” whose example we should be following.
We need to carefully think about whom we associate with, whom we identify with, who our “everybody” is. If our “everybody” are people who care about Hashem, then we will strive to do what “everybody” does – pray and yearn that the Bet Ha’mikdash will be rebuilt speedily and in our days, so we will be able to build the closest possible connection to Hashem.