Yesterday we spoke about the negative impact of looking for signs and Simanim that Mashiach is coming, and how that can backfire.
The following is beautiful story as told directly by my father-in-law, Rabbi Nosson Scherman shlita, about Rav Yaakov Kaminetzsky:
Before Rabbi Yaakov came to Torah V’Daas, he was a Rav in Toronto.
Between his house and his shul, there was a candy store, owned by a Jew, which was open 365 days a year. The man didn’t even go to shul on Yom Kippur, and the store was open.
Whenever Rav Yaakov went to shul on Shabbat, he made it a point to walk a different way, in order to avoid walking past that store, so the man would not be mechallel Shabbat in the presence of a frum Jew.
One day, the man came to Rabbi Yaakov‘s house. It was the year 1942, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe z’l, had said that Mashiach would be coming that year.
The man entered the house quite nervously, and asked Rav Yaakov if it was true that Mashiach was really coming.
Rav Yaakov said, “ Don’t be afraid, Mashiach is not coming.”
The man left the house relieved.
The Rebbitzen then said to the Rabbi, “A shoemaker doesn’t talk like that, how could you say that Mashiach is not coming? How could a Jew say that?”
Rav Yaakov answered, “This man doesn’t believe in anything. He doesn’t even close his store on Yom Kippur (even nonreligious Jews always went to shul on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur). He doesn’t believe in anything. But he believes there will be a Mashiach. So if Mashiach comes, and I am wrong, of course, I will be very happy! I wish Mashiach would come today.
But if Mashiach does not come, this man will stop believing in Mashiach. He won’t even have that any more. So I told him not to worry, Mashiach is not coming.”
The point of the story is the negative impact these sings can have, which I have lived through many a time, even back to when I was in the tenth grade on Mirrer Yeshiva.
There was a certain calculation made by the Chafetz Chaim regarding the calendar, and he was unclear about something. But he said, “Don’t worry, by the time that year comes, Mashiach will be here.”
Of course, the Chafetz Chaim meant that it was such a long time in the future, that in his mind, by then, for sure Mashiach would be here.
But sure enough, everyone thought that was it. Mashiach would be coming this year..
We didn’t even study for the Regent because Mashiach was coming.
He didn’t come.
When you have these signs over and over again, and they don’t come true, it backfires because people start to lose faith.
We are supposed to believe that Mashiach is coming every day. Simanim shouldn’t make or break that belief.
And what about all of those Simanim that didn’t come true?
Rabbi Scherman explains…
Many great people over the centuries, Rav Sadya Gaon, even the Rambam, have said that you should not make Simanim that Mashiach is coming… but, when the Jews of Teman were threatened with death unless they converted to Islam or left the country, Rambam wrote them a letter of encouragement, and included a time by which he thought Mashiach would come.
And, Mashiach didn’t come…
This has occurred in more recent times as well. The Malbim supposedly said that Mashiach would come at a certain year and it didn’t happen.
What it really means is, as great people have said and written,
There are certain times that are more Mesugal/possible or appropriate for Mashiach to come, but we have to deserve it.
The time came, Mashiach rang the doorbell, so to speak, but we didn’t answer the door.
When they give a time for Mashiach to come, it could be that this time is more likely than at some other time, but we have to deserve it.
If we don’t let him in, then he won’t be here.
Have a wonderful day.