Ingathering of the Exiles

The ingathering of the exiles is one of the goals of redemption, the content of which is that during the time of redemption, Jews from all over the world will gather and come to the Land of Israel. In this ingathering, not a single Jew will remain in exile, even the most distant one - unlike other redemptions (like the redemption from Egypt) where not everyone was redeemed.

Sources in the Tanach

The Tanach mentions several times the prophecy about the process of redemption - that all the Jewish people scattered in exile, even the most distant ones, will be gathered by Hashem to the Land of Israel. The Torah brings the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu:

"Then Hashem your G-d will return your captivity... and He will return and gather you from all the nations where Hashem your G-d has scattered you. If your dispersed ones are at the ends of the heavens, from there Hashem your G-d will gather you and from there He will take you.." — Devarim 30:3-4

The books of the Prophets are also full of this matter, as the Prophet Yeshayahu states:

"And it shall be on that day, Hashem will set His hand again the second time to acquire the remnant of His people, and He will raise a banner to the nations, and He will gather the dispersed of Israel, and the scattered ones of Yehudah He will gather from the four corners of the earth."

The Prophet Amos also prophesies about this in his prophecies:

"And I will return the captivity of My people Israel, and they will build desolate cities and settle... And I will plant them upon their land, and they will no longer be uprooted from their land."

Its Time

Before or After the Building of the Beis HaMikdash

The Sages disagree about the exact timing of the ingathering of the exiles: some say it will happen after the building of the Beis HaMikdash, and some place the ingathering of the exiles before the building of the Beis HaMikdash:

Differences of Opinion

According to the Midrash: "It is a tradition of Aggadah that Jerusalem will not be built until the exiles are gathered... as it is said: 'Hashem builds Jerusalem, (because) He gathers the dispersed of Israel.'" This opinion is somewhat implied in the Gemara in Tractate Megillah, where the order of blessings in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer is explained, and there the prayer of 'Blow the shofar' dealing with the ingathering of exiles precedes the prayer of 'And to Jerusalem Your city' dealing with the building of the Beis HaMikdash.

On the other hand, in the Zohar, Chazal emphasized that the building of the Beis HaMikdash will precede the ingathering of exiles. The verse "Hashem builds Jerusalem, He gathers the dispersed of Israel" is interpreted there in its order, that first "Hashem builds Jerusalem," and only afterward "He gathers the dispersed of Israel." This opinion is implied in the Gemara in Tractate Sukkah, which discusses Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai's ordinance not to eat new grain on the 16th of Nissan, lest the Beis HaMikdash be built the day before on the 15th. Also in Tractate Berachos, Rashi explains the words of the Gemara according to this approach.

According to Halacha

According to halacha, the Rambam ruled in Hilchos Melachim: "The King Moshiach... builds the Beis HaMikdash and gathers the dispersed of Israel," "a king will arise from the House of David... and he will build the Beis HaMikdash in its place and gather the dispersed of Israel." According to the Rambam's principles, one can learn halachos even from the order of his words, and therefore according to the Rambam, first the Beis HaMikdash will be built and only afterward will he gather the dispersed of Israel.

This ruling was also established by the Rebbe Rashab in his holy letter, where he bases the approach that the building of the Beis HaMikdash precedes the ingathering of exiles also according to Chassidic teachings - since the order is from below to above, meaning that the building of the Beis HaMikdash (and Jerusalem) are the perfection of Z"a and the elevation of Malchus; and afterward comes the ingathering of exiles and the resurrection of the dead, which concern is the illumination of Kesser in Binah. According to this explanation in Chassidus, the building of the Third Beis HaMikdash is the main aspect of redemption, and it will include within it all the virtues of the goals of redemption, which will be revealed afterward each in its time - the ingathering of exiles, and the perfection in the resurrection of the dead.

Some Reconciliations Between the Opinions

The Rebbe discussed this question several times and presented several possibilities to decide:

1. Although spiritually there is room for both opinions, the practical decision will be - as in every dispute - by the ruling of the earthly Beis Din.
2. The discussion of what comes first - the building of the Beis HaMikdash or the ingathering of exiles - is a discussion of whose virtue is higher: if the building of the Beis HaMikdash comes first - the ingathering of exiles will be more elevated, as it is done by the power of the spiritual illumination of the Beis HaMikdash; and if the ingathering of exiles comes first - the building of the Beis HaMikdash will be more elevated, as it is built after the completion of the gathering of all Israel. And the decision in the Zohar and the Rambam that the building of the Beis HaMikdash comes first emphasizes the virtue of the Jewish people - who forgo the virtue in the Beis HaMikdash in order to add to the virtue of the gathering of the Jewish people.
3. Nevertheless, the Rebbe raises the possibility that the ruling in the Rambam is only what is necessary according to halacha, but in a case where Israel merits, the order will be that first there will be the ingathering of exiles and only afterward will the Beis HaMikdash be built, in the ultimate perfection.
4. The Rebbe brings another possibility for reconciliation, that since there are many levels in the building of Jerusalem and the ingathering of exiles, one above the other, both orders can exist - after the exiles are gathered there will be an elevation in the Beis HaMikdash that was built before it, and after that an elevation in the ingathering of exiles, and so on in elevation after elevation.

Instructions in Divine Service from All Approaches

From both opinions the Rebbe teaches an instruction in divine service: The building of the Beis HaMikdash symbolizes the work of turning physical things into a sanctuary for Hashem, and the ingathering of exiles symbolizes a person's dealing with himself, gathering his powers for divine service. The order of placing the ingathering of exiles before the building of the Beis HaMikdash symbolizes the necessity for a person to work on himself before beginning to deal with correcting matters of the world - "Adorn yourself and then adorn others"; and the order of placing the building of the Beis HaMikdash before the ingathering of exiles symbolizes a special order, that sometimes one must deal with correcting the world even before working on oneself.

By the King Messiah

There exists a discussion regarding the actual ingathering - by whom it will be done. From various midrashim expounded by our Sages, it can be inferred that the ingathering of the exiles will not necessarily be performed by the King Messiah.

On the other hand, many prophecies attribute the destiny of the ingathering of the exiles to the King Messiah. This was also established in many midrashim of our Sages, in the Gemara, in the Zohar, and so it is according to the teachings of Kabbalah. The Rambam also ruled as halacha that the ingathering of the exiles will be performed by Moshiach.

About the Destiny

Our Sages say that the day of the ingathering of the exiles is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created, since only then does creation achieve its purpose. This is also expressed in the fact that the Shechinah will return to dwell only at the completion of the process of the ingathering of exiles. Our Sages learn this from the verse: "And Hashem your G-d will return your captivity" - that the Holy One, blessed be He (the Shechinah) returns together with them from among the exiles.

For this reason (that this process will be done by the Holy One, blessed be He), the ingathering will be complete and no Jew will be left behind. Our Sages learn this from the verse: "And you shall be gathered one by one, O children of Israel." Rashi on the verse explains that "great is the day of the ingathering of exiles, and with difficulty, as if He Himself needs to literally take each one by the hand, each person from their place."

In Chassidic Teaching

In a letter of the Rebbe Rashab, the concept of the ingathering of exiles is explained according to Chassidic teaching, in the inner dimensions: The Holy One, blessed be He, scattered lights at the level of Tikkun - kindnesses, in order for them to refine the lights at the level of Tohu - severities. This also alludes to Israel refining the world, and in the future when all the severities will be refined and included in the kindnesses, and then the kindnesses will have completed their role, the Holy One, blessed be He, will gather all the lights of kindness (which allude to Israel).

Our Deeds and Our Service

Ingathering of Exiles Spiritually - Refinement of Sparks

Our Sages said: "The Holy One, blessed be He, performed an act of charity with Israel by scattering them among the nations," and it is explained that through "scattering them among the nations," it becomes easier to refine sparks. Since the purpose of exile, "scattering them among the nations," is for the refinement of sparks, it follows that the work of refining sparks is preparation for the coming of Moshiach, and through each and every spark that is refined, we bring the coming of Moshiach closer. It is known that the work of refining sparks is the spiritual aspect of "ingathering of exiles," and this is also the preparation for the physical ingathering of exiles.

Through Learning Mishnayot (The Opposite of the Causes of Exile)

Our Sages said: "All these exiles will only be gathered in the merit of Mishnayot."

The reason that the ingathering of exiles is specifically through Mishnayot is because it is understood that in order for there to be an ingathering of exiles, the causes that led to exile must be removed and corrected.

Our Sages have informed us (1) that the cause that led to the destruction of the First Temple was - that they did not bless the Torah first. That is, even though they were constantly engaged in Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, who knows the depths of the heart, explained that it was not important in their eyes, that they were not engaged in it for its own sake, meaning they did not follow it (as the prophet said) in its intention and for its own sake, and because of this the land was lost, the Temple was destroyed, etc.

(2) And the cause of the destruction of the Second Temple was the sin of baseless hatred (measure for measure: scattered and separated among the nations - through the separation that was between them).

Therefore, in order for Israel to merit the ingathering of exiles, there must be: (1) That they bless the Torah, that it should be important in their eyes. (2) Unity of the separated, the opposite of baseless hatred - separation of the united.

And these two conditions are fulfilled in the study of Mishnah:

Because the Mishnah deals with practical halachic rulings and needs to be understood, and in all this (2) we see unity, the opposite of baseless hatred, because everyone agrees with everything stated in it, and there are no differences of opinion - therefore whoever errs in a matter of Mishnah returns. And through this itself that all agree to one law, even though their opinions are not the same, they show (1) that the Holy One, blessed be He, is the one who gave us His Torah, and one Torah for Israel, one nation.

By Bringing Another Jew Closer

To bring closer other Jews who did not merit to receive an appropriate Jewish education, and to return them to their true essence in life - Torah and mitzvot. Because this is similar to "and you shall be gathered one by one."

Unity

Because from this final exile not even one Jew will remain in exile, therefore the work to bring about this state is to unite all types of the children of Israel from one extreme to the other, from the category of "creatures" to "great ones of Israel."

Gather the People

Through the work of Hakhel, to gather another Jew, even if he is a "dispersed one," this causes the Holy One, blessed be He, to "gather the dispersed of His people Israel."

The Service of Prayer

Through the service of prayer, a personal redemption is effected.

Compilations

Through gathering all Torah innovations... you shall be gathered.

Beginning of the Fulfillment of the Destiny

Extended Article - Fall of the Soviet Union

This chapter is incomplete. Please contribute to Chabadpedia and complete it. There may be details on the discussion page.

The Rebbe announced that a sample, example, and preparation for the fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the Ingathering of the Exiles has already begun in practice, with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Jews from the Soviet Union to freedom. Additionally, freedom was granted in all matters related to Judaism, Torah, and mitzvos.

Even the non-Jews themselves are helping Jews to ascend to Eretz Yisroel, as it is written "And they shall bring all your brethren," and this is another detail that is already happening, which is written that it will be so during the Ingathering of the Exiles.

See Also

• The Ten Tribes

Further Reading

• If Your Dispersed Will Be... From There He Will Gather You, sayings from our Rebbes regarding the Ingathering of the Exiles, Beis Moshiach Weekly 22 Elul 5780, page 10

External Links

• When Exactly Will the Ingathering of the Exiles Take Place?
• Ingathering of the Exiles - Only Through Moshiach!
• All Articles on the Topic of Geulah and Moshiach
• All Information About: Ingathering of the Exiles
• Ingathering of the Exiles - Fundamental Article on the Topic