Editing Atchalta D'Geulah (Beginning of Redemption) (section)

== The Midrash and Halacha ==
From several midrashim and Talmudic aggadot in the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud, it appears that the renewal of Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel is the beginning of redemption. In the Gemara in Sanhedrin, the Amora Rabbi Abba states regarding the verse, "But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel" - "There is no more revealed end than this," with Rashi on this passage interpreting it as referring to the flourishing of vegetation in the Land of Israel.

The Rebbe's fundamental approach is that one cannot rely on midrashim and gemaras to establish halacha. The halacha was established by the Rambam, who is the sole authority on matters of redemption, and where others did not disagree with him, it is a sign that they agreed with his words. The Rambam writes in Hilchot Melachim U'Milchamoteihem U'Melech HaMoshiach, Chapter 11, about the order of redemption: "A king will arise from the House of David, immersed in Torah and occupied with mitzvot like David his father, and he will compel all of Israel to follow it and strengthen its observance." This means that redemption will begin with the coming of Moshiach. Only afterward will the stage of ingathering of the exiles occur.

The midrashim and gemaras can be interpreted differently, since the name 'redemption' is a general term—any redemption of an individual or many from trouble is called redemption. Therefore, it's possible that these midrashim speak of redemption, but not of the anticipated final redemption. It is also possible that this follows the words of our Sages that immediately upon the destruction on the Ninth of Av, the savior of Israel was born, and a certain beginning of redemption was created, but after this 'beginning,' the bitter exile only started, and most of the Temple was burned afterward, on the day after the Ninth of Av.

Regarding the words of our Sages about the flourishing of vegetation in the Land of Israel, the Rebbe explains that this is one of the signs indicating that we are at the end of the exile period and near redemption, but not that redemption has already begun. Elsewhere, the Rebbe interpreted these matters according to the inner dimensions of the concepts regarding the spreading of Chassidic teachings, that when the spread of Chassidus in the world is completed, redemption will come—according to the well-known words of Moshiach to the Baal Shem Tov.

There are (certainly very few) who wanted to say that from the Gemara in Sanhedrin: that Hashem establishes 'another David' who will be Moshiach, the reference is to David Ben-Gurion. The Rebbe rejected this ridiculous and shocking claim, as it is simply understood that Moshiach's role is to compel Israel to observe Torah and mitzvot and to restore the completeness of Torah to the Jewish people. It is therefore obvious that David Ben-Gurion, who acted in the opposite direction to sin and cause others to sin, cannot possibly be Moshiach.

Another reason for rejecting this error is that Geulah is not just about the exile of the Jewish people from their land, but also about the lack of Divine revelation and the inability to fulfill all 613 mitzvot. Therefore, as long as this aspect does not begin to return, it cannot be called Atchalta D'Geulah.
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