Editing Ingathering of the Exiles (section)

== 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:

# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.