The Famous Sicha
The Rebbe gave a famous talk on the 28th of Nissan 5751 (1991), in which he expressed his pain about the indifference regarding bringing Moshiach, and placed responsibility on the listeners to act for his coming: "The only thing I can still do is hand this over to each of you - do everything in your power to bring Moshiach in actual reality." Later, the Rebbe referred to this talk as "The Famous Talk," and since then this name has spread among Chabad Chassidim as the title for this discourse.
The talk caused great awakening among the Chassidim regarding bringing the redemption, and continues to serve as a prominent topic in Chabad discourse from various aspects of discussing its meaning and how to fulfill its demands. Many initiatives and actions regarding hastening the redemption were done in its wake, some of which received positive responses and encouragement from the Rebbe.
Background
From the day he assumed leadership, the Rebbe announced that our generation would merit the redemption. Our work is to act to hasten the redemption through fulfilling Torah and mitzvos, particularly spreading Judaism and its teachings. Gradually, throughout his years of leadership, the Rebbe increasingly raised the expectation for redemption and increasingly encouraged and pushed to do the maximum to bring it. Over the years, the Rebbe often quoted Maimonides regarding every person's obligation to act, even with a small deed, which has the power to bring redemption: "Every person should see themselves throughout the year as half meritorious and half guilty, and so too the whole world is half meritorious and half guilty... One who performs one mitzvah tips themselves and the entire world to the side of merit, and brings salvation and rescue to themselves and others."
Approaching the year 5751 (1991), the Rebbe announced that the Hebrew letters of this year stand for "This will be a year I will show wonders," in the language of the verse prophesying the future redemption: "As in the days of your exodus from Egypt, I will show wonders." Later, when the Persian Gulf conflict began and the Gulf War broke out in its wake, the Rebbe called not to fear and promised that this war would have great miracles. The Rebbe emphasized that the war events were an exact fulfillment of the Midrash in Yalkut Shimoni about the "year that King Moshiach is revealed."
After the war ended - in the months of Adar and Nissan 5751 - the Rebbe called to contemplate the revealed miracles that occurred in it, and explained that they were even greater than the miracles of Purim. In a general audience on the 26th of Nissan, two days before giving the Famous Talk, the Rebbe extensively explained the revealed miracles seen in this period, both in the Gulf War and in additional events - such as the dissolution of the Soviet Union - and explained that a Jew needs to recognize these miracles, "until he is not embarrassed to break out in dance because of the revealed miracles!"
Two days later - on Thursday night, the eve of the 28th of Nissan 5751, after communal evening prayers with the Chassidim - the Rebbe gave the Famous Talk from the prayer platform.
Content of the Talk
The Rebbe opened the talk by explaining the day's significance while emphasizing its connection to redemption: The year 5751 - whose letters stand for "This will be a year I will show wonders," hinting to wonders that will occur in the redemption; in this year itself in the month of Nissan - about which our Sages said: "In Nissan they were redeemed and in Nissan they will be redeemed," in this month itself on the 27th day which is three times three times three - hinting to a strengthening in the matter of the month (redemption), and in this itself a triple strengthening; the night of the 28th of the month - meaning strength and power; the 12th day of the Omer - corresponding to the number of tribes; the night of the 13th of the Omer - numerically equivalent to "one," hinting to G-d's unity that will be revealed in the redemption; and so he detailed the virtues of the coming days.
Then the Rebbe continued and said:
"Based on what was said above about emphasizing the matter of redemption (especially) at this time - a very great wonder arises: How is it possible that despite all these matters - they still haven't brought about the coming of our righteous Moshiach in actual reality?!... Something that is completely incomprehensible!
And an additional wonder - that ten (and many tens) of Jews gather together, and at an auspicious time regarding redemption, and nevertheless, they are not making noise to bring about Moshiach's immediate coming, and it is not impossible for them, Heaven forbid, that Moshiach won't come tonight, and also tomorrow Moshiach won't come, and also the day after tomorrow our righteous Moshiach won't come, Heaven forbid!!
Even when they cry out 'Until when' - it is only because of the command etc., and if they had intended and requested and cried out truthfully, certainly and certainly Moshiach would have already come!!
What else can I do so that all Jews will make noise and cry out truthfully and act to bring Moshiach in actuality, after everything that has been done until now has not helped, and the proof is that we are still in exile, and moreover - in an inner exile regarding matters of divine service.
The only thing I can do - is hand over the matter to you: Do everything in your power - matters that are in a way of 'lights of Tohu,' but in 'vessels of Tikun' - to bring our righteous Moshiach immediately in actual reality!
...And I have done my part, and from here on you do everything in your power.
May it be G-d's will that there be found among you one, two, three, who will devise a plan what to do and how to do it, and moreover - and this is the main thing - that they will act to bring about the true and complete redemption in actual reality, immediately and literally."
During the talk, the Rebbe used stronger expressions, with the strongest being - that instead of the words "has not helped," the Rebbe said "I don't know what to do, since everything I have done until today was in vain and for nothing."
The conversation and strong expressions shocked the audience, and the echoes of the storm that followed were felt throughout the Jewish world.
Immediately after the talk, all those present spontaneously erupted in cries of "Ad Mosai" (Until when) which later turned into singing the tune 'Ad Mosai', as well as cries of "Moshiach Now." Rabbi Shneiur Zalman Gourary, who stood beneath the Rebbe's platform, was among the first to receive a dollar for tzedakah after the talk, and when the Rebbe gave him the dollar, he commented on the words: "It did not touch and did not harm."
When Rabbi Chaim Baruch Halberstam who managed WLCC released the recording of the talk, it was played over and over again in 770. That night, meetings and farbrengens were held in 770 in an attempt to understand exactly what the Rebbe meant in his demand during the talk. The next day - Friday, when it is customary each week to go out for Mivtza Tefillin - tanks went out to reinforce the activity and spread the topic of geulah. On the report of the tanks' activities, the Rebbe replied: "Received with thanks and may the action continue and increase, and the time is appropriate and the matter. I will mention it at the tziyun (grave)."
During Friday, the edited talk was released from the Rebbe.
In Eretz Yisrael, the talk was heard on Friday morning, and by the onset of Shabbat, news of it had spread, and it was decided to hold an emergency gathering in Beit Menachem synagogue in Kfar Chabad for all Chabad chassidim in the country. At this gathering too, rabbis and mashpiim spoke in an attempt to understand the Rebbe's intention.
The Rebbe Returns and Transfers the Responsibility
Many became confused following the talk, fearing that the Rebbe had seemingly given up on the matter of Moshiach, or that he might stop his activities and leadership of the chassidim. In light of this, there were attempts to approach the Rebbe again and again to ask him to act on the matter.
At the farbrengen on the following Shabbat, Parshat Shemini, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh stood up between the talks and called out that since "a tzaddik decrees and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills," they request that the Rebbe decree that the geulah come immediately. The Rebbe began the next talk by emphasizing that there is no place to impose the work of bringing Moshiach on him, but rather this is the personal work of each individual:
"Instead of taking advantage of this opportunity... for everyone to decide for themselves what they must do, they are using it to search for new work for me...
I have enough work, and there is no need to impose more work on me; what I need to do, I know myself... and regarding bringing the geulah - I know myself what I need to do, and I am doing in this as much as I can, and after everything that has been done until now, it has not helped to bring Moshiach in actuality (and this is not the place to discuss the reason for this).
And therefore - there is no place to use the time of the farbrengen to look for new roles for me and to impose more work on me... I forgo the favor, and it would be better if everyone would decide what they need to do.
And as I said and emphasized that the mission is upon you to do everything in your power - that each person needs to begin to act themselves to bring the geulah!"
Also during the dollar distribution on the following Sunday, 30 Nissan, the Rebbe spoke in this spirit with some of those passing by - that they should focus on their personal work and not place the responsibility on the Rebbe.
The Rebbe answered in this style to letters sent to him containing requests and demands that the Rebbe reveal himself: To a letter from Rabbi Gershon Mendel Garelik and Chabad chassidim from Milan, Italy, who wrote that they "demand with all strength and chutzpah that the Rebbe reveal himself," the Rebbe replied: "This is not at all what was discussed, but rather a response based on intellect to what I spoke clearly, and in all the above-mentioned there is not even a single word of response. Since others also 'answer' in this way, it is clear that they do not have even a single word of response. And why should I trouble them, Heaven forbid, and let them serve Hashem with joy and good heart, and Hashem will grant them success. I will mention at the tziyun." Similarly, to a letter and signatures in this style sent by Rabbi Shneur Zalman Blumenfeld from Peru, the Rebbe responded to the words "all deadlines have passed": "All this is my claims and repeating the claims is not a response at all. I will mention at the tziyun."
Rabbi Tuvia Peles and Rabbi Zushe Rivkin sent the Rebbe a plane ticket to Eretz Yisrael several days after the talk was given. In response, the Rebbe instructed them to return the plane tickets and wrote that: "This is not at all what was discussed, as is even more obvious."