We say in the Hagaddah that had Hashem only brought us to Har Sinai and not even given us the Torah, dayenu. The question that bothers all of the Meforsim is obvious: how could it have sufficed for us to have not received the Torah? What occurred at ma’amad Har Sinai that can justify this statement?
The Kol Bo says that at Har Sinai Klal Yisrael reached a level of Adam Harishon before the sin, and their yetzer hara left them. When they witnessed the Shechina openly they were on such a level they could not sin. The Mir Mashgiach, Rav Yeruchum Levovitz zt”l, wrote in Da’as Chachma U’ Mussar (chelek 2:27 omek hagalus) that before the final geula we must feel that Hashem is the Melech of the world as well. In today’s world, this should be very easy.
Hashem set up this world with various concepts on which people can rely. One such example is the concept of malchus. Why should one person control millions of other people? Hashem arranged that people should rely on human malchus in order for us to understand in human terms what malchus is all about, and subsequently begin to appreciate His divine malchus. The bracha that we recite when we see a non-Jewish king is “asher nasan m’kivodo l’basar v’dam – Who gave from His honor to a flesh and blood.” We acknowledge that the malchus of the even the non-Jewish kings comes from Hashem.
Rav Yeruchum continues to say that before the geula, Hashem will take away anything that anyone could possibly think of relying on. This is in order for us to realize that the only thing that we can rely on is Hashem.
Since September 11, 2001, we have entered a new era – the age of global terrorism. This era started with the destruction of the Twin Towers, which was an unprecedented act of terrorism.
What is terrorism? The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos 3:2 says that Rabi Chanina, sigan ha’Kohanim, said that one should be mispallel for the welfare of the malchus, for if people did not fear the malchus, a person would swallow his fellow man alive. We see from the Mishnah that malchus keeps people from killing each other. In other words, malchus ensures that terrorism does not occur. When there is no malchus, we have terrorism.
The Maharal (Chidusei Agados Baba Basra 15b) says that before Moshiach comes, Hashem will remove all of the malchus and seder from the world. This is in order that we will realize that the power of malchus comes from Hashem, and take to heart that He wants to reveal his malchus now, and as a result we will begin to yearn for his malchus and prepare for it.
Who is running the most powerful country in the world today? A man suffering from cognitive decline! A man who cannot remember his top cabinet member’s names and the departments they run. A man who in the opinion of millions of his constituents, has not been properly elected to his position. Millions of Americans believe that the current administration did not actually win the election. And yet they are the ruling the country. But who is ruling? This is not clear. What is clear is that the path they have set this country on is headed for socialism, which as has been proven time and again, will fail.
Just a few weeks ago, this country was so strong, so secure, so economically sound, and now… who knows? Why is Hashem allowing this once great country to decline? The Maharal explains that these events will occur because Hashem wants us to know and feel that He runs the world – not the U.S. president, who is suffering from cognitive decline.
It is time that we take these events to heart, and not assume that it is all a mikreh. We should realize that the events that have taken place are exactly as chazal said would happen. We are living through the era of the removal of malchus, and as a result, the era of terrorism. This realization should awaken us to begin yearning for Hashem’s malchus and prepare for it.
The Gemara in Rosh Hashanah 11a tells us that in Nissan we were redeemed and in Nissan we will be redeemed, may it be His will. We see from the Gemara that Hashem built in to the briah that Nissan is a time for geulah. Therefore, it is not “asking for too much” from Hashem when we daven for the geulah in Nissan.
The Gemara compares the coming of Mashiach to childbirth, where there are often stillbirths and losses. There have been many “b’itos,” i.e. “due dates,” that have produced stillbirths in the past. As we enter the next “due date” of the month of Nissan, may we be zocheh to the birth of a new era; that of the coming of Mashiach tzidkeinu, b’meheirah b’yameinu, amen.