אות - קכו

On the night of Motza'ai Shabbas of Shabbas Teshuvah in the year 5570 they spoke about Mashiach (256). For it was widely proclaimed that they said he would come that year. And his view did not incline toward this. And he said then: before Mashiach comes there will not be just one person who will cry out about faith — for several Tzadikim who will exist then will cry out in a great voice about faith, as I do today, until their throats are hoarse (in German he said: "ein rasn di keyle") and it will be of no avail. And what is written (Isaiah 4:3): "All who are left in Zion and remain in Jerusalem — holy shall be said of them." And our Sages o.b.m. said (Bava Basra 75b): that they will say "holy" before the Tzadikim — this is literally as its plain meaning. For certainly the Tzadikim who will remain then and strengthen themselves and remain in their holy faith — they will be worthy of having even more than this said before them. Since they will remain standing in faith and will not allow themselves to fall and err, Heaven forbid, following the world. And there will be many false famous men and leaders. And there is no doubt that at that time there will not be found a gathering like ours today — where there are found several people who gather together who truly wish to hear the word of Hashem. And even if there will be some righteous ones in the generation, they will be scattered. He answered and said: "Write this as a memorial in the book" — so that those who come in the days ahead will know that there was already one who knew this beforehand, and they will know to strengthen themselves in faith in Him blessed He and in His true Tzadikim (257).

256. RAK: In the year 5570, Shabbas Shuvah fell on the 6th of Tishrai. See Sichos Moharan, Service of Hashem, 84.

257. RAK: See above 35. See below 220.