The Rebbe's Rambam | Marking the completion of the entire set

Hilchos Melachim | Ch 11

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denies even the Torah and Moshe Rabbeinu. For the Torah testifies about him, as it states: “The L-rd your G-d will return your captives and bestow mercy upon you, and return you and gather you from all the nations . . . where He scattered you. Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the L-rd your G-d will gather you … The L-rd your G-d will bring you to the land . . . that your ancestors inherited .” These are the statements explicitly articulated in the Torah, which encompass all the statements that were spoken of by all the prophets. [109][110][111] [112] In the Torah’s section on Bilaam, it

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 complete observance of all mitzvos. Accordingly, this is also an integral part of our halachic obligation to believe in him and await his coming; we must not only await the redemption, but also the complete observ ance of mitzvos which will come in its wake. Likkutei Sichos vol. 18 pg. 278, vol. 22 pg. 77 109. “In the Torah’s section on Bilaam, it refers to Moshiach as well” This is the Rambam’s second proof that Moshiach is a precept discussed in the Torah itself. He seems to indicate that this proof contributes a unique point — that the Torah discusses not only the general redemp tion, but also the “two Moshiachs.” What is so crucial about this idea? One may suggest that it serves to strengthen our belief in Moshiach: the knowledge that the first has already appeared provides precedence to, and strength ens our belief in, Moshiach’s ultimate arrival. 351 How ever, this doesn’t seem to fully explain the matter, being that the Rambam here focuses not on the very fact of Moshiach’s coming, but rather on the evidence of Moshiach in Torah. If so, what is unique about these verses? The explanation: .353 íéëìî 'ìä ùéø ìéòì àáåä .à ,æ á"ù) "åéáéåà ìëî áéáñî åì çéðä 'äå" .(á"ä .354 .â"ä ç"áäéá 'ìä ùéø í"áîøä åàéáä .à ,áë íù .èë çë à"äã äàø ç"áäéá ïéðá ìù åæ äåöî ïîæ :âñ÷ ò"î â"îñ äàøå .à"òñ ,è äèåñ äàøå

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Pardes Hamelech

As explained in Segment 1, the placement of Hilchos Melachim at the end of Mishneh Torah emphasizes that the fulfillment of this mitzvah — to appoint a Jewish king — is the culmination of the entirety of Torah’s laws. Consequently, it follows that the placement of the laws discussing Moshiach — at the end of Hilchos Melachim — indicate that this emphasis applies to Moshiach as well. In other words, the Rambam is indicating that the function of Moshiach, according to halachah, is similar to that of a Jewish king in general: to reinstate the complete fulfillment of mitzvos. This is an integral part of the belief in Moshiach; he will not only (1) redeem the Jewish nation from exile, but also (2) bring a sense of completion to the observance of Torah and mitzvos. This mandate was fulfilled for the first time by David Hamelech; he ruled over the entire Jewish nation, 352 fully conquered Eretz Yisrael, 353 and began the building of the Beis Hamikdash. 354 This is reason the Rambam cites these verses: The verses mentioned earlier tell us that Moshiach will (1) bring redemption, but these verses tell us that he will (2) continue the mandate of the “first Moshiach” and bring back the complete fulfillment of mitzvos. Likkutei Sichos vol. 18 pg. 271 .351 íéé÷úéù øåøá ,íéé÷úä øáë äàåáðä éöçù ïåéëîù ,úö÷ à"åàá åà .(úåëî 'ñî íåéñ ã"ò ¯ .ïàë í"áîøì øôñ úéø÷) åàåìéîá .352 úåëìîä éøäå úåëìî øúëá äëæ ãåã çùîðù ïåéë :æ"ä à"ô ìéòì äàø .è"ä íù .'åë