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

Hilchos Melachim | Ch 12

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Pardes Hamelech

is enumerated in Hilchos Teshuvah first: the removal of sickness. 2. Hilchos Melachim adds that there be an absence of jealousy and competition, which is omitted in Hilchos Teshuvah . 3. Hilchos Melachim uses the phenomenon of abun dant goodness as a reason for the absence of jealousy; in Hilchos Teshuvah , it is enumerated as an unrelated point, and the absence of things that prevent our Torah observance is described as being specially ‘removed’ by Hashem. 4. Hilchos Melachim adds that there will be an abundance of delicacies , in addition to the abundance of goodness; why are delicacies not included in ‘goodness,’ and why is it not mentioned in Hilchos Teshuvah ? Additionally, there are several intricacies in the Rambam’s language here which require explanation: 1. The difference between ‘goodness’ and ‘delicacies’: goodness will abundantly flow, whereas delicacies will be commonplace , without emphasis on who makes them available. 2. “Commonplace as dust ”: why the poetic descrip tion? The explanation: In Hilchos Teshuvah , the Rambam discusses an era before the coming of Moshiach; here, he discusses the era of Moshiach itself. The difference: Moshiach is an era during which the Torah and its laws will be complete. This includes not only their complete observance, but also their complete effect on the physical world; the entire world will be perfectly aligned with the Torah’s laws prescribed for it. 505 Consequently, there will be no sickness: the Ram bam elsewhere enumerates the details of a healthy lifestyle, after which he guarantees that whoever follows it will never get sick. 506 In the era of Moshiach, when everyone will be aligned with everything written in the Torah, this guarantee will definitely hold true. The Rambam therefore does not need to specify the ab sence of sickness. In Hilchos Teshuvah , which discusses an earlier era, this will not necessarily be the case; some may still not

158. Halachah 5 As explained in Segment 183, 502 the Rambam in this halachah hints to a later era within the era of Moshiach, during which the world will be elevated to a spiritual, miraculous state. In that light, we can explain the difference of terminology between this halachah and the previous ones: In Halachah 4, the Rambam spelled out why the righteous Jews wanted Moshiach: “…so that they merit the world-to-come.” In this halachah, however, no reason is given; just the facts are stated. This reflects the fact that this halachah discusses a later era, when the mitzvos, and Jewish observance in general, will be of loftier nature. To explain: The word “mitzvah” literally means “command ment.” A commandment requires the existence of an independent entity who is commanded to perform the mitzvah. However, when Moshiach comes, we will become so unified with Hashem and His Will that there will be no commandment; our entity will instinc tively perform Hashem’s will. 503 In a state of such unification with the Divine, no reason or purpose for observance needs to be offered; it will simply be self-understood. This is why the Rambam, in this halachah, states no reason for wanting Moshiach; this refers to a time when the mitzvos themselves will be the purpose, and not a means to an end. Siyum HaRambam 5752. Sefer Hasichos pg. 34 159. “And at that time, there will be…” In Hilchos Teshuvah , the Rambam also seems to describes this era: “He promised us in the Torah that . . . He will remove from us all those things that prevent us from fulfilling it, such as illness and war and hunger and the like, and will abundantly provide us all with the goodness that enables us to fulfill the Torah . . . so that we not occupy ourselves . . . with the needs of the body, rather, that we sit free to study wisdom…” 504 There are several differences between these two descriptions which require explanation: 1. Hilchos Melachim makes no mention of that which

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.502 .103 'ò à"ç à"ùðú úåçéùä øôñ .503 .ä"ëä é"ô íéàìë 'ìä êìîä ñãøôá íâ äæá äëåøàá äàøå .504 .à"ä è"ô äáåùú 'ìä