28 Adar: From Below to Above
FROM BELOW AND ABOVE
R. Eliezer taught, “If Israel repents, they will be redeemed….” R. Yehoshua replied to him, “Even if they don’t repent on their own, G-d will induce them to repent as He did with Haman and his decrees.”
(See Talmud, Sanhedrin 97b)
It is disputed in the Talmud whether Moshiach’s coming depends on our initiation or if G-d will “force” us into bringing the Redemption. However, after the Giving of the Torah, every Jew desires to follow the Torah and desires the Redemption. Therefore, even if G-d initiates the process, we will still be acting with complete sincerity.
Therefore, we must do all that we can do to bring Moshiach, but we also must ask G-d to initiate the process and do all that He can do to hasten the Redemption.
Igeres Kodesh vol. 1 pgs. 116-7
