Anticipating Mashiach’s imminent arrival, the Chofetz Chaim used every opportunity to discuss it and every Jew’s duty to hasten the redemption
The repercussions of the 17th-century Shabbetai Tzvi catastrophe were felt across the Jewish world for more than two centuries. The trauma associated with the infamous false messiah spared nobody, and even the greatest of gedolim were viewed with suspicion when they publicly displayed any sort of messianic fervor.
By the 20th century, such fears had dissipated somewhat, save for the occasional misguided newspaper editor — in this case, the Minneapolis-based American Jewish World, which, in a misguided story titled “Another Sabbatai Zevi?” wrote as follows: “Vilna reports that the Tzaddik of Radin has prophesied the coming of the Messiah in the near future, and a course has been instituted at the yeshivah on methods of preparing for the coming of the Messiah.”
Anticipating Mashiach’s imminent arrival, the Chofetz Chaim used every opportunity to discuss it and every Jew’s duty to hasten the redemption. Toward the end of his life, his speech was constantly laced with such references. Talmidim of Radin even recalled how, when the Chofetz Chaim heard a noise while walking in the street, he would look up longingly to ask, “Mashiach?”
The Chofetz Chaim also stressed the importance of studying Seder Kodshim in depth, so that with Mashiach’s arrival there would be individuals proficient in its halachos. Toward that end, he established a Kollel Kodshim in Radin where aspiring rabbinic scholars (especially Kohanim) devoted several hours a day to studying these laws. He also authored Sefer Likkutei Halachos, a compendium of the relevant halachos of Seder Kodshim, and he republished the Midrash Toras Kohanim, accompanied by his own comprehensive commentary.
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