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Beis Moshiach/By Zalman Ben-Nun

“I have a surprise for you,” Abba called out as he hid the package behind his back.

“What can it be?” I wondered curiously.  I did not have to wonder for long because my father handed me the package.  “Open it, it’s for you.”

I quickly tore off the colorful paper and saw a medium sized box.  I pulled on the tape and it opened up.  “Wow! It’s beautiful!”

It was a dark blue suit with thin stripes, just the color I like! I gently moved my hand over the fabric.  I examined every inch of it. Without a doubt, this was a suit I would love to wear.

“Thank you Abba, I’m so happy!” I said as I held the suit up against me.

“Just one thing,” said my father before he left the room.  “Take care of the suit.  Don’t get it dirty, make sure it doesn’t rip, and behave like one should behave when wearing a suit like that.”

I nodded and rushed outside to show the new suit to my friends.  Days passed by quickly.  My suit was with me during the warm summer months as well as the cold and rainy season, and then one day…

“Show me your suit,” said my father as we sat down to supper one night.  I went to the closet and showed my father the suit.

“There are a lot of stains,” he said.  “Look here, under the sleeve, see the rip? And in general, your behavior lately doesn’t go together with such a fine suit.”

I looked down, embarrassed, but my father asked me to look at him.  Before my astonished eyes, my father took a sharp pair of scissors and he cut the suit into shreds.  “That’s that. You don’t deserve to wear such a fine suit.  I had to cut it up.”

I cried and cried but I knew I was wrong.  I hadn’t taken care of the suit and my behavior wasn’t that great either.

Days passed but I did not forget the suit.  I cried to my father and said that from then on I would behave.  I tried to make it up to him, but it didn’t help.

Then one day, I went home and a surprise was waiting for me.  My father was standing there holding a new suit.

“I don’t believe it!” I exclaimed.

“I bought for you another suit,” said my father.  Then he added, “Although I bought you a new suit because your behavior has improved, I’m warning you again, take care of it and behave yourself.  Otherwise, you know the consequences.”

I looked at the new suit.  It was black with a design of little squares.  It was just my taste.  I really liked it.  I warmly thanked my father for it and carefully wore the suit.  I was finally feeling like I did when I had the first suit, but this suit was even nicer.  This time I would try to take care of it and my behavior would be outstanding.

Days passed, seasons passed, and things began to mess up.  One day, the beautiful suit got muddy.  Another day, it tore a little when I climbed a barbed wire fence.  And even my good behavior, which is why my father agreed to buy me the suit, wasn’t that good anymore.

I started doing things which my father wouldn’t be happy with and that’s how I found myself standing before him, ashamed, as he ripped the second suit to shreds.

But this time something different happened.  My father took me to his room and opened the closet.  Hanging there was a magnificent suit, a stunning color and expensive fabric, perfect stitching, a unique garment.  I had never before seen such a gorgeous suit. I so badly wanted to wear it but my father stopped me and said, “This suit is for you but it will wait here until you show me that you know how to behave and how to take care of it.  As long as you don’t behave properly, the suit will wait in the closet, but when the day will come and I will see that you can wear this special suit, you will get it right away.”

From that point on, I was preoccupied with one thing, how to get the new, beautiful suit. I changed my behavior and kept trying to show how I was behaving so well so my father would be willing to give me the nicest suit of all.

Once again though, the special feeling passed and I went back to being the same problem child I was before.  I almost forgot about the suit.

My father, who was constantly monitoring my behavior, called me to his room one night.  He opened the closet and I immediately remembered the suit that was waiting there just for me! I was suddenly reminded of how nice it was and how much I wanted to wear it.

The sight of the suit reminded me that it was right there, as close as ever; all I had to do was behave and then I would get it.  I still work on my behavior and wait for the suit.

This reminds me and you about the Geula.  The first Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because of our behavior. Then Hashem allowed the second Beis HaMikdash to be built.  After that too was destroyed due to unwarranted hatred, Hashem has a third Beis HaMikdash waiting for us.

On Shabbos Chazon, the Shabbos before Tisha B’Av, the root of our souls get to see the third Beis HaMikdash.  This affects us, so we behave better and add in Torah and mitzvos. We are in the generation of Moshiach and in another moment, the Beis HaMikdash will descend from heaven with the true and complete Geula.

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