Moshiachʼs Letter through the Shliach Yochanan to the Brit Chadasha Kehillah (I)
Introduction
As we meditate on the words of the Shliach Yochanan, the Talmid ha'ahuv, it is clear that he is the ed re'iyah eyewitness of the Hagbah and Histalkus and Techiyas HaMoshiach of Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach. If we read and re-read his words, the Chasidic hiskashrus devotion Yochanan has to his Moshiach will be ours. On his identity as the Talmid ha'ahuv see Yn 20:2-8; 19:25-27; 13:23-24. He is our eyes and ears at the Moshiachʼs Tish and His final ma'amar and at every key point in His journey. Yochanan speaks with the confidence of an eyewitness and with just such familiarity and precision: see Yn 3:1; 6:5-7; 12:3,21; 13:36; 14:5,8,22; 18:13.
1
1 What was Bereshis (in the Beginning) which we have examined with our ears, which we have seen with our eyes, which we beheld and the hands of us* touched: the Dvar HaChayyim (Word of Life)! 2 Indeed the Chayyei [Olam] was manifested, and we have seen it and we give solemn eidus (witness of testimony) and we proclaim to you the Chayyei Olam which was alongside with HaAv† and made hisgalus (appearance of, exposure of in revelation) to us.‡ 3 What we have seen and what we have heard, we proclaim also to you, that you also may have deveykus (attachment to G-d) with us§ and our deveykus (attachment to G-d) is with HaAv and with the Zun foon Der Oybershter, Moshiach Yehoshua/Yeshua. 4 And these things we* write, that the simcha of us may be made shleimah.
5 And this is the Besuras HaGeulah which we have heard from Him and which we proclaim to you, that Hashem is Ohr (Light), and in Him choshech there is not any at all. 6 If we make the claim that we have deveykus with Him and in the choshech walk, we speak sheker and have no halakhah in the Derech Emes. 7 But if our halakhah is in the Ohr as He is in the Ohr, we have hitkhabrut (joining, adhesion, fellowship) with one another and the dahm of Yehoshua, HaBen of Hashem,† gives us tohorah (cleansing) from kol chet.‡ 8 If we make the claim that we do not have avon (sin), we cause ourselves to fall under mirmah§(deceit, fraud) and HaEmes is not in us.* 9 If we make vidduy (confession of sin) of chattoteinu (our sins), he is ne'eman (faithful) and tzaddik to grant selicha (forgiveness) of chattoteinu (our sins) and give us tohorah (purification, cleansing) from kol avon.† 10 If we make the claim that we have not committed averos, a shakran (liar) we make Him, and the dvar of Him is not in us.
* 1:1 Shlichim, Ac 1:21-25 † 1:2 Yn 1:1-4,14 ‡ 1:2 Shlichim § 1:3 Shlichim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach * 1:4 Shlichim † 1:7 See Isa 4:2 ‡ 1:7 Isa 2:5 § 1:8 Isa 53:9 * 1:8 Prov 20:9; Jer 2:35 † 1:9 Dt 32:4; Ps 32:5; 51:2; Prov 28:13; Mic 7:18-20