Rambam wrote the ultimate book of Jewish law, a work devoted entirely to clear rulings and practical guidance. No personal prayers. No emotional appeals.
Until the Red Heifer.
There he notes that nine were offered throughout history. The tenth, he writes, will be prepared by Moshiach.
Then, unexpectedly, he breaks his own pattern and adds a prayer:
“May he be revealed speedily.”
Why put a prayer inside a book of Jewish law?
Because this prayer is part of Jewish law.
Rambam rules that we must await Moshiach constantly, not as a distant idea, but as an active expectation. So he modeled what he teaches: he prayed for it.
The point: As long as Moshiach isn’t here, something essential in the world is incomplete. That absence should be felt. And when something vital is missing, we don’t stay silent, we ask G‑d to bring him.
He writes it once. The message doesn’t need repetition.
*The rule: Feel the lack. Pray for Moshiach. Always.*
(The Rebbe, Likutei Sichos 28, p. 136)
✦ Check for Understanding
Q1: Why did Rambam include a prayer in a book of law?
A) Because he wanted to add emotional inspiration to his book
✗ Close, but not quite. The Rambam’s prayer wasn’t about emotional inspiration. The prayer is there because it fulfills the halacha itself: Rambam rules we must await Moshiach actively, and he modeled that by praying for it.
B) Because waiting for Moshiach is not just belief — it requires feeling the lack and actively praying for it
✓ Correct! The Rebbe explains that the prayer itself fulfills the halacha. Rambam rules that we must await Moshiach constantly as an active expectation. By praying for it, he modeled what he teaches: feel the lack, and ask G-d to bring him.
C) Because the Red Heifer section is different from the rest of the book
✗ Not exactly. The Rebbe’s answer has nothing to do with the uniqueness of the Red Heifer section. The prayer appears there because awaiting Moshiach is itself a halachic obligation.
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