Shlomo Wolbe draws our attention to the geulah that is happening now

Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe z"l draws our attention to the geulah (redemption) that is happening now.  It's so simple to see that we can easily miss it.

In the Amidah prayer, HaShem is described as גואל ישראל, the redeemer of Israel. Or you could say "the One who is redeeming Israel." It's in the present tense, meaning the process is underway. When we understand that redemption is going on right now, it makes us stop for a moment and evaluate what we can do to assist in the process.

We see other signs in the Amidah that redemption is underway since other verbs associated with this process are also in the present tense.  HaShem מְקַבֵּץ נִדְחֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל (is gathering the dispersed of His people Israel, בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלָֽיִם (is building Jerusalem) and מַצְמִֽיחַ קֶֽרֶן יְשׁוּעָה (is causing the power of salvation to grow).

How do we know that we are obligated to assist HaShem in this process? In the Amidah we declare that HaShem רוֹפֵא חוֹלֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל (is healing the sick of His people). We make this statement as if HaShem alone heals us and yet, nevertheless, we still visit a doctor.

So, too, despite the declaration that HaShem is gathering the dispersed of His people Israel, seemingly taking that responsibility away from us, we still make aliyah.

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