How to live in the times of Mashiach right now

Question

BH

I heard that the Baal Shem Tov says that you are where your thoughts are. I also heard that certain big tzadikim, like Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, lived in a level of Torah in which the Temple was never destroyed. I also heard one of the big students of the Magid of Mezritch was living in a level of the times of Mashiach. I also heard—correct me if I’m wrong—that even all the students of the Mittler Rebbe were living in the times of Mashiach, like he was already there

What does this mean? I heard that Rambam says—correct me if I’m wrong—that a person shouldn’t think so much about the future redemption, like what will happen after mashiach comes and such (even though I know he also says that a person should await his coming every day, and that if he doesn’t, he doesn’t believe in Torat Moshe at all).

Answer 1

Learning halachos of korbanos is equivalent to bringing korbanos. The same can be said regarding laws of ritual purity that we do not observe. With laws of zeraim there is a difference in opinions, but there are opinions stating that learning is like practicing and practicing is also like learning. When the Temple is going to be rebuilt we will practice all the mitzvos.

However, there is more than just learning. There is a clear responsibility for situations when one did an aveira, even b'shogeg, - one has to do teshuvah and attone bringing a korban. There is no police, but only a personal response regardless of what other people will see one bringing many such korbanos. One has to address missing opportunities for positive commandments, etc. Sha'arei Teshuvah by Rabbeinu Yonah speaks a lot about how to develop such a sensitivity to doing mitzvos.