A: Since Moses, of whom it is said Hu goel rishon v'hu goel acharon ("he is the first redeemer, he is the final redeemer"), all the souls are virtually one extension, and one inner essence (Itpashtuta d'Moshe b'chol dara). Often we are able to directly point at the individual and say that this is the potential Mashiach in our generation. Sometimes the appearance of this soul disappears temporarily, but it in actuality is present. We are not always able to focus on it with our eyes. We have to remember, though, what the great tzadikim said. As long as we have a memory of such a tzaddik, or potential Mashiach, that memory is also one hundred percent alive. For the time being, until he, himself (it is all essentially one continuum), will reappear, that image that we have in our mind is still the Mashiach of the generation.

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