Gathering together apples and oranges and placing them in one basket does not alter the fact that they are distinct from one another in their variant species. Likewise, simply gathering Jews from all walks of life and streams of belief – spiritually and ideologically – will not catalyze the Redemption’s enduring fruition if there will be discord and constant controversy. As long as there is disunity and discord the Redemption is in danger of disintegrating. Thus, as Horav Avigdor Miller, zl, explains, we say yachad (v’kabtzeinu yachad), “together,” all as one. We anxiously await that glorious day, when, despite our differences of opinion, ideology, tradition, custom, mode of practice – or lack thereof – Hashem will gather us together from all four corners of the earth – and belief – and make us one.
