One might suggest an additional rationale for the need and the virtue of studying Torah-teachings concerning Moshiach, Redemption and the building of the third Beis Hamikdash, as a way to “enter” into the commencement of the Messianic Era:

וְיֵשׁ לְהוֹסִיף בְּבֵאוּר הַצֹּרֶךְ וְהַמַּעֲלָה דְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה בְּעִנְיְנֵי מָשִׁיחַ וּגְאֻלָּה וּבִנְיָן בֵּית-הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי כִּכְנִיסָה לְהַתְחָלַת יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ –

The Rebbe gives a short introduction:

וּבְהַקְדָּמָה:

Although our Sages have declared that Moshiach will come “b’hesech hada’as”­— “when our attention is diverted from him.”

אַף שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ”ל שֶׁמָּשִׁיחַ בָּא “בְּהֶסֵּחַ הַדָּעַת”,

this does not contradict, G-d forbid, the need for the most powerful manner of thought and contemplation on matters of Moshiach and Redemption, in the fashion alluded to by the term “da’as” the Gemara uses.

אֵין זֶה בִּסְתִירָה חַס-וְשָׁלוֹם לְמַחְשָׁבָה וְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁל “דַּעַת”

— “Da’as,” the Tanya explains, is the type of awareness where “one binds his mind with an idea in an extremely powerful and strong bond; firmly and consistently attaching one’s thought” to it. —

 (“שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר דַּעְתּוֹ בְּקֶשֶׁר אַמִּיץ וְחָזָק מְאֹד וְיִתְקַע מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בְּחֹזֶק”) בְּעִנְיְנֵי מָשִׁיחַ וּגְאֻלָּה

(The Rebbe clarifies that this contemplation is necessary especially for a particular topic:

Primarily, thought and reflection is needed to know and acknowledge that we are now standing already in the entrance of the Messianic Era and that “Behold he —Moshiach — has come.”

 [וּלְכָל לָרֹאשׁ הַמַּחְשָׁבָה וְהַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת לֵידַע וּלְהַכִּיר שֶׁעוֹמְדִים כְּבָר בְּהַכְּנִיסָה לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, “הִנֵּה זֶה בָּא”,

This is since all the kitzin (deadlines) have passed, Teshuvah has been done, and all of the various aspects of our Divine service needed to bring Moshiach have been completed, as attested to by all the details mentioned above;)

כֵּיוָן שֶׁכְּבָר כָּלוּ כָּל הַקִיצִין, וּכְבָר עָשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה, וְסִיְּמוּ כָּל עִנְיְנֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, כְּכָל פְּרָטֵי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֲמוּרִים לְעֵיל]

How is this not in contradiction to the said Talmudic statement?

The resolution is that the term for distraction, “hesech hada’as” (literally “when one’s attention is diverted”) can also mean “transcending one’s attention.”

 – כִּי, “הֶסֵּחַ הַדַעַת” פֵּרוּשׁוֹ “לְמַעֲלָה מִן הַדַעַת”,

This implies that after one has allowed this matter to permeate his intellect (by applying his thought and constant reflection to it), the idea becomes something that transcends his knowledge, reaching into the core of his soul.

הַיְנוּ, שֶׁלְּאַחֲרֵי שֶׁעִנְיָן זֶה חוֹדֵר בְּדַעְתּוֹ (עַל-יְדֵי הַמַּחְשָׁבָה וְהַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת כוּ’), הֲרֵי-זֶה נַעֲשָׂה אֶצְלוֹ בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁבְּ(הֶסֵּחַ וּ)לְמַעֲלָה מִן הַדַעַת.

In other words: the idea of Moshiach itself, being something so elevated and high, requires of a person to study and meditate on it in order to relate to its transcendent nature.