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Sechel:
Me: ““Well we have the halacha that shlucho shel adam kmoso. Also, remember Shimshon, about whom it is said that he reigned for 40 years although he only lived as a shofet for 20. Why? Because his influence over the plishtim extended 20 years after his passing, and Torah therefore writes that HE ruled the yidden for all those 40 years. So as long as the Rebbe’s efforts continue, he can still be considered bchezkas Moshiach.”
Sechel: “That’s wonderful, but that isn’t Koveah Halacha. Ma Zaroy BaChayim Af Hu doesn’t mean that the Rebbe is considered physically alive in the sense that if we weren’t continuing his legacy, he couldn’t be Moshiach, but now that we are, he can. Halacha simply doesn’t work that way.”
I understand that Ma zaro bachayim can’t count as him being physically alive, because, (as NP posted on the 19 p thread,) a judge can only judge halacha by what his eyes see. So even if say, the Rebbe is alive, and is merely concealed, that doesn’t hold up halachically because halacha deals with what we see physically.
But that isn’t what I’m saying. I’m saying that just as Shimshon is considered shofet 40 years in Torah, even though he only physically led them for 20, because his influence continued after his passing, so too here. Why wouldn’t that hold up? ( Note the Rambam never discusses what happens if the bchezkas moshiach passes away naturally. He only says two things disqualify: If he is unsuccessful or if he is killed.)
Once this is clarified I can address the rest.