Arutz Sheva on Rav Kaduri & Mashiah

Arutz Sheva, reporting on Rav Kaduri's funeral (which had 300,000 people, they say):

Students of the righteous rabbi say that the blessing of the Ben Ish Chai (considered the leading rabbi of Sephardic Jewry, d. 1904) and that of the Lubavitcher Rebbe - both of whom blessed him that he might live to see the Final Redeemer - came true. The rabbi's closest followers say that Rabbi Kaduri told them he met the Messiah on Cheshvan 9, 5764 (Nov. 4, 2003). He reportedly said that the Messiah is not promoting himself, and that a study of his [Rabbi Kaduri's] words in recent months would provide hints of his identity."

He is not saying, 'I am the Mashiach, give me the leadership.' Rather the nation is pushing him to lead them, after they find [in my words] signs showing that he has the status of Mashiach." So said Rabbi Kaduri to one of his close relatives.

Rabbi Kaduri was also quoted of late as saying that the imminent arrival of the Mashiach will "save Jerusalem from Islam and Christianity that wish to take Jerusalem from the Jewish Nation - but they will not succeed, and they will fight each other."

This past Yom Kippur, shortly after Hurricane Katrina, Rabbi Kaduri said, "Jews must come to the land of Israel to receive our righteous Mashiach, who has begun his influence and will reveal himself in the future."

Rav Yitzhak Kaduri, ZTzVK"L

It is with great sorrow that the world mourns the loss of the worldwide elder kabbalist Rav Yitzhak Kaduri, Zecher Tzadik Vekadosh Livracha, who passed away in Israel on Saturday night at the age of 108.

The age of 108 (if correct) is interesting as it is exactly 3 fifths of the age of his namesake, Yitzhak Avinu, who lived until 180. I'm not sure what it means, however.

Rav Kaduri was recognized worldwide for his vast knowledge of both Nigleh and Nistar - parts of the Torah that are revealed and those that are hidden. His passing is truly a loss for all of us.

Baruch Dayan Ha'emet.

Zechuto Yagein Aleinu, Amen.

More information in English:
here
here
here

More information in Hebrew:
here
here
here (regarding one of Rav Kaduri's last requests - to President Bush to free Jonathan Pollard)
here
More from Arutz Sheva Hebrew, mentioned by Hashem1.net here
here

Link Dump

Hamas has amassed quite a following. Are the election results good for Israel?
By the way, G-d willing soon, this will happen.

Rav Kaduri is still struggling for his life. Check here for continuous updates.

Some interesting posts lately:
One by Rabbi Brody
One by R' Dov Bar Leib
One by Golusman

Shas revamped their website.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Original picture - Akiva

Rav Kaduri's Condition and Statements

2 articles from Arutz Sheva:

On Rav Kaduri's condition:

Slight Improvement in Rabbi Kaduri’s Condition
17:27 Jan 24, '06 / 24 Tevet 5766


(IsraelNN.com) Person close to widely known Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri, Yehoshua Meiri, reports that the rabbi’s condition has stabilized a very slight bit.

The rabbi is on a respirator and is receiving dialysis. Doctors are describing his condition as very serious and barely stable.

On his recent statements:

Rabbi Kaduri's Most Recent Words
17:18 Jan 24, '06 / 24 Tevet 5766


(IsraelNN.com) Famed Kabbalist Rabbi Kaduri, who has been in serious to very condition in the hospital for 1.5 weeks, revived and spoke with those close to him for about an hour and forty minutes after the end of Shabbat, this past Saturday night. One of those people, Yehoshua Meiri, related to Arutz-7 the rabbi’s words. The rabbi spoke in Hebrew; what follows is an approximate translation:

“The Kabbalists will investigate my words [presumably esoteric material] over the last months, about Geulah [Redemption] and Moshiach [The Annointed Leader of the Jews during that period] and will reveal the secret name of Moshiach which was revealed to me on [the Hebrew calendar date] 9 Cheshvan, 5764 (November 11, 2003).” The rabbi said he actually met the person who will be Moshiach, on that date.
The rabbi said of the Moshiach, “He won’t come and say ‘I am the Moshiach. Give over the rule to me.’ Rather the Kabbalists would discover the secret name [of Moshiach] among my ‘hidden’[Kabbalistic] words and the nation will push him to lead it.”

Yehoshua also described a “ceremony” that took place during that period of the rabbi being awake. With only four people in the room, the rabbi “whispered Tzofanim Kabbalisti’im -- Kabalistic esoteric codes, to one person, whose name they are not saying.”

Well-wishers can visit the Kaduri.net website. It is a Hebrew language site.

Tsunami-Kabbalist: Mashiah in Our Days

The Tsunami-predicting Kabbalist has declared that if it wouldn't be forbidden to do so, he would take a Sefer Torah and swear in front of the congregation that this generation will merit seeing Mashiah and the resurrection of the dead.

He also said that Mashiah's name is hinted to by 4 sages. They are the Lubavitcher Rebbe (מ from מנחם), Rav Shach (ש from שך), the Baba Sali (י from ישראל), and Rav Kaduri (ח from חדורי, which is the original and correct spelling and pronunciation of his name).

Hashem1.net points out that Rav Ovadiah Yosef said in a shiur that the Gemara in Sanhedrin 98b mentions another case of this:

אמר רבי יוחנן: לא נברא לעולם אלא למשיח, ומה שמו? (דבי רבי שילה אמרי) שילֹה שמו, שנאמר: עד כי יבוא שילה, ולו יקהת עמים. דבי רבי ינאי אמרי ינון שמו, שנאמר: יהי שמו לעולם, לפני שמש - ינון שמו. דבי רבי חנינה אמר חנינה שמו, שנאמר: אשר לא אתן לכם חנינה. ויש אומרים מנחם שמו, שנאמר: כי רחק ממני מנחם משיב נפשי

He said that since Rav Kaduri is in the situation that he's in, we are left without political and religious leadership - exactly the right time for Mashiah to come.

See more here (in English)
and here (in Hebrew).

15 Years Since the First Gulf War

I'm a Gulf War Veteran.

Actually, everyone who was in Israel in January, 1991 is a Gulf War veteran. We were all in the front lines of battle. The battlefield was each and everyone's living room, dining room, bedroom - wherever you had the plastic and tape that created what was known as a "sealed room".

The yeshiva that I learned at had its enrollment cut in half - from 70 to 35 students - before the war even started. But quantity was not the only thing affected. The war also affected the quality of learning for that entire year. If there's anything that will seal Saddam's fate, it will likely be his causing Bitul Torah for thousands of people.

From what I remember, President Bush (41) set a deadline of January 15th to Saddam to get out of Kuwait or face military action. The war started on Jan. 16th (Israel time). The first SCUD missle was launched at Israel on Jan. 17th (Israel time). That first SCUD attack was the scariest night of my life - and I'd venture to say that of many Israelis too. No one knew what to expect. Chemical weapons? Biological weapons? Is it better to have your sealed room in the basement bomb shelter? No, we were told, as the chemicals sink.

We heard the siren go off outside and we ran to the sealed room. Naive little me put on my gas mask, but didn't remove the filter cap because I thought that would make it ineffective. I was having trouble breathing, but everyone else seemed to be OK. I was wondering why. When someone else pointed out to me that the cap was on, I removed it, and I literally breathed a breath of fresh air. B"H.

We started saying Tehillim. As the bumper sticker said in a play-on-words "Tehillim Neged Tillim" - Psalms to counteract missiles. We also were glued to the radio. The soothing voice of Nahman Shai would tell us how long to stay in the sealed room and for which area of Israel. That first night seemed like forever.

The next sirens (if I remember correctly) happened on Shabbat - at 3:00 AM and at 5:00 AM. Heteirim were given to leave the radio on over Shabbat because of Pikuah Nefesh. Our Beit Midrash was unusable because part of it was sealed off so we had to use the dining room as a make-shift Beit Midrash. At Shaharit on Shabbat morning, some students were so tired from the previous night's experience that they prayed in pajamas.

As the war went on, and the sirens continued, some students in the Yeshiva grew increasingly lax in their sealed-room rituals. First, they started taking off their gas masks before the all-clear was given. Then, they started not putting on their gas masks at all. It even got to a point that they didn't even go into sealed rooms when hearing the siren - even those that were outside just continued walking. It seemed clear to some at that point that no chemical or biological weapons would be used. I wasn't one of those people.

In all, 39 SCUD missles were launched at Israel. Through open miracles from Hashem, only 1 fatality was caused by a direct hit, despite the considerable damage.

The war finally ended around Purim, 5751. The Saddam - Haman comparisons were endless, and it was one of the most joyous Purims that I remember.

And so, I am a Gulf War veteran.

I can't believe that it's been 15 years.

13 Votes is Better than None

Will the 13 people (or less) who voted for me please comment on this post?

Thanks for your support! You inspire me!

If you want to add to the 13 votes, you can do so here.

More Wows from Hashem1.net

Hashem1.net put out another exciting post that makes him conclude that Mashiah is coming very soon.

Part of the translation is available here from R' Yaakov Nathan.

Crazy News Day

Hevron youth are being attacked. Let's hope there will be no more conflicts of Jew against Jew. Let's also hope there will be no more reasons for these conflicts - including home demolitions of Jewish-owned land.

Rav Kaduri is still in "life-threatening danger" from a serious systemic infection, but his doctors say that his situation has somewhat stabilized. Jews went to the Me'arat Hamachpela to pray for him. He should have a Refu'ah Shelaima Min Hashamayim.

Meanwhile, Hollywood's Foreign Press should be ashamed of itself for many of the awards it gave out last night, which include awards to movies that consider the following normal behavior: homosexuality, transsexuality, and suicide bombings (the last being a film whose country of origin was labeled as "Palestine", a country that doesn't exist. Also, see what Arutz Sheva says on this).

As for Israel's prime minister, reports that he opened his eyes when his grandson came are in serious doubt (especially if you don't believe he's still alive).

As for good news today, a demographer says that Israel's population has surpassed that of the U.S. Also, Tel Aviv has surpassed NYC as the city w/ the largest Jewish population.

Tsunami-Kabbalist: It's Closer Than Thought

The Tsunami-predicting Kabbalist said in his most recent lesson:

According to my source, the Rav opened this time the lesson with determined words, and said that the matters are rolling much faster than he thought, and that the Geula is now much closer than he thought before, and that it is the ultimate Geula, and that after it there will be no more troubles to the people of Israel....

Read the whole thing.

Rav Kaduri in Critical Condition

Please say Tehillim for Rav Kaduri who is in critical condition at Jerusalem's Bikur Holim Hospital.

Please pray for הרב יצחק כדורי בן תפאחה

Wow! Wow! Wow!

For those who understand Hebrew, read this from Hashem1.net.

It's jaw-dropping good.

Update:
Translation by Josh from the comments:

Essentially, he brings a number of midrashim that say that the leader before the coming of Moshiach ben Yosef will die but for 40-45 days will be believed to be alive, and his body will not decompose or be scavenged upon, and during that time he'll be kept before the gates of Jerusalem (I believe the Hadasa hospital is Ein Kerem, on the edge of Jerusalem today, no?). The reason for this (also given in the midrashim) is that if outside leaders knew he was really dead, they would attack Israel. He also brings Daniel 12, where a period between 1290 and 1335 days is mentioned (the difference being 45). And the author then counts back 1290 days from the stroke and finds a speech given by Bush where he speaks of a vision for the Mideast, which he says eventually leads to the Disengagement. And 1290 days after Bush finished his speech, almost to the minute, Sharon's condition worsened on the way to the hospital.

I'll just add that the 40-45 days is also said (by Rav Saadiah Gaon) to be Tevet and half of Shevat.

Update: Akiva posted a more detailed translation here.

Conspiracies Abound

Is Sharon really dead since last Thursday?

That's what some people are saying, including the Tsunami-predicting Kabbalist, who emphatically repeated that he was dead at his weekly lesson.

R' Lazer Brody too is having doubts.

So is the one who writes at Hashem1.net, who cites the fact that none of the big rabbis have publicly made a Mi Sheberach for him since last Thursday, among other reasons.

Stories like this, this, and this are adding fuel to the fire.

What do I think? I don't know, but it definitely makes me go hmmm.

But, whether he's dead or alive now, consider this (totally my own):

Sharon's stroke was during Parshat Vayigash. In Vayigash, it says:

וַיֶּאְסֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ, וַיַּעַל לִקְרַאת-יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִיו גֹּשְׁנָה; וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו, וַיִּפֹּל עַל-צַוָּארָיו
וַיֵּבְךְּ עַל-צַוָּארָיו, עוֹד

And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-יוֹסֵף, אָמוּתָה הַפָּעַם, אַחֲרֵי רְאוֹתִי אֶת-פָּנֶיךָ, כִּי עוֹדְךָ חָי

And Israel said unto Joseph: 'Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that thou art yet alive.'

וַיֶּאְסֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ - Yosef refers to the people of Gush Katif who had to pack up their stuff (if they were lucky) and go
וַיַּעַל לִקְרַאת-יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִיו - and they had to travel to Israel proper
גֹּשְׁנָה - (same gematria as Mashiah) as part of the Hevlei Mashiah - a prerequisite to greeting Mashiah
וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו, וַיִּפֹּל עַל-צַוָּארָיו וַיֵּבְךְּ עַל-צַוָּארָיו, עוֹד -


וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-יוֹסֵף - Yisrael could be referring to Ariel Sharon (note in Parshat Vayehi - וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָמוּת could also be referring to Sharon), who said to the people of Gush Katif:
אָמוּתָה הַפָּעַם - This time, I will die. I fought many wars and came out victorious because I tried to help the religious Jews in Israel. Now, after what I did to you, I will die.
אַחֲרֵי רְאוֹתִי אֶת-פָּנֶיךָ, כִּי עוֹדְךָ חָי - After seeing your face that you are still vibrant, you haven't lost your faith in Hashem, the Torah, and are committed to the entire Eretz Yisrael.

Just some drush that came to my head. Tell me if I'm way off base.

Let's Hear it for Ahdut and Shalom

The Gemara in Gittin says:

אקמצא ובר קמצא חרוב ירושלים

That was then. This is now...

אדוב בער ולייזר ברודי יבנה ירושלים

Now, Chardal and Dov Bear have made Shalom as well.

As Jameel commented: "Mashiach is revving up the donkey as we type."

Sof Davar Hakol Nishma #4

#1 #2 #3

Sorry for the long blogging gap. Haven't had much time to blog lately. I hope I can partially make up for it with this post. Here's some of what went on while I was not blogging:

Tsunami-Predicting Kabbalist
The Tsunami-Predicting Kabbalist, in his most recent lecture, said a few amazing things. He said that:

• Sharon is dead
• We're only ½ step before Ge'ula
• Gates of Teshuva are closing so do Teshuva now
• More

See some discussions and some explanations.

Also, note that this same kabbalist, among others, had predicted that Ariel Sharon would be the last Prime Minister of Israel before Mashiah.

On the other hand, note that R' Lazer Brody's acquaintence "BT" says that PM Sharon is still very much alive in this amazing conversation.

Korea
R' Dov Bar Leib explains how the Koreas are involved in the timeline of the End of Days.

Star of Mashiah
A few people reported seeing a strange-looking star over Hanukka. Note that it was predicted earlier that there will be a star of Mashiah coming on Hanukka.

Earthquake in Greece
Hashem1.net notes that an magnitude-6.9 earthquake happened in Greece on the anniversary of the date (ח' טבת) that the Torah was translated to Greek (and the Shulhan Aruch (580:1) even says that it's (ראוי) fit to fast on this day [ - at least for אנשי מעשה]).

Rav Kaduri's Condition
Rav Kaduri has unfortunately fallen ill. Rav Ovadia Yosef made a "Mi Sheberach" for him, which you can see here, courtesy of Hashem1.net. Hashem1.net also notes that his name is יצחק כדורי בן תפאחה, and that a great rabbi (possibly the Ben Ish Hai) had once blessed him to greet Mashiah.

Ahdut - Unity
Part of the Tsunami-Predicting Kabbalist's talk focused on the Haftara of Vayigash, which talks of the unity of Yosef and Yehuda, and that unity is a prerequisite of the coming of Mashiah. R' Lazer Brody showed the way in his latest post.

Torah Code
Hashem1.net has an exclusive Torah Code that has the words אריאל and ורה(Sharon's mother's name) in sequence together only once in the Torah passing through Parshat Vayigash (last week's Perasha, when most of the world were saying both names in a "Mi Sheberach" for Sharon). It also passes through the verse in Vayehi where Yaakov was about to tell his sons about the End of Days. The interval is 357, one below the Gematria of משיח, which is 358, to possibly signify how close we are.

May we witness the coming of Mashiah speedily in our days, אכי"ר.