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.