R' Elya Svei Zt"l Besheim R' Elchonon Wasserman Zt"l: Mashiah in 2009
Seen on an old thread here. So, I apologize if this is old news - it's news to me.
R' Elya Svei Zt"l (who was just niftar a month ago), talking to Yeshiva boys from Denver in 2003, told them that R' Elchonon Wasserman Zt"l predicted Mashiah's arrival in 2009.
Start at minute 36:20 and play until 44:37. Here's a link to the video.
The audio is hard to hear, so here's a transcript of the first part of what he said (done the best I could):
R' Elchonon Wasserman said...You heard of R' Elchonon Wasserman?...You heard of R' Elchonon Wasserman?...(nods) So R' Elchonon Wasserman said that the second World War...The second World War started in 1939 - the second World War started...(unintelligible) the second World War. So R' Elchonon said that then started...עקבתא דמשיחא started. This time is called עקבתא דמשיחא - time...preparation for the time of the Mashiah. Then, he said it has to take 70 years. עקבתא דמשיחא has to take 70 years. Preparation for him has to be done...for 70 years. So, 70 years is pretty soon, you know. 1939 plus 70 - it comes out that that's 2009 - that's 70 years. When another 70 years are finished, that's 2009. 2009 - that's not such a long time. We have to get ready now. Not too much...not too much are left. So, we should know from R' Elchonon Wasserman, one of our gedolim. He said that 70 years - that's when Mashiah is going to come. Mashiah...Mashiah needs preparation...Mashiah needs preparation...
He says more of the same a couple minutes later.
May it be so.