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.
posted by yaak @ 4/30/2009 11:14:00 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
The teaching of 70 years of Ikveta diMeshicha is not a chidush, it is in the Zohar. The 70 years overlap with the other years mentioned in various parts of the Zohar. If so, we should by now be able to point out the Pekidah at 60 (when there is an arousal to Teshuvah per Maamar Geulah), and the Zechirah at 66 and a half, (when there is an end to Jewish suffering, per Maamar HaGeulah).
1939 + 60 = 1999
1939 + 66 = 2005
The year 1999 did not show a Teshuvah movement, and 2005 definitely did not have an end to Jewish suffering. Nor did it have a revelation of Moshiach (ben Yosef) in the Galil.
I had heard Rabbi Elya Svei mention this point in a different occasion about seven years ago. He explained as follows:
The Vilna Gaon writes that there are 70 words in לדוד מזמור למנצח, which talk about the Yidden davening to Hashem to help them at a time of despair, corresponds to the “70 years of chevlai mashiach.” These seventy years will immediately take place after a big change in Klal Yisroel. After seeing the devastation caused by World War I the Chofetz Chaim said that the 70 years began at that time. He based it on the fact that in Europe Klal Yisroel used to look up to Rav and made a concerted effort to emulate the great authorities in Klal Yisroel. They had greater level of התורה כבוד than nowadays. Unfortunately, after World War I that attitude changed. After seeing the much greater devastation of World War II, Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman commented that the 70 years indeed started from World War II.
Rabbi Elya ended his speech “based on these calculations WWII began in 1939 therefore Mashiach Darf Kumen in 2009.”
Final thoughts: the Michtav Eliyahu expounds on this idea. He asks why did God take away the motivation of התורה כבוד ? This type of positive attitude in klal yisroel would clearly cause people to want to become a Rav and become a prominent figure in his community. At a time where Torah learning is more scarce and we need all the help we can get why would God take away “this type sheloh lishma to to motivate Yidden?” He explains there are 2 ways to bring the Mashiach as the Gemarah says that Mashiach will either come when Klal Yisroel is חייב כולו or זכאי כולו. The obvious question is how could Mashiach come at a time when Klal Yisroel is חייב כולו ? The answer is that there are 2 ways to bring the Mashiach: One way is through their own merit. By totally immersing oneself in Judaism and building a powerful legacy to catapult the arrival of Mashiach . That is what the Gemarah means when it says זכאי כולו. Another way to bring Mashiach, however, is through the power of teshuva. This is when klal yisroel doesn’t have the spritual fortitude to bring mashiach on the optimum level but have to resort to the power of teshuva. As the gemarah says that a person could do avairus their entire life and at the last second do teshva and be forgiven. This method of bringing Mashiach could only be prompted through tzoros. As the gemarah writes that in the time of mashiach god will apoint an evil dictator akin to haman to cause many calamities to Klal Yisroel. Only when their backs are to the wall will klal yisroel reflect on their sins and do teshuva.
The michtav Eliyahu writes that after WWI Klal Yisrel no longer were at the level to bring mashiach through their own merit. There was no longer a need to maintain the motivation of becoming a rav, therefore, hashem took away this shlo lishma from klal yisroel. And they were relegated to bring mashiach throught the power of teshuva
Based on this you could clearly understand why Chevlai Mashiach has to come after a big change in Klal Yisroel. Only after klal yisroel is so driven away from God and they are at a level where they no longer posses the ability to bring Mashiach on their own merit will they have to resort to the level of teshuva which will be brought about through Chevlai Mashiach
Thanks, Anonymous. That explains the thinking behind it.
But it seems to assume that the writers of the Zohar, who mentioned the 70 years, did not know when they would start.
I've been wondering for a while about chevlei mashiach and teshuva, and was confused about one thing talking about spir decline, and another thing talking about teshuva.
This comment by anon makes it clear. The decline is neccessary so we do teshuva and merit it that way.
The Y'H is working hard though trying to discourage people by making people focus on upsetting things.
But we should stay strong and keep trying to improve what we need to, whether it's L'Makom or L'chaveiro
Please do not be afraid neither offended by the following:
This is what I announce to you!
I will step down on the stairs of the Heavens, from one universe to the other, to show My Face to all my guests, prepare yourself fallen children, beaten widows, blind and deaf, stop running , the final day he has come.
The Eternal will judge the peoples, His Yoke will fall heavily on the great nations, His hand shall reach from Sion, and will pick up His protégés, His orphans, and bring them back on the paths of His House.
Rejoice in this day; sing in unison a song of glory, you His Crops, His Harvest, clap your hands in cadence.
I am done delivering harms to you, to stress terrible moments upon you in your lives, your torments have come to an end!
You, the novice, prepare yourself, everything is going to change!
And you, the oldest that could not hear My Voice, listen!
It is in these coming days that I will free you, it’s My Joy that you will breathe, My tenderness that you will feed from, It’s my Justice that will drench your thirst.
I am the Eternal, your sufferings are finished with, and the bereavement I imposed upon you has reached its end, on this
morning The G-d of Israel has arise , in the evening you will
know it.
I did not meant to be anonymous, sorry about that, the above is from and for me to share, my name is Moshe " " David , enjoy and be at peace , rememebr that Mashiah reverse mean : G"d over there and do not keep anymore secrets for the stranger, we were freed out of "egypt" whish is mitrayim in our tongue, tsar the root word is sufocating,oppressed, imprisoned, tourmented and the like, so we were freed from hel so to speak, were we not ? not to go back there again, right ? our eyes were open , that is what it means, everyone of us knows it, so spread the word out and do not be afraid anymore, it is a nce hel after all , but what about after ? and more and most important, why are we in it ?
All to be found in hte scriptures or around us, because the scriptures all divines as they are , are also the words of the divines as is everything aroudn us, just look around, in yourselves as well and remember, accept, embrass and spread the word, you will see that everyone knows , the first one David, bless His soul, read Him again ... then think....repent and rejoice, amen and emet ..
BetSyatah Deshmayiah, all that is good comes from the Heavens , ti could not be otherwise
70 years since WWII = 5775 = 2014/15.
As said: Achat leShishim o leSHIVIM shana!
Rav Wasserman got it right-
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