The Case for a 5772-Based Geula - Part 2

Updates from version 2 in red.



Continued from Part 1

And similarly, we see from the Zohar (Mishpatim 119b, Aharei 68a) that the 70 years of the birthpangs of Mashiah started in the year 5701 [1940-1941], where it is brought down there כד אעילת רישהא בין ברכהא, which is between Netzah and Hod, which is when the beginning of the screams from the birthpangs of Mashiah begin. This occurred at the beginning of Rosh Hashana, 5701. This is because every century corresponds to a Sefira of the 10 Sefirot, as is known [YY - see also here], and the beginning of Rosh Hashana of the year 5701 was the point between Netzah and Hod that is בין ברכהא [between the knees]. This is because the year 5701 started the century of the Sefira of Hod. And if the birthpangs of Mashiah and the birth of Mashiah last 72 years, it comes out that the coming of Mashiah will occur at the end of the year 5772. (And according to the viewpoint of some Kabbalists that the century started in the year 5700, it comes out that 72 years concludes at the end of the year 5771.) And this is also brought down in the sefer Imrei Bina from the Ra'avad [YY - see also here] that in the year 5700 and the 4 years following would be terrible punishments for Kelal Yisrael.

And it is similarly brought down in the end of the Sefer "ואשר תבאנה יגידו" an essay from Harav HaGa'on Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky Shlit"a about the Keitz of the Zohar of the year 5772. And he explains there at length that after 272 (ערב) years from the morning (בקר) of the sixth day (which begins in the year 5500), we enter the category of Erev - of Erev Shabbat (Sabbath Eve). This is the categorization of the verses and the Zohar and the Ramban to the Redemption as he talks about at length there - that this is the time of Minha Gedola and the time to subdue the Erev Rav and the Arabs.  And 72 is hinted to in the Zohar (Pinhas 219b) 

At that time, "And so the righteous will see and be joyous and the straightforward will rejoice and the pious will be happy with song.  The sixth millennium...until the completion of 272, it will be evening.  This is what it is written "עֶרֶב--וִידַעְתֶּם, כִּי יְהוָה הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם" [At even (ערב), then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt]. [And it says] כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת-הַנַּעַר [For thy servant became surety for the lad ...]

And we also find in the Zohar (Mishpatim 115a with the "Matok Midevash" commentary) that the verses "הקם תקים עמו" [thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.] and "עזב תעזוב" [thou shalt surely release it with him] hint to the Future Redemption.  "תעזוב" contains the letters ע"ב ז"ו and hints to the שם ע"ב, which is in the aspect of ז"ו (the word ז"ו is the gematria of 13, which equals the letter vav וא"ו in milui, which is the root of all 72 names).  And הקם תקים contains 2 letter kufs, which hint to 200 years, plus the 72 years gives us 272 years in the sixth millennium, which is the time of Redemption.  And the Zohar says explicitly that it's speaking about a Be'itah Redemption, which is hinted in the letters בעתו [in its time] that is found in the word תעזוב.  These are the words of the Zohar.  And if we connect this Zohar to other places where the calculation begins after 500 years into the sixth millennium, we again get to 5772.  And also the other letters of הקם תקים  - besides the 2 letters kuf - have the gematria of 500 if you add the number of letters - to hint to the first 500 years of the sixth millennium.


Similarly, it is written "עֶרֶב--וִידַעְתֶּם, כִּי יְהוָה הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם" [At even (ערב), then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt]. And similarly, I heard in the name of Harav HaGa'on Rav Yaakov Vitrial Shelit"a that the verse (Zecharia 14:7) וְהָיָה לְעֵת-עֶרֶב, יִהְיֶה-אוֹר ["but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light"] the gematria is 772. Also, the word אור [light] hints to 5772 as we are in the 207th Birkat HaHama cycle from Creation - [207 being] the gematria of אור. And in this cycle, we should merit that when it will be לעת ערב [evening time] - with the gematria of 772, that it should be אור. And the verse (Yeshaya 30:26) will be fulfilled: וְאוֹר הַחַמָּה יִהְיֶה שִׁבְעָתַיִם, כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים [and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of the seven days].  And also לעת ערב [evening time] - the Sofei Teivot are ת"ב, which hints to Tish'a Be'av, which is when Mashiah is born.  And Harav Hagaon R' Gamliel Rabinowitz Shlit"a adds that ת"ב hints to Teshuva, which is the merit in which we will be redeemed, as the Targum of  "Teshuva" is "תתוב".

And also תשע"ב [the year 5772] is hinted to in the verse (Bemidbar 8:2)  בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ, אֶת-הַנֵּרֹת, אֶל-מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה, יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת [letters of תשע"ב].  And it's brought down in the book "Bina La'itim" (vol. 1, Derush 1): "The light of the candles is a clear sign for Redemption and Salvation."  And also, the lighting of the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash was in the afternoon during Minha time - not in the morning (see the Bartenura on Tamid 3:9) - because the time of Minha is a time of Redemption and strengthening of the light, and this is an opportune time for lighting the Menorah.   And we also find in Midrash that the Redemption will be by way of candles which hint to the light of the Torah (Pesikta Rabbati 8):

Ribbi Berechya the Kohen said in the house of Ribbi: [The verse says:] אֲחַפֵּשׂ אֶת-יְרוּשָׁלִַם בַּנֵּרוֹת [I will search Jerusalem with lamps]  means "I will free it."  Why?  Because I wrote in the Torah כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד עִבְרִי, שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים יַעֲבֹד; וּבַשְּׁבִעִת--יֵצֵא לַחָפְשִׁי, חִנָּם [If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.].  That's the idea of אֲחַפֵּשׂ אֶת-יְרוּשָׁלִַם בַּנֵּרוֹת [I will search Jerusalem with lamps]

This means that the wording ""אֲחַפֵּשׂ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בַּנֵרוֹת comes from the wording "יֵצֵא לַחָפְשִׁי" [going free], which hints to the Redemption.

And also, תשע"ב is hinted to in the verse וּבַשְּׁבִעִת--יֵצֵא לַחָפְשִׁי, חִנָּם [and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing], which hints to the Redemption as is brought down in the Hizkuni there:

"six years he shall serve" - this hints to the 6 kingdoms who subjugated Israel: Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Media, Greece, and Rome/Edom. From then on, "and in the seventh he shall go out free".

It's brought down in the commentary of the Gr"a to Tikkunei Zohar (Tikkun 21), "The entire flood and the story of the sending of the dove can all be explained referring to exile and redemption." Also here, it is hinted in the verse (Bereishit 8:10) וַיָּחֶל עוֹד, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים אֲחֵרִים [And he stayed yet other seven days] the letters תשע"ב. [The next verse says] וַתָּבֹא אֵלָיו הַיּוֹנָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב (gematria 772), וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵה-זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ; וַיֵּדַע נֹחַ, כִּי-קַלּוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ [And the dove came in to him at eventide; and lo in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.]  And it is also brought in the Midrash Seder Olam Rabba (Chapter 4) that No'ah sent the raven on the 10th of Tammuz, and he sent the dove the first time on the 17th of Tammuz, and he again sent the dove on the 24th of Tammuz.  And on the 24th of Tammuz, the dove returned toward evening with an olive-leaf in its mouth, and the 24th of Tammuz, 5771 is the exact date of Minha Gedola when you divide it into 6.5 hours as before.  (The calculation comes out to the 26th of Tammuz, but since the year 5771 is a leap year, the calculation changes to the 24th of Tammuz.)[YY- This blog has always given Rosh Hodesh Av as this date, but other bloggers have noted that it's a bit earlier in Tammuz since we're counting the days of the year - not the months of what a regular year should be.] And Harav Hagaon Rav Yosef Sheinberger Shlit"a adds that תמוז [Tammuz] in gematria is מלך המשיח [The King Mashiah]. 

And when delving into the matter, we see that the similar terminology used in this verse and the verse that we brought about the Redemption from Egypt both connect the evening to the knowledge about Redemption:  עֶרֶב--וִידַעְתֶּם, כִּי יְהוָה הוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם and לְעֵת עֶרֶב וְגוֹ' וַיֵּדַע נֹחַ because knowing about the Redemption is the first stage of the Redemption because although they were not physically redeemed yet, they were already able to see the Redemption with their eyes, as with the Plague of the Firstborn in Egypt.


And we also find in the Zohar Hadash (Ki Tavo 73b) that Ribbi Shimon Bar Yohai sent a note via the mouth of a dove to Ribbi Yosei to hint to him the time of the Keitz of the Redemption, and when the dove got there, Ribbi Yosei recited the verse about it:  "וַתָּבֹא אֵלָיו הַיּוֹנָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵה זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ וַיֵּדַע נֹחַ כִּי קַלּוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ" [And the dove came in to him at eventide; and lo in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.]  And we also find in the Zohar (Shelah 165a):

"An olive leaf" - this refers to the King Mashiah the son of David, and this is what the dove hints to in the days of No'ah וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵה זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ [and lo in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked].

We find in Midrash (Yalkut Tehillim 440):

A king of flesh and blood, one may not wear his crown, but HKB"H gives His crown to the King Mashiah.  And what is the crown of HKB"H?  Ketem Paz, as it says, "ראשו כתם פז" and it says, תָּשִׁית לְרֹאשׁוֹ, עֲטֶרֶת פָּז [Thou settest a crown of fine gold on his head].

We also find in the Zohar (Shelah 164b):

"וישלח את היונה" וכו', ולא יספה שוב אליו עוד" לא ידע בר נש לאן אזלת, והיא תבת לאתרה ואתגניזת בפתחא דא, ואיהי תטול עטרה בפומהא ותשוי על רישיה דמלכא משיחא מטי ולא מטי. וכדין כתיב "תשית לראשו עטרת פז".

We see that the crown of Mashiah that he gets from HKB"H Himself via the dove of No'ah is called "עטרת פז" [a crown of fine gold].  And also "עטרת פז" plus the [6] letters has the gematria of 772.


And also, it appears that one may add that the Gr"a that we brought down about the time of Minha Gedola is according to his own opinion on the matter - because he himself would pray [Minha at the time of] Minha Gedola, as the opinion of the Gr"a is known that Minha Gedola is something that one may do initially and not some emergency time-period for prayer (see Bi'ur HaGr"a on Shulhan Aruch Orah Hayim 233:1).
And really, it appears that for the idea of the Future Redemption, Minha Gedola is considered the optimal time [for prayer] according to every opinion since the Future Redemption is in the Sod of Pesah Eve (the eve of Redemption) that falls out on Friday (the sixth millennium), and we find in the Mishna (Pesahim 5:1): If Pesah eve falls out on Friday, it is slaughtered at 6.5 hours of the day.

It is similarly brought down in the Maharsha (Berachot 6b s.v. שהרי) that Eliyahu Hanavi defeated the prophets of Ba'al and fire went down from heaven - immediately at the beginning of Minha Gedola.  And this hints to the Future Redemption which will be via Eliyahu, whose victory will be at the beginning of the time of Minha Gedola.

And we also find in the Zohar (Naso 129a):

And when the will is revealed, the prayers of Israel are accepted. Ribbi Shimon said to his son Ribbi Elazar, "When is it revealed?" He said to him, "During the Minha prayer on Shabbat." Ribbi Shimon said to him, "What is the reason [it is revealed] during Minha on Shabbat?" He said to him, "Because at this time during the week, judgements are in limbo down below, but on Shabbat, the "forehead", which is called "Ratzon" [Divine Will] is revealed. At this time, the anger quiets down, and Ratzon is found, and the prayer is accepted."

It appears that we can explain that really, Minha time is always a time of Ratzon - both during the week and on Shabbat, as is brought down in the Gemara (Berachot 6b): "One should always be careful with the Minha prayer as Eliyahu was only answered during the Minha prayer." And the reason for this is because the time of the Minha prayer is a time of rulership of Gevurot, which are above Hasadim, as we explained in the essays called "Ma'alat Hagevurot". And at the time of the rulership of Gevurot, there is a shining of Ratzon from a higher place, and it's possible for prayer to work better. However, during the week, the Gevurot are enclothed in the Din of the Kelipot so it will be a time of Din, whereas on Shabbat - or at the time of Redemption, which is like the shining of Shabbat - there is no rulership of the Sitra Ahora. Therefore, when the shining of the Ratzon of the Gevurot comes down, this is also revealed.

And also, Minha symbolized the Kingdom of the House of David, as is brought down in the Zohar Hadash (Hukat 62a) that the kingdom is called by the name "Minha" since it raises the Mayin Nukbin, which have the aspect of "Minha".  And also, the sacrifice of a pauper in the Beit Hamikdash is called a "Minha" since the sacrifice of a pauper hints to the kingdom, which is poor and impoverished.  And therefore, a Minha sacrifice was made of Matza since Matza is the food of King David - poor man's bread - as is brought down in the Zohar (Vayeitzei 157a).  And it also is written regarding a Minha sacrifice (Vayikra 2:1): וְנֶפֶשׁ, כִּי-תַקְרִיב קָרְבַּן מִנְחָה [And when any one bringeth a meal-offering unto the LORD] - the word "ונפש" symbolized the kingdom.  And we similarly find in the gemara (Menahot 104b) that there are 5 types of Minha, and it hints to the kingdom which is in the Sod of the letter ה.  And Harav Hagaon Rav Eliyahu Nahmeini Shlit"a adds that a Minha is made from flour and oil, and סולת [flour] is the gematria of מלכות [kingdom].  Oil hints to the annointing oil with which one annoints the kings.  And this is the wording of the Shela (Pesahim, Matza Ashira 2:25):

Yitzhak Avinu, who is the epitome of Avoda [service to Hashem, and is a] burnt-offering to Hashem, established the Minha Prayer in place of the flour-filled Minha sacrifice - because he said, "There is no burnt-offering without a Minha [meal-offering]."  And this is why this prayer is called "Minha".  And a pauper brings a Minha sacrifice, and regarding Mashiah's coming, it is written, עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל-חֲמוֹר [lowly, and riding upon an ass].  And it was made into Matza ... Eliyahu, who was answered at the Minha prayer, which is the prayer of a pauper, should come and announce the arrival of Mashiah Tzidkeinu, who is עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל-חֲמוֹר [lowly, and riding upon an ass].  And the verse will be fulfilled: כִּי-אַתָּה, עַם-עָנִי תוֹשִׁיעַ [For Thou dost save the afflicted people] - a salvation that should come soon, Amen.

And it is also brought down in Likutei Halachot (Minha 3):

Eliyahu was only answered at Minha ... because Eliyahu needed to subdue the strengthening of the Sitra Ahora and idol-worshippers.  Therefore, he specifically prayed Minha because the main thing that they grab hold of is from there ... because through him, the aspect of the Kingdom of Mashiah is revealed.  And therefore, Eliyahu was appointed to announce the Future Redemption - to reveal the Kingdom of Mashiah.  And therefore, it is specifically Eliyahu who was careful with the Minha prayer and was answered because Minha has the aspect of taking the potential and turning it into fruition - which is the aspect of Mashiah, who should come speedily in our days, Amen.

We found in the Midrash (Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabba 18):

Once, our rabbis and other wise men were sitting in the Beit Midrash and arguing one with another, and were saying, "From where does Eliyahu come?"  This one says, "From the descendants of Rahel," and this one says, "From the descendants of Leah".  While they were arguing with each other I [Eliyahu Hanavi, who is speaking] came to them and stood before them and said to them, "Rabbotai!  I only come from the descendants of Rahel ... And they said to me, "Aren't you a Kohen?  Didn't you tell the widow 'but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it forth unto me (as the Mitza of Halla [which goes to the Kohen]), and afterward make for thee and for thy son'?"  I told them, "That baby is Mashiah Ben Yosef, and I made a hint to the world that I will יורד תחילה לבבל ואח"כ [first go down to Bavel, and afterwards], Mashiah Ben David will come."

The words "יורד תחילה לבבל ואח"כ" [first go down to Bavel, and afterwards], in gematria is 772.


And also, the year תשע"ב is hinted to in the name of בת שבע, which symbolized the Kingdom of the House of David, as is brought in the Zohar (Vayehi 223b): "Even though the moon shines (the Kingdom of David), it did not shine completely until Shelomo, who was fit to be opposite it, came along, because his mother was Bat Sheva".  And also the poet says about the Future Redemption: "Please establish the Kingdom of David and Shelomo with the crown with which his mother (Bat Sheva) crowned him."

We find in the Zohar Hadash (Ki Tavo 73b) that the sages asked Ribbi Shimon Bar Yohai why in the rebuke of Vayikra, which corresponds to the exile from the first Beit Hamikdash, are there consolations afterwards - וְזָכַרְתִּי, אֶת-בְּרִיתִי [then will I remember My covenant...], whereas the rebuke of Devarim, which corresponds to the final exile, are there no consolations afterwards?  Ribbi Shimon answered them that the Keitz of the Redemption is hinted to in the worst verse of the rebuke (Devarim 28:66-67) וְהָיוּ חַיֶּיךָ תְּלֻאִים לְךָ מִנֶּגֶד וּפָחַדְתָּ לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם וְלֹא תַאֲמִין בְּחַיֶּיךָ: בַּבֹּקֶר תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עֶרֶב [And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear night and day, and shalt have no assurance of thy life.  In the morning thou shalt say: 'Would it were even!']  And it can be explained according to our words that there is a hint here to the לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם [night and day].  "Day" corresponds to the fifth millennium and "Night" corresponds to the 500 years in the sixth millennium, and the Redemption did not come until the ערב [evening - or Minha Gedola, which starts Bein Ha'arbayim], as the verse continues בַּבֹּקֶר תֹּאמַר מִי יִתֵּן עֶרֶב [In the morning thou shalt say: 'Would it were even!'].


We found in the Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni Zecharia Remez 585):

וְהָיָה לְעֵת-עֶרֶב, יִהְיֶה-אוֹר ["but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light"] - Ribbi Elazar said, "The rule of the 4 kingdoms is only 1 day of HKB"H's days.  From where do you learn this?  Because it is written וַיֵּרֶד הָעַיִט, עַל-הַפְּגָרִים; וַיַּשֵּׁב אֹתָם, אַבְרָם.  וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא [And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.  And it came to pass, that, when the sun was going down]."  Ribbi Elazar Ben Arach said to him, "It is as you say, as it says נְתָנַנִי שֹׁמֵמָה, כָּל-הַיּוֹם דָּוָה [He hath made me desolate and faint all the day.] except for two "hands" [i.e. two-thirds] of an hour.  I'll prove to you that this is so.  Come and see that when the sun bends toward the West two "hands", its light weakens and doesn't have its brilliance.  This is so much so that until the sun sets, the light of Israel blossoms as it says  וְהָיָה לְעֵת-עֶרֶב, יִהְיֶה-אוֹר ["but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light"].  

We also see from this Midrash that the Redemption  comes in the Sod of ערב [evening].  And Rav Schvartz Shlit"a from Netanya wrote me [YY - the author] that the Abravanel in [his book] "Yeshu'ot Meshiho" explains that a day of HKB"H is 2000 years - not 1000 years like all the commentators say.  And according to this, if we calculate 2000 years from the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, which was in the year 3828, and we subtract 56 years, which are the 2 "hands" (2/3 of an hour) according to the Midrash, we reach again to Tish'a Be'av of the year 5772.  And it appears that we can add that the source of the Midrash is in the Pirkei deRibbi Eliezer (Chapter 27)  where the same text is brought, and Ribbi Eliezer goes according to his known viewpoint in Chapter 6 there, where he writes, "One hour of a day of HKB"H is 83⅓ years."  We see that Ribbi Eliezer holds that a "day" of HKB"H is 2000 years - that's why one hour is 83⅓ years, and therefore the time period of exile is one day minus 2 "hands" - an hour that reaches the year 5772, as before.


And Harav HaGa'on Rav Itamar Cohen Shlit"a adds that just like the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash was at the time of Minha Gedola - and the Gemara in Ta'anit (29a) mentions the verse אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי-פָנָה הַיּוֹם, כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי-עָרֶב ['Woe unto us! for the day declineth, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out!'] regarding the destruction - so too the Redemption will occur at the same time, and the Zohar mentions that verse about the Redemption as we said earlier.  And it appears that I may add that it is for this reason that Mashiah was born at this period as we will see later, to hint to the fact that at this time, the Redemption of Israel will begin.  And this is the wording of the Sha'ar HaKavanot of the Ariza"l (Derush of Tish'a Be'av):

The idea of Tish'a Be'av - that which there is a custom on the day of Tish'a Be'av at Minha time to say verses of consolation, and also to get up and to sit on benches above.  It should seem to be just the opposite!  It appears from the Talmud Bavli that at evening-time, they ignited the Heichal on the day of Tish'a be'av and it burned at Minha time!  According to this, it should be proper to be stringent at Minha time more than in the morning!... [He answers the difficulty by saying] that then at the Minha of Tish'a Be'av, the Mashiah, who is called מנחם [one who consoles] was born, as is mentioned in the Midrash Eicha Rabbati.

[To be continued]