When Mashiah Comes, The Parah Aduma is Not Needed At First

Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L explained in a shiur how the logistics of purifying everyone when Mashiah comes is solved.  See the last paragraph here.

Translation taken from R' Yaakov Nathan's comments on this old post:

Regarding what we said about the red heifer, [about] the third, the seventh [days of purification]:

Moshiach will come now -- where will the third [day] come from, where will the seventh [day] come from? [In other words, purification via the process of the red heifer requires seven full days to pass, as well as a process of sprinkling the water mixed with ashes over each and every individual Jew--a very lengthy process to purify the entire Jewish people.] What are we going to do now, we won't be able to touch Moshiach? We won't be able to touch Eliyahu Hanovi? Imagine when my turn arrives...[The Talmudic sages] Abaye, Rava, Ravina, Rav Ashi will all be alive [and in need of purification]...until my turn arrives [as I will have to wait behind all the great sages of previous generations] it will be a long time.

[Therefore, to solve this logistical problem] the Holy One says, "I will make a temporary law for you." The Torah belongs to G-d, the laws are his [so He can make a temporary law if He desires]. He makes a one-time law: "I will pour upon you pure water and you will be purified" (Ezekiel). The heavens will open up...

It is written that when Hashem created the world, the water was split--half was placed above, half was placed below....When Moshiach will come Hashem will open up the heavens and "I will pour upon you pure water and you will be purified". We won't need third, the seventh [days], we won't need the ezov, we won't need the red heifer...the Holy One says "One time I will permit you [full purification without the seven day waiting and sprinkling process]. Afterwards if you become impure you'll need the red heifer, but now I will make it easy for you: "I will pour upon you pure water and you will be purified" and it should be Hashem's will that it happen very speedily in our time, Amen!

The Heat is On

As was predicted, today was hot. So the heat was on today. Or, as the President might say, "The heats was on today."

From the Trib:

We did it. For the first time in seven years the Chicago area hit 100 degrees today.

But it didn't last long. The official recording station at O’Hare International Airport registered 100 degrees at 3:19 p.m., but the temperature was back to 99 degrees by 4 p.m. as a cold front moved in.

Over in Waukegan, the temperature dropped 12 degrees -- from 98 to 86 -- between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures were expected to dip into the 70s across the area overnight, even near Lake Michigan.

This is the first time since July 24, 2005 that the Chicago area has topped 100 degrees. The last time we saw a 100-degree day in June was in 1988, according to WGN-TV meteorologist Tom Skilling. The record for this date is 101 set in 1971.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Hukat 5772

From Rav Fish's latest:

• Rav Yonatan G. adds that the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is hinted to in Pirkei DeRibbi Eliezer (chapter 30):

  There are 15 things that the children of Yishmael will do in the land in the End of Days. ... And 2 brothers will cause to rise up Nesi'im [princes/presidents] in the end, and in their days will rise Tzemah Ben David.

• It's known that many of the students of Maggid of Mezritch ZY"A gathered together in a project to hasten the coming of the Mashiah in the years 5572-5575, and they died in the year 5575.  They were: the Maggid of Kozhnitz, Rav Menahem Mendel of Rimnov, and the Hozeh of Lublin.  And just as in our days, we explained according to Haza"l that the time of the coming of Mashiah and the War of Gog Umagog are a process from the end of the year 5772 until the year 5775, similarly in their time, the war of Napoleon against Alexander of Russia broke out on Tammuz 14, 5572 and lasted until Sivan 10, 5575.  And all these years, Rav Menahem Mendel of Rimnov ZYA"A and other Gedolim tried to turn the war into the Gog Umagog War to hasten the Redemption.  This was because these years that came after the year 5500, which was the morning of the sixth millennium, was an auspicious time for the Redemption.  And Rav Moshe Levinger Shlit"a adds that  יו"ד דל"ת בתמוז has the gematria of מלך המשיח [which is 453 + the Kollel = 454].  Also חודש תמוז has the gematria of 772 [which is 771 + the Kollel].
• I heard in the name of the Kabbalist Rav Nahmani ZT"L that the Targum Yonatan on Eldad & Medad [see also here] mentions there the words קיריס איטימוס which hints to a כור אטומי [nuclear reactor] which will have a part in the Gog Umagog War.
• The expression דוד בן ישי appears only twice in Tanach.  Once in Psalm 72 that was mentioned.  The second instance appears in the verse (Shemuel Bet 23:1) וְאֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי דָוִד, הָאַחֲרֹנִים:  נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן-יִשַׁי "Now these are the last words of David: The saying of David the son of Jesse".  And we again see that David uses his name דוד בן ישי when he is speaking about the Keitz and end - "the last words of David".  And 2x the gematria of דוד בן ישי is 772.

Berit Mila Banned by Amalekite Court

It is much harder now to be a Jewish father in the Fatherland as a German court ruled to prohibit circumcisions there.  Rabbis are trying to intervene to save Berit Mila there.

I found an article by Rav Shmuel Eliyahu in yeshiva.org.il that shows how Amalek mocked circumcision.  Here is a translation of his main points:

The first Mitzva. Berit Mila was one of the first Mitzvot that was given to Avraham Avinu, it was one of the first Mitzvot that man first performs with his son, it was one of the first Mitzvot that the Israelites performed before they left Egypt, and it was one of the first Mitzvot that the Israelites performed when they entered the Land of Israel.

Amalek was the first enemy.  Corresponding to the very first Mitzva, it says (Bemidbar 24:20) "Amalek was the first of the nations". Amalek's was the first to fight against Israel and was the first to fight against Berit Mila.  Regarding Amalek, it says "and smote the hindmost of thee, all that were enfeebled in thy rear", which teaches us that Amalek would throw the foreskins of the Israelites toward heaven, saying, "This is what You wanted - take what You wanted."  (Bemidbar Rabba 13:5)  How could Amalek, who was a great-grandson of Yitzhak, come to mock Berit Mila?

Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L explains that when the Mohel wanted to give a Berit Mila to Esav, he saw that he was all reddish and it would be dangerous to give him a Berit Mila then.  The gemara in Shabbat 134a says: 

We learned in a Beraita:  Ribbi Natan said:  Once, I went to the coastal cities and a woman approached me.  She circumcized her first son and he died, her second son and he died.  Her third son, she brought before me - I saw that he was reddish.  I told her to wait until his blood is absorbed within him.  She did so, circumcized him, and he lived.  And they named him 'Natan Habavli' for me.  Another time, I went to Kapotkia where a woman approached me.  She circumcized her first son and he died, her second son and he died.  Her third son, she brought before me - I saw that he was greenish.  I looked and saw no Berit blood.  I told her to wait until his blood falls.  She did so, circumcized him, and he lived.  And they named him 'Natan Habavli' for me.

Esav's Berit was delayed the whole time he was reddish.  Even when he grew up, he did not circumcize himself with the excuse that he was still reddish and there is danger to circumcize.  And it remained this way for a couple generations until Amalek came and mocked the Mitzva.  And this is why there were decrees by the nations specifically about Mila.  In heaven, it was decreed that since he mocked this important Mitzva, he will receive his punishment.

Haman decreed about Mila.  The Megila says after the victory and the hanging of Haman "The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honour."  The gemara says: "light" is Torah, "gladness" is Yom Tov, "joy" is Mila, and "honor" is Tefilin.  Rashi there says that it shows that Haman decreed against all of them - no Torah learning, no Yom Tov, no Mila and no Tefilin - because he knew that these were the foundations of Judaism.  The result was: "and many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them."  The Ben Ish Hai (Ateret Tiferet 111) writes that this is why HKB"H first had the Berit Mila (or really, the Hatafat Dam Berit) of Moshe Rabbenu to fall out on Purim day (he was born on Adar 7 so his Berit Mila was on Adar 14) so his Berit would counteract the defilement of Amalek.

Putin Visited the Kotel to Pray for the Rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kotel last night and struck up a conversation with a Haredi Russian-speaking man there.

During the course of his visit, Putin spoke with other visitors at the site, asked many questions, and according to Yedioth Ahronoth, chatted at length with an ultra-Orthodox immigrant from the former Soviet Union.

Kikar has a video of this conversation and accompanying text. It describes the conversation like this:

אותו בר שיח שזכה לדקות אחדות שיחה ידידותית עם הנשיא פוטין, סיפר לנשיא על חשיבותו של הכותל לעם היהודי, על בית המקדש שחרב ועל שלמה המלך ע"ה שבנה אותו. הנשיא פוטין שהקשיב לו בשקיקה, השיב: "בדיוק בשביל זה באתי לכאן, להתפלל שיבנה שוב בית המקדש. אני מאחל לכם שיתקבלו תפילותיכם". הנשיא לחץ את ידיו של היהודי בחום לב ונפרד ממנו באיחולים.

My translation:

That conversing man who merited to have a few minutes of friendly conversation with President Putin told the President about the importance of the Kotel to the Jewish nation, about the Beit Hamikdash which was destroyed, and about Shelomo Hamelech A"H who built it. President Putin, who intently listened to him, replied, "Exactly for this reason did I come here, to pray that the Beit Hamikdash will be rebuilt. I wish for you that your prayers will be accepted." The President shook the hands of the Jew warmly and parted from him with departing wishes.

Recent Interesting Links - Hukat 5772

• Arutz Sheva Hebrew has the story (that was also in this week's Mishpacha magazine in English) that an Arab worker stole an expensive piece of equipment from Har Hamenuhot right before the hilula for Rav Mordechai Eliyahu.  They caught the guy that day - in the hospital with a severed finger.
• The Vizhnitzer Rebbe meets with Moishe Holtzberg and tells him to continue in the path of his parents.
• Rav Benayahu Shmueli says that the antidote for dealing with the problems in Egypt is reciting Pitum Haketoret.
• Page 3 of the latest Or Elyon has (in Hebrew) the short version of the latest Geula situation posts.
• Hot Thursday and on-pace for a record-hot summer:
  

  “We’re definitely going to be seeing a lot of 90-degree days over the next seven days,” said meteorologist David Beachler of the National Weather Service, with a high of 100 forecast for Thursday along with a heat index close to 105.
  
  Chicago saw three straight days in the 90s last week, bringing the year’s total to 13. Chicago’s hottest summer on record. was 1988, with 47 days that reached the 90s and seven that surpassed 100.
  
  This summer is on target to eclipse that pace.

Is Mitt Romney Hinted to in Nevuat Hayeled as a Geula Sign?

I had discussed Governor Romney in the past as someone who comes from Esav.

With that in mind, let's take a look at a certain stanza in Nevuat Hayeled:

ודין לכון סימן,
מפרש באת וזמן,
כד יפיק מן,
מדברא מלך ושמו מרומן.

However, notice the alternative girsa of מפרש באת ומן - not וזמן. And using the lectio difficilior rule (which I must admit I never heard of until I started reading parshablog), we will assume that this is the correct girsa.

The translation is thus - according to the Peirush there:

And this will be an explicit sign for you that with the letters of ומ"ן, when from the field [i.e. from Esav] will come out a king and his name is Meroman.

Now, Mitt Romney has the ומנ in his name: רומני.  No other President that came before him had this letter sequence.

To fit רומני into מרומן, one can either say that:

a) The מ of מרומן is a prefix that means "from", which has a similar meaning as the suffix of י.

or

b) The מ of מרומן is an abbreviation of his middle name that acts like his first name: מיט [Mitt] while the י at the end of רומני is extraneous.

or

c) It's telling you a possible name, but the essential part is the ומ"נ.

Anyways, if I can be so bold, I'd like to say that Romney is the ultimate sign, but the previous signs are mentioned right afterwards:

זרעיה יקום כד דרען,
ומן תמן מתרען,
ומקדשן מתרען.

The commentary says that this means, "When his son will arise when he is mighty, from there, he will connect with his allies, while towers and fortifications will break."

One need not be a geula blogger to guess that this is referring to George W. Bush.

This is followed by:

חד שורש מן שתקא,
כד ימלוך בחזקא,
מטא קץ מלכותא די אכלה ומדקא.

Again, according to the commentary there, this means, "When a Shetuki man - who is not of the lineage of the king - will arise to rule by force, the end of the kingdom of the fourth beast, of whom it says (Daniel 7:7) 'it devoured and broke in pieces', will have arrived."

A Shetuki (according to the first Mishna in the 4th chapter of Kiddushin) is someone who knows his mother, but does not know his father. While our current President knows who his father is and even wrote a book about him, the father was apparently not in his life very much.  (More can be said about this, but I will leave that for others to comment.)

And that brings us back to Meroman/Romney.

The next stanza has "a request from Binyamin", but enough for now.

Tag-Team Miracle Working

The following story is found in Hebrew on Kikar:

Hila Hasid was a single girl who had a married twin sister who was married for a number of years without children.  She went to Rav Moshe Ben Tov ZT"L to receive a blessing for her sister and for herself to get married.  She came with Mezuzot from her parents' house, showed him the Mezuzot, and after looking at them for a little while, before she could say a word, Rav Ben Tov said, "You have a twin."  After looking at the Mezuzot some more, he said, "She has been married for many years but without children.  And you yourself have a toothache and backache."  She was amazed how he knew all this as she didn't need to speak at all.  He concluded by saying that all the Mezuzot were invalid.  He instructed her to buy new Kosher Mezuzot, a Talit for her yet-to-be-determined husband-to-be, and set aside some money every day for the 4 Minim for Sukkot for her husband-to-be.  He said, "Don't worry.  Hashem's salvation will surely come." 

She left Rav Ben Tov very happy and encouraged.  Sure enough, within 6 months, her sister became pregnant.  However, she herself did not yet merit to find a Shidduch.  She didn't know then how Rav Moshe Ben Tov ZT"L and Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L would work together for her benefit in the heavens.

Months had passed and both rabbis had passed away about a month away from each other.   One day after their passing, Hila meets up with her friend who was noticeably excited.  She said, "Listen, Hila.  Last night, I had a dream whereby Rav Mordechai Eliyahu came in my dream and told me to tell you to clean my Tziun on Har Hamenuhot.  He added that I should tell you that you should do just as you did for Rav Ben Tov."

Hila was dumbfounded.  Nobody knew about this besides her.  She recalled, "One day, I was having a hard day and gave up on finding a Shidduch.  I felt very depressed.  I decided to go to Rav Ben Tov's Tziun since I had met him while he was alive.  I approached the Tziun and prayed to Hashem that He will send my salvation.  It was a hot day and when I finished my prayer, I noticed that flies were flying close to the Tziun above the leftover wax of the candles that the numerous worshippers who had visited the grave had lit.  In a moment's decision, I took needles and towelettes that were in my purse, cleaned it up, and threw the leftover wax into the nearby garbage.  No one was there at that moment and no one could have known what I did there.  I didn't tell of this to anyone," she said emotionally. 

When she heard about her friend's dream, that very day, she went to Rav Mordechai Eliyahu's grave and cleaned it up too.

A short while afterwards, Miss Hasid got married and is now Mrs. Elimelech.  It's not surprising that the Mesader Kiddushin was one of the close students of Rav Ben Tov. 

The spiritual connection between Rav Mordechai Eliyahu and Rav Ben Tov came to fruition even after they left this world.  Incidentally, for many years, there existed a mysterious connection between these 2 Kabbalists and there are many stories which we are still waiting for someone to tell over for the future generations.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Korah 5772

From Rav Fish's latest (I'll add the link when it's available):

• It says (Bereishit 6:13) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים לְנֹחַ, קֵץ כָּל-בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי--כִּי-מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חָמָס, מִפְּנֵיהֶם; וְהִנְנִי מַשְׁחִיתָם, אֶת-הָאָרֶץ [And God said unto Noah: 'The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.]  And we find in the Zohar (Tikkunim 113b) "קֵץ כָּל-בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי" "קץ שם לחשך" We see that this verse [in Noah] hints to the Redemption.  Rav Yosef Scheinberger Shlit"a adds that the letters בש of בשר have the milui of בי"ת שי"ן which is the gematria of 772, while the רי"ש is the same letters as שיר [song] to hint to the idea that in the year 5772, we will merit the song of Redemption.  Also, the word "בא" hints to the month of אב [Av].
• Rav Yosef Scheinberger Shlit"a adds that the word פר"ס is Rashei Teivot for פרס רוסיא סין [Persia, Russia China], where these 3 will go together against Edom, as we see in our days.  He also adds that he heard from Rav Levine ZT"L who was one of the elders of Karlin Hasidim, who heard from the Admo"r known as the Yenuka of Karlin ZT"L (also known as "the Frankfurter" [see here]), who had Ruah Hakodesh, and was one of the few who foresaw the Holocaust many years in advance, that China would destroy New York, Paris and London (Rashei Teivot of נפ"ל) within 3 minutes.  He said this 100 years before the world knew about nuclear explosions.  And we also find in the Zohar that in the Gog Umagog War, a nation from the end of the world will come and fight with Edom.  To quote the Zohar:
  בְּאוֹתוֹ זְמַן יִתְעוֹרֵר עַם אֶחָד מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם עַל רוֹמִי הָרְשָׁעָה, וְיַעֲרךְֹ בָּהּ קְרָב שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים,
  וְיִתְכַּנְּסוּ שָׁם עַמִּים, וְיִפְּלוּ בִידֵיהֶם, עַד שֶׁיִּתְכַּנְּסוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱדוֹם עָלֶיהָ מִסּוֹפֵי כָּל הָעוֹלָם, וְאָז
  יִתְעוֹרֵר עֲלֵיהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. זֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב "כִּי זֶבַח לַה' בְּבָצְרָה וְגוֹ'". אַחַר זֶה מַה כָּתוּב,
  "לֶאֱחֹז בְּכַנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ'". וִיכַלֶּה אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִמֶּנָּה, וְיִשְׁבֹּר כָּל הַחֲיָלוֹת כֹּחוֹת
  שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה, וְלֹא יִשָּׁאֵר כֹּחַ לְמַעְלָה עַל הָעָם שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם, אֶלָּא כֹּחַ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַדּוֹ, זֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב "ה'
  צִלְּךְ עַל יַד יְמִינֶך
• [After discussing the רג"ע or 273 years since the "morning" of the sixth millennium, he adds that] we also have the verse (Tehilim 30:6)  כִּי רֶגַע, בְּאַפּוֹ-- חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ: בָּעֶרֶב, יָלִין בֶּכִי; וְלַבֹּקֶר רִנָּה  [For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for a life-time; weeping may tarry for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.]  We see that after the "anger for a moment", we arrive at the time of evening - "weeping may tarry for the evening".  Rav Yosef Scheinberger Shlit"a adds that there is a hint here to the time of evening when the weeping goes to sleep (בערב ילין בכי) and the verse continues "but joy cometh in the morning" - because then, we will merit to have the morning of the Redemption.

Tammuz/Av Geula Predictions Recap

As we approach the month of Tammuz, it is probably a good idea to recap some of the Geula predictions for Tammuz and Av of this year.

• The Gr"a on the end of the year 
• Rav Kaduri ZT"L's statement
• Rav Scheinberg ZT"L's statements before he passed away: part 1, part 2, part 3
• Rav David Abuhatzeira Shlit"a's statement (according to the 22:15 mark of this shiur)

In addition to these, we can also add some more speculation that was mentioned over at Shirat Devorah's blog:

• A Time, Times, and Half of Time
• Seven Stars on the North and 60 days
• The ''Flame''

This does not include many other predictions for the year 5772 in general that were mentioned on my blog by Rav Fish and the predictions that Mashiah will be here "soon".

As things are heating up in Syria, Egypt, and southern Israel, not to mention Iran, we should pray that any Geula scenario, whenever it comes, should be with mercy.  May he come Bimhera Veyamenu, Amen.


(Rule for close Geula predictions:

If they are accurate, wonderful.
If not, don't fret about it - keep waiting for his arrival every day.)

Rav Wosner asks a Kallah for a Blessing

My translated summary of a story found on Kikar:

A Shidduch was made between 2 Hasidic families in Hutz La'aretz, where the Hatan is described as a Matmid, but unfortunately, the Hatan contracted a bad sickness. B"H, they caught it early and successfully passed through his first stage of treatment. The Hatan's family went over to the Kallah's family and said, "Under the circumstances, we totally understand if you want to break up the Shidduch." The Kallah refused and said that she's happy with whom she chose, and if she chooses someone else, who knows how long he will live anyways.

The Hatan's family were happy to hear her words, but nevertheless said that she's doing it because she feels bad, but according to Yashrut and Din, she really should break up the Shidduch. Since they didn't know what to do, they called Rav Wosner Shlit"a and asked him what he thinks and they would abide by his ruling. When Rav Wosner heard the question, he said, "It has been a long time since I sat on a Beit Din, but for such a Din Torah, I want to sit on a Beit Din and listen to the claims of each side."

At the appointed date, the families flew to Eretz Yisrael and went to Rav Wosner's Beit Din. Rav Wosner heard both sides of the argument and ruled that according to the Din, the Shidduch could be broken. The Kallah then asked Rav Wosner if the Shidduch must be broken or if she merely has permission to break it. Rav Wosner told her that she can go on with the Shidduch if she so desires.

The Kallah replied, "If so, I want to go on with the Shidduch. Rav Wosner, please give us a Beracha that the Shidduch should be successful and that the Hatan should have length of days, and that he will be healthy from now on."

When Rav Wosner heard the Kallah's words, he broke out crying, and after a few long minutes that seemed to everyone like an eternity, Rav Wosner said, "This Kallah does not need my Beracha after such an act of courage. I don't need to bless you - rather, I request that you bless me that I should have length of days and continue to disseminate Torah."

Russia in the News

• Arutz Sheva:

  The King David Hotel will be closed for 24 hours next week, in order to accommodate Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will be arriving on an official visit. This will be Putin's first visit to Israel since 2005. In order to ensure smooth operations, the hotel decided to leave the entire facility to Putin and his entourage.
  
  Putin will meet with top officials on his visit, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. He will also dedicate a new memorial in Netanya dedicated to the memory of Jewish soldiers who fell in the defense of Russia. 

• Debka:

  Moscow is using the time up until Russian President Vladimir Putin faces US President Barack Obama across the G20 conference table in Los Cabos, Mexico Sunday, June 17 - or in its corridors - to ship sophisticated arms to Syria able to prevent a no-fly zone and a fleet of warships to the Mediterranean port of Tartus.
  
  ...
  
  Russia is, in a word, supplying Bashar Assad, his regime and his army, with the very weapons they may need for warding off Western and Arab air efforts to impose a no-fly zone over Syria, while at the same time enabling him to repel seaborne assaults by his foes from the Mediterranean.
  
  Since Syrian units have not been trained in the use of these advanced weapons, they are mostly likely coming with Russian technical teams to operate them - although they would be presented as “instructors.”
  
  The Russians are not trying to conceal their military intervention in Syria in support of the Assad regime.
  

Hmmm...

Forbes List of Most Influential Rabbis

I know this is a few days old, but I think that this was pretty interesting. 

Unlike Newsweek's annual list of US rabbis, which includes many people with whom I dare not say the word "rabbi" in the same breath, Forbes did an admirable job in getting a broad spectrum of rabbis in Israel who really deserve the title.  One might have quibbles here and there, but they got it right for the most part.

Here's the list (h/t Rafi):

1. Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a
2. Rav Elyashiv Shlit"a
3. Rav Shteinman Shlit"a
4. Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a
5. Rav Nachman of Breslov ZT"L and the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT"L
6. Rav Shmuel Eliyahu Shlit"a
7. Rav Moti Elon Shlit"a
8. Rav Aviner Shlit"a
9. The Gerrer Rebbe Shlit"a
10. The Belzer Rebbe Shlit"a
11. Rav Dov Lior Shlit"a
12. The Vizhnitzer Rebbe Shlit"a
13. Rav Shelomo Moshe Amar Shlit"a
14. Rav Yoram Abergil Shlit"a, Rav Elbaz Shlit"a, and Rav Amnon Yitzhak Shlit"a
15. Rav Yuval Sherlo Shlit"a
16. Rav Yoshiyahu Pinto Shlit"a and Rav Ifergan (the X-Ray) Shlit"a
17. Rav Ratzon Arusi Shlit"a
18. Rav Yonah Metzger Shlit"a and Rav Yisrael Lau Shlit"a
19. Rav Benayahu Shmueli Shlit"a
20. Rav Hayim Hakohen (the Milkman) Shlit"a

May Hashem provide our leaders length of days and the wisdom to lead us through these trying times.

(Please keep comments respectful.)

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Shelah 5772

From Rav Fish's latest:

• He goes at length comparing the State of Israel to the Kelipa of Or Tahash.  (Also, an interesting idea from the Zohar about Tahash, the son of Re'uma, the Pilegesh of Nahor, where Re'uma is really Hagar - see also Or Hahama on this.)  מדינת ישראל is the gematria of עור תחשים with the words, letters, and Kollel.  Also, תש"ח was when the State of Israel was founded.  See Rabbi Glazerson's Torah code there and more.
• I'm not sure if Rav Fish has fallen for a Mars Approach Hoax email or not, but he claims that Mars will be close to the earth and the sky will appear red on 14 Heshvan, 5773.  Anyways, if true, he compares it to the Rashi in Shemot 10:10 and Yoel 3:3 and the Radak there.
• He quotes R' Tzion Siboni, who hints from the verse in Bemidbar 3:43, which discusses the 22,273 Leviim, that 22 hints to the 22 letters of the Alef Bet, 273 hints to the 273 years from the morning of the sixth millennium until the year 5773, and בכור and זכר hint to the number of years left until the year 6000.
• He quotes R' Tzion Siboni, who says that there are 5845 verses in the Torah, so if you subtract 72 - the gematria of חסד, which brings the קץ הימין, you get to 5773.
• He quotes R' A.Y., who combines Daniel 8:13, which gives a date of "evening and morning and 2300", with Daniel 12:7, which gives a date of "a time, times, and a half", to multiply 2300 x 2.5 = 5750 to say that the morning has ended on that date, and the evening has begun.
• He quotes R' Shelomo Raiskin, who notes that the Iranian nuclear reactor is in Qom, which is similar to (Amos 5:2) קוּם, בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל and כשזה נופל זה קם.  [He and I think alike.]
• He quotes R' Shelomo Raiskin, who says that the year תשע"ג [the year 5773] is hinted to in the verse where Shelomo Hamelech is being annointed with a 6-letter backwards skip:  וַיִּמְשְׁחוּ אֹתוֹ צָדוֹק הַכֹּהֵן וְנָתָן הַנָּבִיא לְמֶלֶךְ בְּגִחוֹן, וַיַּעֲלוּ מִשָּׁם שְׂמֵחִים, וַתֵּהֹם, הַקִּרְיָה; הוּא הַקּוֹל, אֲשֶׁר שְׁמַעְתֶּם
• He heard from the family of Rav Ze'ev Cheshin ZT"L that every so often, he used to ask his son whether Iran said anything against Israel.  And even though he wasn't interested in the matters of the world at all, he used to ask this particular question every so often for dozens of years.
• More gematrias there.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky Blesses Raheli Atias

After Rav Grossman Shlit"a and Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a gave blessings to Raheli Atias, the girl who survived the accident in which her parents and 6 siblings were killed R"L, Kikar and YWN
 report that Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a also has given her a blessing.

Here's YWN's report:

After recently receiving a bracha from Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, Rachel Atias was taken to see HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, where she was showered with good wishes and a bracha. Her uncle, Yaron Cohen brought Rachel to meet with the gadol hador, escorted by Rav Eli Bruner of Ezer Mizion and R’ Tzvika Leibal from Meron.

Rebitzen Koldotzki, the ravs daughter, spent considerable time with Rachel, whose family was killed in a vehicular accident a number of weeks ago, leaving her the sole survivor. She has since been living with her aunt and uncle.

Pollard Approaches Day 9722

Arutz Sheva:

Tuesday marked 9,700 days that Jonathan Pollard has been behind bars since his arrest for passing classified information from the United States to Israel.

President Shimon Peres said, Monday, that he would discuss a pardon for Pollard when he holds a private meeting President Barack Obama of the United States prior to receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a Washington, D.C. dinner on Wednesday. He told reporters at Blair House, "I will speak one-on-one with the president about Pollard." Peres adde, "The Israeli president also has the power of clemency -- I understand all the problems associated with clemency. Clemency is not an extension of the judicial process, it includes considerations beyond and outside this area, and I'll explain this to the president."

If Tuesday marked 9700 days, then American Independence Day - July 4th, 2012 - would mark 9722 days.

Besides being Independence Day, why is this significant?

It's also the gematria of this verse in Ezra (Ezra 3:8) that discusses the beginning of the building of the Beit Hamikdash (see Metzudat David on the words החלו זרובבל):

 וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית, לְבוֹאָם אֶל-בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים לִירוּשָׁלִַם, בַּחֹדֶשׁ, הַשֵּׁנִי--הֵחֵלּוּ זְרֻבָּבֶל בֶּן-שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל וְיֵשׁוּעַ בֶּן-יוֹצָדָק וּשְׁאָר אֲחֵיהֶם הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם, וְכָל-הַבָּאִים מֵהַשְּׁבִי יְרוּשָׁלִַם, וַיַּעֲמִידוּ אֶת-הַלְוִיִּם מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, לְנַצֵּחַ עַל-מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית-יְהוָה

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of the LORD.

It is no secret that Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L considered Pollard's release the key to our Final Redemption.

King Asa's and PM Netanyahu's Leg Ailments

Jpost:

PM sprains ankle at Arab-Jewish kids soccer game

With leadership like this, it's no wonder Israel failed to qualify for the Euro 2012.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday sprained his ankle while participating in a joint Arab-Jewish soccer game for children at Jerusalem's Kraft Stadium.

The Likud party canceled its faction meeting in light of the injury.

Netanyahu joined the game, staged for Peter Greenberg's show "The Royal Tour," but fell after five minutes following a failed swipe at the soccer ball.

After falling, his security guards drove up to him, helped him inside the vehicle, and left the scene.

Sota 10a and my translation:

תנו רבנן חמשה נבראו מעין דוגמה של מעלה וכולן לקו בהן ... אסא ברגליו ... אסא ברגליו דכתיב רק לעת זקנתו חלה את רגליו ואמר רב יהודה אמר רב שאחזתו פדגרא ... דרש רבא מפני מה נענש אסא מפני שעשה אנגריא בתלמידי חכמים שנאמר והמלך אסא השמיע את כל יהודה אין נקי מאי אין נקי אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אפילו חתן מחדרו וכלה מחופתה. 

The rabbis learned in a Beraita: 5 people were created similar to image of above [Rashi: the lower worlds changed for the better with these people's special features], but they all were punished with these same features.... Asa with his feet [he was an incredibly fast runner, but was punished with the same feet] ... Asa with his feet as it says "But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet." And Rav Yehuda says in the name of Rav that a form of gout took hold of him. ... Rava expounded: Why was Asa punished?  Because he forced Talmidei Hachamim to share the burden of the king's labor, as it says "Then king Asa made a proclamation unto all Judah; none was exempted".  What does it mean by "none was exempted"?  Rav Yehuda says in the name of Rav: even a bridegroom from his room and a bride from her Huppah [so certainly Talmidei Hachamim were forced too].

Rav Shmuel Eliyahu on the Geula Situation - Part 2 of 2

The second part of Rav Shmuel Eliyahu's essay in the Kol Tzofayich newsletter continued from here.


At'halta deGeula - the Beginning of Redemption - The year 5708 - The fifth hour - One hour before noon on the sixth day


We mentioned earlier that which our teacher and rabbi - Abba [Rav Mordechai Eliyahu] said about Ribbi Yitzhak Alfieh ZTVK"L, that he was one of the 36 Tzadikim.  As mentioned, in the year 5688, he wrote the essay entitled "Sod Hageula" that was brought down in the Kuntras Hayehieli (96).  In his words there, he writes amazing things - stemming from the aspect of a sage being better than a prophet.  There he brings the calculation of the 1000 years of the sixth millennium and explains according to the words of the Ariza"l, who said that starting from the fifth hour on Friday, the worlds begin to rise up from their weekday places to greet Shabbat, and holiness is added onto them, as is mentioned by us with the Sod of the extra letter ה that is mentioned in the verse ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום הששי - "And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" - to hint to the fifth hour, as mentioned.

For all the other days, there is no letter ה in them. For example, on the first day, it does not say האחד, nor on the second day, etc. However, here, it says הששי to hint to the idea that in the fifth hour on the sixth day, immediately juxtaposed to it is "And the heaven and the earth were finished..." and immediately, it is considered as if it is the day of Shabbat.

And therefore, we must think and know the meaning of the years - in which year from the years of Creation of the world will it be corresponding to the end of the fifth hour, and that from then on would begin to be revealed the shining of the holiness of Shabbat, through which all judgments, the power of the Kelipa, and the Sitra Ahora would be canceled from the world as mentioned earlier that they will no longer have power and they will be removed from the earth and HKB"H's name will be sanctified in the worlds - in the upper worlds and lower worlds as said? Here is the order of the calculation: ...

The Rav there calculates that every hour in the sixth day corresponds to 41.6666 years. (1000/24 = 41.6666.) If you multiply them by the hours of the day, you get to two-thirds of the year 5708, wherein the power of the Sitra Ahora was canceled and the power of holiness had risen. And in reality, in this year, the nations of the world gave power to the nation of Israel to establish a kingdom and to get Jews to make Aliya to the Land of Israel and to protect themselves - that which hasn't been for thousands of years, wherein Jewish blood was spilled like water and there was no one to avenge that blood, Has Veshalom. And since then until today, how great has the Torah risen in the Land of Israel. And Baruch Hashem that since then and until today, almost a majority of the nation of Israel is found in the Holy Land, which has not occurred since the days of the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash.

The strengthening of the Kelipot - a good sign for Israel

And Rav Yitzhak Alfieh ZTVK"L wrote there:

And now, do not wonder when you see the strengthening of the Kelipa over of Israel and how it causes them to transgress G-d's religion - since the end of its [the Kelipa's] time has arrived to die and to be canceled from the world, because of this, it gets stronger and puts all its efforts on Israel to cancel them, Has Veshalom, from service of Hashem Yitbarach and from His Mitzvot - in order that it [the Kelipa] will get benefit from their [Israel's] holiness and it will have influence and vitality from the sparks of holiness that fall from them into the Kelipa which are its vitality. For this reason, it strengthens itself against them to cause them to sin, Has Veshalom.

And this is a good sign for Israel - with this strengthening of the Sitra Ahora -
since this proves its total cancelation, as Raza"l expounded in the Sod of the verse "Thou withdrawest their breath, they perish, and return to their dust". Therefore, Haza"l said: "In the time of the footsteps of Mashiah, Hutzpah will increase." And since the evil inclination is made of fire while they are made of flesh and blood, they cannot tie it up and subdue it. And especially when he is giving all of his energy upon them, as mentioned earlier. Therefore, they are obligated and require assistance from Him - may His name be blessed - as Haza"l say "Every day, man's evil inclination strengthens against him, and if it weren't for the fact that HKB"H helps him, he would not be able to overcome him." Therefore, at this time and season that it became so strong, HKB"H will subdue it. And this will occur through the revelation of His light - may He be blessed - in its time, which is the sixth day in the fifth hour, as mentioned earlier.

And since the nation of Israel as a whole is longing to serve Hashem and to keep all of His Mitzvot, and it is merely the "yeast in the dough" that is preventing them from doing so, therefore, this longing is a great Mitzvah and makes a great impression up above, and in its merit, Hashem will redeem them. And not only that, but HKB"H already decreed this when He said [paraphrase from Bereishit 18:26 and 18:32] "If there are 10 Tzadikim, then I will forgive all the place for their sake". And praise G-d, may He be blessed, there are numerous Tzadikim and pious individuals and those who keep his Torahs and Mitzvot - thousands and tens of thousands, "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain" [i.e. without an Ayin Hara], who it is fit and proper before Hashem that in their merit and in the merit of their righteousness, He will forgive all sins and transgressions of His people and flock of His pasture as a whole, whom He called "Israel is My son, My first-born" and He will raise the Shechina from the dust. And especially since there is no one empty in Israel who is not filled with Mitzvot like a pomegranate who is not filled with Mitzvot like a pomegranate, say Raza"l, and therefore, they are all fit for a complete Redemption soon.

And even though we hinted earlier about the strengthening of the Kelipa in the nation, it is only found by a small minority of people, and we follow the majority and we do not suspect the minority, and we are fit to be redeemed speedily and soon. And if we say that Has Veshalom there are no merits, nevertheless, we can still have Redemption, since this Redemption will be for the sake of His name - may it be blessed - and the holiness of the Cosmic Shabbat which is being revealed in its proper time, as we mentioned earlier, and the shining of His Shechina. And this is the hint of "As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvellous things" - meaning that just as in the Egyptian exile, the Kelipa and the Sitra Ahora got stronger upon them, but they still did not give up hope and believed in Hashem that He would redeem them, and HKB"H did reveal Himself there and redeemed them, so too in this bitter exile - that even though there is no merit, when He reveals the shining of His holiness upon us, then He will redeem us an everlasting Redemption. And this is [paraphrase of Yeshaya 48:9, Yeshaya 48:11, and Yehezkel 36:22] "For My sake and for the sake of My name I will do, if not for your sake." And like it says (Yeshaya 63:5) "And I looked, and there was none to help, and I beheld in astonishment, and there was none to uphold; therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me, and My fury, it upheld Me." And the following verse will be fulfilled about us [from Zecharia 3:8 and Malachi 3:23]: "Behold, I will bring forth My servant the Shoot. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD." And the redeemer will come to Zion with the building of our holy house and our glory, speedily in our days, Amen.

The weakening of the Kelipa - the year 5750 - Noon on the sixth day

The year 5750 was noon of the sixth day. Around this year, amazing things occurred in the world that have nothing with which to compare them. In these years, the evil empire of Russia and all its surrounding nations fell. And this was absolutely amazing since Russia was a superpower which ruled over many nations. Its flag was a flag of wickedness and complete denial of the existence of G-d. And they covered themselves with a robe of being complete Tzadikim who want to bring justice and equality to the world. These evil-doers closed synagogues and study-halls and Torah schools. Whoever was busy with these matters of holiness was sent to exile in frozen Siberia. They made hundreds of thousands of Jews convert, Bar Minan. And they also hated the State of Israel with all their might, and they would arm the worst of our enemies with an abundance of weaponry to destroy us - for free. And they would blaspheme against Jews in every place.

And behold, in these years, the power of the Kelipa has completely weakened, and all those who acted wrongly scattered and this evil empire and all its surrounding nations broke up one after the other. And this is an unbelievable thing because it occurred around the years 5750-5751, which are the years of noon of the sixth day.

Around these years, there was also a nuclear disarmament agreement. And this was exactly the beginning of what was said about the King Mashiah (Yeshaya 2:4): "And He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." The before he comes, his light already starts to influence the world.

Immediately after this, the U.S. started to fight against the great oppressor from Baghdad, Saddam Hussein, who called himself the successor of Nevuchadnetzar. He [years earlier] had erected a nuclear reactor with the name of the Avoda Zara "Tammuz", whose purpose was to destroy the State of Israel. With Hashem's mercy upon us, HKB"H gave us the power to be strong and we destroyed his weapon of destruction on Shavuot in an operation that amazed all the military experts in the world, to fulfill that which it says (Vayikra 26:7) "And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword."

The Shomrei Emunim Rebbe Shlit"a said at the eulogy of Ribbi Elazar Abuhatzeira ZYA"A:

We see clearly - even someone who just has a little bit of eyes can see - that this is the time for the coming of Mashiah - not like all the other times and Kitzim - today, we see everything clearly. And everything that is written in the Torah and prophets and writings and in the other books - this is it - we see everything today clearly from everything that is happening in the world.

5771 - Minha Gedola of the sixth day

According to Halacha, there is a meaning to a half-hour after noon. At this time, one can already recognize the leaning of the sun from the middle of the sky toward the west. Regarding this time, the Yerushalmi (Pesahim 31) says the from this time and on, it is permitted to pray Minha Gedola on Friday and we do not say supplications because of the light of Shabbat. Many laws are said in Tractate Shabbat that begin from this hour where the light of Shabbat is already shining a lot more than it was prior to it.

If we divide the sixth millennium into 24 hours and multiply by 18.5 (12 hours of night plus 6.5 hours of the day), we get to the end of Tammuz, 5771. Upon this date, the Zohar said in 2 places that it is "The end of the exile". This is the time of the Minha prayer. And it is brought down in the gemara (Berachot 6b) "A person should always be careful with the Minha prayer because Eliyahu was only answered at the Minha prayer. This is what was brought down in "Likutei Halachot" (Minha 3) - that Eliyahu needed to subdue the strengthening of the Sitra Ahora and idol worshippers then so he specifically prayed Minha because their main stronghold is from there...because through him [Eliyahu] would be revealed the aspect of the kingdom of Mashiah. Therefore, Eliyahu was appointed to inform the future Redemption - to reveal the kingdom of Mashiah. Therefore, Eliyahu specifically was careful with the Minha prayer and he was answered because Minha has the aspect of bringing something out of potential and into actuality - which is the aspect of Mashiah who will come speedily in our days, Amen.

The implication of this hour in the Redemption clock is found in the holy Zohar (Va'et'hanan 270a) [YY - see also this post] that writes about the exile:

"Woe unto us! for the day declineth, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out!" - a day and a shadow is the end of the exile, and the measurement of this shadow is 6 handbreadths and a half.

We find a similar Zohar in Vayikra (16a) And the Gr"a explains there, "And it means to say 1000 years of the exile and another half a day until a half-hour after noon, as then the day starts to set." Also, the "Matok Midevash" explains there: "The 6 handbreadths and a half - the explanation is 6.5 hours in the sixth day, as then it is recognizable that the shadow has stretched to the west."

The Arab Winter, the Jewish Spring

One of the things that we can see clearly these days is the breakdown of the Arab world. Nation after nation is collapsing without any of us lifting a finger. This is exactly like the evil world of Stalin collapsed. First, the oppressor from Libya, Qaddaffi, fell - he was dragged like a despised corpse in the outskirts of Libya in the streets. Afterwards, the oppressor from Egypt fell, and they placed him in an iron cage to degrade him. And it is brought down in the holy Zohar that a nation is not brought down until its heavenly angel is brought down first.

Afterwards, we see with our eyes how Syria, the biggest enemy, is destroying itself. The power of all these countries today is less than half of what it had prior to the revolutions that are called for some reason "The Arab Spring". Their armies are not functioning, the people are enemies of each other, their weapons are getting rusty and are being used against themselves. The verse "And I will spur Egypt against Egypt" has been fulfilled in them.

This revolution that crumbles our enemies is great news for the nation of Israel because we have a general rule that says "and the one people shall be stronger than the other people" - when one falls, the other rises. When our enemies fall, we rise. At the end of Parshat Hayei Sarah, the Torah speaks about what occurred to the children of Yishmael after he died: "And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Asshur: over against all his brethren he did settle." (Bereishit 25:18) The hint in this verse is that Yishmael will not die by the hands of other nations, but rather, by his own brothers with internal revolutions, as we see today. Therefore, the Baal Haturim explains an amazing thing and says:

And the verse close to this is "And these are the generations of Isaac" to teach you that when Yishmael falls in the End of Days, then [Mashiah] Ben David will sprout, as he is from the generations of Isaac.

Ki Gaz Hish VeNa'ufa [YY - play-on-words from this verse]

The economic downfall of Egypt has strengthened in the wake of the cancellation of the gas agreement with Israel and the blowing up of the pipeline. A good portion of their economy was from this gas. Originally, Mubarak's sons stole the majority of the profits, but now, they are preventing themselves from receiving profits by selling this gas to Israel, and they have nothing to do with it because they don't know how to transfer it to other countries without the pipeline so it is going to waste.

In parallel with this, HKB"H is revealing to us, one after another, treasure-troves of oil and gas that is hidden deep in the earth. Our teacher and rabbi - Abba [Rav Mordechai Eliyahu] ZTVK"L already said that these discoveries are part of the promises that HKB"H promised to the nation of Israel to have a booming economy during the days of Mashiah.

All this is a great wonder because in parallel to these discoveries, the State of Israel is strengthening itself economically - it is the only country in the world that is rising financially while all the others are stagnating, falling, or collapsing. While in the whole world, there is a real estate crisis that caused a great financial crisis, in Israel, they passed it in peace. Not only that, but we rose over all of them.

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip

Rashi hints to the economic crisis that is passing over the world but skipping over Israel on Bereishit 25:23 - there, he brings down about Edom and Israel:

When one rises, the other falls...Tzor [referring to Edom] only became full when Yerushalayim was destroyed

And vice-versa: Yerushalayim only became full when Tzor was destroyed.

The greatest economic collapse of Europe started specifically from Kelipa of Greece which fell, which is the Kelipa that enclothes Yesod of holiness, and then, Zion of holiness will be able to rise. And similarly, it is written (Zecharia 9:13) "For I bend Judah for Me, I fill the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Javan, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man." This is what is brought down in the Gr"a on the verse: "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip" - that the vengeance and Redemption will come after the economic downfall of the nations. Therefore, it is written, "against the time when their foot shall slip" which hints to money which keeps a person on his feet.

And in the gemara (Megilla 6b), the expression "Italia Shel Yavan [Italy of Greece] - this is the big metropolis of Rome" - is brought down many times. This tells you that even though Greece and Italy are two different countries, in their basis, they are the same evil and their gods are the same gods. And both their ways of chasing after Israel is the same. When they fall, Israel rises.

We are requested to have preparation and purity - to make a preparation for the Redemption, as Yaakov Avinu said to his sons when he wanted to reveal the Keitz, "Gather yourselves together". For this reason, we also need Ahdut - unity - among the people of Israel. And we also need to purify ourselves - prepare yourselves for the Redemption. This is great preparation in order that we will merit to pass the Redemption with mercy and peace. And the Gr"a says that even in a Be'itah Geula, there is a possibility of Ahishena - which is a Redemption of mercy according to our actions. And this is really the simple explanation of the verse.

And may it be Hashem's will that the verses will completely be fulfilled: "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, desolation nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down, Neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever; the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, wherein I glory. The smallest shall become a thousand, and the least a mighty nation; I the LORD will hasten it in its time." Amen - may it be Hashem's will.

Rav Shmuel Eliyahu on the Geula Situation - Part 1 of 2

The following is my translation of Rav Shmuel Eliyahu's essay in the Kol Tzofayich newsletter for Beha'alotecha 5772. Many things that he says have been mentioned on my blog before and in the words of Rav Fish, but it's nice to have it in one place. Plus, there are many things that I have not seen before. I will try to translate this to the best of my ability.

The obligation to contemplate the Redemption

The Hafetz Hayim wrote that whoever does not contemplate the process of the Redemption is similar to a man who received the Torah from Sinai but did not learn it:

Any spiritual matter - its value cannot be recognized and its taste cannot be felt - except to one who contemplates it. For example, knowledge of Torah for those who learn and those who busy themselves with it. Exactly like this will be the coming of Mashiah which is the revelation of the Shechina in the entire world, and whoever does not contemplate the coming of Mashiah will not feel it at all.

Similarly wrote Rav Elchanan Wasserman HY"D (Kovetz Ma'amarim Ve'Igrot, vol. 1, p. 329):

One must openly publicize to all that we are currently in the period of Ikveta Dimshiha - this matter is clear as the sun. And I am making that which has entered my mind known for many days because it is very fitting to gather from the holy writings and words of Raza"l all the writings and essays that deal with our period and to explain the meanings of the matters... to show how the matters have been fulfilled and are being fulfilled right before our eyes.

And really, this contemplation gives great power toward service of Hashem, for prayer, and for love of Hashem Yitbarach.

Our teacher and rabbi Abba [YY - Rav Mordechai Eliyahu] ZTVK"L would say about Ribbi Yitzhak Alfieh ZTVK"L that he was one of the 36 hidden Tzaddikim. In the year 5688, Rav Alfieh wrote an extremely wonderful essay that is called by the name "Sod HaGeula". In it, he reveals a hidden secret about the date of the Redemption. Ribbi Yitzhak Alfieh ZTVK"L begins his words with the words (Kuntras Hayehieli 96):

I saw it necessary to inform when Hashem will grace the remnant of the nation of His pasture, Israel whom He chose for Himself for His inheritance, and will sanctify His name in public, to serve Him as one portion and the impure spirit, He will remove from the land, and His kingdom will be revealed and seen - may His name be blessed. And the LORD shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall the LORD be One, and His name one. For Hashem is G-d in the heavens above and on the earth below - there is no other

And we will bring quotes from his words soon.

Secrets of Hashem are to those who fear Him - from the six days of Creation

The foundation of his words are brought in the gemara in Mesechet Sanhedrin (97a). The gemara says there:

Just as the Shemita year causes the land to lay fallow one year ever seven years, similarly, the world lays fallow 1000 years out of 7000 years, as it says "and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day." And it says "A Psalm, a Song. For the sabbath day." - the day that is all Sabbath. And it says "For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past". It was learned in the house of Eliyahu: the world has 6000 years - 2000 of nothingness, 2000 of Torah, and 2000 of the days of Mashiah, but in our numerous sins, whatever has already passed has already passed.

Today, we are currently in the year 5772, which is after the middle of the sixth day. The implication of this date is great and its source is in the words of the Rishonim, this Zohar, and the holy Ar"i.

Such wrote the Ramban (Bereishit 2:3) that the six days of Creation is a lesson for all the days of the world:

Behold, in the first 2 days, the world was all water and nothing was completed. They hint to the first 2000 years, wherein no one called in Hashem's name, and such is what Haza"l said: 2000 years of nothingness. ... On the sixth day in the morning, animals were created, as it says "Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind." Afterwards, man was created in G-d's image. This is the sixth millennium because in the beginning, the animals - i.e. the kingdoms that don't know Hashem - will rule, and then, the Redeemer will come. He is Mashiah Ben David, who was made in the image of G-d.

The Ramban lived close to the beginning of sixth millennium. In his days were the Crusader campaigns and expulsion of Jews. He saw with the rise of Christianity and its expulsions - the creation of animals of prey who were created before the creation of man. He thought "that in the beginning of the sixth millennium, an awesome and very powerful ruling kingdom will be renewed - and will be closer to the truth than the earlier ones." And this is Christianity which was closer to Judaism, but still murderous idolatry remained.

The responsa of the Hatam Sofer (vol. 6, Likutim - Siman 61) [YY - see this post] wrote about this Ramban that his main calculation is correct, but "from his great strength and desire for the coming of Mashiah, he brought his calculation closer to be close to his time." This is because the Ramban calculated the beginning of the sixth millennium as the beginning of the sixth day, but really, the day follows the night, as it says "And there was evening and there was morning." It comes out that the first 500 years of the sixth millennium have the aspect of the night of the sixth day of Creation, and only afterwards were the animals created. If so, everything the Ramban said was correct, but it starts after the year 550 in the sixth millennium.

The calculation that the Ramban and the Hatam Sofer are revealing to us is found in the holy Zohar and in the words of the Ariza"l and many of the Gedolim of Israel bring it down - among them, the holy Or Hahayim, the Gr"a, and more. And it is extremely important, as we will see soon.

The Aliya of Rav Yosef Karo and the Ari - After midnight of the sixth millennium

If we look at the sixth millennium as one long day, close to the beginning, we find that the Rambam and the Ramban made Aliya as individuals to the Land of Israel. After them, one can see the Golden Age of Tzefat with Maran Ribbi Yosef Karo, who was born in the year 5248 and died in the year 5335, and also the Ariza"l. These years fit will for the period of midnight of the sixth day and afterward.

Their actions were the beginning of the awakening for Redemption through a complete community. Ribbi Shelomo Alkabetz ZYA"A, the author of the Lecha Dodi hymn, told the story of the Tikkun Leil Shavuot that changed the life of Ribbi Yosef Karo, and in its wake, it appears, also our lives. Following that, the Shulhan Aruch was written to unify Israel. Ribbi Yosef Karo merited to have a kind of prophecy or Ru'ah Hakodesh. There, it was told to him to make Aliya to the Land of Israel. "For he already said (Shir Hashirim 2:12) 'the time of singing is come' and not all times are equal." This was the time for the redemption of Israel.

At that event, it was said to him that since the time of the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, there was never a revelation of the Shechina such as this. "And he said: Behold, Did ever a people hear the voice of God speaking like you? ask thy father, and he will declare unto thee, thine elders, and they will tell thee if for many hundreds of years, they heard or saw something like this. And you have merited."

Ribbi Shelomo Alkabetz wrote the testimony about this in a letter that was sent to various communities on condition that they will walk in their footsteps. The holy Shela"h brings down the content of the letter in his book "Shenei Luhot Haberit". He himself made Aliya to the Land of Israel in the wake of that amazing letter of Ribbi Shelomo Alkabetz ZYA"A.

In the generation of Ribbi Yosef Karo, the following made Aliya with him: the holy Alshich, the Ramak, the Mabit, Ribbi Shelomo Halevi Alkabetz, and afterwards also the Ar"i and his students. Together, they established a community in the Land of Israel - the first since the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash. After many years, the Shela"h made Aliya from Europe to the Land of Israel. After him, complete communities of Hasidim and students of the Gr"a, the holy Or Hahayim and his students, Ribbi Hayim Abulafia and his community made Aliya. Together, they established the four hold cities: Tzefat, Teveria, Yerushalayim, and Hevron - the only four cities in the Land of Israel where Jewish communities lived in those days.

From the inner meanings of the Torah to the inner meanings of the Redemption

In parallel to the Aliya of Ribbi Yosef Karo, his rabbis, peers, and students to the Land of Israel, also the holy Ar"i made Aliya from Egypt to Tzefat and joined the community of Rabbi Yosef Karo. The Hid"a brings down in the name of the Ariza"l that from the year 5330, the Ariza"l started to reveal the secrets of the Torah, and this revelation was the beginning of the Geula of Be'itah, as the inner meanings of the Redemption is a revelation of the inner meanings of the Torah, which started in this year, and all other processes are a completion of what was started there (Kikar La'aden on Avot deRibbi Natan, ch. 21, p. 245. And in the book Nehora deYosef in essay 84, it is brought down that from the year of Ribbi Shimon bar Yohai's passing in 3959 until the birth of the Ariza"l in the year 5294 was an interval of 1335 years. And it is hinted to in the Keitz of Daniel "Happy is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be; and thou shalt rest, and shalt stand up to thy lot, at the end of the days." And we also find in the Sha'ar Hapesukim by the Ariza"l in Iyov a calcuation of 1335 years that concludes in the year 5335. "Happy is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. You should know that the Keitz of the Redemption that is hinted to here in Daniel is in the year 5335.")

And in the book Leshem Shevo Ve'ahlama to the great Kabbalist Ribbi Shelomo Elyashiv ZYA"A (Igulim Vayosher Anaf 8 Ot 7), he explained that from the generation of the Ariza"l and on, in the inner parts of the worlds, began the blooming of the light of rectification of the days of Mashiah, and it gets closer every day, but only in the inner parts of the worlds. Therefore, even though the outer parts on the surface is currently very bad and each day is more accursed than the previous one, nevertheless, the inner parts are continuously being rectified, and down here, novelties of Torah in its most hidden secrets are constantly being revealed (see all this in the words of Rav Yekutiel Fish in his composition on the time of the Redemption. It can be retrieved via email at 26@bezeqint.net)

The last generation for exile, the first generation for Redemption

The year 5500 - sunrise of the sixth millennium

Every 41[.6666] years that pass in the sixth millennium correspond to an hour in the sixth day. The Or Hahayim (Bemidbar 26:19) writes about the year 5500 that it is the end of the night of the sixth day and the beginning of sixth day. "And we hope that it is the end of our exile and all the listed promises will be fulfilled and the sparks of the revelation of the Redemption will start at the beginning of the coming 500 years for peace." This is similarly brought down in the Or Hahayim on Vayikra 6:2. It is similarly brought down in the book "Kol Hator" which is attributed to the Gr"a [YY - or his student] on the verse (Tehilim 102:19) "This shall be written for the generation to come" - that from the year 5500 until the year 5750, it has the name "Last generation" and afterwards is called the "Generation of the Redemption". (And see what the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZYA"A said many times that the period of his life is the last generation of the exile and the first generation of Redemption.)

This is what pushed - in the year 5500 - the holy Or Hahayim, who made Aliya to the Land of Israel in the year 5501. Also the Ramha"l made Aliya and died in the year 5507 in the Land of Israel. In that period, Ribbi Hayim Abulafia made Aliya to the Land and established the Jewish settlement in Teveria.

In this period, the Baal Shem Tov and the Gr"a lived and acted. Each one of them acted in his own path to awaken the light of Redemption. The Baal Shem Tov did so through the revelation, explanation, and distribution of the words of the Ariza"l in the Torah of Hasidut for [as the Zohar writes about itself] "with this, they will go out of the exile with mercy". In one of the greatest revelations he had, it was said [to him] that "when your springs overflow outside", the King Mashiah will be revealed. Both of them [the Baal Shem Tov and the Gr"a] tried to make Aliya to the Land of Israel, but were unsuccessful. The students of the Baal Shem Tov made Aliya with real self-sacrifice to the four holy cities, and they were the basis of all the settlement that came after it in the Land of Israel with the students of the Gr"a.

In the book Kol Hator, it is brought down that in the year 5500 began the spirit of G-d, the spirit of Mashiah, to visit the Ruah Hakodesh of the great genius Ribbi Eliyah, who is known by his nickname - the Gr"a. After he was unsuccessful to make Aliya to the Land of Israel, he sent his students Ribbi Menachm Mendel of Shklov, Ribbi Sa'adia of Shklov, and Ribbi Yisrael of Shklov in 3 separate waves of Aliya, and they were the basis of the Old Yishuv in the Land of Israel.

Ikveta Dimshiha - the wellsprings of wisdom opened in 5600 - the second hour of the sixth day

The holy Zohar (Vayera 117a) writes:

And in the sixth century of the sixth millennium, the gates of wisdom above and the wellsprings of wisdom below will open, and the world will be rectified in the seventh - like a man who prepares on Friday when the sun starts to set to go into Shabbat, and the sign is "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life ... all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened". And Kenesset Yisrael will rise from the dust and HKB"H will remember it.

This is brought down in the book "Aderet Eliyahu" by the Gr"a (Ha'azinu with the commentary of the Be'er Yitzhak [YY - I couldn't find the source. Perhaps here?]) on the words of the Zohar that the period of Ikveta Dimshiha starts at the year 5600.

And really, it's amazing to see how all the great inventions of the world began from the year 5600: the industrial uses of coal and oil, electricity and all the technology that depends on it, the paving of roads and the invention of cars, motors and airplanes - all this started around the year 5600. All this development which is called the "Industrial Revolution" brought the world out of its ignorance and changed its life. All of it is a preparation for the days of Mashiah, which as is known, will change the face of all of humanity and not just the nation of Israel.

The year of the beginning of the Holocaust - animals of prey were created - The year 5700

Around the year 5700 was the terrible Holocaust. In the book "Toldot Yaakov Yosef" Parshat Ki Tisa, it appears that the year 5701 is a year of the Keitz. Similarly, it is brought down in the book Sha'arei Rahamim (Siman 377) by the Gaon Rav Hayim Sha'ul Dwek ZT"L, who was one of the great Kabbalists in the previous generation. Something similar to this is brought down also in the book "Beit Lehem Yehuda" (on Saba deMishpatim) by the Gaon Rav Yehuda Fataya ZT"L.

It is similarly brought down in the name of the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir the Gaon Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel ZT"L in the introduction of the book Tomer Devorah that was printed in Shanghai in the year 5705 - that in the year 5700, when the Holocaust broke out, the period of a Be'itah Redemption began. Similar to this is brought down in the name of the Klausenberger Rebbe ZT"L (Betzila deMehemnuta - Tzanz - Emor, 5770), and he writes that the reason for this matter is because really the Redemption should have started in the year 5600, and already in the year 5575 during the Napoleanic Wars, the preparation for the coming of Mashiah should have started. And he wrote on this that:

This matter is as clear as the sun to me, and I am not saying this as a speculation - rather from my knowledge - that this is really true: that then was an auspicious time to be the time of "the remembering", but the time of "the remembering" was delayed another 100 years until the time of 5700.

He also wrote:

I found an old book which is a commentary on Daniel which was authored by Ribbi Yosef ibn Yihya, among those expelled from Spain, and his father was the author of "Shalshelet Hakabala". He writes there in the explanation of the calculation that is hinted to in the verse "And he said unto me: 'Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be victorious,'" that at approximately the end of 5700 years since Creation - maybe a little earlier and maybe a little later - our Keitz will come with Hashem's help. I already pointed out at the time to the Munkatcher Rebbe ZTVK"L that this is unusual to write a Keitz for a date so many years away from his time. This is because generally, all those who calculated Kitzim would normally calculate the Keitz in a way that it will be close to their time and their generation, as we see in Rashi's commentary on Daniel. Behold, this was an extremely clear prediction, so what forced him to write "maybe a little later"? It can only be that Hashem's spirit spoke within him and put the words on his tongue - that it was clear to him that the coming of Mashiah would not come before the year 5700, but only afterwards.

First, Hashem will return and afterwards, He will gather

In connection with this, we need to bring the amazing words of the Gaon Rav Yehonatan Eibeshitz ZT"L in his book "Tiferet Yehonatan" (Parshat Nitzavim) [see also this post] that in Ikveta Dimshiha, the Shechina will return to the Land of Israel before the people of Israel, and he derives this out of the verse "and will return and gather thee" - that first Hashem will return and then He will gather. And because of this, there will not be anyone to protect the Jews in the Diaspora, and troubles will come upon them - Hashem should have mercy - which is why because of them, Haza"l said "Let Mashiah come, but let me not see it".

And here are his words:

"And will return and gather thee from all the peoples" - this is the matter of the birthpangs of Mashiah which will occur close to the Redemption so much so that many wise men of Israel said "Let Mashiah come, but let me not see it." And the reason is because the Shechina is with us in exile - a mother over her children - to guard us, but at the time of the Redemption, the Shechina will not return with us at one time. Rather, the Shechina will return earlier to the Land of Israel and afterwards, we will return there. If so, while we are in exile and Hashem is not among us, there will be harsh troubles because there is no One to protect. And this is the statement of the verse, "And will return" because first, Hashem will return to the Land of Israel, and afterwards, "and gather thee", but it will not be at the same time.

And really, we see in the Land of Israel amazing miracles that cannot be believed, but at the same time, we see as if the Divine Providence has been removed from the Nation of Israel who dwells in the exile. Once, it was during the terrible Holocaust, and afterwards, with the terrible assimilation that consumes the Jewish people who dwell in the exile.

Rav Shmuel Eliyahu on the Geula Situation

Rav Shmuel Eliyahu Shlit"a, the son of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L, has written a great historical and current summary of the Geula situation in his Kol Tzofayich newsletter.  I will BE"H BL"N translate this next week.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Beha'alotecha 5772

From Rav Fish's latest:

• First, he goes into the concept of each person having a portion in Torah and quoting the person who said the Torah bringing Geula to the world because that's the idea of עד שיכלו נשמות שבגוף - Mashiah coming when the souls are finished from the "Guf" - meaning that all sparks of Torah are filtered by quoting all the authors of pieces of Torah by name.  Very nice concept.  ע"ש באורך.
• The main reason for this post is for the following thing he said:

  And it's also brought in the book "Yalkut Oheiv Yisrael":
  

  The holy rabbi of Slonim ZY"A related that he heard from the holy rabbi of Apta ZY"A that in the End of Days, the nations of the world will want to fight against each other, but they will think and contemplate that by doing so, it would benefit Israel. So, they will all gather together to iron out differences between them so they will not need to fight.  However, this will not help them, and they will end up fighting each other until they reach their end.  And he concluded that it is permissible to say this matter in his name as if he is saying it in the name of a prophet.

Recent Interesting Links - Beha'alotecha 5772

• Shirat Devorah has a video of a boy with a Kippa impressing the judges on America's Got Talent
• On the Main Line with a sad but inspirational story from Czarist Russia
• A Simple Jew writes a book on converts
• Absolute Truth on Seeing the Sounds and its follow-up post
• The forest was biked by Modern Uberdox
• Rav Elyashiv is B"H getting better, according to reports
• Shas women meet and are blessed by Rav Ovadia in a video

Netanyahu Threatens to Fire Ministers Who Vote for Saving Ulpana

Not good.

Hmm... firing ministers...why does that sound so familiar?....Oh, yeah.

Recall Elections in Wisconsin

The recall elections in Wisconsin are underway.  Voters will determine if Republican Governor Scott Walker should be recalled in favor of Democrat Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

Voters will also vote on whether Republican Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch will be recalled in favor of Democrat Mahlon Mitchell.  I find it quite ironic that someone named for a Biblical figure infamous for his unsanctioned move out of the Land of Israel (Mahlon) is running against a Biblical figure famous for her sanctioned move to the Land of Israel (Rebecca).

Mahlon is also of the same party of those Wisconsin legislators who made an unsanctioned move to hide out of their state into Illinois just to block legislation.  Figures.

Rav Ovadia Blesses Raheli Atias

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about a video of Rav Grossman blessing Raheli Atias, the 7-year-old girl who was saved from the car wreck that killed her 2 parents and 6 siblings.

Now, Kikar and Ladaat have a video of Rav Ovadia Yosef blessing her too.  See also YWN.

Eldad and Medad Prophesying About Gog Umagog Sources

Sources

Sanhedrin 17a and Maharsha there

Targum Yonatan and Targum Yerushalmi and Peirush Yonatan (see also this post)

Bemidbar Rabba 15:19 (see מהרז"ו, the אמרי יושר and a very interesting ידי משה there)

Agadat Bereishit 2:1

Rabbeinu Bahye 


Anyone know of any other sources that add more information?

Siyum Hashas During the Olympics

The twelfth Siyum Hashas will take place BE"H on י"ג אב תשע"ב or Aug. 1st, 2012. Many locations are holding this event worldwide, including MetLife Stadium in New York and the Akoo Theater in Chicago (formerly the Rosemont Theater. Akoo is עקו - the gematria of 176, the highest Daf amount in Shas - in Bava Batra - which was the obvious reason why they picked this site.  OK, maybe not).

Does anyone remember this picture from the last (11th) Siyum Hashas?

It was taken by Point of Pinchas and made the rounds of blogs at the time and had some captions like "Anu Ratzim Veheim Ratzim" or "Eileh Varechev Ve'eileh Vasusim Va'anahnu Besheim Hashem Elokeinu Nazkir".

Well, the same can be said of the 12th Siyum Hashas.  The whole world will be focused on the Games of the XXX Olympiad while Torah-focused Jews around the world will be concentrating on joining the completion of the Daf Yomi Cycle for the 12th time.  What a contrast!  This time, not only the jockeys on the horses will be Ratzim, but many others will be Ratzim and many more others will be watching those who are Ratzim.  But we will make mention of Hashem's holy name by sanctifying it that night.

And not lost in all this is the epic battle between the Greeks and the Hashmona'im, where Matityahu Kohen Gadol declared, "Mi LaHashem Eilai".  We need to be on the side of Hashem and Torah and we are declaring that on August 1st.  While the Olympics may be fun to watch, that's not who we are as a people - we have a higher purpose.

What is interesting is that both the Olympics and the Siyum Hashas will take place in stadiums.  And the gemara in Megilla 6a states (per the Aruch's translation):

והיה כאלוף ביהודה ועקרון כיבוסי אלו תראטריות וקרקסיות שבאדום שעתידין שרי יהודה ללמד בהן תורה ברבים

and he shall be as a chief in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite - these refer to theaters and circuses that are in Edom where in the future, the officers of Yehuda will teach Torah in them in public.

The Ketav Sofer asks why we need to teach Torah in the theaters and circuses? Are there not going to be enough locations for us to teach Torah in the future? He answers that we Jews need to learn from the nations - how they spend their time, energy, and money. They spend all their time, energy, and money going to these theaters and stadiums to drink and enjoy themselves. We Jews need to make a Kal Vahomer and say, "If these people are spending all their time, energy, and money for such stupidities, we can surely spend our time, energy, and money on learning Torah." So, when Rav Nehunia Ben Hakana said "Anu Mashkimim Veheim Mashkimim", it means that we only arise early in the morning for Divrei Torah because of how we see the nations arise early in the morning for their stupidities. See the Ketav Sofer inside. (h/t Hebrew Artscroll gemara)

There is no better example of this than the Siyum Hashas being in the same kind of stadium as the Olympics. We see how these athletes train for their sport Yomam Valayla and spend years of their life in order to be the best and win the gold medal in their sport. And there are people who will watch it Yomam Valayla in order to stay on top of it. Those of us who learn Torah need to learn from them and make our own Kal Vahomers.

Why else would someone go to the Akoo Theater?  (Gezundheit.)