Thumbs Up for Mashiah

See this incredible Devar Torah on Parshat Re'eh at Shvilei Pinches.

Torah Codes on the Terrorist Release

Even for those who were for the Shalit trade, like I was apprehensively, it is totally insane to release terrorists with Jewish blood on their hands for absolutely nothing tangible in return.

See Rav Glazerson's take on all this below:

I'm Rooting for Bennett This Fall

I'm hoping that the guys named Bennett can take their team all the way.

I'm expecting lots of good moves from the guys named Bennett in leading their team to victory.

I'm pretty confident that the guys named Bennett won't drop the ball.

I know that the guys named Bennett have connected themselves with a great team.

I've seen how the guys named Bennett respectfully listen to the advice of those who are coaching them.

I am aware of how the guys named Bennett know how to block the opposition to help their teammates progress.

I can rest assured that the guys named Bennett will stand up for their teammates in their time of need.

I'm talking, of course, about Earl Bennett and Martellus Bennett, respectively the wide receiver and tight end for the Chicago Bears.

Interesting Recent Links - Ekev 5773

Matzav - Rav Chaim Kanievsky's Remez to Mashiah from the word עקב.  (Related, see here.)

Rav Shmueli Shlit"a - Learn Zohar and Kabbala During These Days of עקבתא דמשיחא (pages 13-18 in Hebrew)

Mashiach Is Coming - Bringing the Redemption Closer

YWN - BeOhel Hanevi'im - Ekev

Matzav - Don't Text and Pray

Matzav - Praying for the Sick

Kikar - Mazal Tov! Ba'alat Teshuva Descendant of Rav Nahman of Breslov has a baby boy (and his name will most likely NOT be named "George" - probably "Nahman")

Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz - Confronting and Eradicating Communal Abuse

Shirat Devorah - Understanding Dreams in Judaism

Torah & Horaah - All About Birkat Hagomel

YWN - The Librarian and the Bentcher

Arutz Sheva - This Upcoming Rosh Hodesh Features Conflict at the Me'arat Hamachpela too

Arutz Sheva - Chabad Rabbi Shot in Dagestan and in Serious Condition has been brought to Israel for treatment.  Acc. to YWN:

The tzibur is asked to be mispallel for הרב עובדיה בן זהבה חיה בתוך כל חולי עם ישראל

Update:  YWN - After complex emergency surgery, his condition has B"H improved to "satisfactory"

Arutz Sheva - Yaalon: Don't Cooperate with EU

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Ekev 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• World Wars and Shemita
• [On the concept that the Gog Umagog War is divided into 3 wars: WWI, WWII, & WWIII,] Rav Menahem Barhoum adds that using the words of the gemara (Sanhedrin 97a) that on the seventh year, there will be wars, and after Shevi'it, Ben David comes, all three world wars can be joined together.  This is because WWI ended in 5677, which was a Shemita year, and WWII ended in 5705, which was a Shemita year.  And now we are talking about WWIII which will [YY- speculatively] end in the year 5775, which is a Shemita year.  And after Shevi'it, Ben David comes.
• Years Following Chapters of Tehillim
• [After mentioning the significance of Chapter 72 of Tehillim,] Rav Manahem Barhoum adds that Chapter 72 of Tehillim completes the Tehillim for Tuesday, which started on Chapter 51.  These chapters, 51-72, symbolize the time from Hatzot (5751) until Minha Gedola (5772).  And since Tuesday symbolizes midday, therefore, its Tehillim symbolize the period of midday (Hatzot).
• Afterwards, come the chapters of Tehillim for Wednesday - Chapter 73 until Chapter 90 - which symbolize the years 5773-5790.  The year 5790 is known to represent a more progressive stage of Redemption - that of Tehiyat Hameitim, as the Zohar (Toledot 140) brings down that the righteous will arise 210 years before the rest of the people, and 5790 is 210 years before 6000.
• Shema and Geula
• Rav Menahem Barhoum notes that the letters ע and ד are bigger in the first verse of Shema, hinting to the year תשע"ד.
• A Slow Geula
• [As the Yerushalmi, Midrash, & Kol Hator explain, the Geula comes קמעא קמעא - little by little.]  Rav Tzion David Siboni adds that קמעא קמעא with the words = 424 = משיח בן דוד.
• Also, מעט מעט (Shemot 23:30) has the gematria of רחל, symbolizing the Shechina.
• Also, the words בשנה אחת from the previous verse plus the letters has the gematria of תשע"ג.
• See also his long piece about sneezing (too long to translate).

Father-Son Chief Rabbi History

Rav Yitzhak Yosef Shlit"a, who was appointed as Rishon Letzion, is, of course, the son of Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a.  The appointment of both father and son as Rishonim Letzion is not unprecedented.  However, it hasn't happened in 94 years.

According to Wikipedia Hebrew's List of Rishonim Letzion, Rav Yaakov Sha'ul Elyashar ZT"L was Rishon Letzion from 1893-1906.  His son, Rav Hayim Moshe Elyashar ZT"L was Rishon Letzion from 1919-1921.  (According to the list in English, however, Rav Hayim Moshe Elyashar was Rishon Letzion from 1914-1915.  I would guess that the Hebrew version is more authoritative.  Also, a different Wikipedia page says "Nissim Danon—In 1917, Palestine was occupied by the British. Danon was succeeded as chief rabbi after WWI by Haim Moshe Eliashar who assumed the title of Acting Chief Rabbi.")

See an article (in Hebrew) and a video of Rav Ovadia Shlit"a praising his son, Rav Yitzhak.  He said to his son to care for the Agunot and have Ahavat Yisrael.  He concluded by saying that he is not just a rabbi of Haredim or just for the religious, but a rabbi of all of Israel.

On the Ashkenazic side, Rav David Lau Shlit"a is the son of former Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau Shlit"a, the first such father-son pair for the much-more-recently-established Ashkenazic Chief Rabbinate.  See an article (in Hebrew) and a video where the elder Rav Lau also praised his son, and noted that Rav David Lau is the 39th (!!!) generation of rabbis in his lineage, but the first born in Israel.

New Chief Rabbis for Israel

The results are in.

Congratulations to Rav Yitzhak Yosef Shlit"a on becoming Rishon Letzion and Rav David Lau Shlit"a on becoming the Ashkenazic chief rabbi.

May they lead the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael with wisdom in the coming years.

Tell a Yeshiva Boy: "Thank You For Your Service" and Other Suggestions

Today was a sad day in Israel when the Knesset passed its first reading of the "Equality of Burden" law.  Sadly, the law will only promote inequality, as those Haredim who were not fit for full-time Torah study and were considering joining the army will now be dissuaded from doing so since they're being forced into it.  So sad.  Furthermore, this law is not promoting equaling the burden of Torah study to all.  This makes things very unequal.

Some Haredi MKs handcuffed themselves to microphones, others tore Keri'a on the Knesset floor, while almost all of them said special Selihot in the halls.  And their frustration is warranted. 

How, as religious Jews, can we help persuade a secular majority and show them the importance of Torah study being on, at the very least, the same level as army service in their eyes?  The truth is, it's difficult.  There is definitely no magic bullet.  Before anything, however, we have to believe ourselves that Yeshiva boys provide a great service to Kelal Yisrael.  Unfortunately, too many religious people don't believe it and ask מאי אהני לן רבנן.  If the religious don't believe it, it's hard to convince the secular.  On that note, here are my small suggestions to help get the ball rolling:

1) Tell every Yeshiva boy you meet, "Thank you for your service".  You do it for those in the military.  Why not those in Yeshiva?  Do you not believe that they should be thanked for the service that they provide?  Of course they should be thanked!  Their service is immeasurable and goes way beyond the service the army provides.  Not only do they help protect Kelal Yisrael, but they ensure the continuation of Kelal Yisrael by learning the Torah that we all should be learning.  Of course, say it to those in the army, but all the more so, say it to Yeshiva boys.

2) The religious media of all streams should do profile pieces on the best boy in each Yeshiva and let us know: a) what he's learning each week, b) how many years he's been in the Yeshiva, c) what Haburot he gave on what subject, etc. so that the world gets to know them.  Otherwise, to the unaffiliated, they're just a bunch of moochers who accomplish nothing.  The secular world knows the big rabbis - have them know the boys themselves and what they accomplished.  Even more importantly, have the religious world know the boys themselves and what they accomplished.

3) Get the word out to secular and skeptical religious Jews that just as those who choose the army are putting their lives on the line for the whole nation of Israel, so too, Yeshiva boys are putting their lives on the line for the whole nation of Israel.  It's not the same, you say?  You're right, but not in the way you're thinking.  Sitting and learning all day is no easy task, and at the end of the day, they have no Gashmiyut to show for it.  Those in the army eventually get out, and many have job opportunities galore, while many of their Yeshiva counterparts barely get by.  So please don't tell me that they don't put their lives on the line.  עני חשוב כמת.

Lapid and company may have won the battle against Torah, but we will win the war.  Let's start the new phase of this war right now.

Rav Edelstein: We are Experiencing Hevlei Mashiah

Ladaat reports that at the 61st Yarhei Kallah of the Ponovezh Yeshiva, Rav Gershon Edelstein Shlit"a said:

We find ourselves in a time of danger since from all directions, they are standing up against us to destroy us.  Perhaps, we don't feel it, but this is our situation.  One who goes deeper understands that we are experiencing Hevlei Mashiah [the birthpangs of Mashiah], and therefore, it is requested of us to increase our Torah and acts of kindness [as prescribed in Sanhedrin 98b].

The 70 Year Edomite Itch

Avoda Zara 11b (Daf/Text/Translation):

אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל עוד אחרת יש [להם] ברומי אחת לשבעים שנה מביאין אדם שלם ומרכיבין אותו על אדם חיגר ומלבישין אותו בגדי אדם הראשון ומניחין לו בראשו קרקיפלו של רבי ישמעאל ותלו ליה [בצואריה] מתקל [ר'] זוזא דפיזא ומחפין את השווקים באינך ומכריזין לפניו סך קירי פלסתר אחוה דמרנא זייפנא דחמי חמי ודלא חמי לא חמי מאי אהני לרמאה ברמאותיה ולזייפנא בזייפנותיה ומסיימין בה הכי ווי לדין כד יקום דין

Said Rab Judah in the name of Samuel: They have yet another festival in Rome [which occurs] once every seventy years. Then a healthy man is brought and made to ride on a lame man; he is dressed in the attire of Adam,² on his head is placed the scalp of R. Ishmael,³ and on his neck are hung pieces of fine gold to the weight of four zuzim,⁴ the market places [through which these pass] are paved with onyx stones, and the proclamation is made before him: ‘The reckoning of the ruler is wrong. The brother of our lord, the impostor! Let him who will see it see it; he who will not see it now will never see it. Of what avail is the treason to the traitor or deceit to the deceiver!’; and they concluded thus: Woe unto the one when the other will arise.’⁵

There is a fascinating זרע ברך on Parshat Toledot where, as part of a larger discussion, he explains a number of things:

• The "attire of Adam" refers to the Bigdei Kehuna - priestly garments - as the Ba'al Haturim says on Bereishit 3:21.
• Esav knew that these garments belonged to Avraham Avinu, but they were in the hands of Nimrod.  He therefore killed Nimrod to get these garments for his grandfather, but when he saw that his grandfather Avraham died the same day that he killed Nimrod, he went off the Derech and despised the first-born rite (at the time) of Divine service.  Yaakov Avinu took this opportunity to buy the first-born rite from Esav.
• Rivka Imeinu took this same garment and dressed Yaakov with it so as to get Yitzhak Avinu to bless Yaakov with matters dealing with Kehuna.  This is why Haza"l say that Yitzhak smelled the smell of Gan Eden when Yaakov entered since they were actually worn by Adam Harishon briefly in Gan Eden.
• After the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash, the garment returned to Esav's spiritual descendants (Rome), who claimed that the garment was taken as a trick and say, "Of what avail is the treason to the traitor or deceit to the deceiver!" once every 70 years.
• The reason for 70 years is because that is how long the Babylonian Exile lasted, so 70 years after the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, when the Geula did not come, the Romans celebrated, saying, "If the Geula didn't come by now, it will never come."  From there, the custom arose to do this every 70 years.
• (There is much more to this, having to do with Ahashverosh and Haman, but we'll leave it here for now.)

Even though the Romans are long gone, it is widely held that the Vatican took over the role of Edom.  Not that this custom still exists today, but it very well might in the spiritual realm.  In that case, we have gone through 27 such 70-year periods since the Hurban in the year 68CE, in the years:

138, 208, 278, 348, 418, 488, 558, 628, 698, 768, 838, 908, 978, 1048, 1118, 1188, 1258, 1328, 1398, 1468, 1538, 1608, 1678, 1748, 1818, 1888, 1958.

However, 1958 started the weakening of the Vatican.  That was the year of the contentious papal election (along with its Siri Thesis), which soon led to Vatican II:

Pope John XXIII, however, gave notice of his intention to convene the Council on 25 January 1959, less than three months after his election in October 1958.

The rise of Israel in 1948 should have had the Sar Shel Esav very worried.  I have a feeling that if the custom was practiced in the spiritual realm in 1958, the man riding on top wasn't so healthy.  And it BE"H will be the last time this practice will have been done.  "Woe unto the one when the other will arise" - indeed.

May the weakening of Edom and the rise of Israel continue to completion.

Rav Ovadia Shlit"a: Kippot Serugot are Beloved

Kikar, Ladaat, and Behadrei report that Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a clarified the remarks of Rav Shalom Cohen Shlit"a last week (the following quote is a composite of the quotes mentioned on all 3 sites):

Our Rosh Yeshiva, the Gaon Rav Shalom Cohen spoke a few words against Kippot Serugot.   However, I have no doubt that he did not mean all those who wear Kipot Serugot.  Does a Kippa testify about a man?  Rather, his intent was about certain politicians who left the Source of life and cooperated with enemies of the Torah who made decrees against the Torah.

"Everyone else are all beloved.  I had many Talmidim with Kippot Serugot, who thirstily drank my words.  How is it possible not to love my students who are like spiritual children?  ואהבת לרעך כמוך - they are all beloved, they are all flawless.  I never differentiated between a Kippa Seruga and a black Kippa - this distinction is nothing.  When I had strength, I used to give Shiurim in Yeshivot Hesder and they were happy, and I was happy that they were happy.

Also, my son, Ribbi Yitzhak, goes to Yeshivot Hesder from place to place, and they all benefit from him and his Torah.  We have to love them and honor them.  May it be Hashem's will that He increase for them wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and they will go up higher and higher.

A partial video of this can be seen on Kikar.

See also what Rav Amar Shlit"a said last week.

As we approach the upcoming days of judgement, may we all learn to judge our fellow Jews favorably, and treat our Torah scholars with respect.

Nahamu Nahamu Ami

See R' Pinchos Lipshutz's piece this week entitled "A Flash of Comfort".

An excerpt:

I was recently discussing the current matzav in Eretz Yisroel with a leading Israeli rov. He explained the travails confronting the Torah community. “We don’t know what to make of the return of the Jewish people to Eretz Yisroel,” he said. “Some say it is ‘as’chalta d’geulah,’ the beginning of the promised ingathering of exiles in the messianic period. Others disagree and see sinister undertones in the return dominated by secular Zionists.

“Everyone, though, acknowledges that something Divine is taking place and that the founding of the state is definitely part of some type of Heavenly plan. Whatever is taking place now - all the strife - is part of that plan and process, which will ultimately prepare the world for Moshiach.”

This is the way ehrliche Yidden always viewed what has transpired and the way we ought to as well.

I don't know how his Satmar readers will take it, but I'm sure happy he said this.

And another excerpt:

This feeling is explained with a parable of a person lost at night in a forest during a blinding rainstorm. All around him it is dark, his path obscured by trees, stones and fallen branches. He cannot move without tripping and falling. Suddenly, there is a flash of lightning and for a moment the forest is illuminated.

In that moment, he sees a clear path leading out of the woods, but before he can move, it is dark again. He can’t proceed. But as the man stumbles and gropes in the darkness, he does so with the knowledge that there is a cleared path leading out of the forest. He continues his search with hope and optimism, because he knows there is an exit. After seeing the goal, the quest becomes attainable.

On Shabbos Nachamu, we see that flash.

Read the whole thing here.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a Completes Mesechet Berachot in His Sleep

Literally.

Kikar reports that last Wednesday, on the 3rd of Av, in the middle of the 9 days, when Rav Kanievsky Shlit"a awoke from his short afternoon nap, he asked his grandson Rav Gedalia Honigsberg Shlit"a to get him some wine.

Rav Honigsberg was surprised at this request since it was in the middle of the 9 days.  He didn't think that there would be a Siyum so soon since Rav Kanievsky makes a Siyum on Yevamot only on Erev Tish'a Be'av, which is 5 days later.  Confused, he asked his grandfather what the occasion was.

To Rav Honigsberg's astonishment, Rav Kanievsky told him that he completed Mesechet Berachot in a dream he had while sleeping.  When Rav Honigsberg asked how long it took, Rav Kanievsky replied in Yiddish, "Freg nisht tzu fil" (don't ask so much).

------

When the story was told over to Rav Shteinman Shlit"a, in the room overhearing was Rav Dov Landau Shlit"a, the Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka, who noted that the Hazon Ish ZT"L never made a Siyum on Mesechtot.  Rav Shteinman agreed and added that once Rav Berman ZT"L told the Hazon Ish that he was about to make a Siyum on Ketubot, whereby the Hazon Ish asked him if he was able to recite all the many details of סוגיא דמומין by heart because if not, it is not considered a Siyum.  It would only be considered a Siyum if he knew all the Sugyot in the Mesechet with great Iyun, he added.

Rav Shteinman explained that for those who cannot learn with great Iyun, learning gemara and Rashi alone is considered a Siyum.  However, for Talmidei Hachamim who are able to go deeper into the gemara and learn with Iyun, it's not a Siyum until they actually learn it with Iyun.

Rav Shteinman added that there's no doubt that regarding Rav Kanievsky, everything is in the palm of his hand, and when he completed Berachot in his dream, one could be sure that it was a true Siyum for someone of his caliber, and one can be happy at this event.

------

Update: I just noticed another version of the story, posted on Ladaat:

In that version, he didn't ask for wine. Rather, the grandson asked him later if he could even use wine for such a siyum, and he replied that Lichora, it's Muttar, but nevertheless, Rav Chaim Kanievsky decided to use a שתייה ממותקת (sweet drink???) for the Siyum.

Interesting Recent Links - Va'et'hanan 5773

• Kikar Videos (in Hebrew):
• What's found below the Kotel
• Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a, giving his shiur on Tish'a Be'av while crying
• Rav Avraham Yosef Shlit"a on Ahavat Hinam (and why it's partially Kamtza's fault)
• Muqata: Temple Mount Activism Throughout the Centuries
• Arutz Sheva: Jewish man stabbed at Sha'ar Shechem  (Acc. to Kikar, his name is משה בן שלומית.)
• Arutz Sheva: More Arabs rioting against Jews at Sha'ar Shechem
• Arutz Sheva: Syrians infiltrated Golan
• Arutz Sheva points us to a website with amazing technology that talks about Har Habayit, where, among other things, one can take a virtual tour of Har Habayit.  
• YWN: Hatzolah of Williamsburg makes a Kiddush Hashem
• Matzav Video: Rav Menachem Nissel on reigniting our connection to Yerushalayim 
• Jewish Press: Iran: different leader, same rhetoric 
• Matzav: Israel condemns EU for their settlement position (signs of a backbone?  Batya is skeptical.)
• Matzav: Russian Chief Rabbi walks 19 miles, 8 hours Lichvod Shabbat

BeDavka Now

"So many Mahlokot in Kelal Yisrael, how can Mashiah come in such an environment?"

This refrain and others like it can be heard in shul social halls and read at least 100 times a month on Internet posts, tweets, comments, etc. And it truly is upsetting. But is it accurate?

Must Mashiah come only in a state of Ahdut? I know, I know, I have countless posts on the importance of Ahdut before Mashiah. But, is it Me'akeiv? Is it impossible for Mashiah to come without Ahdut? The sources seem to say no.

First of all, we know that Mashiah can come in a Dor Shekulo Hayav. Of course, this is not an ideal situation, but one of the 2 possibilities, and the scenario that seems - with our limited eyes - to be the one we're headed for.

Secondly, we know that Mashiah is supposed to come in a state of desperation.  It could mean financial desperation, military desperation, or social desperation.  When every subgroup is on-edge due to attacks from its neighboring subgroup, this is a case of social desperation. 

Finally, we know that Mashiah is supposed to come with היסח הדעת - while our minds are off the topic.  Maybe the aforementioned refrain has contributed to this היסח הדעת that has caused us to give up hope on Mashiah coming any time soon.

We see that Mashiah could come in any situation. Of course, this does not mean that we should now misbehave ח"ו to bring the Geula. (Just the opposite - we need to do our part and Hashem will do His. And both Ribbi Yehoshua and Ribbi Eliezer agree that Teshuva must come one way or another.) It just means that we should not automatically assume that if the groundhog sees its shadow, we're in for many more days of winter. עת הזמיר הגיע - spring could come much earlier than anyone expects in our current situation.

The second Beit Hamikdash was destroyed in the year 68CE (according to our tradition, כמנין חיים).  This means that we now have been missing our Beit Hamikdash for 1945 years.  (Many prayer books instruct us to insert the number of years since the Hurban in the Tish'a Be'av liturgy.)  1945 is the gematria of the following verse which describes Shelomo Hamelech blessing Israel after the completion of the Beit Hamikdash:

 וַיַּעֲמֹד וַיְבָרֶךְ אֵת כָּל-קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל  קוֹל גָּדוֹל לֵאמֹר

May we merit to limiting the Hurban to a long-enough 1945 years and seeing only blessing and the promised consolation, speedily in our days. Amen.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Devarim 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

Note: the first 5 pages of this pdf are also an interesting read for Hebrew-speakers, having to do with the Kotel.  I'm only translating the Geula section of the pdf, as usual.

• Rav Ovadia's dream: the Avreichim will be recruited
• R' David Persitz heard from Rav Bentzion Mutzafi that Rav Ovadia told him that the Mashiah told him in the dream that:
  

  אֲנִי רוֹצֶה שֶׁכָּל הָאַבְרֵכִים יִתְגַּיְּסוּ לְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה אֶת הָרְחוֹקִים לַעֲבוֹדַת ה', וְשֶׁיַּגִּיד לְכָל הַבַּחוּרִים וְהָאַבְרֵכִים שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ וִיקָרְבוּ אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים לַעֲבוֹדַת ה'.

  I want that all the Avreichim will be recruited to teach Torah to those who are far away in order to serve Hashem, and that he will tell all the Bahurim and Avreichim to go out and bring the people closer to serving Hashem.

• [YY - Note: the YNet article doesn't have the first part of this wording.]
• Rav Persitz explains that the Mashiah was hinting that when there will be a decree that Avreichim will be recruited [into the IDF], that is when he will come.
• Also האברכים יתגייסו is the same gematria as ה'תשע"ב.
• Egypt against Egypt and Nevu'at Hayeled
• We see the intra-Egyptian fighting during the 3 weeks - or in Hebrew, סכסוך בין מצרים בימי בין המצרים - of 5773, during 24-25 Tammuz, which are times auspicious for Redemption with the Sod of ערב and of Noah's dove who returned with the olive branch on this day. And the verse "And I will spur Egypt against Egypt" on the eve of Redemption has been fulfilled.
• [YY - Before reading the next section, read my post from late last week first.]
• In Egypt, they coronated a new king whose name is Mansour [מנצור], which is similar to מצרים and בין המצרים.  And see an amazing thing that Nevuat Hayeled Nahman Ketufa, 1500 years ago, mentions the name "Mansour" when speaking about the Redemption. This means that there will be a king by the name of Mansour who will rule over parts of Yishmael at the time of the Redemption. And afterwards, he mentions Persia and Turkey who will come to fight against Eretz Yisrael. [YY - See the wording in the previous post.] Also, the Malbim (Yehezkel 32:17) says:

  And first, the main downfall will be in Egypt, who are closest to Israel. They will come as the head, and they will fall. And the Assyrians and the Persians will come to avenge them, and they will both fall on both sides.

• In the latest letters that the Mekubal Rav Moshe Aharon Hakohen Shlit"a sent to Rav Daniel Stavsky Shlit"a and were publicized, the Rav called for learning Nevu'at Hayeled Nahman Ketufa as it applies to these days. And indeed we see that these things have been immediately fulfilled.
• The Mekubal Kohen is hidden from the eyes of the public and it is not known where he has been for close to 50 years [!]. Back in the day, he was a Havruta to the Mekubal Rav Mordechai Shar'abi ZT"L and then disappeared. According to estimations, he must be today 110 years old [!]. The sole known connection to him is the letters that he sends occasionally to Rav Daniel Stavsky Shlit"a. In the last 2 years, every time, he has written about the Redemption that is at the doorway and about the importance of praying at Kever David on Har Tzion.
• [YY - According to this Arutz Sheva Hebrew article, he is the only person the Halban would name (in 2009) as a ל"וnik.]
• R' Moshe Levinger adds that we also see the connection with the ships that will leave Turkey at the beginning of the Gog Umagog War as is brought down in Nevu'at Hayeled Nahman Ketufa.  As is brought down in the Targum Yonatan ben Uziel on the last verse of Bil'am's prophecy (Bemidbar 24:24) "But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall come to destruction." [YY - see also this post for possible translations of the T"Y.] The Targum Yonatan says: 

  וציצין יצטרחן במני זיינא ויפקון באכלוסין סגיאין מן למברניא ומארע אטליא ויצטרפון בלגיונין דיפקון מן קוסטנטיני ויצערון לאתוראי וישעבדון כל בנוי דעבר ברם סופהון דאיליין ואליין למיפל ביד מלכא משיחא ויהוון עד עלמא לאובדנא

• The Targum Yerushalmi there adds the word "דרומאי", which hints to Egypt, which is on the South. From this verse, we see that Turkey will go out to war earlier against other nations: "and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber" and eventually, "and he also shall come to destruction" in the hands of King Mashiah.
• Also, the Targum Yonatan on verse 19 says that a ruler will arise from the House of Yaakov and will destroy the remnants of the evil city Constantinople.
• And it's brought down in the Ibn Ezra on Daniel 11:36:

  You should know that Aram is northwest of Israel. Also, Constantinople is north. And at the Endtimes - at the arrival of the end of the King of the North, who will have been successful until the wrath [of HKB"H] is finished [from Israel] - then will come the Endtime of the redeemer, as it will explain. And it does not mention when that will be - it just mentions that this king will go out and wage war against the King of Egypt and capture Egypt and then go to the Land [of Israel] and will then be killed. And after a known number of days from his death, a redeemer will come to Israel.

• It's possible that there is a hint to the personal conflict between the former president of Egypt [Mubarak] and the president of Turkey [Erdogan], where Mubarak prevented Erdogan from visiting Egypt, etc.  And after Mubarak's downfall, relations improved between the 2 nations.  But now with the downfall of Morsi, the argument between them has returned.  [As the Ibn Ezra said:] "and capture Egypt and then go to the Land [of Israel]".
• And similarly, I heard in the name of Rav Mordechai Elishar Shlit"a that the name of Turkey's leader is ארדואן [Erdogan], which is the gematria of ארס [venom].  (And this is also the gematria of אירן [Iran].)
• Also, טורקיה [Turkey] is the gematria of שדוך [Shidduch] since before the Redemption, which has the aspect of a marriage, there is a Shadchan that makes the connection.
• It's also brought down in the Malbim on Yoel 4:9 that:

  In the future, the nations of Edom will be awakened to capture the Land [of Israel] and they will make a large massacre against the children of Egypt, who have the faith of the Yishmaelim. And then, the Yishmaelim will be awakened to take revenge for their brothers from the Edomim, and they will kill in them a massacre and destruction. And the Edomim will again fight with the children of Yishmael and kill in them.

  We see that the Gog Umagog War will begin with Edom fighting against Egypt on the way to the Land of Israel, as it indeed was during WWII, when the Germans ימ"ש fought in Egypt on their way to Yerushalayim. And it's possible to explain that the war is first in Egypt since Egypt wants Yerushalayim for itself and will be the first to go out against Yerushalayim, as is brought down in a Midrash. And since Edom also wants Yerushalayim for itself, they too will go out to war against Yerushalayim, and this will cause the Gog Umagog War, which is a war of Edom against Yishmael.
• Also, it says: "For I am the LORD thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee." We see that Hashem gives the Satan the Egyptians as a ransom instead of Israel. Like we find in Midrash (Yalkut Shemot 341)

  Israel is so beloved that HKB"H gave the Egyptians as their ransom in place of their lives, as it says "I have given Egypt as thy ransom". Why? "Since thou art precious in My sight."

• And on a deeper level, what we see in the verses that the downfall of Gog Umagog will be in this way - that on the way to Yerushalayim, they will fight with Egypt, which will awaken a war of Edom against Yishmael - it comes out according to this that Egypt's war against Israel will work to Israel's advantage.  It appears that this stems from the awakening of the root of the Exodus from Egypt to help the nation of Israel.  This is because every light leaves a mark wherever it once was shining, and in Egypt, a mark is left from the light of the Exodus from Egypt.  This root works against the Kelipa of Egypt to Israel's advantage.  And even though the means of its actions are sometimes by means of war against Israel, the root of all this works, at the end of the matter, to Israel's benefit, as we explained, and it shows that this root is to Israel's advantage.  And really, this is what happened in WWII, which is related to Gog Umagog, that they [the Germans] fell in Egypt as they were not successful to go up to Yerushalayim.  
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that it so occurred that the second revolution in Egypt was almost non-violent [YY - this can be disputed] and they gave it a name: מהפכת הזיקוקין [The Fireworks Revolution] where הזיקוקין is the gematria of 288 like the 288 [Kabbalistic holy] sparks, as the purpose of the Redemption is to finish the filtering of the 288 sparks that are hinted to with fireworks.  And the root of the 288 sparks was in Egypt, which is the root of all exiles, and there, they filtered 202 sparks of the 288, as is brought down in the Megaleh Amukot (Korah).  And now that all 288 have just-about finished [filtering] as we head toward the Final Redemption, it has come down to reality with the revolution of the sparks in Egypt.
• Also, מהפכת הזיקוקין is the gematria of ארץ ישראל and מהפכת is the gematria of ישראל with the letters, both showing that the reason for the revolution is because of the Land of Israel.
• It's also told over about the Baba Sali ZT"L that he did not allow the bones of his grandfather - Ribbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira ZT"L - to be brought up from Egypt, and he said that there is a great Sod that is tied to the Redemption [in keeping them in Egypt], and he therefore needs to be buried specifically in Egypt.
• And similarly, it's mentioned in the book "Abir Yaakov" (p. 186) that during WWII, when there was a great fear of the Germans ימ"ש going up to the Land of Israel, Ribbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira came in a dream to Ribbi Yitzhak Alfiya ZT"L, one of the great Kabbalists in the Land of Israel, and told him to go pray at his grave in Egypt.  And the wording in the book is: "And is it for nothing that I am buried here in Egypt?!"  And many miracles occurred until he was able to arrive.  And the very day that he arrived and prayed at the grave-site, the Germans suffered their downfall in Egypt.
• R' Shimon Shapira adds that also, during the destruction of the first Beit Hamikdash, Egypt tried to intervene for Israel's benefit, as it says, "'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto Me to inquire of Me: Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. And the Chaldeans shall return, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire."
• It is also brought down in Rashi on Yirmiya 47:1

  that when Nevuchadnetzar besieged Yerushalayim in the 10th year of Tzidkiyahu's reign, the army of Par'oh left Egypt and the Chaldeans went up from Yerushalayim. Par'oh heard this, flooded Aza, and returned to his land.

• Also, the verses talking about spurring Egypt against Egypt: מַשָּׂא, מִצְרָיִם: הִנֵּה יְהוָה רֹכֵב עַל-עָב קַל, וּבָא מִצְרַיִם, וְנָעוּ אֱלִילֵי מִצְרַיִם מִפָּנָיו, וּלְבַב מִצְרַיִם יִמַּס בְּקִרְבּוֹ וְסִכְסַכְתִּי מִצְרַיִם בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְנִלְחֲמוּ אִישׁ-בְּאָחִיו וְאִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ, עִיר בְּעִיר, מַמְלָכָה בְּמַמְלָכָה hint to the year 5772, as the Siddur Rasha"sh says that the number 228, which is the gematria of הוי"ה ע"ב ק"ל, which is the gematria of ברוך, raises up - with the word ברוך - the Shechina from Beri'ah to Atzilut, and this is the Sod of the return of the Shechina from exile to Redemption.  And 228 is the number of years from 5772 until the end of sixth millennium.
• [After mentioning the famous Ba'al Haturim and a Midrash on the last verse in Hayei Sarah about Yishmael, which alludes to the Redemption coming after Yishmael's downfall: "And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Asshur: over against all his brethren he did (settle)[fall].",] R' Yitzhak Ben Eliyahu adds that the verse mentions Egypt and Ashur, which is Syria, where the main revolutions are seen.
• End of Humash Bemidbar
• It's brought down in the book "Avodat Yisrael" that the 21 days of the 3 weeks plus the 21 nights correspond to the 42 travelings which we read in Parshat Mas'ei during the 3 weeks.  Also, Mas'ei finishes Humash Bemidbar, which symbolizes exile which is in the aspect of a desert - to hint that until here is exile, and afterwards, we are moving to Devarim, wherein we are entering the Land of Israel in the Sod of Redemption.
• Rama"z adds that the Parshiyot of Matot/Mas'ei which we read during the 3 weeks hint to the Beit Hamikdash, which is called חֲדַר הַמִּטּוֹת [a bed-chamber], which has traveled away from us. We also find in the gemara (Yoma 9b) that the Beit Hamikdash is called a מצע, which is a bed.
• Persia's Role in the End of Days
• The famous Yalkut Shimoni that talks about the King of Persia מחריב את כל העולם - destroying the whole world - can also mean that at the time of the Redemption, the Persians will destroy the העלם האור - the hidden nature of the light - and will reveal the light of the Redemption.  And similarly, we see that Persia was the only Kelipa that gave permission and assisted building the second Beit Hamikdash.
• The Danger of the Transition Period to Mashiah
• And I also heard from Rav Aharon Shtern Shlit"a, who heard from his grandfather, Rav Zecharia Shtern ZT"L, that the Hazon Ish told him that he is concerned about the transition period between the Erev Rav regime to the kingdom of King Mashiah, which will be especially dangerous.

The World Before the Coming of Mashiah

The following is from page 80 of the July 2013 issue of Zman Magazine, copied here with permission.

Click to Enlarge

Update: A kind reader, Yisroel Killian from TorahMediaAtlanta.com, created an easier-to-read pdf:

Interesting Recent Links - Devarim 5773 II

Ladaat (with pictures): שועלים הילכו בו - Har Habayit is Turned into an Islamic Theme Park See also Arutz Sheva

Women For the Wall: Don't Call it Exile

Dixie Yid: Animals for Slaughter - The Deeper Reasons for Korbanot

Life In Israel: Pictures of PM Netanyahu writing part of a Sefer Torah

Mystical Paths: Ge'ulah

Rav Pinto: Until When? (page 4) and לחוש את הצער והחסרון (page 2)

YWN Coffee Room: Something that happened at the Levaya

Arutz Sheva: Arab MK Slapped With 'Pulsa Denura' for Disrespecting Hatikvah

RCA in the past couple weeks:

• Visit with the pope: here
• Responding to Hamodia: here
• Link to convention videos, including speech by Rav Stav: here
• Public apology to Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a: ??????

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Matot/Mas'ei 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• The 12-Year-Old Dream of Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a
• It was publicized about 12 years ago Maran Rav Ovadia related in his shiur that he saw Mashiah ben David in his dream and he asked the Mashiah when he will come to redeem Israel.  The Mashiah answered him that Baruch Hashem, there are many Ba'alei Teshuva,  and if more people will be added to repent before Hashem - just a little more - he will already be able to come to redeem Israel, and the matter is not far.
• [YY - See some more details about this dream here.]
• 3 Times Tears
• The gemara in Sanhedrin 97b says:

  It has been taught; R. Nathan said: This verse pierces and descends to the very abyss:¹¹ For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though he tarry, wait for him; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.¹² Not as our Masters, who interpreted the verse,
  until a time and times and the dividing of time;¹³ nor as R. Simlai who expounded, Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink a third time;¹⁴

  and Rashi explains:

  "And givest them tears to drink a third time" - in other words, HKB"H gave them to drink from both the Egyptian Exile and the Babylonian Exile - one third of the Edomite Exile.  This is because the end of the Edomite Exile will be at the end of 3 times 400 years [of the Egyptian Exile], plus 3 times 70 years of the Babylonian Exile, which is altogether 1410 years.

• We see that Rashi didn't include the Greek Exile in his calculation.
• Rav Eliyahu Buhbut Shlit"a explains that if we add the 180 years of the Greek Exile and multiply it by 3, as it says "and givest them tears to drink a third time", it comes out that the time of the Geula could be 5775.
• [YY - my calculation gets it to 5778, but continue reading.]
• As it is brought down in Midrash (Tanhuma Kedoshim 15)

  ותשקמו בדמעות שליש "And givest them tears to drink a third time" - it does not say "שלוש", but rather "שליש", implying that they weren't complete.

  This tells us that it is less than a 1:3 ratio.  
• Look at the Schottenstein Edition there which brings down from the Ein Eliyahu that the gemara is speaking a Be'itah Keitz, which is the Keitz within which the Mashiah is already obligated to come, as is explained there.  
• And although we did not include the Persian Exile - who ruled after the building of the Beit Hamikdash - in the calculation, this is because these years were spent while under the kingdom of kindness, who helped build the second Beit Hamikdsah, so it is not applicable to say "with tears".
• Yosef and Tzion
• We will bring down a chart from the Midrash (Tanhuma Vayigash 10) showing that everything that occurred with Yosef and his brothers is a hint to what will occur in the Final Redemption. And if the Sod of the revelation of Yosef to his brothers was at the time of Minha Gedola, this is a clear proof that the Final Redemption will occur during the same time.
  

  Yosef	Tzion
  Yosef appeased his brothers via crying	When HKB"H will redeem his children, He will do so via crying, as it says "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them"
  And Joseph was of beautiful form, and fair to look upon.	'Is this the city that men called the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth?'
  he is not greater in this house than I	The LORD is great in Zion
  And the LORD was with Joseph	and Mine eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually
  and showed kindness unto him	therefore with affection have I drawn thee
  and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon	when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion
  and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen	Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion
  Yosef was redeemed 2 years after interpreting the head-butler's dream. "And it came to pass at the end of two full years"	Tzion was redeemed in the second year "In the second year of Darius the king"
  Now Israel loved Joseph	The LORD loveth the gates of Zion
  and they hated him yet the more	she hath uttered her voice against Me; therefore have I hated her
  for, behold, we were binding sheaves	he shall come home with joy, bearing his sheaves
  And his brethren said to him: 'Shalt thou indeed reign over us?	that saith unto Zion: 'Thy God reigneth!'
  And Joseph dreamed a dream	When the LORD brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream
  Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down to thee to the earth?	they shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth
  And his brethren envied him	I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy
  'Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren	And seek the peace of the city
  And they saw him afar off	'From afar the LORD appeared unto me.'
  and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him	They hold crafty converse against Thy people
  they stripped Joseph	They shall also strip thee of thy clothes
  and cast him into the pit	They have cut off my life in the dungeon
  and the pit was empty, there was no water in it	They put Yirmiya into the pit, as it says "And in the pit there was no water, but mire"
  And they sat down to eat bread	and to Assyria, to have bread enough
  and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit	So they drew up Jeremiah with the cords, and took him up out of the pit
  And Jacob rent his garments	The LORD hath done that which He devised; He hath performed His word
  and put sackcloth upon his loins	and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth
  but he refused to be comforted	strain not to comfort me
  And the Midianites sold him	the children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the sons of Jevanim

• Also there, everything was done in a hidden way until Yosef revealed himself to them and said, "I am Yosef, your brother." Then, they understood all that had transpired for the previous 22 years.
• 5775
• The Arizal gives prominence to the year 5775, as we mentioned previously, from Shemot 38:28.
• It is brought down in the writings of Rav Menahem Mendel of Shklov (Raza Dehemnuta 97, Biurei Hazohar 156, Likutim 331) that 1+775 [=776], which hints to this verse:
• ...is the gematria of רות נעמי.
• Also of שכנות, who gave the name to the ancestor of Mashiah, as in the verse וַתִּקְרֶאנָה לוֹ הַשְּׁכֵנוֹת שֵׁם לֵאמֹר, יֻלַּד-בֵּן לְנָעֳמִי; וַתִּקְרֶאנָה שְׁמוֹ עוֹבֵד, הוּא אֲבִי-יִשַׁי אֲבִי דָוִד [And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying: 'There is a son born to Naomi'; and they called his name Obed; he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.]
• It is also the gematria of נקודה אמצעית [midpoint] of the Tree of Life.
• Also of בריאת עולם הזה [creation of this world] since in this year, it will come to its purpose with the Final Redemption.
• Also of הרן בתואל לבן [the fathers of the matriarchs of Israel], since from them Kelal Yisrael was born along with the root of Mashiah, who was born from Lot, the son of Haran.
• Persia, Cush, and Put
• Rav A. Kelil adds that the prophecy about Gog Umagog is being fulfilled in front of our eyes. It says: "Persia, Cush, and Put with them". As we see, Persia [Iran] made a treaty with Kush [Sudan] and they set up military bases there. And it's possible that "Put" hints to "Putin" as we see that he too is allied with Syria and Iran.
• Land of Magog
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that ארץ המגוג with the letters is the gematria of אמריקה.

Kotel and Beyond

WoW was put in its place after women who actually care about proper prayer crowded the Kotel before their arrival.

Speaking about the Kotel, see some interesting historical tidbits about the Kotel from Rav Pinto's newsletter (page 4).

The Temple Institute has this nice video below, following their Shita that the Beit Hamikdash will be built by human hands (h/t Tomer Devorah).  See last year's video here.

Interesting Recent Links - Devarim 5773

Matzav - Hacham Ovadia Yosef Returns Home from Hospital

YWN - Cabinet Approves the Share the Burden Bill

Arutz Sheva: Porush: This is a Dark Day for Israel

Cross-Currents - Why Can't They Be Like Me? and Wake Up!

The bill will now be prepared for its first vote in Knesset, which is expected to take place on Monday, Rosh Chodesh Av 5773.

 Tomer Devorah - Petition Heaven for the Sake of Amona

Matzav and YWN on the tragic passing of 18-year-old Ayala Shulman of Chicago from a car accident in South Haven, Michigan

Mystical Paths - Which is Best, Chocolate of Vanilla?

Matzav - Archaeologists: We Found Mishkan Shilo

Arutz Sheva: Bursts of Extra-Terrestrial Radio Waves Discovered

Adly Mansour's Presidency - Predicted in Nevu'at Hayeled?

Morsi is out.  Adly Mansour is the new interim president of Egypt.

I received an email from someone (BPE) who noted that the name "Mansour" is mentioned as a king from Yishmael at the End of Days in Nevu'at Hayeled:

מדון ומנצור,
לאומים יעצור,
אלוף כבודה מלך
ושמו מנצור.

נסיכי קדר,
ידרוך באדר,
וביעתהון גדר,
בקוצין ודרדר.

סליקין מלכייא,
בחוקין פרסייא
ותורכייא
אתיין בחזקה
ושבין טורכייא.

Of course, Nevu'at Hayeled is very cryptic. According to the commentary that can be found here, it means the following:

A fighter and destroyer in Yishmael will rule over nations, and this honorable king will take the spoils of war in the Arab lands by killing and rebelling against the king, and his name is Mansour.

Monsour will mightily trample over the officers of Tartar.  In their houses of worship [or houses of joy], Monsour will fence them in with thorns and thistles.

Then, other kings of Yishmael will rise up against Mansour to fight against him, with the Persians helping with the supplies of war, while the Turks will capture the Yishmaeli captives who are fighting alongside Mansour.

Time will tell if this fits or not.

Meanwhile, the Sinai Desert is becoming the new Muslim Brotherhood base, says Debka:

A new Egyptian crisis arena: the Egyptian and Israeli armies Friday, July 5, raised their alert levels on either side of the Sinai border after the Muslim Brotherhood declared Sinai its center of revolt and revenge for the Egyptian army’s ouster of Mohamed Morsi as president Wednesday, July 3.

...

The ousted Muslim Brotherhood’s strategy is seen by intelligence sources as designed to transform the Sinai Peninsula into an area of revolt and a base for attacking Israel....

Proving once again that any territory Israel gives away in the name of peace becomes a terrorist base against it - even if it takes 30 years. (See this week's Torah portion.)

And affirming once again the verse וְסִכְסַכְתִּי מִצְרַיִם בְּמִצְרַיִם.