Before Kerry's "Apartheid" was Kerry's "Poof", which Followed Rav Ovadia's "Poof"

Secretary of State John Kerry has gotten himself into lots of trouble lately.

His latest faux pas of saying Israel is heading towards being an apartheid state if the accursed "2-state solution" doesn't pan out - on the eve of Yom Hashoah no less - has brought him well-deserved condemnation from the (Jewish) House Majority Leader, an outspoken Texas Senator, an op-ed on Fox News, and pretty much any person who understands the meaning of the word and its incongruity with anything that is happening or could happen in Eretz Yisrael.  Mr. Kerry subsequently issued a clarification, but not really an apology, and even the clarification left a bad taste in the mouths of those who really do know what Israel is all about.

But even before the "Apartheid" speech was the "Poof" speech, where, talking about the final batch of murderous prisoners to be released, he said:

Unfortunately, the prisoners weren't released on the Saturday they were supposed to be released … day (one) went by, day two went by, day three went by, and then in the afternoon, when they were about to maybe get there, 700 settlement units were announced in Jerusalem, and poof, that was sort of the moment.

This generated headlines in the Jerusalem Post, for example, of "Israel 'deeply disappointed' with Kerry's 'Poof Speech'".  That was putting it mildly.  It was downright shameful.

Not to worry, though.  Secretary Kerry's "Poof Speech" was - by almost 13 years - preceded by Rav Ovadia Yosef ZT"L's "Poof Speech".  In 5761, Rav Ovadia ZT"L prefaced his remarks by bemoaning then-former PM Netanyahu's and then-current PM Sharon's lack of courage when talking to foreign leaders. Speaking during the time when Arabs were blowing up buses all over Israel, killing and maiming hundreds of Israelis R"L, Rav Ovadia ZT"L described what Mashiah would do to these people (my translation):

יבוא משיח צדקנו יפחד מעליהם? יפחד מהם? יצפצף עליהם, יוקיע אותם, 'ברוח שפתיו ימית רשע'. יעשה פוף אחד יעיף את כולם, מי זה אומות העולם? מה הם? 'מי את ותיראי מאנוש ימות ובן אדם חציר ינתן'. בוטחים בקב"ה שיבוא משיח צדקנו הוא לא יפחד משום אחד. ואת כל הערבים האלה ישלח אותם כולם לג'הנום.

Mashiah Tzidkeinu will come - will he be afraid of them?!  Will he be afraid of them?!  He will blow upon them and will denounce them.  "And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked."  He will do one "Poof" which will make them all fly away.  Who are the nations of the world?  What are they?  "Who art thou, that thou art afraid of man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass?"  We trust in HKB"H that Mashiah Tzidkeinu will come.  He will not be afraid of anyone.  And all these Arab [terrorist]s - he will send them all to Geihinom.

So, just as the Jewish people's Shekalim precede Haman's Shekalim and nullify them every month of Adar, similarly, Rav Ovadia's "Poof" preceded Secretary Kerry's "Poof" and we hope and pray that it nullified it.  May his words and the words of our prophets be fulfilled speedily in our days, Amen.