Geula Update from Rav Berger - Matot 5776 - Part 1 of 2

From Rav Berger's latest (my translation):

The last prayers tip the scale!...

For generations upon generations, people hope for the coming of Mashiah - but nevertheless, he has not yet arrived.  And many times, people wonder: how is it possible that our fathers, who preceded us were like angels, who mourned all their days over the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, arranged to say Tikkun Hatzot every night with sackcloth and ashes, prayed for the Redemption with an abundance of tears, and attempted to hasten it with their concentrations, unifications of Hashem's name, with their Torah and with their Mitzvot, and they were not answered?

And yet we, the generation of the "heels", who are compared to them like a mustard seed in relation to the sphere of the sun, hope to merit the light of Redemption?!?!

Is it fathomable that that which they could not merit, we could?!?!  That we could greet the face of Mashiah?!?!  That the Beit Hamikdash will be renewed specifically in our lifetime?!?!  That the moment will come that our eyes will merit to see the revelation of the Shechina?!?!

Rather, the answer is understood  based on a parable that was said over by the greats of the generations and brought down nicely in the book "ומתוק האור":

When a man comes to a store and asks for a measure of flour or salt, one places an empty bag on one side of the scale and the corresponding weight on the other side.  In the bag, one places spoonful after spoonful of the measure piled high until the scale starts to even out.  Afterwards, one adds another pinch, another sprinkle, another grain, and another - until the scales are totally even.

Indeed, the scales even out in the end only after placing the final grain in.  But everyone knows that it wasn't that grain that tipped the scale, and if it weren't for all the spoonfuls that piled up in the bag earlier, that grain wouldn't have the power to do anything and wouldn't be considered important.

Similarly, regarding the Redemption - indeed, we are just a mustard seed compared to our fathers, but only because all the prayers of the generations went up with Hashem's acceptance, all that's missing is a very small measure, which we are able to complete with our prayers and supplications until the scale tips for the good.

Such is what occurred to Moshe Rabbeinu - 515 prayers he prayed in order to enter Eretz Yisrael, until HKB"H told him "Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter."  And from here, Haza"l learned that had he added one more prayer, he would have been answered.

This is difficult.  Is it possible that that which 515 prayers did not help, the 516th would?!?!  Rather, we could say that all the prayers worked and all had weight, and only because of this would there have been the power to tip the scale in the final prayer.

In this matter, Haza"l say (Berachot 32b): "If a man sees that he prayed and was not answered, he should pray again."  And we have a tradition that on a certain fast declared due to the lack of rain, Ribbi Eliezer was the Hazan and prayed, but was not answered.  Then, Ribbi Akiva, his student, was the Hazan and prayed, and rain started falling.  Not that Ribbi Akiva was greater than his rabbi, but because Ribbi Eliezer's prayers paved the path for Ribbi Akiva's prayers who were answered.

The power of prayer of millions of Jews who really request the Redemption will achieve their goal!

Imagine millions of people in the Land of Israel and around the world who wake up daily with a true feeling of loss and cry out, "Father, redeem us already!!!" "Send us our righteous Mashiah!!!" "Build Your Beit Hamikdash!!!" "Have your Shechina dwell among us!!!" "We already want to see the end and finality to all our troubles, the beginning and start to the redemption of our souls!!!"

Oh, how much this would do in heaven!

All the signs show (and this is what the gedolim have repeated recently) that we are in the final stages of the terrible exile, in the footsteps of Mashiah - the painful birth-pangs of the Redemption.  Just what is missing?  What's missing is the final push.  In other words, the will, the anticipation, and the request from the Creator that HKB"H sees that we are really waiting for Him!!!

Like the words of the prophet (Yeshaya 21:12) "The watchman said:" - referring to HKB"H, Who is the guard of Israel, "The morning cometh" - already the time of the Final Redemption, which is called 'morning', has arrived, "and also the night" - the time of exile has already passed.  However, nevertheless, the matter is dependent on: "if ye will inquire, inquire ye" - if you will request its request...

There is no doubt that warm prayers from the depth of the heart which Jews throughout the world pray these days before the Creator - definitely will not be returned empty-handed.  HKB"H has taught us that with the power of prayer, man can receive all his needs.

Therefore, in these days, we increase our prayer more than we are able to to the Creator, and HKB"H will listen from Above and see His beloved children who so much want Him to return to them and redeem us an eternal Redemption, Amen Ve'Amen!