Hurricane Matthew Hints

The name "Matthew" comes from the name מתתיהו, the Hashmona'i leader who famously declared "Mi LaHashem Elai".

The gematria of מתתיהו is 861.  The following phrases also have the gematria of 861 (with help from Devash [who quoted R' Glazerson's book on names] and a couple of gematria websites):

1. ראש השנה (Rosh Hashana - initial landfall in Haiti occurred on Rosh Hashana)
2. Tehilim 119:91 (the entire verse):

   צא  לְמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, עָמְדוּ הַיּוֹם:    כִּי הַכֹּל עֲבָדֶיךָ.

   91 They stand this day according to Thine ordinances; for all things are Thy servants.

   which the Yalkut Shimoni says refers to Rosh Hashana.
   
3. שיטפונות (floods)
4. Yehezkel 13:13 (the phrase in bold):

   יג  לָכֵן, כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, וּבִקַּעְתִּי רוּחַ-סְעָרוֹת, בַּחֲמָתִי; וְגֶשֶׁם שֹׁטֵף בְּאַפִּי יִהְיֶה, וְאַבְנֵי אֶלְגָּבִישׁ בְּחֵמָה לְכָלָה.

   13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: I will even cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in Mine anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it.

5. Yirmiya 4:13 (the phrase in bold):

   יג  הִנֵּה כַּעֲנָנִים יַעֲלֶה, וְכַסּוּפָה מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו--קַלּוּ מִנְּשָׁרִים, סוּסָיו; אוֹי לָנוּ, כִּי שֻׁדָּדְנוּ.

   13 Behold, he cometh up as clouds, and his chariots are as the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles.--'Woe unto us! for we are undone.'--

6. בית המקדש (Beit Hamikdash - perhaps, a sign of things to come)
7. נחמיה בן חושיאל מנחם בן עמיאל (the names Midrashim use for MBY and MBD respectively, also perhaps, a sign of things to come)
8. שמעון פרס הלך (Shimon Peres left)

Regarding #8 on the list, we know that Hurricane Matthew became a named storm and received the name "Matthew" on Sep. 28, the same day that Shimon Peres passed away¹.

As I explained many years ago, Hashem always instills fear in us for the Yamim Nora'im so that when we say ובכן תן פחדך, we should have reasons to fear Him to bring about Teshuva.  

There already has been an enormous loss of life caused by this storm.  May Hashem have mercy on the rest of those affected by it.

See more insights on the hurricane here and here.

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1) It is not a coincidence that one of Matityahu the Hashmona'i's sons was Shimon.  (And one of Shimon's sons was also named Matityahu.  He was murdered at the same time as his father.)  Shimon ruled for 9 years until his death just as there were 9 years since the beginning of Shimon Peres' term as President of Israel until his passing.  In Hashmona'i times, Shimon made a peace treaty with Rome (Edom), the future destroyer of the Beit Hamikdash.  Shimon Peres made a peace treaty with Arafat, a terrorist before and after the treaty.  And it was done to placate Edom.