5784 and the End of Galut Yishmael

 Covenant Between the Parts:

יג  וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם, יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי-גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם, וַעֲבָדוּם, וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם--אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, שָׁנָה.	13 And He said unto Abram: 'Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
יד  וְגַם אֶת-הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ, דָּן אָנֹכִי; וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן יֵצְאוּ, בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל.	14 and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
טו  וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶל-אֲבֹתֶיךָ, בְּשָׁלוֹם:  תִּקָּבֵר, בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה.	15 But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
טז  וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי, יָשׁוּבוּ הֵנָּה:  כִּי לֹא-שָׁלֵם עֲוֺן הָאֱמֹרִי, עַד-הֵנָּה.	16 And in the fourth generation they shall come back hither; for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.'

Each one of these verses shows us something about 5784, as will be explained.

These verses are widely interpreted to refer to the Exodus from Egypt occurring 400 years from Avraham had "seed" - namely the birth of Yitzhak, which is also the 4th generation after they descended to Egypt.

However, there are various Midrashim that say that the Berit Bein Habetarim also refers to future exiles as well. (See Pirkei deRibbi Eliezer 28 and Bereishit Rabba 44:18 as examples of this.)  Note further that the end of this chapter of Pirkei deRibbi Eliezer says that the final exile before Mashiah is that of Yishmael.  (I've discussed Galut Yishmael on this blog in the distant past.  See the links here)

Verse 13

When did Galut Yishmael begin?

Just like our other Galuyot that occurred after Yerushalayim became our capital (i.e. excluding Galut Mitzrayim), which began after Yerushalayim was taken over in a disgraceful way, it makes sense to say that Galut Yishmael began in the same way.

According to Wikipedia:

The Islamization of Jerusalem began in the first year A.H. (623 CE), when Muslims were instructed to face the city while performing their daily prostrations and, according to Muslim religious tradition, Muhammad's night journey and ascension to heaven took place. After 13 years, the direction of prayer was changed to Mecca.

The idea that Islam would choose Yerushalayim and the same spot as the Beit Hamikdash as their target of worship is Replacement Theology 101 (something Yishmael would learn from Esav).  That 13 years later, they decided to turn their backs toward Yerushalayim adds insult to injury.

Note the date that this occurred: 623 CE - exactly 1400 years ago.

The gemara in Sanhedrin 97b brings down a Beraita quoting Ribbi Natan, who speaks of the opinion of "Rabboteinu" (our rabbis), who say that the time period until Mashiah comes is 1400 years. Although that opinion is rejected by Ribbi Natan, it seems that he only rejected it because he doesn't believe in making any calculations for various reasons - not that the calculations are wrong or that Rabboteinu's words were totally incorrect.  This calculation of 1400 years is based on 400 years being a "period" (based on verse 13 above) and the verse that says that the final exile will last "until a time and times and half a time", which tells us to multiply 400 by 3.5, per Rashi on the gemara.  It comes out that if the starting point is the "Islamization of Jerusalem", the 1400 years concludes this year.

(Avid readers of this blog may remember a similar post that I did 4 years ago with a very similar idea but with a slightly different starting point.)

As noted, we only know the 1400 years if we know the 400 years from verse 13.

Verse 14

In 5783, there was an earthquake in Syria and Turkey, killing over 50,000 people and affecting about one sixth of Turkey's population.  We'll see what lays in store in 5784.

Verse 15

Rashi on this verse notes how Avraham was told that he will die at a time that his descendants were either completely righteous or no longer - or not yet - wicked.  Yishmael had done Teshuva at the end of his life (and Esav had not yet acted immorally).  Yishmael doing Teshuva at the end of his life is symbolic of Yishmael doing Teshuva at the end of its world dominion.  

Saudi Arabia, the seat of Ishmaelite power, is on the verge of a peace treaty with Israel.  And although its demands hardly constitute a complete Teshuva, the fact that it is willing to make peace is definitely a form of Teshuva.

Verse 16

Most scientists consider a generation to be about 25 years.  Google searches seem to confirm that number.  That being so, since the State of Israel is in its 76th year, it is now in its 4th "generation".  The creation of the State of Israel has been the biggest chink in the armor of Malchut Yishmael to date.  Will 5784 break it for good?  Israel is on the verge of having the majority of Halachic World Jewry on its land.  Will it happen this year?  Time will tell.

(One more thing about the number 76 is the something I've mentioned previously on this blog - the idea that Rabbeinu Bahye talks about on the verse לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם, לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם: כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם, וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת לָמוֹ - that the word למו (gematria of 76) is a sign and hint to the Redemption.)

I will conclude with the famous Ba'al Haturim at the end of Hayei Sarah:

על פני כל אחיו נפל וסמיך ליה ואלה תולדות יצחק לומר כשיפול ישמעאל באחרית הימים אזי יצמח בן דוד שהוא מתולדות יצחק:

When Yishmael falls at the End of Days, then [Mashiah] Ben David, who comes from Yitzhak, will sprout.