Roy Neuburger on Tzav/Parah

Hatam Sofer's Ketz Redux 2

 The Hatam Sofer's Ketz has been mentioned on this blog a few times.  It is based on the verse:

מח  אַחֲרֵי נִמְכַּר, גְּאֻלָּה תִּהְיֶה-לּוֹ:  אֶחָד מֵאֶחָיו, יִגְאָלֶנּוּ.

48 after that he is sold he may be redeemed; one of his brethren may redeem him;

See the first part of this post for a more detailed explanation of his Ketz.

Rav Fish's latest post noted via ר' דָּוִד וַיְצְמַן that the Sofei Teivot of the Milui of the words ויהי אחרי (the beginning of Sefer Yehoshua): 

ויו

יוד

הי

יוד

אלף

חית

ריש

יוד

making the words דויד תשפ"ד (i.e. David 5784).

Using this idea and applying it to the Hatam Sofer's Ketz verse, we can use the words אחרי נמכר:

אלף

חית

ריש

יוד

נון

מם

כף

ריש

making the words תשפ"ד משפן (i.e. 5784 from the hyrax).

(I fleetingly entertained the word possibly being "Fishman" or "Shiffman", perhaps as an interesting individual, but I thought better of it.)  

So, why משפן - from the hyrax?

In Vayikra Rabba at the end of Parashat Shemini, there are various explanations regarding the correlation between the 4 non-Kosher domesticated animals with 1 of the 2 Kosher signs and the 4 exiles.

The Midrash states that the שפן (hyrax) refers to Madai - which is part of the Persian Empire.  

An additional connection between the word נמכר and Persia is Queen Esther's statement to King Ahashverosh:

ד  כִּי נִמְכַּרְנוּ אֲנִי וְעַמִּי, לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרוֹג וּלְאַבֵּד; וְאִלּוּ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת נִמְכַּרְנוּ, הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי--כִּי אֵין הַצָּר שֹׁוֶה, בְּנֵזֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ.

4 for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, for the adversary is not worthy that the king be endamaged.'

So, the Hatam Sofer's Ketz verse is hinting to the idea that in 5784, from something that occurs in the country of Iran or someone who comes from the country of Iran, the Redemption will come.  And one of our brothers - The King Mashiah - will redeem us.  בב"א.