Yeranen Yaakov

As in the Days of Your Exodus From the Land of Egypt...

2012-01-27T14:14:00.000-06:00

כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם, אַרְאֶנּוּ, נִפְלָאוֹת

'As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvellous things.'

What is going on behind the scenes that Hashem will allow miracles to occur during the Final Redemption like what occurred during the days of Egypt, but not earlier?

The Sulam on Bereishit 53b explains that it's all due to sorcery. If it weren't for sorcery, the righteous would have the ability to perform miracles from the upper worlds in order to bring everyone closer to Hashem, similar to what happened during the Exodus and the later prophets. However, due to Adam's sin, the 4 worlds of אבי"ע were created on the other side - exactly corresponding to the 4 worlds of אבי"ע on the holy side - in order to distance people from Hashem, as it says in Kohelet גַּם אֶת-זֶה לְעֻמַּת-זֶה, עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים [God hath made even the one as well as the other]. Sorcery has an equal power to the holy side of the righteous to make miracles occur and veto miracles that come from the side of holiness. Therefore, only on very rare occasions does Hashem overrule the veto and allow for a miracle on the side of good to go through that brings the multitude of people closer and not be vetoed by the sorcerers - like during the Exodus and the time of the prophets.

When Mashiah comes, however, אראנו נפלאות - Hashem will show us miracles - just like when we were in Egypt because at that time, the power of Tum'ah will be nullified from the earth, and there will no longer be fear of the worlds of אבי"ע on the other side. Therefore, the righteous will be able to create miracles and wonders just like in Egypt.

Israelis' Belief and Observance at Minha Gedola Exceeding Hatzot Levels

2012-01-26T11:19:00.000-06:00

Source: English PDF of the report, p. 51

The third Guttman-Avi Chai Report came out and the numbers look good for Torah-based belief and observance in Israel. Apparently, there was a decline in the 1990s until 2000, but since then, the numbers have climbed and by 2009, have exceeded the 1991 levels.

In regards to belief in the coming of Mashiah, the numbers vastly differ from another poll that I mentioned in 2006. I wonder why such a huge discrepancy. The 2006 number (43%) is lower than the 1999 number (45%), but then climbed way up to 55% in 2009? It doesn't make sense unless something beyond reason is occurring.

Yeshaya 11:9:

כִּי-מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ, דֵּעָה אֶת-יְהוָה, כַּמַּיִם, לַיָּם מְכַסִּים

for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Bo 5772

2012-01-25T17:15:00.002-06:00

From Rav Fish's latest:

The verse says (Zecharia 8:19) "כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, צוֹם הָרְבִיעִי וְצוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי וְצוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְצוֹם הָעֲשִׂירִי יִהְיֶה לְבֵית-יְהוּדָה לְשָׂשׂוֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָה, וּלְמֹעֲדִים, טוֹבִים ['Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful seasons;]" And it's definitely hinted to within the verse when this will be fulfilled. I heard from a young man who wishes to remain anonymous to whom an amazing dream was revealed about this verse. He dreamt that he saw the words of this verse, and afterwards, he saw the letters תשעה באב [Tish'a Be'av], with the first letter bigger than the rest. Then, he saw the letters שבעה עשר בתמוז [seventeenth of Tamuz], with the first letter bigger than the rest. Next, he saw the letters עשרה בטבת [tenth of Tevet], with the first letter bigger than the rest. Finally, he saw the letters גדליה [Gedalia], with the first letter bigger than the rest. Together, the Rashei Teivot of the 4 fasts are תשע"ג. This comes out according to the order of stringency of the fasts [most stringent to least stringent]: Tish'a Be'av, Shiv'a Asar Betamuz, Asara BeTevet, Gedalia. We should merit this year to fulfill this verse that all fasts should turn into festivals, Amen, Ken Yehi Ratzon. Also, the Rashei Teivot and Sofei Teivot of this part of the verse"צוֹם הָרְבִיעִי וְצוֹם הַחֲמִישִׁי וְצוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְצוֹם הָעֲשִׂירִי יִהְיֶה לְבֵית" is the gematria of תשע"ג [which is 773].
Rav Shmuel Weingurt adds that we find in the Midrash (Pesikta Rabati 37):
Ribbi Shimon ben Pazi said: At the moment that HKB"H raises the Mashiah until the heavens and spreads the glory of His honor over him because of the nations of the world, in front of the wicked Persians, He tells him, "Efraim [a nickname of Mashiah]! Our righteous Mashiah! Judge these people and do with them whatever you want for were it not for the mercy which overcame you in the extreme, they would have already destroyed you from the world in one second.
We see from here, that during the Redemption, the Persians will act in one second.
ארז [cedar] has the same gematria as אור [light] with the Kollel. Also, the verse (Yeshaya 40:1) נחמו נחמו עמי is the gematria of ארז.
תשע"ד [which is 774] is the gematria of רוח מלכנו משיחנו.
The verse that hints to Yihud Panim Befanim (Devarim 5:4) פָּנִים בְּפָנִים, דִּבֶּר יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר--מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ [The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire] has the gematria of תשע"ב [which is 772].
[After mentioning how the words in Rut 2:14 hint to parts of the Redemption process, he adds more information.] Also, the year תשל"ו [which is 5736], which is a part of the Endtime process, as mentioned earlier [by the Ariza"l], is hinted to in the continuation of the verse [verse 16]" וְגַם שֹׁל-תָּשֹׁלּוּ לָהּ, מִן-הַצְּבָתִים; וַעֲזַבְתֶּם וְלִקְּטָה [And also pull out some for her of purpose from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean]."
[After talking about how חשים - Hushim, the son of Dan - has the same letters as משיח - Mashiah, he adds:] We find in the Yerushalmi (Yevamot 48b) that the verse in Divrei Hayamim I 8:8 calls Boaz - at the time that he married Rut in order to be the father of the root of Mashiah - by the name of חושים [Hushim], because he concerned himself [חש] to learn the halacha that a Moabite man cannot enter the congregation, but a Moabite woman could.
[After talking about Shimshon's connection to Mashiah, he says:] שמשון ע' הב' [Shimshon - the second eye] has the gematria of תשע"ג [which is 773].
From last week:
Rav Menachem Zisman adds that Tehillim chapter 72! speaks about the Mashiah "יְהִי שְׁמוֹ, לְעוֹלָם-- לִפְנֵי-שֶׁמֶשׁ, ינין (יִנּוֹן) שְׁמוֹ" [Yinon is one of the names of Mashiah.] The chapter concludes, "כָּלּוּ תְפִלּוֹת-- דָּוִד, בֶּן-יִשָׁי [The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.]" which hints to the End of Days.
And really, this verse is difficult - why would David say about himself that his prayers were finished and ended? Did King David finish praying? It could be explained according to what we are saying that David is hinting to the fact that until 72, he is praying to sweeten the exile, but after 72 [meaning 5772], there is already a Redemption. Also, the Radak explains there:
"The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended" - when these consolations will be fulfilled, then the prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. And it doesn't say "songs" or "praises", but rather, "prayers" - dealing with atonement, forgiveness, and salvation - because when everything is complete and the King Mashiah ben David will rule, they will no longer need atonement or salvation, and then, the prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
Rav Shalom Tzur Shlit"a adds that הרב הקדוש מבעלזא [the holy rabbi from Belz] is the gematria of תשע"ב [which is 5772].
[After saying that slaying of Baba Elazar has the aspect of the stabbing of Mashiah ben Yosef, he adds that:] The funeral and eulogy came out from the Porat Yosef Yeshiva.
[After talking about the power of 9s and the 9th Sefira of Yesod, he adds that:] Also, the greatest downturn in our generation is with matters of the Yesod [guarding the Berit Mila]. And it is also brought down in the name of the Ben Ish Hai that he said that before Mashiah comes, there will be a great downturn in matters of modesty.
We find in the Zohar Hadash (Balak 68b):
[On the verse אראנו ולא עתה - "Rabbi, Rabbi! How hard is the matter? How long is the time? How many troubles upon troubles are prepared for the Jewish people in exile? How many beasts will rule? How many will roar to tear Israel asunder in every era until the End of Days?" At the time that will be prepared according to the counting of years of Yovel and Shemitta together - which is 274 from the 6th day. A sound will be awakened from the highest heights of the heavens, a bitterly sad sound, that which never existed before from the day that the worlds were created. ... And that sound will be soft and quiet, with bitterness and sadness, going down and going up, going up and going down. And it also says, "A lovely impala you were to Me from the early days, but you were forgotten from Me. I had everlasting love with it. I remember that the seal of its image was sealed upon My heart and was sealed upon My arm, and its love was strong inside Me, and its flashes of flames burn inside Me." At that time, HKB"H will strengthen Himself and appease His impala with many appeasements, and will strengthen it, and will raise it from the dust - He and no one else.
We see from here that the Zohar mentions 274 years - not like other places where the Zohar mentions 272 years. The Ziv HaZohar on the Zohar Hadash (Shir Hashirim 5) explains that there is a Redemption process that lasts 2 years - and this explanation is similar to the way we explained it in this essay.
Hashem's name with the מילוי ס"ג, which symbolizes the Sefira of Bina, with its simple gematria plus its Milui plus the Milui of the Milui is the gematria of 772. Also, the year 5772 is the second of this decade, so in the matter of the indivdual year, it is the aspect of Bina. This means that from aspects of the decade and the century, we are in the Sefirot of Hod, while from the aspect of the individual year of 5772, we are in Bina, as we have Kavana in the Siddur of the Rasha"sh for the year 5772: Bina of Hod of Hod.
[After mentioning that the Milui of יעקוב with the Kollel is 771, he adds that:] We also find in the Zohar (Aharei 66b) that יעקוב with the ו is the Sod of the Be'itah Redemption.
[After mentioning that ברק אובאמה is the gematria of נחש, which is the arch-enemy of משיח and shares its gematria, he adds:] And also, ברק חוסיין אובמה has the gematria of סוכת דוד.
[After mentioning that ברק חוסיין אובאמה is the gematria of ארור המן and ברוך מרדכי, he adds:] And also, ארור המן ברוך מרדכי is the gematria of the Milui of ה'תשע"ג as ה"י תי"ו שי"ן עי"ן גימ"ל.
The Sofei Teivot of the Milui of ה'תש"ע as ה"י תי"ו שי"ן עי"ן are the letters of ינון - a name of Mashiah.
[After quoting the Hafetz Hayim saying that the Gog Umagog War is divided into 3 parts, which is interpreted as WWI, WWII, and a war that has not yet occurred,] We will bring quotes from the newspaper "Hamevaser" (28 Tevet, 5772):
The Mufti of Yerushalayim calls for the killing of Jews

In an event that was arranged last week, Hussein said, "The moment of the resurrection of the dead will not come until the Muslims will not be afraid of fighting the Jews and killing them and will bring the moment of the resurrection of the dead closer."
We see that the events that occurred before the second world war are reoccurring these days exactly the same way - Hashem should have mercy and pity on His nation Israel. As it is known that on the eve of WWII, the Mufti of then went to strengthen the Germans YM"S and called for the destruction of the Jews.
Commentators ask: why on the holiday of Shavuot do Diaspora Jews add an extra day because of Sefeika DeYoma [the doubt of days in the calendar]? Isn't the holiday set as the 50th day after Sefirat Ha'omer? So there should be no concern that the messengers will not reach [those in the Diaspora to tell them when Rosh Hodesh was]! The Magen Avraham (494) answers that they want to also fulfil the opinion of Ribbi Yosei that the Torah was given on the seventh of Sivan. The Hatam Sofer (Beitza 4b) asks on this: If so, why do only Diaspora Jews do so? He answers that the Diaspora Jews, since they are in the Diaspora in exile, they add an extra day corresponding to the Future Redemption - so that they will remember that they are still in exile and were not redeemed, and they will not disrespect the other second days of holidays for those in exile. According to what we said, that שָׁבֻעֹת is the same letters as תשע"ב, therefore, this holiday hints to the Future Redemption.
ה'תשע"ב is the second letter of each word in the Targum of the verse (Yeshaya 27:13) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל [in that day, that a great horn shall be blown] which is: בְּעִדְנָא הַהִיא יִתְקַע בְּשׁוֹפָרָא רַבָּא
Also תקון עולם במלכות שדי is the Rashei Teivot of תשע"ב

"Mashiah" in the News

2012-01-24T12:23:00.000-06:00

2 news items from 2 women whose first name starts with an "N" and whose last name is "Mashiah".

Al Arabiya has an article from Naava Mashiah called "Are Arab Jews extinct?"
Elder of Ziyon has a guest post from Point of No Return who critiques it.

Meanwhile, Natalie Mashiach is claiming she was lynched by a band of extremist Hareidim in Beit Shemesh while putting up posters for the lottery, while she almost ended up like the victim of the short story "The Lottery". Avreichim there are calling it a provocation since she initially refused to leave the Beit Midrash after being asked to do so (which does not at all justify the lynch, but merely shows the context).

We hope and pray to Hashem that the real Mashiah comes to save us from all those who come to harm us.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky: Don't Destroy Grasshopper Miracle Wall

2012-01-23T16:59:00.000-06:00

The well-known story of Rav Chaim Kanievsky and the grasshopper is back in the news again.

Kikar is now reporting that after doing some renovations on his apartment to connect it to his son's apartment, he woke up on a Friday night looking at one of the walls of the house, saying, "I'm concerned that they knocked down the wall upon which the grasshopper miracle happened."

He explained, "There is a known story with the Hid"a ZT"L where a miracle occurred on the steps close to his home, and after a while, he requested that they cover the steps with pure gold as a sign and wonder about the holy event - so that Jews would be strengthened in their Emuna with this and they will see that there is a Leader to the tower."

I couldn't tell from the story whether the wall was actually knocked down or not. Also, the story that I heard had it occurring via a window - not a wall. If someone knows how to reconcile these issues, I'd appreciate it if you can answer in the comments. But it is interesting nonetheless.

Moshe Feiglin on a Jewish Economy

2012-01-20T13:36:00.000-06:00

From his website:

What is your stand on economy?

In a Jewish country the economy should be based on a triangle whose base is capitalism (the right of purchase) and whose right and left sides are faith and lovingkindness. I abhor populist socialism that essentially demands equal distribution of poverty. I believe that the state does not have the right to rob one of his possessions, and it must interfere with the economy as little as possible.

To deal with poverty we must hold district elections and develop community organizations. In doing so we will restore personal responsibility to our citizens and develop the Jewish values of loving kindness and mutual responsibility. The centralized welfare policies currently in effect in Israel have gone bankrupt long ago, and we all feel it. We must develop the traditional Jewish community structure (that the State of Israel essentially destroyed), and in this way erase the phenomenon of hungry children and forgotten elderly.

Also, on News1:

יושב-ראש מנהיגות יהודית בליכוד, משה פייגלין, דיבר על כלכלה יהודית. הוא אמר כי למרות תמיכתו במחאה החברתית מאולם לא הגיע למאהל משום שהפתרון אותו מציעים מארגני המחאה אינו יהודי. הפתרון אותו הציע לבעיית הדיור הוא העברת הקרקעות מרשות המדינה, המחזיקה ב-93% מהן, לרשות האזרחים.

פייגלין אמר כי המדיניות הכלכלית בישראל נעה במטוטלת שבין תפישה סוציאליסטית קיצונית לתפישה קפיטליסטית, ואילו התפישה היהודית אינה נמצאת בראש מעייני מעצבי הכלכלה בארץ. הוא ציטט מדברי זאב ז'בוטינסקי שאמר "אני בורגני" וגישתו לא התקבלה בעשורים הראשונים לקום המדינה, בהם ננקטה מדיניות שתקעה את כלכלת ישראל במצב רע. בהחלט יש כלכלה יהודית, אמר מבלי להסתייג מהזכאות להיות טייקונים ("אבותינו אברהם, יצחק ויעקב היו מיליארדרים"). לדבריו, עושר הוא טוב כל עוד בעליו מבין שניתן לו כפיקדן מאת הבורא כדי לסייע לאחרים. כדוגמה למודל עסקי יהודי ציין את פועלו של איש העסקים רמי לוי.

My translation:

The chairman of Manhigut Yehudit in Likud, Moshe Feiglin, spoke about a Jewish economy. He said that despite his support for the social protests from the hall, he didn't go to the protest tent because the solution that the organizers of the protests are suggesting is not Jewish. The solution that he suggests for the housing problem is transfering lands from the state, which owns 93% of them, to the citizens.

Feiglin said that the economic policy in Israel moved on the pendulum between an extreme socialist outlook and a capitalist outlook, whereas the Jewish outlook isn't present in the analytical head of designers of the economy in the land. He quoted Ze'ev Jabotinsky who said, "I am Bourgeois" and his approach was not accepted in the initial decades since the founding of the state, of which policies were taken that put the Israeli economy in a bad situation. "There is definitely a Jewish economy," he said without disapproving the right to be tycoons ("Our forefathers Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov were billionaires"). According to him, wealth is good as long as its owners understand that it was given to him on loan from the Creator in order to help others. As an example for a model of Jewish business, he noted the works of businessman Rami Levi.

Recent Interesting Links - Va'era 5772

2012-01-19T15:10:00.001-06:00

R' Pinchos Lipshutz - Find Reasons to Sing

Going Home - Infighting the Ingathering

Tomer Devorah - Messages, Where are we now in the geulah process?, Rav Fish on Sefer Daniel, and Rav Fish on Gog Umagog

Shirat Devorah - Rumors of Moshiach: Av 5772

R' Lazer Brody - Hashem's Cop

Life in Israel - We Are the 99%

Matzav - Belz wants Shalom with Satmar...

Ladaat - ...but Satmar publication Der Yid is having none of it. Sigh.

Matzav - Rav Yaakov Yosef Shlit"a in Need of Rachamei Shomayim

Kikar - Rav Berland Shlit"a Encourages Rav Yaakov Yosef to be Strong

Fox News - Iraq Demands Saddam's Bottom (read best w/ a George Bush inflection)

VIN - Jewish Billionaire Donates $7.5 Million for Washington Monument Damaged in East Coast Earthquake

My own views based on Kikar links - Eli Yishai speaks the truth by saying that the Lebanon War consisted of Kohi Ve'otzem Yadi, but got his words twisted and got a lot of people mad, including Frum bloggers. He now explained how Jewish survival is based on the Torah - nothing else. Baruch Hashem Israel has such a minister who speaks the Emet.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Va'era 5772

2012-01-18T15:31:00.000-06:00

From Rav Fish's latest:

[After quoting sources that the Gog Umagog War will last 3 hours,] I heard from Rav Menachem Zisman that ג' שָׁעֹת is the same letters as תשע"ג.
[After quoting the Zohar that connects the verse כארז בלבנון ישגה to the final exile,] the word כארז is the gematria of 228 - the years until the end of the millennium. Rav Moshe Levinger adds that בלבנון ישגה hints to the Beit Hamikdash, which is called לבנון.
Rav Menachem Zisman adds that Tehillim chapter 72! speaks about the Mashiah "יְהִי שְׁמוֹ, לְעוֹלָם-- לִפְנֵי-שֶׁמֶשׁ, ינין (יִנּוֹן) שְׁמוֹ" [Yinon is one of the names of Mashiah.] The chapter concludes, "כָּלּוּ תְפִלּוֹת-- דָּוִד, בֶּן-יִשָׁי [The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.]" which hints to the End of Days.
I heard from Rav Menachem Zisman that תשע"ב has the letters בְּתֵשַׁע to hint to the Sefira of Yesod, which is the 9th Sefira. This is saying that this year, the Yesod will come to its purpose and completion. Alternatively, תשע"ב is ב [which equals 2] times תשע [which equals 9], which altogether equals Hai - 18, which hints to Yesod. Included in all the 10 years from תש"ע [which is 5770] and on, there is a connection to Yesod since they are connected to the letters תש"ע, which is a number that represents Yesod. It is similarly brought in many places in the book "Kol Hator" in the name of the Gr"a that the Redemption is dependant on Yesod by exchanging the letters טצ"ץ, which are interchangable in the אי"ק בכ"ר system. And again, we see the number 9 as ט is 9, צ is 90, and ץ is 900. It is also brought down in the Hesed Le'Avraham (Ma'ayan 1, Nehar 3):
The exile, however, will last until these levels will descend one after the other. And one who knows how to measure and count the measurement of this downward traveling - how far we are descending every day, will be able to know how long our exile will last and will know the time of Redemption. And this is what the verse says "סֻכַּת דָּוִיד הַנֹּפֶלֶת [the tabernacle of David that is fallen]" because it is always falling until it reaches and lies in the dust, and then קוּמָה, עֶזְרָתָה לָּנוּ Arise for our help, and redeem us for Thy mercy's sake."
We see that the Be'itah Redemption will occur when Am Yisrael will be at the epitome of descent. And the number 9 is the lowest number from 1 to 9. It's also known what the Berit Menuha writes about the 9th month, 9th day, and 9th hour - that they are extremely auspicious times to connect to HKB"H. Also, Rav Nahman of Breslov, when he speaks about a Be'itah Redemption, he says, "קץ האמת [the endtime of truth] (see Likutei Mohara"n 186). And אמת has the Mispar Katan of 9, as it's known that this number [9] returns to itself constantly and reveals the Sod of truth inside. And it's also brought down in the "Sha'ar Ma'amarei Rashb"i" by the Ariza"l (p. 45) that Yesod has the aspect of the letter ט. Also, 9x9 is the gematria of יסוד [with the Kollel]. And שבת, which influences the Yesod, has the Mispar Katan of 9 as the Sefira of Yesod is the 9th of the 10 Sefirot when you count the early Sefirot which have the root of Yesod. We also find in the Zohar (Introduction 3a) that Yesod has the aspect of the letter ט where the Or HaGanuz was hidden therein and will be revealed in the future. Also, the letter צ which represents Yesod is the number 90. And also, י-ה x ו [which is 15x6] = 90 as י-ה and ו hints to the 9 Sefirot which are included in י-ה-ו, so its gematria is 90. We also see that the numbers 6 and 9 have the same shape, but one is round on the bottom and one is round on top. And also, we find a connection between Binyamin, who influences the Yesod and the number 9 as it says (Bemidbar 7:60) "בַּיּוֹם, הַתְּשִׁיעִי, נָשִׂיא, לִבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן [On the ninth day ..., prince of the children of Benjamin]". And it is also publicized that there was a solar eclipse on Rosh Hodesh Av, 5769 - before the תש"ע decade began - in the Far East, and when the moon moved from the sun and the sun began to shine, it was shining like a star of David, and the matter made great noise in the world. And Rav Menahem Zisman explained that before the world enters the decade of the Keitz, wherein Hashem returns the kingdom to the House of David to fulfil His promise to David, the following verses will be fulfilled (Tehillim 89:37-38) " זַרְעוֹ, לְעוֹלָם יִהְיֶה; וְכִסְאוֹ כַשֶּׁמֶשׁ נֶגְדִּי. כְּיָרֵחַ, יִכּוֹן עוֹלָם; וְעֵד בַּשַּׁחַק, נֶאֱמָן סֶלָה. [His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established for ever as the moon; and be stedfast as the witness in sky.' Selah]". And as Rashi explains there, "The sun and the moon are witnesses to it." This means that the sun and the moon testify about the return of the kingdom to the House of David. Therefore, during a solar eclipse, which represents the fall of the nations of the world, the sun and the moon testify about the return of the kingdom of the House of David soon, Amen, Ken Yehi Ratzon...
[Referring to a verse in Ha'azinu that talks about the future redemption כִּי-אֶשָּׂא אֶל-שָׁמַיִם, יָדִי [For I lift up My hand to heaven]] This verse's Rashei Teivot have the gematria of שכבי, and we find in the Zohar Hadash (Rut 107a), "And if your good deeds will testify about you to redeem you, he will redeem, and if not, I will redeem. As Hashem lives, lie down until the morning - until comes the morning and the shining of Redemption." And it's also brought down in the Sefat Emet (Shavuot 5658) that this verse refers to a Be'itah Redemption. And we see in 2 places the Sod of a Be'itah Redemption, which has the Sod of an oath, by way of the aspect of Hai (18) which represents Yesod. As we already said that תשע"ב is ב x תשע [which is 2x9] which equals 18. חַי-יְהוָה; שִׁכְבִי, עַד-הַבֹּקֶר with the letters has the gematria of 773.
The Milui of ה תשע"ב is הי תיו שין עין בית which, together with the 2 words = 1335 [as in Daniel 12:12].
The Milui of תשע"ג is תיו שין עין גימל, which is the gematria of משיח בן יוסף משיח בן דוד.
Rav Menachem Zisman adds that [as the verse where David tells the Mashiah to start to work in the world is חֲגוֹר-חַרְבְּךָ עַל-יָרֵךְ גִּבּוֹר [Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one]], where both חרבך and ירך have the gematria of 230, which is the number of years from the beginning of 5771 until the end of the 6000 years.
Rav D. Leiv adds that ראש חודש ניסן has the gematria of תשע"ג when using the Milui of תיו שין עין גימל.
Rav D. Leiv adds that גוג ומגוג התשע"ג has the gematria of חייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא.
[After talking about the connection of No'ah sending the dove and the year 5772,] the verse עֲלֵה-זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ [in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked] hints to the acceptance of the influence of food directly from Hashem, as is brought down in the gemara (Sanhedrin 108b): "In her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked - Ribbi Elazar said: The dove said before HKB"H: Master of the universe! Let my food be bitter like an olive and delivered via Your hand and not sweet like honey delivered via the hand of flesh and blood." And we will explain that in the year 5772 will begin the influence of satiety and sustanence on the side of holiness directly from Hashem, and not like the time of the exile where it is received via the Kelipot.
[The verse וַיְהִי, מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים [And it came to pass at the end of two full years] which refers to 230 years minus 2 year from the end of the millennium] tells us that the ויהי, which is an expression of trouble will end during this time.
[The verse אַחֲרֵי נִמְכַּר, גְּאֻלָּה תִּהְיֶה-לּוֹ: אֶחָד מֵאֶחָיו, יִגְאָלֶנּוּ [after that he is sold he may be redeemed; one of his brethren may redeem him], whose Rashei Teivot and Sofei Teivot add up to ה' תשע"ב] - the Hatam Sofer has a tradition that the Keitz of the Final Redemption is hinted in this verse.
It is brought down in the Kuntras called "Nishmatin Hadtin" from Rav Y. M. Morgenshtern Shlit"a (Vayehi 5772) that many years ago, Rav Y. M. Morgenshtern asked Rav Leib Friedman ZT"L, a student of the Hafetz Hayim, to reveal to him one of the hidden Lamed-vavniks - [the 36 righteous people upon whom the world stands]. He answered him that the righteous Rav Mendel Gafner ZT"L was one of the hidden Lamed-vavniks. Rav Y. M. Morgenshtern went to Rav Gafner ZT"L and Rav Gafner told him that he had a custom of secluding himself every day by the Kotel - opposite the Holy of Holies - and to complete the book of Tehillim there in Hitbodedut [solitary prayer]. When the year of 5736 arrived, which was the Keitz of the Ariza"l, the Klausenberger Rebbe ZY"A sent to him at the beginning of the year that in this year, he should have concentration that all his prayers should solely be for the purpose of the Final Redemption. This is what he did - that the chapters of Tehillim that he said every day was only for the sake of Mashiah coming in mercy. He also founded the well-attended Birkat Kohanim for the sake of hastening the Redemption in mercy. Well, one day during that year, the Biala Rebbe ZY"A sent him that the next day, he should gather many righteous women to the Kotel to pray for the Complete Redemption. That day, during his recital of Tehillim in that closed room where no one else could enter, suddenly, he saw that a tall black man was standing next to him, and Rav Gafner was very much astonished, and wondered how this black man could enter the room. The black man turned to him with a threat and a warning and told him, "Nothing you do will help!" and he disappeared from there. Rav Gafner sent and told this to the Biala Rebbe, and he replied that it appears from this that he should not make the gathering of the women so as not to push the Keitz and not to provoke the S"M.

Milkman Predicts: US Will Strike Iran While Israel Stands By Smiling

2012-01-17T17:43:00.000-06:00

Source (Hebrew)

The Kabbalist known as "The Milkman" predicted that the United States will strike Iran while Israel will stand on the side smiling. The Rav did not give any timetable for this strike.

(I've mentioned the Milkman before and referred you to a VIN article that tells more about him.)

How Many Expressions of Redemption Are There? 4? 5? Try 10!

2012-01-17T13:33:00.000-06:00

...according to R' Yitzchak Ginsburgh (Hebrew)

Rav Ovadia Prays for Mubarak and Explains Why

2012-01-15T00:37:00.001-06:00

As a follow-up to the previous post, I've mentioned in the past how Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a had great respect for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. In a clip of a recent Shiur that can be read and heard on Kikar HaShabbat, Rav Ovadia explains why he respects him.

According to the Shiur, 28 years ago, the Egyptians wanted to build a road that passed through a Jewish cemetery, which included graves of great rabbis. Rav Ovadia was then the Sephardic Chief Rabbi and wanted to stop this, so he went with R' Aryeh Deri to Cairo to see President Mubarak. Rav Ovadia was greeted with tremendous respect and honor, he said. He pleaded his case to President Mubarak, who granted his request to move the road despite it costing a lot more money. There were some other secret requests that were granted as well. Everything that was requested was granted, and he kept his promise in the end.

When they were done, President Mubarak had everyone leave the room and asked Rav Ovadia for a blessing. Rav Ovadia blessed him with long days over his government. The blessing was fulfilled as he ruled over 30 years.

Rav Ovadia continued and said that Mubarak brought honor to Egypt, prevented wars from occurring, and was an Oheiv Yisrael. He concluded with a prayer for him to be found innocent in his trial and a Refuah Sheleima.

I'll just add that we now have a new interpretation of:

ויקם מלך חדש על מצרים אשר לא ידע את יוסף

Government Overthrown in Egypt: Then and Now

2012-01-13T02:14:00.000-06:00

Shemot Rabba 1:8(9?) (text from here - also in Tanhuma):

רבנן אמרי למה קראו מלך חדש והלוא פרעה עצמו היה אלא שאמרו המצריים לפרעה בוא ונזדוג לאומה זו אמר להם שוטים אתם עד עכשיו משלהם אנו אוכלים והיאך נזדוג להם אלולי יוסף לא היינו חיים כיון שלא שמע להם הורידוהו מכסאו שלושה חדשים עד שאמר להם כל מה שאתם רוצים הריני עמכם והשיבו אותו לפיכך כתיב ויקם מלך חדש

My translation:

The Rabbis say: Why does the Torah call him "a new king"? Is he not the same Par'o himself? Rather, the Egyptians said to Par'o, "Come, let us engage this nation [the Israelites in battle]!" He told them, "You fools! Until now, we [only] ate [food] because of them - how could we engage them? If it weren't for Yosef, we wouldn't have lived!" Since he did not listen to them, they dethroned him for 3 months - until he finally told them, "Whatever you want, I am with you," so they returned him to the throne. Therefore, it is written, "And a new king arose."

Any connection to events that had transpired in Egypt in the past 12 months are purely non-coincidental.

Rav Mordechai Eliyahu and the Netilat Yadayim Code

2012-01-11T17:43:00.000-06:00

This week's Pahad David (p. 2) has a fascinating story about Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L that took place during the Yom Kippur War, told over by Rav Mordechai Nagari Shlit"a, Sepharadi chief rabbi of Ma'alei Adumim. I will try to translate the story:

The war was very difficult for the Israeli soldiers who served over the Egyptian border to connect from the area of the Suez Canal inland.

One night, approaching early morning, the phone rang in the home of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L. On the line was the operator of troops of the South. The female soldier/operator asked, "Are you Rav Mordechai Eliyahu?" The rabbi answered in the affirmative and asked how he can help. "On the line is a soldier at his post who wants to ask an emergency operational question," answered the operator. She explained that every post has a half-hour every day to communicate, and the time for this post has arrived. She asked if the rabbi would be able to take the call.

The rabbi, of course, answered positively and listened to the question. The soldier started saying, "The water situation at the post is sparse and rationed out. Due to this situation, what should I do regarding Netilat Yadayim? Should I wash once in the morning or should I wash every time I eat and go to the bathroom?"

The rabbi answered, "You are exempt - you are in a time of war - it is Piku'ah Nefesh!" The soldier continued and asked the rabbi, "How is it possible to refrain from Netilat Yadayim? It is very difficult for me to think about doing so. Is it possible to eat my sandwich with a napkin? I don't want to be lenient - I want to know what the halacha is in the matter."

The advice of the rabbi was that in the morning, he should wash once and make a stipulation that he is not taking his mind off [the cleanliness of his hands] for the entire day. As a result of this stipulation, he will not be required to wash before any meal. After leaving the washroom, he should wipe his hands on anything that cleans, and this will be good enough.

During this halachic discourse, the operator who was listening in on the conversation interrupted and told the soldier, "Excuse me! You told me that this is an operational conversation that is related to the war. I hear that there is a regular conversation going on. This is definitely not an operational conversation."

The soldier, without batting an eyelash, replied, "We are speaking in codes. This is a conversation that is very important for the success of the battle..."

The rabbi, listening in on this conversation between the soldier and the operator, understood that the soldier went to great lengths in order to make this phone call to ask this halachic question, and couldn't bring himself to hang up the phone. While the phone receiver was still in his hands, the rabbi looked upwards and said, "Master of the universe! See what kind of soldiers You have! In such conditions, they are careful in Mitzvot - even Rabbinic Mitzvot! I beseech You, Hashem Yitbarach - save them from all evil!"

The operator, upon hearing the words of the rabbi, started to understand that they were speaking with a direct connection to HKB"H, and she asked the rabbi to bless her as well. And indeed, the rabbi granted her request, and also blessed the operator who assisted with this communication with good life and peace.

Many years after this event, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu was invited to a gathering in a school in Rishon LeTzion. One of the students asked the rabbi a question in the laws of Netilat Yadayim. The student's question was, "What do we do when there is no water in the area we are in?" The rabbi explained to him the laws about this: that one must go 4 Mil ahead and 1 Mil back in order to find water, etc. After discussing the halachot, the rabbi added the story about the soldier from that post in the Suez Canal who called him at night and asked what he was to do under war conditions.

Suddenly, one of the teachers of that school approached, with a lot of emotion and teary eyes, and told the rabbi, "I was that soldier that was there and spoke to you on the other end of the line." Afterwards, the teacher continued and described in front of the rabbi and the students who were present in the hall what occurred from the moment that telephone conversation was over. This is what the teacher said, "Immediately after the telephone conversation began heavy shelling of the post [by the Egyptians]. I was struck with amazement when opposite my eyes, an exciting vision was revealed that looked like it was a hallucination. The image of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu was revealed in the battlefield and every shell that came from the Egyptian side was moved over to the side by way of the hand of the rabbi...

Was this connected to the insistence of carefulness about the laws of Netilat Yadayim?

Tebow, 3:16, and Geula

2012-01-09T18:00:00.002-06:00

Tim Tebow has done it again. Amazingly, he defeated another team in overtime. This time, the Steelers.

In the game, Tebow threw for 316 yards, averaging 31.6 yards per completion.

Many X-tian believers point to one of their so-called New Testament books in Chapter 3 verse 16, which talks about Oto Ha'Ish...yada yada yada.

I would say a better verse to use is one from this week's Perasha - Shemot 3:16

לֵךְ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת-זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם נִרְאָה אֵלַי, אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, לֵאמֹר: פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, וְאֶת-הֶעָשׂוּי לָכֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם

Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying: I have surely remembered you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt.

This verse is where Moshe Rabbeinu is revealed by the secret code of פקד פקדתי to identify him as the redeemer (see this post). If Tebow wants to be identified as a redeemer of the Broncos, he needs to attach himself with this verse, not the one in the so-called New Testament.

In the past, Moshe Rabbeinu delivered us and we scored a victory from the stealers of Jewish dignity - the Egyptians. In the future, Mashiah will use a different code to redeem us late in overtime from deep in our own territory and bring us to the Promised Land. May this future that awaits us occur speedily in our days. Amen.

Again - A Daley Replaced by a Jew

2012-01-09T17:09:00.000-06:00

When those Daley brothers have looked over their shoulders lately, all they're seeing are rising Jewish politicians. Less than a year ago, Mayor Richard M. Daley found a Jew - Rahm Emanuel - taking over his job as mayor. And now, his brother, William Daley, has found an Orthodox Jew, Jack Lew, taking over for him as White House Chief of Staff, a position previously held by Emanuel.

May Hashem help Mr. Lew advise Mr. Obama wisely.

US Navy Made Sure Those Iranians Aboard the Al Molei Wouldn't Need an E-l Malei

2012-01-06T13:47:00.001-06:00

Fox News:

The U.S. Navy announced Friday it had rescued 13 Iranian fishermen being held by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea, despite rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

An SH-60S Seahawk from the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd detected the pirates while a simultaneous distress call was received from the Al Molai fishing vessel.

Video depicts a team from the Kidd boarding the ship Thursday and then detaining 15 suspected pirates who had been holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for several weeks.

"The Al Molai had been taken over by pirates for roughly the last 40 to 45 days," said Josh Schminky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. "They were held hostage, with limited rations, and we believe were forced against their will to assist the pirates with other piracy operations."

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Vayehi, 5772

2012-01-04T13:12:00.000-06:00

From Rav Fish's latest:

Daniel 8:14: עד ערב בקר can hint to עד ע"ב - until 72.
Mentioned earlier:

It's brought in "Likutei Torah" of the Ariza"l (Miketz):
[The verse states] וַיְהִי, מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים [And it came to pass at the end of two full years] - behold, שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים [two full years] has the gematria of 730 - in other words, every "year" has 365 days and 2x365=730. Plus, if you add the 6 letters of שס"ה שס"ה, you get the gematria of 736, which equals the simple and Milui gematria of א-ד-נ-י, and that is called the Keitz Hayamin up above.
And Rav Glazerson explains that if it takes 36 years for the revelation of the Keitz Hayamin up above, we need another 36 years to reveal the Keitz Hayamin down below. And again we get 772. And it appears that we can add that the Ar"i speaks about the Keitz Hayamin up above - therefore, he gives the hint of 365+365, because 365 hints to the days of the solar year, which has a male aspect, which symbolizes the upper world. And if we would make the same gematria of the Ar"i on a leap year, which is 383 days, 2x383=766, and adding the Kollel of the 6 letters שפ"ג שפ"ג has the gematria of 772 - because a leap year connects the upper world with the lower world in the Sod of male and female that creates a fetus [עיבור, also the word for leap year], and the fetus produces the Mashiah. And also, the year 5771 is a leap year.

Yeshaya 6:2

לוֹ

the verse

The verse says (Zecharia 9:13) כִּי-דָרַכְתִּי לִי יְהוּדָה, קֶשֶׁת מִלֵּאתִי אֶפְרַיִם, וְעוֹרַרְתִּי בָנַיִךְ צִיּוֹן, עַל-בָּנַיִךְ יָוָן; וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ, כְּחֶרֶב גִּבּוֹר [For I bend Judah for Me, I fill the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Javan, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man.] The Malbim writes on this verse, "One prophecy is what will take place during the second Beit Hamikdash that the children of Yehuda will defeat the children of Greece through Hashem's salvation. And Yehuda will be like a bent bow in Hashem's hands to fight with the Greeks. A second prophecy is 'I fill the bow with Ephraim' - that in the future, during Gog Umagog, the children of Ephraim will be awakened and they will be Hashem's bow to fight against Gog Umagog. And the words correspond to each other." We see that the Malbim explained that prophecy about the Hashmona'im and about the wars of Mashiah Ben Yosef in the future. And we can explain that the period of Mashiah Ben Yosef will be wars fought naturally just as it was during the period of the Hashmona'im, where the miracles were cloaked within nature. And just like the Hashmona'im acted during a difficult spiritual period for Am Yisrael, as there were many Hellenists, similarly, Mashiah Ben Yosef acts during a difficult spiritual period for Am Yisrael. And perhaps, this is exactly the reason why salvations need to be cloaked within nature and we don't see open miracles because the generation is not worthy of seeing open miracles. Unfortunately, our situation today is much worse than the situation of the Hashmona'im, as at least those who feared G-d ran the systems, which we have not merited today.
From last week:

תש"ס is the gematria of the verse that symbolizes the connection of Mashiah Ben Yosef and Mashiah Ben David (Bereishit 44:18) וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר בִּי אֲדֹנִי [Then Judah came near unto him, and said: 'Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee...'] with the words and letters is 760. Rav Moshe Levinger Shlit"a adds that Yehuda hinted to Yosef "בי אדני" - meaning that the influence of Yosef is found within him and his way, he will enact in the world.

The Targum of the verse that talks about the Gog Umagog War (Yehezkel 38:8) מִיָּמִים רַבִּים, תִּפָּקֵד--בְּאַחֲרִית הַשָּׁנִים תָּבוֹא אֶל-אֶרֶץ מְשׁוֹבֶבֶת is מִיוֹמִין סַגִיאִין תְּמַנִי מַשִׁרְיָתָךְ בְּסוֹף שְׁנַיָא תְהַךְ עַל אַרְעָא - the Rashei Teivot is תשע"ב.
The Zohar (Vayehi 213a) says:
Ribbi Hiya opened and said: The verse " נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה בִּימִינוֹ, וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ [The LORD hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength]" HKB"H swore that He will take Israel out of their exile and that He would not leave them in the lands of their enemies. The verse says, "וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי, כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר; וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ, כִּי אִם-בֵּרַכְתָּנִי [And he said: 'Let me go, for the day breaketh.' And he said: 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.'] What does ברכתני [bless me] mean? He gave them exile and promised them that they would be redeemed from it.
From this Zohar, we see that the main oath has the aspect of Hashem's Right Hand. We already said that the year 5772 has the Sod of the Name of Hashem whose gematria is 72, which is the gematria of חסד [kindness], which represents Hashem's Right Hand. And the Keitz is called "Keitz Hayamin" since its main idea comes from the right side.
Rav D. Leiv Shlit"a adds that גאולה התשע"ב [Redemption 5772] has the gematria of ראש חודש אב [Rosh Hodesh Av].
Rav Moshe Levinger adds that the verse (Yeshaya 60:2) וְעָלַיִךְ יִזְרַח יְהוָה, וּכְבוֹדוֹ עָלַיִךְ יֵרָאֶה [but upon thee the LORD will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.] is the gematria of ה' תשע"ב, which is 5772.
Rav D. Leiv Shlit"a adds that גאולה התשע"ב [Redemption 5772] has the gematria of ספירת חסד [the sefira of Hesed].
Rav Moshe Levinger adds that the boldface part of the verse (Daniel 12:1) וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יַעֲמֹד מִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל, הָעֹמֵד עַל-בְּנֵי עַמֶּךָ, וְהָיְתָה עֵת צָרָה, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-נִהְיְתָה מִהְיוֹת גּוֹי עַד הָעֵת הַהִיא; וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְּךָ, כָּל-הַנִּמְצָא כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר [And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.] has the gematria of ה' תשע"ג [which is 5773]. Also, a Be'itah Redemption is hinted to from the part of the verse וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְּךָ.
The year תשע"ה [which is 5775] is hinted to in the verse (Devarim 25:17) זָכוֹר, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק [Remember what Amalek did unto thee] telling us that in this year, we will merit to remember and wipe out Amalek.
The Toldos Aharon Rebbe said during Hanukka, 5772 (brought down in the "Kehilot" insert of "Hamevaser" magazine, 8 Tevet, 5772):

The Hanukka candle symbolizes the preparation of the coming of Mashiah, as the verse says ערכתי נר למשיחי [there have I ordered a lamp for Mine anointed]. We are currently standing in harsh times for the entire world in an awesome manner. We see very clearly that nations are provoking each other, and each one is trying to connect it to Israel and the Jews. Haza"l testified that this would be the case before Mashiah's arrival. While the whole world is trembling and erupting, we have to know that all is for Israel. This is especially true when things are occurring like those that have not occurred for many years. This is because Hashem Yitbarach is sitting and expecting that Kelal Yisrael will accept upon themselves to strengthen themselves and to unify and to increase repentance.

Rav Fish gave his long essay [about 5772 being an important year] to Rav Shmuel Auerbach Shlit"a many months ago. He recently met up with him and asked him his opinion. Rav Auerbach said in Yiddish "Gut, gut" [good, good].
President Obama's birthday is 22 Av, 5721, which in Hebrew is כ"ב באב תשכ"א, so we again see the month of Av and the [Kabbalistic concept of] 320 judgements [is embedded in his birthday].

Pushing Ahdut in Am Yisrael

2012-01-01T03:53:00.001-06:00

We are currently between the 2 weeks of the year where Ahdut is stressed the most. The Haftara of Vayigash is the quintessential Ahdut Haftara and it's one of my favorites.

טז וְאַתָּה בֶן-אָדָם, קַח-לְךָ עֵץ אֶחָד, וּכְתֹב עָלָיו לִיהוּדָה, וְלִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲבֵרָו; וּלְקַח, עֵץ אֶחָד, וּכְתוֹב עָלָיו לְיוֹסֵף עֵץ אֶפְרַיִם, וְכָל-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲבֵרָו.	16 'And thou, son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it: For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions; then take another stick, and write upon it: For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and of all the house of Israel his companions;
יז וְקָרַב אֹתָם אֶחָד אֶל-אֶחָד, לְךָ--לְעֵץ אֶחָד; וְהָיוּ לַאֲחָדִים, בְּיָדֶךָ.	17 and join them for thee one to another into one stick, that they may become one in thy hand.

and then,

יט דַּבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם, כֹּה-אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, הִנֵּה אֲנִי לֹקֵחַ אֶת-עֵץ יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד-אֶפְרַיִם, וְשִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲבֵרָו; וְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָם עָלָיו אֶת-עֵץ יְהוּדָה, וַעֲשִׂיתִם לְעֵץ אֶחָד, וְהָיוּ אֶחָד, בְּיָדִי.

19 say into them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them unto him together with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.

followed by

כב וְעָשִׂיתִי אֹתָם לְגוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ, בְּהָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּמֶלֶךְ אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לְכֻלָּם, לְמֶלֶךְ; וְלֹא יהיה- (יִהְיוּ-) עוֹד לִשְׁנֵי גוֹיִם, וְלֹא יֵחָצוּ עוֹד לִשְׁתֵּי מַמְלָכוֹת עוֹד.

22 and I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all;

which is followed by

כד וְעַבְדִּי דָוִד מֶלֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְרוֹעֶה אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לְכֻלָּם; וּבְמִשְׁפָּטַי יֵלֵכוּ, וְחֻקּוֹתַי יִשְׁמְרוּ וְעָשׂוּ אוֹתָם.

24 And My servant David shall be king over them, and they all shall have one shepherd; they shall also walk in Mine ordinances, and observe My statutes, and do them.

Then, in Parshat Vayehi, we have the famous explanation on this verse:

א וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב, אֶל-בָּנָיו; וַיֹּאמֶר, הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם, בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים.

1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: 'Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days.

that tells us that in order to achieve Redemption, we need to first gather together and be united with each other.

I've blogged about Ahdut many times before, but it seems that at this moment, Bedavka within the 2 Parshiyot of Vayigash and Vayehi, the 2 Parshiyot where Ahdut is stressed the most, division in Kelal Yisrael seems the highest I have ever seen it. Perhaps even more than during the Emanuel situation last year.

And it runs in many directions.

Certain segments of the Haredi population are spitting at girls not dressed according to their standards
Certain segments of the Haredi population use Holocaust imagery to depict their situation, despite knowing how insensitive it is
Certain segments of the Hiloni population write "Death to Haredim" on walls
Certain segments of the Hiloni population have been harassing Haredim, according to Kikar's hotline
Certain commenters/talkbalkers on various websites, from all streams of Judaism, have been using over-the-top language in condemning the Haredim in Beit Shemesh and Meah She'arim, in ways which most sane people would condemn Osama and Ahmedinejad.

These acts have got to stop. Now.

Instead, we need to bring those who don't follow the Torah closer. We need to make Baalei Teshuva out of Hilonim, and unfortunately, we also need to make Baalei Teshuva out of some Haredim. And we need to do it with Darchei Noam - not with embarrassing the other, Has Veshalom.

Listen to 2 great speeches given in the past couple days by Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a and Rav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman Shlit"a.

Rav Ovadia's speech can be heard here and VIN has a summary:

Israel - Speaking out tonight on recent events in Israel, particularly in Beit Shemesh, R’ Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas party, made it clear that the Torah expects all Jews to love each other irrespective of their levels of observance.

“The ways of the Torah are pleasant and peaceful and loving your neighbor is equivalent to the entire Torah,” said R’ Yosef. “We are one people, sons of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov and those who attempt to cause strife between chareidim and those who are not chareidem are causing a great chilul Hashem.”

R’ Yosef called upon the media to do its part to encourage unity between all Jews and to avoid doing anything that would create a rift between different religious groups and expressed his hope that the entire nation could come together saying, “when the nation of Israel is united, there is no one in the world who can have power over them.”

Rav Grossman's speech can be heard here. Notable is how he talked to a woman that was not dressed modestly at all in a Haredi neighborhood. He went over to her and told her, "I promise you that if you start dressing more modestly, I will pray for you and bless you." She told him, "Rabbi, I am now going to run home and change clothes. I promise you that you were the first person to speak to me in this [pleasant] manner."

What we need right now is an infusion of Ahavat Hinam to counteract the Sinat Hinam going around lately. May this post be the catalyst for that effort so that we can gather together in Ahdut to bring the long-awaited Final Redemption, Bimhera Veyameinu, Amen.

Another Yehuda - Dan Connection

2011-12-30T07:44:00.001-06:00

Here's another connection that one can add to Rav Fish's excellent essay connecting Yehuda and Dan that I blogged recently.

Bereishit Rabba on Vayigash (93:7), talking about Yehuda's confrontation with Yosef says:

ז ד"א ויגש אליו יהודה זו היא שנאמר ברוח הקודש על ידי שלמה (קהלת ז) החכמה תעוז לחכם וגו' כנגד מי אמר שלמה המקרא הזה לא אמרו אלא כנגד יוסף הצדיק אמר רבי יוחנן בשעה שתפס יוסף הצדיק את בנימין ואמר להם לאחיו האיש אשר נמצא הגביע בידו הוא יהיה לי עבד אמר לו יהודה בנימין את תפוס ושלום בבית אבא מיד כעס יהודה ושאג בקול גדול והלך קולו ד' מאות פרסה עד ששמע חושים בן דן וקפץ מארץ כנען ובא אצל יהודה ושאגו שניהם ובקשה ארץ מצרים ליהפך עליהם אמר איוב (איוב ד) שאגת אריה וקול שחל שאגת אריה זה יהודה שכתוב בו גור אריה יהודה וקול שחל זה חושים בן דן ששניהם נמשלו כארי שנאמר (דברים לג) ולדן אמר דן גור אריה שיני כפירים נתעו אלו גבוריו של יוסף שכיון שכעס יהודה נשרו שיניהם של כולם אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אף אחיו כיון שראו יהודה שכעס אף הם נתמלאו חמה ובעטו בארץ ועשו אותה תלמים תלמים שנאמר (איוב ד) ליש אובד מבלי טרף זה יהודה שמסר עצמו על בנימין אמר שמא ימחול הקדוש ברוך הוא על אותו עון שהטעיתי את אבא ואמרתי לו אני מביאו לך באותה שעה נתמלא חמה על יוסף כיון שראה יוסף סימנין של יהודה מיד נזדעזע ונבהל אמר אוי לי שמא יהרגני ומה הן סימנין שהיו בו ביהודה של בית שילו אמרו שני שילטונין זולגות דם ויש אומרים כמין שליטי הגבורים וחמשה לבושים היה לובש נימה אחת היתה לו בלבו כיון שהיה כועס קורע את כולם מה עשה יוסף באותה שעה אותו עמוד של אבן שהיה יושב עליו בעט בו ועשאו גל של צרורות מיד תמה יהודה ואמר זה גבור ממני באותה שעה אחז יהודה חרבו לשולפה מתערה ואינה נשלפת לו אמר יהודה ודאי זה ירא שמים הוא לכך נאמר (קהלת ז) החכמה תעוז לחכם:

The translation of the boldface part is as follows:

Immediately, Yehuda became angry and roared with a loud sound. The sound went 400 Parsangs until Hushim, the son of Dan, heard it, whereby he jumped [Nezer Hakodesh and Etz Yosef - via Kefitzat Haderech] from the land of Canaan and came to Yehuda [in Egypt] and they both roared and wanted the Land of Egypt to be destroyed. Upon them, Iyov says "The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth". "The lion roareth" refers to Yehuda, upon whom it is written, "Judah is a lion's whelp". "And the firece lion howleth" refers to Hushim, the son of Dan, as both of them are compared to lions, as it says, "And of Dan he said: Dan is a lion's whelp". And the end of the verse in Iyov says, "yet the teeth of the young lions are broken." This refers to the strongmen of Yosef - because once Yehuda became angry, everyone's teeth fell out.

We see from here how Yehuda needed Hushim to help him.

But not only that, the Nezer Hakodesh explains that the wisdom mentioned at the beginning of this Midrash is a special holy Kabbalistic wisdom that was able to allow those who use it perform wonders. While all the Shevatim had this special wisdom, Yehuda and Dan's son Hushim had this special wisdom ten times greater than the rest of them (except Yosef, whose wisdom surpassed everyone, as the end of the Midrash explains). Yehuda roared and Hushim was able to "hear" his roar [even though he was deaf] because he had ESP of holiness. Yehuda thought that by having Hushim on his side, since 2 is better than 1, he would be in good shape when he needed to fight the Egyptians to get Binyamin home. This can be explained further by saying that this arrangement is exactly like the arrangement of the future. Yehuda's descendant - the Mashiah - will have a special warrior by his side - namely, Seraya from the tribe of Dan, who will fight alongside him.

5 Tevet Rain Again

2011-12-30T05:38:00.000-06:00

I haven't kept track every year to see if it's been holding true, but I posted 5 years ago on how the Sadigerer Rebbe's last words 51 years ago was "Am Yisrael needs rain" and it rained on his Yahrtzeit on the 5th of Tevet 5 years ago and every year before that on his Yahrtzeit.

I know that it rained 2 years ago on the 5th of Tevet.
And I know that it rained last year on the 5th of Tevet.
And the forecast calls for rain again this year on the 5th of Tevet.

יִפְתַּח יְהוָה לְךָ אֶת-אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם, לָתֵת מְטַר-אַרְצְךָ בְּעִתּוֹ

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Vayigash, 5772

2011-12-29T17:51:00.000-06:00

We find in Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 10:5): [Yechonia's son is called] "She'altiel" because from him, the kingdom of the House of David was planted (Hushtela). That is, after the destruction of the first Beit Hamikdash, only 2 remnants were left from the House of David: Tzidkiyahu and Yechonia, who were in prison for many years. After the children of Tzidkiyahu were killed, there was a great concern in Am Yisrael that there would not be remnant left of the House of David because Yirmiyahu had cursed Yechonia that he would be childless. However, after Yechonia repented in the prison, Hashem canceled his oath. The Midrash (ibid 19:6) [YY- also Sanhedrin 37b-38a] relates how She'altiel was born, alowing the lineage of the House of David to continue: The people asked Nevuchadnetzar's wife, Shemir'am, to ask her husband to allow Yechonia's wife to enter the prison. After Nevuchadnetzar agreed, they lowered Yechonia's wife down via ropes. Originally, he did not have relations with her because she was a Niddah. After she counted her days and became pure, they lowered her down again, and a miracle occurred that she became pregnant from him standing up, and a seedling (שתיל) for the House of David was born from her. Therefore, they called him She'altiel like the words of the Midrash that we brought down. It comes out that the entire identity of She'altiel which is hinted at in his name is being the seedling from which comes the Mashiah. Rav Binyamin Eisenberger Shlit"a wrote me that She'altiel שאלתיאל is the gematria of תשע"ב, which is 772. This means that he was planted just for the purpose of the year 5772. The Ram"a MiPano writes (in Mayim Ganim vol. 1 - Likutim):
Zerubavel, the son of She'altiel, will arise in the future and say, "Yitgadal Veyitkadash Shemeih Rabba" until "Keitz Meshiheih" - that is the Keitz (endtime) of which it is said about it, "To My heart, I have revealed, but to My limbs, I have not revealed." And regarding that moment, it is said, "ה' עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן ה' יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם The LORD will give strength unto His people; the LORD will bless his people with peace."
It appears, we can add that עמו בשלום is Rashei Teivot of ע"ב and the letter before עמו is ת, and the letter after the ב is ש - altogether, it hints to תשע"ב. Also, שאלתיאל is the Rashei Teivot of the verses that speak about an oath in the 10 Commandments "לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם הוי"ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַשָּׁוְא" as we explained that the Sod of Redemption in the year 5772 is the Sod of an oath. Also, She'altiel is the Rashei Teivot of the verse that hints to the Redemption in 5772 (Bereishit 17:21) וְאֶת בְּרִיתִי אָקִים אֶת יִצְחָק אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד לְךָ שָׂרָה לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה בַּשָּׁנָה הָאַחֶרֶת. Also, She'altiel is the Rashei Teivot of the verse in which Yirmiyahu cries, "Until when?" (Yirmiya 13:27) רָאִיתִי שִׁקּוּצָיִךְ; אוֹי לָךְ, יְרוּשָׁלִַם--לֹא תִטְהֲרִי, אַחֲרֵי מָתַי עֹד.
[After noting that the Hesed Le'avraham and others spoke about the greatness of 5760 as the year in which there was an awakening in the inner aspects of the Torah and the Yam HaHochma says that the purpose of the two 6.5 year periods following 5760 is to connect Mashiah Ben Yosef with Mashiah Ben David by spreading these inner aspects, he notes that] תש"ס is the gematria of the verse that symbolizes the connection of Mashiah Ben Yosef and Mashiah Ben David (Bereishit 44:18) וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר בִּי אֲדֹנִי [Then Judah came near unto him, and said: 'Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee...'] with the words and letters is 760. Rav Moshe Levinger Shlit"a adds that Yehuda hinted to Yosef "בי אדני" - meaning that the influence of Yosef is found within him and his way, he will enact in the world.
2 x 386 (the gematria of לשון - tongue) is 772 (תשבע - will swear). 772 = 4 x 193 (the gematria of זוקף), which is hinted to in the blessing of מקבץ נדחי עמו ישראל, as is brought down in the book Imrei No'am (Vayehi). It's also brought down in the Sefat Emet (Shavuot 5664):
"Every mouth will thank You and every tongue will swear allegiance to You." The mouth is rectified on Pesah - where it is pronounced "Peh Sah" - the mouth conversing. This is the first rectification which is done with the cooperation of the body. Afterwards, every tongue will swear allegiance to You with oaths which constitute the soul clinging to its root.
We see that the tongue swearing allegiance represents the higher level of clinging to completeness.
It's brought down in the book "Derech Tzadikim" (about the lives of Rav Mordechai Sharabi ZT"L and Rav Hayim Sinvani ZT"L, p. 360) the words of the Kabbalist R' Hayim Sinvani ZT"L, "When there will be provocations for war between Syria and Russia, you should know that this is the beginning of the Redemption."
Gilad Shalit was born on 23 Av, 5746, which in Hebrew is כ"ג אב תשמ"ו, whose gematria equals תשע"ב, or 772.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Miketz, 5772 - Part 2

2011-12-29T14:21:00.000-06:00

(I meant to post this last week, but didn't get around to it. The Vayigash one will be next.)

More from Rav Fish's Miketz edition:

Shimshon hinted that the second eye - עין הב' - he is saving for the future for the year of 72 - ע"ב

From Vayeishev's update: The Yerushalmi in Sota says that Shimshon wanted reward for his eyes - 1 for this world and 1 for the future. The 'עין הב hints to the year of ע"ב, which is 72 (i.e. 5772)
We found a connection between Hashem's name of ע"ב and the "clouds" that guard the eyes, as is brought down in Nehar Shalom (43a): From ע"ב, the eyelids are made, which have the aspect of the "clouds" that cover the eyes to prevent sight. This is the sod of "עָבִים סֵתֶר לוֹ וְלֹא יִרְאֶה Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not" and the sod of "בְּעַב הֶעָנָן in a thick cloud" which is the ע"ב of the eyelids
There is a connection between Shimshon and Mashiah, as Bereishit Rabba (98:14) says that Yaakov saw Shimshon in Ru'ah Hakodesh and thought him to be the Mashiah. Once he saw that he died, he said, "Even this one will die?! I wait for Thy salvation, O LORD." Also, Bereishit Rabba says (99:10) "Dan shall judge his people, as one of" - means as the most unique, meaning Yehuda. Bemidbar Rabba (10:5) says that Shimshon came from both Dan and Yehuda. Yalkut Shimoni (Vayehi 160) says "Judah is a lion's whelp" is Mashiah Ben David who came from 2 tribes - his father from Yehuda and his mother from Dan. We see that Shimshon unified inside himself the 2 extremes of Yehuda and Dan like the Mashiah.
Also, Shimshon was a descendant of Hushim Ben Dan. חשים is the same letters as משיח. Also, Rav Tzadok Hakohen of Lublin writes in "Lekutei Amarim" about Shimshon.
Haza"l said that Yaakov thought that Shimshon was Mashiah since his mother, Hatzelalfoni is from Yehuda from the children of Hur, from whom the lineage of the house of David comes [YY - not בן אחר בן - see Maharsha Sota 11b], and from Betzalel. And also the Mashiah's father will be from Yehuda and his mother will be from Dan, whereas Shimshon was just the opposite. The idea of Yehuda and Dan is that Yehuda is the head of all the tribes while Dan is the end as Haza"l say, "There is no greater tribe than Yehuda and there is no worse tribe than Dan." And when you connect them - meaning you connect the head to the end of a straight line and bend it a little, it becomes a circle.
We see that both David and Shimshon have the root of the same aspect. Also, Rashi on Bereishit 38:13 [makes a comparison]: "עלה תמנתה - and by Shimshon, it says: and shimshon went down to Timna. It must have been on the slope of a mountain. You go up from one way and down from another." We see a connection between the story of Yehuda and Tamar to establish a kingdom and the story of Shimshon who went to marry a woman, which is the aspect of his private kingdom.
The gemara (Bava Batra 91a) says that Boaz had 60 children and he made them 120 parties for their marriages, but he didn't invite Mano'ah (Shimshon's father-to-be, but at this point childless) to the parties. Mano'ah felt hurt and as a result, all 60 children died. Then, a son was born who was more diligent than all 60. The Rashbam brings down 2 explanations - either it refers to Oved, the son of Boaz, or it refers to Shimshon, the son of Mano'ah.
The Hatam Sofer (תורת משה הפטרת נשא. דרשות חתם סופר ח"ב רות תקצ"ד) brings down that when the Philistines blinded Shimshon and placed him in the prison, they brought their wives to become pregnant from him and give birth to boys who would grow up to be strong men. They brought Orpah, and she became pregnant and gave birth to 6 boys who would grow up to be strong men, whose leader was Goliat - all of whom David and his men killed. Rav Yaakov Chaim Sofer writes in his book Hadar Yaakov that he asked Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a about the source for the Hatam Sofer and he showed him a manuscript of the Tosefta on the Targum Yonatan. It appears that we could explain - according to what we were saying - why Shimshon begat Goliat. We find in Midrash (Rut Rabbah 2:9) R' Bibi said in the name of R' Reuven: Rut and Orpah were the daughters of Eglon. The Ariza"l's Sefer Halikutim (1:371) says that if Orpah would have gone along with Rut, she would have rectified herself and taken a portion in the building of the kingdom. However, when they departed from each other, Rut took the good that was in Orpah and Orpah took the bad that was in Rut, which is from where Goliat was born, as Goliat is a mirror image of David. And since Goliat was a Kelipa of Mashiah, he was born from Shimshon, who has the root of Mashiah. We also find in Zohar Hadash (Rut 96b) that Rut's name before she converted was "Gilit" (גלית), which has the same letters as Goliat (גלית) to hint to the fact that the bad of Rut, which is hinted to in her name before she converted, entered into Goliat, as the Ariza"l says. Goliat is also hinted to in the verse וְאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה לְנָגִיד, עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל by skipping 2 letters backwards because he is the Kelipa that goes against David. Rav Yosef Sofer Shlit"a adds that the gemara (Sota 42b) that talks about Goliat quotes Ribbi Yohanan as saying that Goliat tried to prevent the Jewish people from morning and evening Keriat Shema, which shows that he opposes accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of heaven. Also Orpah ערפה has the letters of פה רע - an evil mouth, which is the adversary of the kingdom of holiness which has the Sod of פה טוב.
The gemara (Sota 10a) expounds the verse "and he did grind in the prison-house" to say that everyone brought their wives to Shimshon to become pregnent from him, etc. Ribbi Yohanan said: Shimshon judged Israel like their Father in heaven, as it says, "Dan shall judge his people, as one of..." And Ribbi Yohanan said: Shimshon is called by Hashem's name, as it says, "כִּי שֶׁמֶשׁ, וּמָגֵן יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים". Does this mean it cannot be erased [like Hashem's name]? Rather, it's similar to Hashem's name. Just like HKB"H protects the entire world, similarly Shimshon, in his generation, protected Israel. From this gemara, we see that right after the gemara mentions all the negative aspects of Shimshon, it starts talking about all his good traits. The explanation could be that the inner process was all for the sake of Heaven, and his downfall was only because he added his own Ta'avah to the sin that was done for the sake of Heaven. This is because while Shimshon was still a boy, his parents told him about the angel who told them that he would save Israel from the Philistines. Therefore, his whole life he thought to himself, "How can I save Israel from the Philistines?" He knew that if he came as Israel's representative to fight against them, he'd be jeopardizing Israel with wars, which he didn't want. He therefore found an excuse to have a personal war against them, as it says, "for he sought an occasion against the Philistines". This means that he married into them, put forth riddles, etc. in order to find an excuse to fight with them and kill them and to instill fear of him into them. Therefore, Hashem's spirit was revealed to him the entire way until he succumbed to temptation as is brought in the subsequent verses, so when he repented, his strength returned and he killed himself along with the Philistines. The whole idea of doing a sin for the sake of heaven is found also by King David, who had relations with Bat Sheva because he saw in her the light of the Beit Hamikdash, but according to his level, it had the name of a sin. This is a comparable level of Mesirut Nefesh that we find by both Shimshon and David, who were prepared to sin and give up even their souls in the next world for the sake of Kelal Yisrael.

Men and Women on Buses - Contemporary Rabbis' Opinions

2011-12-28T17:59:00.000-06:00

Here are a few opinions of various Rabbanim I noticed that have to do with gender mixing on buses. This is by no means a full and extensive list.

(Please be very careful commenting on this post. Any comments that I believe disrespects any of these rabbis will be deleted.)

Rav Yaakov Ades: It would be better if there were 2 separate buses and bus stops for men and women.
Rav Elyashiv: There are conflicting reports as to what he said. Using gemara lingo: עסקני הוא אליבא דרב אלישיב
Rav Avraham Yosef: It is permissible for a man to sit next to a woman on a bus, just not to stare at her
Rav Amar and Rav Metzger: We cannot impose on women where to sit on public buses - Mehadrin buses for private use is fine
Rav Eliezer Melamed: Mehadrin buses undermine family structure
Rav Ovadia Yosef (per his son Rav Yitzhak Yosef): Mehadrin lines are a Hidur and something good, but only for those who want such lines of their own volition. (Rav Yitzhak Yosef adds: To guard one's eyes, it's good to take a small sefer along and learn from it. When my father was younger, he used to travel by bus with the Rabbanit sitting next to him, but he didn't notice as he was involved in his learning. The Rabbanit had 2 baskets in her hands and before she got off the bus, she asked him to bring one basket home. However, as he was so involved in his learning, he didn't even realize that she was talking to him, and he didn't bring the basket home.)
Rav Mutzafi was recently asked about saying Tehillim or reading Mishnayot opposite a woman who is not dressed properly on a bus. He answered that one should place the sefer between one's eyes and the woman, and it would then be permitted. Regarding Mehadrin lines, he refused to answer at the moment.

Signs for Ramat Beit Shemesh

2011-12-27T13:21:00.002-06:00

I don't usually tell the ills of Jewish society on this blog. There are a myriad of other blogs for that. However, an exception should be made here. At a time when Jews who claim to represent the Torah are acting contrary to it - and this news is making its way around the world - not just Israeli news - this is something that needs to be protested. I was disgusted by the news report, which I first saw on Rafi's blog, and then on many other blogs, including Akiva's blog, where he confronted the extremists and drew a map of the area. As we are all responsible for each other, this behavior must be protested to the fullest extent possible.

I am also worried about the perception of all Hareidim based on the actions of the few. Secular Israelis, who should know better, and the world at large now think that all Hareidim act this way. Haaretz, of all places, has a pretty good article that understands that it's not all Hareidim. However, most don't make such distinctions, so the Torah and Hashem's Holy Name are being desescrated. We need to make it clear to everyone that although we are responsible for all Jews, they do NOT represent Torah. The Belzer Rebbe and R' Aryeh Deri have been good here in showing what is right. Update: I'm also glad President Peres is calling for an end to incitement against the entire Haredi community.

Below are a few signs I created online using says-it.com and http://www.signgeneratormaker.com/.

(I know. This was the only picture they had.) See also R' Yaakov Horowitz

Recent Interesting Links

2011-12-23T12:04:00.001-06:00

Elder of Ziyon notes the irony of how Turkey is now isolated itself after claiming last week that it was instrumental in isolating Israel. Mida Keneged Mida.
And in more Mida Keneged Mida news... נתמלאה סאתם for Syria? After decades of Syria harboring and supporting terrorists, al-Qaida has made its way to Syria via Lebanon and caused twin suicide bombings there.
And in still more Mida Keneged Mida news (which was emailed to me) - the Yerushalayim Arab neighborhood of Shuafat cannot get help from wild dogs because dog catchers don't feel safe in that neighborhood - from the people - not the dogs.
This week's Shomrei Emunim newsletter (p.1, middle column) shows how a verse in Miketz shows how instability in the world is a Geula sign. Also, (p. 2, left column) the same verse shows how we will be redeemed due to Shabbat, Mila, and Rosh Hodesh. Also, (p.4) an article on the dreidel.
Update: More Gematrias and Notrikons for Hanukka and Tevet.
Unbelievable story after a tragedy on Mt. Rainier.
R' Pinchos Lipshutz: Of Battles and Miracles- "You don’t look for Moshiach. He looks for you." (and I don't agree with comment #2's criticism there)
South Koreans visit Ponevezh.
North Koreans note the "miracles" that occurred when Kim died.
The United Center will now have a Kosher cart supervised by the cRc. Go Bulls!
Modern Uberdox has Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ZT"L's 8th grade picture
Rafi posted this picture of Gilad Shalit lighting the Hanukkiah (from nrg). The fact that this picture exists is nothing short of a Hanukka miracle.

Ben Yosef and יבדלח"ט Yehuda Livnat

2011-12-21T17:23:00.001-06:00

Several months ago, the nephew of Limor Livnat was murdered by the PA Police while visiting Kever Yosef. His name was Ben Yosef Livnat HY"D. (See what I said then.) Now, his brother was arrested as one of the perpetrators of Price Tag. His brother's name is Yehuda Ariel Livnat. While I don't condone and very much condemn Price Tag activities, I don't want the symbolism to be lost on my readers either.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Miketz, 5772 - Part 1

2011-12-20T18:16:00.002-06:00

Rav Fish's updates are like AMPM: Too much good stuff.

From Rav Fish's latest ~~(I'll post the link when available)~~:

The first 5 pages relate to Hanukka and Yosef. I'm not summarizing this, but it's also great reading.
As we're in the 8th decade of the 8th century of this millennium, these correspond to the Sefira of Hod, which is the lower portion of the "left" side. The job of the left side is to bring an end to everything. This is why we're at the end of Galut during this decade. יצחק (who comes from the left side) is the letters קץ חי, says the Tikkunei Zohar Hadash (128b). Also, the name of Hashem ש-ד-י, which comes from the left side, means: Hashem told His world, "Enough!" (די). And די [with the Kollel] is the gematria of הוד. Also, the Hida (Yosef Tehilot ~~47:2~~ 2:4) quotes a Midrash saying that when the Israelites were in Egypt and Hashem wanted to hasten the Ketz, Hashem told the Avot, "If you lessen one letter from your names, I will hasten the Ketz." Yitzhak thereby said, "Take the ש (sin) from my name [of ישחק] and replace it with a צ to get a difference of 210. From this Midrash, we see that Yitzhak [from the left side] was the one who brought an end to the exile in Egypt.
R' Hayim Betzalel Loiberbaum Shlit"a adds that it's brought down in the Arizal's Etz Hayim that Malchut is built from Hod of Arich. This explains why it's called קץ הימין since everything is considered ימין - even Hod - in the Arich.
Tikunei Zohar connects the 8th Sefira of Hod to the 8 days of Hanukka and to עלי זית טרף בפיה, which symbolizes a Be'itah redemption as mentioned earlier. Also, the Zohar (Vayikra 4a) connects David Hamelech to Hod. דוד with the Kollel is the gematria of הוד. The verse (Tehilim 110:2) מַטֵּה-עֻזְּךָ--יִשְׁלַח יְהוָה, מִצִּיּוֹן; רְדֵה, בְּקֶרֶב אֹיְבֶיךָ has Sofei-Teivot חנכה. The Me'or Einayim connects the verse ערכתי נר למשיחי to the Hanukka candles. The book "Peri Hayim" (Kamarna) says that שמן is Rashei Teivot for נר של משיח. The book "Vedarashta Vehakarta" (vol. 1, p.81) says that משיח is Rashei Teivot מתגלה שמונת ימי חנכה [he will be revealed during the 8 days of Hanukka]. Also, the Rashei Teivot of מזוזה ימין חנכה שמאל. Also, the Ben Ish Hai says that the name of Mashiah is צמח which is the Rashei Teivot of ציצית מזוזה חנוכה, since these 3 Mitzvot are connected to Hanukka, as the She'iltot says, "Mezuza on the right, Hanuka candle on the left, and Tzitzit in the middle." The Emunot Itecha says that the Milui of משיח, which is מם שין יוד חית, is the gematria of הדלקת נר חנוכה. The Shevilei Pinhas writes that זית is the gematria of אדם דוד משיח.
The Emunat Itecha (5757, p. 73) writes that we read Vayeishev close to Hanukka because this Perasha relates Yosef's descent to Egypt and Yehuda's descent to find a wife. These 2 descents were to under 10 hand-breadths, where the Shechina does not reside. This is because Egypt is a place of spiritual uncleanliness and Yehuda went down to a low level when he did the act with Tamar. However, the purpose of these 2 descents was to bring to the world the root of Mashiah Ben Yosef via Yosef and Mashiah Ben David via Yehuda. This hints to the light of Hanukka and the light of Mashiah which descend to shine in the place of darkness - under 10 handbreadths.
I heard from a Jew who heard from Rav Yosef Leib Zusman ZT"L, one of the hidden Kabbalists of Yerushalayim in the previous generation, who told him that he and Rav Matisyahu Davis ZT"L have traditions coming from the Gr"a about the year 5772.
I heard from Rav Menahem Zisman Shlit"a that תשע"ב is the letters of בתשע, meaning "in the 9th", hinting to the Sefira of Yesod, the 9th Sefira. This tells you that in this year, Yesod will reach its purpose and completion.
R' Yehonatan G. adds that (Zecharia 14:7) וְהָיָה לְעֵת-עֶרֶב, יִהְיֶה-אוֹר hints to 5772 as לעת is 500 and ערב is 272, so when we reach 5772, there will be light. Also, אור hints to the end of the 7th hour in 5792, at which time אור (gematria of 207) years will be left until the end of the millennium, at which time we enter the 8th millennium which represents the supernatural and Le'atid Lavo.
Rav Menahem Zisman Shlit"a adds that תשע"ב is the gematria of ליל שבת - to show that from this year, the shining of Shabbat night begins.
שבעת רועים is the letters of תשע"ב.
Ramban on Bereishit 14:1 says that the 4th exile of Edom and Romi is hinted at by Tid'al Melech Goyim. [YY- See also this post.] The Ramban writes that he is "the king over various nations who placed him upon them as a head and leader". R' Avraham Mordechai Safrin Shlit"a adds that the Ramban on Bereishit 36:46 according to the old Mikra'ot Gedolot version says that the 10th and final king of Edom will capture and rule of Paras.
An Avreich asked R' Avraham[?] Genichovsky Shlit"a if the winds of war between Iran and the USA and Europe these days is what the [famous, oft-quoted] Yalkut Shimoni (about the nations provoking each other and Paras destroying the world, and Israel asking where to go, whereby Hashem replies not to worry as the time of the Redemption has come) is referring to. R' Genichovsky replied that indeed the first half of the Midrash has already been fulfilled, and now we are only awaiting the second half, where Am Yisrael will cry out to Hashem and request the Geula.
Ovadia the prophet prophecied about the downfall of Edom during the time of the Redemption: "Though thou make thy nest as high as the eagle, and though thou set it among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD. If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night--how art thou cut off!--would they not steal till they had enough? If grape-gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? How is Esau searched out! How are his hidden places sought out!" Rashi on "how art thou cut off" explains, "How were you sleeping still until they stole all that they wanted? Harvesters at least leave solitary grapes, but these won't leave anything for you because they will search you out and will reveal and seek your hidden things." We see that the prophet compares the downfall of Edom in the future to a falling - like an eagle that falls from the heavens and like robbers and thieves who reveal all the secrets of Edom. Nowadays, we see this parable in real-life, as HKB"H caused the drone of the Edom (the USA) to fall in Iran, which is a symbol of its technology and pride. Then, the robbers and thieves [of Iran, Russia, and China] steal it and reveal the secrets of Edom. And everything is just a hint - like a parable in reality - to what is expected for them soon. (R' Menahem Zisman Shlit"a helped me with this explanation - says R' Fish.)
Shushan Sodot (288) writes that the blessing of Et Tzemah hints to Mashiah Ben Yosef - or Yesod - and Retzei hints to Mashiah Ben David - or Malchut. It is not called "Geula" until the 2 Meshihin are joined, which joins Yesod and Malchut.
Rav Shmuel Aurbach Shlit"a's approbation of the book "Va'asher Tavona Yagidu" which talks about the prophecies of the End of Days and the Ketz of the "Erev" of the year 5772:
There is no value put on the great thing to open an opening by way of the opening of the Rishonim in the words of the prophets which are said in truth, and whose prophecy is written and needed for generations. Who can fathom the greatness of the matter in the words of the prophets in the Redemption of Israel and the freedom of our souls? I wish all of Hashem's nation will contemplate and understand the words of the prophets.
Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky's approbation of this book:
The verse says, "Then they that feared the LORD spoke one with another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard". The prophet speaks of the era of Ikveta Dimshiha and notes that there is a special obligation at that time to speak about the topic of strengthening our Emuna. Because during these crazy times, we need to strengthen ourselves with pure faith since all that befalls us is only a preparation to the Final Redemption, and it is a time of trouble unto Jacob, but out of it shall he be saved. Therefore, I bless the author of this book, who comes to fill the order of the hour to reveal from the words of the prophets and Haza"l what the interpretation of all that befalls us is, and from this that we unbelievably see comparisons to the words of Haza"l, the Geonim and Rishonim with all that befalls us, we will know that just as the earlier events were fulfilled, so too the later events will be fulfilled.
[YY - The following is the Satmar view of this, which is not universally accepted.] The Vayoel Moshe of the Satmar Rebbe ZT"L says that when the gemara says that Ben David will not come until the מלכות הזלה of Israel will be destroyed, the explanation is that there will not even be left any rulership whatsoever. We see that before Mashiah's arrival, the government will be destroyed, and there is no alternative. This prevents the Redemption, and the Rambam writes something similar to this in Iggeret Teiman. However, we need mercy from Heaven that the government will only be destroyed via a Supernal power and not via the nations because if it is via the nations Has Veshalom, it will be a grave danger for Israel.
Shir Hashirim Rabba 2:22 says קול דודי הנה זה בא refers to the King Mashiah at the time that he tells Israel, "You are being redeemed." The Megaleh Amukot writes similarly. I heard from R' Yehonatan G. Shlit"a that this verse hints to the process of this century. הנה is the gematria of 60 - hinting to the first 60 years of the process. הנה זה is the gematria of 72 because that is when the process of the coming of Mashiah begins. When you add the word בא, you get to 75, as that is when the process is complete. R' Moshe Levinger Shlit"a adds that בא is the letters of אב, which is the month of the birth of Mashiah. Also, the word זה represents the Yesod with the sod of Mashiah Ben Yosef, as is brought in the book "Malach Haberit" by the Ben Ish Hai (Parshat Re'eh).

Interesting Mostly-Recent Links

2011-12-20T11:06:00.001-06:00

Kikar has a whole bunch of nice Segulot for Hanukka (Hebrew).
Shas sets us shop in the U.S.
Rav Ovadia threatened again by French Arab he allowed to be released.
One should learn Hagai 2:10 until the end of the book on the 24th of Kislev according to the Ben Ish Hai.
On North Korea, see here and here for Shirat Devorah posts about it. Also see a Rosh Yeshiva ~~in Kfar Chabad's~~ in a Chabad Yeshiva in Kfar Saba's take (Hebrew) on their leader's demise. And see my old post with links here.
Parshablog has a nice Seforno on Vayishlah that was previously censored.
Hanukka will last forever

The Japanese Love Those Heilege Nigunim

2011-12-19T14:21:00.000-06:00

Ladaat reports that the new CD by Moshe P. Weisblum called "Heartfelt Melodies" in English and "Heilege Nigunim" in Hebrew/Yiddish is selling well in Japan. Amazon in Japan reported success in selling it, and the Japanese are dubbing it as "calming music that lifts the soul".

Who knew about this untapped market? Next, we'll hear about Avraham Fried doing a concert in Tokyo, I guess.

Maybe it's something deep in their souls.

A Sudden Mashiah

2011-12-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

One of the things Geula-bloggers (including myself) do is follow news events that point to Hashem's plan for the Final Redemption unfolding little-by-little. There is ample basis for this view - most notably, Shir Hashirim Rabba 6:16.

However, there is another view out there that Mashiah will come suddenly. Rabbi Reuven Cohen's book entitled "Livyas Chein" on Parshat Vayeshev quotes Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky ZT"L as taking this approach. He says that it is useless and a waste of time to follow news events to show that Mashiah will be coming soon as there is absolutely no way to predict his arrival. This is, according to him, because his arrival must be sudden - and an integral part of Mashiah coming is the suddenness of it all.

One example from the Torah that shows its suddenness is the birth of the twin baby boys of Yehuda and Tamar - Peretz and Zerah. It was known to Yehuda and Tamar beforehand that the one to be born first would be the ancestor of Mashiah. Zerah stuck his hand out first and at that point, everyone thought that Zerah would be the patriarch from whom the Mashiah would descend. However, all of a sudden, Peretz came out first and the midwife said, מה פרצת עליך פרץ - as if to say, "How did that happen?" The birth of the ancestor shows the suddenness of his descendant Mashiah's arrival as well.

Whichever way Mashiah is supposed to come, whether via a process or out of the blue, may he come speedily in our days, Amen.

Hint to Iraq War's Duration in Tanach

2011-12-15T11:08:00.000-06:00

The Iraq War is over today.

The war started March 20, 2003.

The duration of March 20, 2003 until December 15, 2011 is 3192 days.

According to the gematria feature in GezaGeza, 3192 is the gematria of the following verse (Yeshaya 14:22):

וְקַמְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם, נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת; וְהִכְרַתִּי לְבָבֶל שֵׁם וּשְׁאָר, וְנִין וָנֶכֶד--נְאֻם-יְהוָה.

And I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and offshoot and offspring, saith the LORD.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Vayeishev, 5772

2011-12-14T17:27:00.002-06:00

From Rav Fish's latest:

As Yaakov's ladder hints to the Keitz (as the Midrash states and as the Baal Haturim says והנה סלם = וקץ), we can understand why וַיַּחֲלֹם וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ has the gematria of תשע"ה.
The 3 flocks of sheep in Bereishit 29:2, according to Ba'alei Hatosefot, refer to the 3 exiles - Mitzrayim, Bavel, and Edom. The words from this verse "עֶדְרֵי צֹאן רֹבְצִים" equal תשע"א, if adding the words and the Kollel.
Or Hahayim on Bereishit 32:3 says "עשו אחיו" refers to the time when Esav and Yaakov were brothers - until the Hurban, "ארצה שעיר" refers to the time after the Hurban when Esav was on top, and "שדה אדום" refers to when Mashiah comes when Esav will be plowed like a field. R' Shlomo Breyer Shlit"a says that the Targum on "שדה אדום" is "לחקלי אדום" (according to more accurate versions), whose gematria is 229 - the number of years until the end of the millennium.
Baal Haturim on the next verse says that the words "עד עתה" refers to the 3 exiles of Mitzrayim, Bavel, and Edom. "וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה" is the gematria of תשע"ג with the letters
The Yerushalmi in Sota says that Shimshon wanted reward for his eyes - 1 for this world and 1 for the future. The 'עין הב hints to the year of ע"ב, which is 72 (i.e. 5772)
R' Tzion Sivoni Shlit"a said that we need to add 1290 to 1335 and count from the destruction of the first Beit Hamikdash in 3338, which brings us to 5963. Just like in Egypt the redemption came 190 years earlier than it was supposed to, the same will occur here, which brings us to 5773.
R' Yitzchak Ginsburg Shlit"a said that דַּמֶּשֶׂק בַּגְדַּד קַהִיר (Damascus, Baghdad, Cairo) equals the gematria of תשע"ב, hinting to the fact that in this year, we will merit to overpower these 3 Kelipot, and the salvation of Israel will sprout. Like the Lubavitcher Rebbe said during the Yom Kippur War, when the IDF was close to Damascus, that they should capture it - even for one day - to subdue its Kelipa.
R' Tzion Sivoni Shlit"a adds that אחמדיניג'אד (Ahmedinejad) is the same gematria as אסלם (Islam) which is the same letters as the angel known as ס"מ - to hint to the fact that Ahmedinejad is bringing the entire Islam - Yishmael - toward the War of Gog Umagog, which is a war between Edom and Yishmael.
He also adds that תשע"ד is Notrikon of תשעת דוד and of תשובו עד ה' אלקיך. Also, תשע"ג is Notrikon for תְּשֻׁעָה גדולה.
R' Moshe Mizrahi Shlit"a adds that Bereishit 44:1 (וַיְצַו אֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל בֵּיתוֹ לֵאמר מַלֵּא אֶת אַמְתְּחֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים אכֶל כַּאֲשֶׁר יוּכְלוּן שְׂאֵת וְשִׂים כֶּסֶף אִישׁ בְּפִי אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ) hints to תשע"ב and חתם אמת, which refers to the Berit Milah, which is influenced by Yosef since this year, the influence of the plenty of Mashiah ben Yosef starts toward the side of holiness. Also, חותם is hinted in a 3-letter backward interval in Bereishit 43:18 הַכֶּסֶף הַשָּׁב בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵינוּ בַּתְּחִלָּה.
The Geula comes when evening turns to morning. Bereishit Rabba 21:1 - לִכְשֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה עִרְבָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בֹּקֶר. Also, Midrash Peliah: מָתַי יָבֹא מָשִׁיחַ, אָמַר לָהֶם וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי. This obviously is referring to the sixth millennium. R' Yosef Sheinburger Shlit"a explains that it hints to the idea that when it will be "ויהי ערב (evening)" - i.e. Minha Gedola of the sixth millennium, then we can merit "ויהי בקר (morning)".
The Klausenberger Rebbe ZT"L in 5735 that is brought down here.
R' Eliyahu Mann Shlit"a, a relative of R' Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a, said that last Shemitta year, Rav Chaim Kanievsky told a few supporters of Keren Hashevi'it that it would be the last Shemitta that they would be able to merit in the Mitzvah.
A Jew to whom a baby boy with a brain defect was born came to Rav Chaim Kanievsky downtrodden. Rav Chaim told him that it won't take long until Mashiah comes.
R' Don Segel Shlit"a spoke recently that we are presently in the time of "evening" and the Redemption is at the doorway, and he mentioned the verse "הָסִרוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר אֲשֶׁר בְּתֹכֲכֶם וְהִטַּהֲרוּ".
Pirkei DeRibbi Eliezer (chapter 30) says that the children of Yishmael in the future will build the desolate cities in Eretz Yisrael and will clear the pathways in the End of Days. It's worth noting a story brought down in "Otzerot Aharit Hayamim" (153) that once when R' Zerach Reuven Braverman ZT"L was by R' Yehoshua Leib Diskin ZT"L, they heard the whistling of the train that started traveling to Yerushalayim for the first time, and R' Yehoshua Leib Diskin commented, "They are already clearing the pathways and the time of the Redemption is near." And what would we say today where there is already a light-rail inside Yerushalayim that passes the Mekom Hamikdash, and we clearly see that HKB"H is preparing the pathways for those who will be Oleh Regel soon.
The Baal HaTanya expounded the verse פדה בשלום נפשי when he left the prison on 19 Kislev, meaning that from that day forward, he could publicize the inner secrets of the Torah. פדה בשלום נפשי is the gematria of י"ט כסלו תשע"ב, meaning that this year is the completion of what he started.
R' Yehonatan G. Shlit"a added that the birth of the Baal Shem Tov was 18 Elul, 5458, which is an hour before sunrise of the sixth millennium - i.e. Alot Hashahar.
Maharsha on Bava Batra 74b says that in every generation from the time that the wicked kingdom (Edom) arose, they decreed against us not to be busy with Torah and Mitzvot, etc. Then came the kingdom of Yishmael and as we saw for the most part, in the kingdoms of Yishmael which were kingdoms of kindness, permission was granted for anyone to accept the yoke of Torah and its Mitzvot.
We also find in the gemara Menahot 98a with the explanation of Rabbeinu Gershom that they engraved on the eastern gate of the Beit Hamikdash the image of Shushan Habira as a sign of gratitude to the kingdom of Persia who granted them permission to build the Beit Hamikdash. We see that the Kingdom of Persia which is related to Yishmael (as is brought in the Malbim on Yehezkel 38:5) has no opposition to the Beit Hamikdash.
(After quoting the Ramban who says that Tehiyat Hameitim will occur before the year 5800), the verse says קֵץ בָּא הַקֵּץ עַל אַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ: עַתָּה הַקֵּץ עָלַיךְִ. The words עַתָּה הַקֵּץ עָלַיךְִ have a gematria of 800, meaning that after "An end! the end is come upon the four corners of the land", the era of the Ketz will conclude in the year 5800.
The word "Eretz" doesn't appear in Megillat Esther, but rather, "Medina", which is an expression of "Din" (judgement) and a similar gematria as חצי (half), to hint to the Sod of Nesira. Also, the word "Yisrael" doesn't appear in the Megila as "Yisrael" symbolizes the Ze'eir Anpin, which was sleeping during the entire episode of Purim with the aspect of the slumber that Hashem caused to Adam Harishon when He built Hava. Hence, "Yisrael", if we could say such a thing, didn't exist in Megilat Esther. This also is occurring in our days where there is a Medina via the Kelipot, which is with the Sod of Nesira, which prepares for the Geula. And even though the Medina is given the name "Yisrael", true Yisrael is slumbering, just like during the era of Purim.

Newt and Arafat

2011-12-13T17:50:00.000-06:00

Newt was roundly praised - and deservedly so - for calling the Palestinians an invented people.

As many before me have noted, they are the realization of the verse:

וַאֲנִי אַקְנִיאֵם בְּלֹא-עָם
and I will rouse them to jealousy with a no-people

The AP reported:

The remarks struck at the heart of Palestinian sensitivities about the righteousness of their struggle for an independent state and put him at odds not only with the international community but with all but an extremist fringe in Israel.

I am proud to be part of that "extremist fringe" that are not at odds with that statement. And the amount of praised heaped upon Newt for his statement belies the idea that it is merely an "extremist fringe" who thinks a Palestinian state is a bad idea.

Just today, HuffPo published a picture of Newt and Arafat together. This was in 1993 when Arafat was popular with the world. Yes, he should have known better for meeting with the scum, but it seems he learned his lesson in subsequent years, as the HuffPo article itself points out.

In fact, in 1997, the US News and World Report reported in an Op-Ed:

Newt Gingrich is on the defensive these days, yet he is one of the few who have seen what is happening and have had the courage to define the central issues: "There's a core principle here that we have forgotten ... It is extraordinarily dangerous to confuse the aggressor and the victim. It is extraordinarily dangerous to confuse the terrorist and the democracy. It is extraordinary to always impose the burden on those who are your friends, because you're too timid to tell the truth to those who are your enemies."

From that account, Newt seemed pretty pro-Israel and anti-Arafat in the late 90s. A picture during Oslo won't change that.

But Newt may have more trouble on the way - not from the Palestinians, but rather from the Paulistinians - as Ron Paul has closed in on Newt within one percentage point in Iowa in a new poll.

My Scholarly Post on Astrophysics

2011-12-13T13:47:00.000-06:00

_________
_________
_________
_________

Ha, just kidding. I know nothing about astrophysics. Actually, asking me to write a post about astrophysics would be like...like...like asking Arab-party Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi to write an article in the Knesset newsletter on Parshat Hashavua!!! Ha! Ha! Ha!

...What?!?!...You say he did?!?!?!

I better get caught up on my Newton...

Sefer HaHinuch on Gid Hanasheh

2011-12-09T10:38:00.000-06:00

After the last post scared everyone, here are some words of consolation.

This is the Sefer HaHinuch talking about the 3rd Mitzvah in the Torah - the Gid Hanasheh:

משרשי מצוה זו כדי שתהיה רמז לישראל שאף על פי שיסבלו צרות רבות בגליות מיד העמים ומיד בני עשו, שיהיו בטוחים שלא יאבדו, אלא לעולם יעמוד זרעם ושמם ויבוא להם גואל ויגאלם מיד צר, ובזכרם תמיד עניין זה על יד המצוה שתהיה לזכרון יעמדו באמונתם ובצדקתם לעולם. ורמז זה הוא לפי שאותו מלאך שנלחם עם יעקב אבינו שבא בקבלה שהיה שרו של עשו רצה לעקרו ליעקב מן העולם הוא וזרעו ולא יכול לו, וצערו בנגיעת הירך וכן זרע עשו מצער לזרע יעקב, ולבסוף תהיה להם ישועה מהם, כמו שמצינו באב שזרחה לו השמש לרפאתו ונושע מן הצעד כן יזרח לנו השמש של משיח וירפאנו מצערינו ויגאלנו אמן במהרה בימינו.
Among the roots of this Mitzva is in order that there be a hint to Israel that even though they suffer many tribulations in the exiles at the hands of the nations and at the hands of the sons of Esav, they should be assured that they will not be destroyed. Rather, their children and name will always endure and a redeemer will come for them and redeem them from the hands of the oppressor. And when they constantly remember this idea by way of this Mitzva, it should be a remembrance that will endure in their faith and in their uprightness forever. And this hint is [in this Mitzva] because that angel that fought with Yaakov Avinu - which tradition tells us was the angel of Esav - wanted to uproot Yaakov from the world along with his children, but could not overcome him, but [nevertheless] caused him pain in touching the thigh. And similarly, the children of Esav cause pain to the children of Yaakov, but in the end, they [the children of Yaakov] will have a salvation from them - just as we find by our father [Yaakov Avinu] where the sun rose to heal him and he was saved from the pain, similarly, the sun of Mashiah will rise for us and heal us from our pain and redeem us, speedily in our days, Amen.

Rav Shteinman: There is a Decree in Shamayim to Destroy the Jews - We Must Strengthen Ourselves to Cancel It

2011-12-08T13:10:00.000-06:00

From Kikar:

Rav Shteinman rallied against smart phones (in Hebrew סמרטפונים, which is phonetically (no pun intended) similar to "הצפוני", an alias of the Yetzer Hara), and said that just as one who is about to die gets stronger right before he dies, so too the Satan feels and knows that his end is near so he therefore fights with all his might to have influence and the smart phones make his job easier.

Someone later asked Rav Shteinman if he meant by "his end is near" that it has to do with the threats from the leaders of Iran. Rav Shteinman paused, and the other man continued saying that it seems that we have nothing to worry about because we know that Israel is strong and able to give the Iranians their due, so we have nothing to fear.

Rav Shteinman totally rejected these words and said (my translation):

The wicked Haman in his time threatened annihilation of all the Jews in one day. Mordechai heard this and trembled. He gathered all the Jews for prayer and the children for learning about the tenth of an Eipha.

During the Holocaust, Hitler threatened to destroy the Jews and there were those who thought not to pay attention to his words because they thought he was crazy and insane, but Rav Elchanan Wasserman HY"D gathered his students and made it clear to them that they need to strengthen themselves against these threats. Rav Elchanan brought the story of Haman to his students and told them that even though Haman was a mad-man, Mordechai was still terrified.

Rav Elchanan explained that if Haman is threatening, it's a sign that there is a harsh decree up in heaven to destroy the Jews and there is a chance that Haman will enact it, so Mordechai needed to work to cancel it. Rav Elchanan added to his students that the same is with them in his days - Hitler's threats meant that there was a harsh decree in heaven and everyone must strengthen themselves to cancel it. In contrast to the miracle of Purim, Rav Elchanan perished along with his students during the Holocaust.

The main thing is that someone is threatening us, even when we're talking about a mad-man. This is a clear sign from heaven that there is a decree to annihilate Israel. We must strengthen ourselves in order to cancel it.

Rav Mutzafi: Don't Worry About the Eclipse

2011-12-08T00:21:00.004-06:00

Rav Mutzafi Shlit"a was asked if we should relate to [or be concerned about] the lunar eclipse or not.

He replied:

We, the nation of Israel, trust in Hashem Yitbarach and in His Torah and we should not be concerned about all of this. However, we all need to strengthen ourselves in guarding the Torah, modesty, holiness, and the Shabbat, and with Hashem's help, we will be redeemed soon.

Update:

Ladaat quotes books that take a different viewpoint.

Blago, Clinton, and Edom

2011-12-07T17:20:00.001-06:00

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (pronounced "Bla GOY a vich") was just sentenced to 14 years in prison today. Illinois will now have 2 former governors in prison at the same time. As my Ashkenazi friends would say, "Such Nachas!"

The Sun Times reports:

The prosecutor said Blagojevich “spent seven days on the witness stands perjuring himself. He tried to lie his way out of a guilty verdict.

“He testified Lisa Madigan was his first choice for the Senate seat. That was a lie. He lied repeatedly. He is incredibly manipulative. And he knows how to be. To his credit, he is clever about it.”

Citing news accounts, Schar said he could tell that jurors saw through Blagojevich’s lies.

“Twelve people in a jury box — he caters to them to get what he wants,” Schar said. “The government caught it. I’m happy to see, based on the press reports, that jurors caught it. He managed to hit on things. ... There was a juror from Boston. Suddenly, we heard how he loved the city of Boston. “

Noting that one juror had opened a Greek restaurant and another worked in a library, Schar said: “He said he loved to study at the library and on the way there would stop by the Greek restaurant to get a cup of coffee.”

The judge laughed at that.

Schar continued: “He wanted to manipulate the audience to help himself.”

Just as the pig shows its split hooves to show how it is Kosher, so does Edom try to convince the world how it's Kosher and more moral than everyone else. Just as Esav tricked Yitzhak into thinking how careful he was in Mitzvot by asking about tithing salt, Governor Blagojevich is a master manipulator and tricked people into liking him. Almost 3 years ago, I talked about how the former governor was at a Simhat Beit Hasho'eva in Chicago years earlier and was dancing along. This is another example of this.

Another case in point: Secretary of State Clinton. When it suited her, she was very comfortable with Orthodox Jews and their practices. However, recently, she attacked Orthodox religious practices in her speech to the Saban Forum based on her warped idea of moral values. In response, Rabbi Adlerstein delivered a zinger.

In the end, Edom and its moral values will be destroyed and will be replaced by the moral values of the Torah.

70 Years

2011-12-07T10:55:00.000-06:00

70 years of David Hamelech
70 years of Galut Bavel
70 years of our lives

70 years since Pearl Harbor - Hebrew date 17 Kislev
70 years between WWII and Mashiah?

That Adar Sheni Gets me Every Time...

2011-12-07T10:01:00.000-06:00

I deleted the previous post because of the obvious error in calculation (thanks Moshe Meir) of forgetting Adar Sheni. I must have a brain freeze when it comes to Adar Sheni because this is the second time I erred with it - the first being here.

כשם שקבלתי שכר על הדרישה כך קבלתי שכר על הפרישה

Amalek Has Not Yet Been Wiped Out

2011-12-06T13:17:00.000-06:00

This week's Perasha introduces us to Amalek, the archenemy of Israel. Of course, we know of his shameful origins from the commentaries on the Perasha. We now know what form he will assume in his shameful last days.

It appears that as far as Amalek's spiritual descendats go, parts of Yishmael and Paras have taken over the reins from Germany.

Tamar Yonah quotes Walid Shoebat: The Shocking Arab Love For Hitler

Elder of Ziyon: "How to Wipe Out Israel" wins Iranian book award

Elder of Ziyon: Mein Kampf is recommended in Virgin Megastores in Qatar and Bahrain and a follow-up.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Vayetze, 5772

2011-12-05T16:30:00.001-06:00

It can be found here.

Some interesting things, but I'm not giving a full summary this time.

He quotes from the article that quoted the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe that I mentioned earlier and says it's from BaKehila from Sukkot, 5772.

One interesting line (my partial translation):

ושמעתי ממקור מוסמך ששמע מהגר"ח גריינימן שליט"א שהמשיח עומד להגיע בקרוב. (הדברים נאמרו למשפחת מוחתנו שנפטר לאחרונה.)
And I heard from a reliable source who heard from Moreinu HaGaon Rav Chaim Greineman Shlit"a that the Mashiah is ready to come soon.

Sheloshim for Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ZT"L in Skokie Yeshiva

2011-12-02T11:57:00.000-06:00

It's the Annual "Nines" Prayer Again - This Monday

2011-12-02T06:22:00.001-06:00

See this post from 2 years ago, where I discussed the special attributes of praying on the ninth year after Yovel, in the ninth month, in the ninth day and in the ninth hour, as mentioned by the Berit Menuha.

Last year, I was a bit more cautious and suggested people consult their rabbi before doing so as a fellow blogger considers it a possible Issur De'oraita (Biblical prohibition) to specifically pray at that time. I argued that point, but don't trust me on it - ask your rabbi to be sure.

The Bada"tz of the Edah Hahareidit is now having a prayer rally this coming Monday, the 9th of Kislev in the 9th hour of the day to beseech Hashem for mercy in the wake of tragedies such as the death of Gedolim, the bleak financial situation for Torah institutions, and to prevent certain countries legislating against Shehita and Mila.

One may be asking: if 2 years ago was 9 years after Yovel, how is this an annual event? It should only come once in 50 years? The only thing I can say is that perhaps since Yovel doesn't apply nowadays, each year is a Safeik (doubt) of being 9 years after Yovel. Maybe someone has a better answer.

Recent Interesting Links - Parshat Vayetze, 5772

2011-12-01T11:22:00.000-06:00

Site of Yaakov Avinu's Dream Discovered

R' Pinchos Lipshutz talks about Ahdut and Geula

A geula blogger makes Aliya

Shirat Devorah and Arutz Sheva talk about Rebbitzen Jungreis's warning about what lies ahead (which was very similar to what the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe said).

R' Dov Bar-Leib on the Toldot and Vayishlach Effect and the Vayetze Effect sandwiched in the middle

The heretofore unknown Segula of feeding your husband on time for 40 days straight worked

My post 6 years ago on Vayetze

The Shomrei Emunim Rebbe About the World Situation and 5772

2011-11-30T18:41:00.000-06:00

Someone sent me the pdf above which is a scan from a magazine. I think it's the BaKehila magazine, but I'm not sure. I also don't know when it was published. The Shomrei Emunim Rebbe is quoted there, and among other things he says, he says some interesting things about the past, present, and future. I will begin the translation from page 3 of the pdf:

The Shomrei Emunim Rebbe remembers the days of trepidation [during WWII] in the Holyland, and it is logical to say that it was an exciting sight that made waves in its time and for generations.

Shomrei Emunim Rebbe (SER): When the Rasha [Hitler, via Rommel] YM"S announced that within 48 hours he would enter Eretz Yisrael and knock down the stones of the Kotel and until then, his evil work would not have been complete, my father ZT"L sent me to the Maharitz Dushinsky to set up a day of prayer, and indeed, a day of prayer was set up next to the grave of the Or HaHayim Hakadosh.

I stood there not far from the Husiatyn Rebbe and I heard that he said that he saw over the grave - the name of Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei Blessed be He shining brightly, and this is a sign that [Rommel] will not be successful to enter Eretz Yisrael. And this is what occurred. And it's amazing that the elder Rav Shlomke of Zhvil ZY"A said, "I don't know why they're making such noise - he's not going to enter Eretz Yisrael."

The Toldos Avraham Yitzhak Rebbe (TAYR): My grandfather said that at the time of the coming of Mashiah, they will know who expelled the wicked one from Eretz Yisrael.

SER: On 26 Iyyar, 5705, when we were informed about the downfall of the wicked one [Hitler] YM"S, my father ZT"L thought a little and said, "This will be child's play compared to the war to come."

We were amazed to hear his words as we already heard and knew about the vastness of the destruction and we saw that indeed he knew exactly what happened in Europe. On the other hand, how could he say that it was child's play?! When 3 months had passed, on 5 Av, when they sent the atomic bomb over [Hiroshima and Nagasaki] Japan, and that small explosion killed about a quarter million people, then we understood the interpretation of the words.

The next war, which will be nuclear, indeed will shrink in comparison all the awesome wars that came before it. We no longer need a developed example in order to believe that hundreds of millions could die within a number of hours, Hashem should have mercy.

TAYR: For many years already, there has been a difficult situation in the world.

SER: The difficult situation is because people do not want to listen. Is this something sane? For both America and Europe, (Iyov 12:23) "He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them" was fulfilled in them [YY - already mentioned this and the Zohar that follows here] as they became crazy and transfered 85% of their manufacturing to China, and they are all left exhausted, and now, they need to borrow money.

The truth is that this is brought down in the holy Zohar [Va'era 32a] בההוא זמנא יתער עמא חד מסייפי עלמא על רומי חייבא, ויגח בה קרבא תלת ירחין, ויתכנשון תמן עממיא ויפלון בידייהו - [a nation from the end of the earth [namely, China] will wage war against evil Rome and will win]. We see that HKB"H took the world out of its natural course and is conducting it in a supernatural way. Also, what is happening in the Arab countries, we see wonders, but the most wonderous thing is that our community is asleep and doesn't understand. And this is how it was before the war in Europe, where my father ZT"L cried that a destruction is coming [YY - read the beginning of article in the pdf], but people didn't want to listen. The same thing is today - not that there will Has Veshalom be a destruction, but there will be a filtering, and this could happen even within a half-minute, as he brought down there, that they didn't know even one second beforehand.

TAYR: Are they able to do Teshuva at that moment?

SER: Who will have the patience and peace-of-mind to do Teshuva at such a moment? However, Hashem Yitbarach will help that the Jewish people, wherever they live in the world, will be saved, as we know that Eretz Yisrael in the future will spread across all the lands, and probably, Hashem, Who is good, will have mercy upon all of Kelal Yisrael wherever they are.

However, one needs to speak and say over these things, as the Abravanel writes that he requested from the leaders of his generation that they should speak and wake up the world with these matters of the War of Gog Umagog and the coming of Mashiah, as this will bring the Redemption closer. And the Baal Shem Tov ZY"A said about [the Abravanel] that he had the soul of Mashiah, and he said that at the time of the Expulsion of the Jews from Spain, if the Jewish people would have made Aliya to Eretz Yisrael, the Abravanel would have been the King Mashiah because he had the lineage until King David A"H, but because they did not make Aliya to Eretz Yisrael, the decrees of 5408 and 5409 were caused, and who knows what else happened.

I am not one who calculates the Ketz, but I said that the gematria of the verse (Zecharia 14:7) וְהָיָה לְעֵת-עֶרֶב, יִהְיֶה-אוֹר ["but it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light"] the gematria of לעת ערב is 772 [YY - also mentioned here by Rav Fish,] as in this year, we will already see the light, and the verse (Yeshaya 60:20) כִּי יְהוָה, יִהְיֶה-לָּךְ לְאוֹר עוֹלָם ["for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light"] shall be fulfilled. However, we need to awaken the community that they should not sleep or slumber. The world is teetering and we are sleeping.

Tzanzer Rebbe ZT"L 37 Years Ago on Vayetze and the End of Days:

2011-11-30T10:55:00.000-06:00

Kikar has an article (in Hebrew) about the Tzanz-Klausenberger Rebbe ZT"L, who said some interesting things 37 years ago (Parshat Vayetze, 5735) about the Geula. His words were put into writing for the first time recently. Among what he said:

If we would be allowed down into the real cave of Me'arat Hamachpela, Mashiah would definitely have come already.
Rav Yosef ibn Yahye, among those exiled from Spain 500 years ago, predicted that the Geula would be in 5700, a little earlier or a little later - which is an unusual prediction to be so much later than the time of the prediction.
It's too bad that Kever Rahel is covered as it really should be out in the open for people to easily pray there
The Mazal of the Yishmaelim knows that it's bad (for them) to allow the Jews to pray at holy places as doing so will bring the Redemption, so they do whatever they can to prevent it.
The Yishmaelim are really Kofrim. They appear to be righteous [as far as Bein Adam Lamakom goes], but then they join in with the Communists and Edom and show their true colors. This weakens their power.
Yaakov Avinu cried when he saw Rahel Imeinu because she would not be buried with him. The idea is that in the End of Days, the Jews would not be able to reach Yaakov Avinu's actual burial place, so only Rahel's tomb would be available to cry upon when we need a place to pour out our hearts to Hashem. Rahel knows full-well from her father's deception at the wedding what it means to show and trick the whole world into thinking how wonderful you are, but really be a cheat. She is the best candidate to come before the Heavenly Throne to show the difference between Yishmael and Yisrael. That is what is meant by "ותרץ ותגד לאביה" - and she ran and told her father - it means her Heavenly Father. She will pray to Him and describe how Yisrael are really Tzaddikim and Yishmael are really Resha'im. [YY- adding my 2 cents here - we need to make sure that this is an accurate description of us.]
When we see Jews having peace and quiet and settling among the nations, that's when we have to worry about problems from the nations. On the other hand, when we see the nations all vowing to destroy the Jews, that's when we should be happy and know that the nations' accounting is full and that our salvation is near.

The Wandering Little Jews

2011-11-29T16:59:00.000-06:00

Boro Park Scoop:

The story is almost exactly identical to the previous incident which occurred on Motzei Yom Kippur. In that story a 2-year-old child was found wandering the streets by a Shomrim Volunteer. This time a child was found by a Hatzolah Volunteer at 3:30AM, early Tuesday morning.

Sources tell BoroParkScoop.com, that Boro Park Hatzolah has a vehicle staffed by two volunteers which drive the streets of Boro park during the night, and respond as a first response to any call – thus enabling Hatzolah to maintain their 2 minute response time.

The Hatzolah vehicle, known at “Truck 1″, was driving on 53rd Street and New Utrecht Avenue just after 3:30AM, when they noticed a 2-year-old child in pajamas walking down the street. They quickly stopped and held the child, and contacted Boro Park Shomrim and police to see if anyone reported a child missing. There wasn’t any such calls.

Shomrim quickly did what they had done in the previous incident, and had volunteers start knocking on doors to see if anyone was missing a child.

At approximately 4:20AM, the Shomrim hotline recieved a frantic phone call from a mother stating that their child was missing. Shomrim rushed the child to the home, and the mother and child were reunited.

Once again, the community thanks the dedicated volunteers of Hatzolah and Shomrim for being on the streets 24 hours a day saving lives, and keeping the streets safe.

(BoroParkScoop.com Newsroom)

I noticed that there are exactly 51 days between the 2 incidents. This is the same number of days as the 51 days between Rosh Hodesh Elul and Hoshana Rabba, which is represented by the "Na" (נ"א) of Hosha"na" Rabba and אנא ה' הושיעה נא.

These incidents can be compared to the Jewish people who have left the traditions of the past and are wandering the streets of the world not knowing what to do. We are calling out אנא ה' הושיעה נא. Then, the Shomer Yisrael will pick us up and gather us home.

Rav Fish Submits English-Language PDF Entitled "Geula in 5772" - Part 2

2011-11-29T02:00:00.002-06:00

In case you missed it, here's Part 1.

You can view it by clicking on the image above and then click "Download" on the right panel.

Hannuka Gematrias and Notrikons

2011-11-28T15:06:00.000-06:00

Here

She'anu Mashkimim Ve'heim Mashkimim

2011-11-27T13:48:00.003-06:00

Toledot: Braving the Economy, Occupy Gerar, Antisemitism's Beginnings

2011-11-27T00:32:00.002-06:00

A few notes from Parshat Toledot:

Braving the Economy

26:12

וַיִּזְרַע יִצְחָק בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא, וַיִּמְצָא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים; וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ, יְהוָה

And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.

Rashi notes that Yitzhak Avinu was successful despite both harsh conditions for the land where he sowed and the harsh conditions of that year.

Baruch Hashem, Beli Ayin Hara, Israel has so far weathered the economic storm pretty well. This BBC report tells of the difficulties, but still paints a moderately rosy picture of Israel's economy.

Occupy Gerar

After the Torah tells us how Yitzhak became wealthy, it explains how he became too wealthy for Avimelech, so much so, that Avimelech kicked him out:

26:16

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, אֶל-יִצְחָק: לֵךְ, מֵעִמָּנוּ, כִּי-עָצַמְתָּ מִמֶּנּוּ, מְאֹד

And Abimelech said unto Isaac: 'Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.'

Apparently, Yitzhak was the 1% and the rest of Gerar, i.e. the 99%, didn't like that too much. In fact, verse 27 records that they actually hated him. Of course, the occupiers blamed the Joooooos. Who else? They fought over wells, saying "The water is ours" - in other words, "You have too much money! Give some of it to us! Distribute the wealth! I don't care what your father did - these wells belong to everybody!" Socialism found its roots.

Antisemitism's Beginnings

27:41

וַיִּשְׂטֹם עֵשָׂו, אֶת-יַעֲקֹב, עַל-הַבְּרָכָה, אֲשֶׁר בֵּרְכוֹ אָבִיו; וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו בְּלִבּוֹ, יִקְרְבוּ יְמֵי אֵבֶל אָבִי, וְאַהַרְגָה, אֶת-יַעֲקֹב אָחִי

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart: 'Let the days of mourning for my father be at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.'

This eerily sounds exactly like today's headlines:

Egypt - Cairo Rally: One Day We'll Kill All Jews

Cairo, Egypt - Muslim Brotherhood rally in Cairo’s most prominent mosque Friday turned into a venomous anti-Israel protest, with attendants vowing to “one day kill all Jews.”

Syrian Front Heats Up - Even More Than Before

2011-11-25T12:47:00.000-06:00

Israel, Jordan on alert over threatened Syrian revenge for 6 pilots' deaths

Nuke carrier leads US strike force into Syrian waters

בשאר אל-אסד = 599 = ואת הבהמה למינה

As much as the Syrian President wants to drag Israel into this, may Israel stay far away from it, but if it must get involved, may Hashem protect it from all harm.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Toledot, 5772

2011-11-25T03:43:00.002-06:00

From Rav Fish's latest:

A lot more is discussed about דמשק (Damascus) and its tie-in to the Geula
Rut 3:13 is mentioned twice in the Zohar as hinting to the Geula:

יג לִינִי הַלַּיְלָה, וְהָיָה בַבֹּקֶר אִם-יִגְאָלֵךְ טוֹב יִגְאָל, וְאִם-לֹא יַחְפֹּץ לְגָאֳלֵךְ וּגְאַלְתִּיךְ אָנֹכִי, חַי-יְהוָה; שִׁכְבִי, עַד-הַבֹּקֶר.

13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part; but if he be not willing to do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth; lie down until the morning.'

and the gematria of the last 5 words with the letters = 773. The Sefat Emet says that the last 5 words of this verse refer to a Be'itah redemption. More is said about this too.

As 5772 is the 4th year of the Shemitta cycle, which when applied to the Shemitta cycle within which Mashiah comes, is destined to have "plenty and not plenty". This means that the plenty has begun, but not to its full potential until the 5th year. The rains have Baruch Hashem begun in Eretz Yisrael immediately after the first recitation of Vetein Tal Umatar - the first night had a lot of rain, and within 2 weeks, they already received one third of the total annual rainfall for that year. Rain is the clearest sign of plenty and sustenance.
It was also recently publicized that Rav Chaim Kanievsky said that we're currently at the end of Ikveta Dimshiha.
A Midrash Peli'a says that when Sarah Imeinu foresaw that Moshe Rabbeinu would not enter Israel, she told Avraham Avinu to send away Hagar and Yishmael. Perhaps since Yishmael's whole purpose of being in Eretz Yisrael is for the Redemption and she saw that Moshe wouldn't enter - meaning the Final Redemption would be delayed, she had no use for Yishmael to be around her, so she asked Avraham to send her away.
The Zohar says that Ateret Hayesod has the aspect of gold. The Dome of the Rock represents Ateret Hayesod. The Yishmaelim have the power to rule over this place due to the fact that they keep Berit Milah.
The Gr"a on לי נקם ושלם לעת תמוט רגלם [Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip;] says that the revenge against the other nations will only come after they have fallen economically.
Just like the last 2 exiles were Greece and then Rome, the same is true with the economic collapse - it first starts with Greece and then moves on to Italy.
He has a Torah Code chart about Jonathan Pollard from Rav Glazerson. The Ariza"l writes that "Yehonatan" is Yesod when "David" is Malchut. This could be why Rav Eliyahu helped him change his name from Yonatan to Yehonatan.

Minister Yishai at Kever Yosef

2011-11-24T12:04:00.001-06:00

Arutz Sheva:

“It is a great privilege to be here,” Yishai said. “We pray that G-d, in the merit of the righteous Joseph, will bring us the Messiah and the full redemption. I call on everyone here to take upon themselves and urge others to love their fellow Jews without hesitation. The Tomb of Joseph belongs to us. The visit by this group is very important and I hope that as a result we will be able to correct the injustice of a lack of a permanent Jewish presence here.”

Zohar on the Next War

2011-11-23T06:26:00.002-06:00

(hat tip for video: Rafi)

Ma'amar Darach Kochav Beya'akov in Zohar Hadash Parshat Balak (from Hashem1.net. Also, the Zohar with the Sulam can be found here)

ובחודש בול [שהוא מרחשון] יפלו שונאי ישראל, ויעברו אלו הגילולים שיישארו בארץ הקדושה, ומשם ילכו [ישראל] ויעוררו מלחמות על העולם, ובעוד שאלו יעשו מלחמות עם כל בני העולם, יתקבצו בניו של אדום על הארץ הקדושה, ויתפשו אותה, וישלטו עליה י"ב חודשים.

לסוף י"ב חודשים יתגעש וירעש כל העולם. ובין הזמנים האלו, תלך השכינה ותחזור למערה של משה. ויסתתר מלך המשיח תשעה ירחים, כירחים של היולדת, ובאלו ט’ ירחים כמה צירים וחבלים יקבל על עצמו.

...

אחר שיעברו תשעה ירחים אלו, אז יעורר הקב"ה את המשיח הזה, ויוציאו מגן עדן, ואותו יום שיצא [מגן עדן] יזדעזע כל העולם, כי כל בני העולם יחשבו שימותו.

As we are in Hodesh Bul right now, but not much longer, will Israel awaken wars upon the world? Will Edom rule Israel for 12 months? Would 9 months later put us at Av 5773?

May Hashem help us all and spare us all of this and go directly to the Geula via miracles. May we see Hashem's salvation very soon.

Amazing Story of Bitahon

2011-11-22T12:08:00.000-06:00

Rav Avrohom Alter of Yeshivas Migdal Torah of Chicago recently told over an amazing story of faith in Hashem to provide for one's needs.

Click here - the story is at the 45-minute mark until almost the end of the recording.

Old News Clips About Israel

2011-11-22T02:12:00.001-06:00

FuzzyMemories.tv is a site that has old TV clips from Chicago. Some of these clips include national and international news. Here are some of the ones that have to do with Israel.

Here's a November,1973 clip talking about prisoner exchanges after the Yom Kippur War.

Here's an ABC News clip from Israel's handover of El Arish in May,1979. Also, a "Piece Conference" in Be'er Sheva.

In this October, 1979 clip, President Carter's Secretary of State got mad at settlement expansion. Shocking!

Israel is briefly mentioned in this interesting March, 1980 clip - "60 Minutes" on Libya's Qaddafi

Near the end of this November, 1982 clip, we have the Israeli embassy in Quito being bombed, Arafat ימ"ש rejecting Reagan's peace proposal - also shocking! - and trouble in South Lebanon.

Russian Warships and CIA Spies

2011-11-21T16:46:00.002-06:00

I thought this would be a cool post title even though the 2 stories are (seemingly) unrelated.

Tomer Devorah and Soul Mazal both point out the irony and Mida Keneged Mida that CIA spies were confirmed to be compromised in Lebanon and Iran on the anniversary of the start of Jonathan Pollard's incarceration. It shows that to successfully fight evil, one must be clean of evil. (Think מי האיש הירא ורך הלבב) May Pollard be released and may the CIA be successful in their next attempt.
Debka and Haaretz report that according to the Syrian news agency, 3 Russian naval vessels on the Mediterranean were heading toward Syria to protect it from foreign interference. As I mentioned previously, the Talmidei HaGr"a said in the name of the Gr"a that when Russian ships enter the Bosporus Strait, we need to wear our Shabbat clothes because Mashiah is coming soon. While it seems from this report that these Russian ships were already in the Mediterranean, they are getting even closer to Israel by entering Syrian territorial waters. (On the other hand, the Brisker Rav reportedly said that this sign of Russian ships coming via the Bosporus as a Geula sign only applied if this would have occurred in the Gr"a's time, and should not be considered a sign forever. Nevertheless, the buildup of warships of one of the world's most powerful navies that close to Israel cannot be ignored.)

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Hayei Sarah, 5772

2011-11-18T01:03:00.001-06:00

From Rav Fish's Latest:

With what's going on in Syria, it's interesting what the Otzar Midrashim says that when Niron Mizrahi of Damascus falls, the Eastern kingdom will fall, and then, the salvation for Israel will sprout.
David Hamelech captured Suria, but it didn't have the full status of Eretz Yisrael because it was captured before Eretz Yisrael proper was captured, says the Rambam on Demai 6:11. So why did David Hamelech do so? He knew that capturing Damascus was integral to getting the Beit Hamikdash. (דמשק is the same letters as מקדש. Also, אַפֵּךְ כְּמִגְדַּל הַלְּבָנוֹן צוֹפֶה פְּנֵי דַמָּשֶׂק - the Levanon refers to the Beit Hamikdash, says Shir Hashirim Rabba 7:10, and that is צופה פני דמשק, so there's a definite connection.) Therefore, he tried to capture Suria to bring about the Beit Hamikdash being rebuilt, but it was premature. Now that he captured Suria, he merited to see the light of the Beit Hamikdash prematurely in Bat Sheva - as he knew that the builder of the Beit Hamikdash would come via her. This is why he cried profusely over Bat Sheva's first son who died, as he carried the completion of Malchut Beit David and the Beit Hamikdash. It wasn't until Shelomo was born that David's kingdom shone. The Zohar (No'ah 73b) compares Bat Sheva belonging to Uriah Hahiti at first and Eretz Yisrael belonging to the Canaanites at first as being the same sod. This is because Bat Sheva represents the completeness of Eretz Yisrael. Both Bat Sheva and Eretz Yisrael were given over to the Kelipa first.
Dina, the daughter of Yaakov, was switched in the womb with Yosef. Therefore, she had the masculine qualities of "going out" and Yosef had feminine qualities too. Pirkei DeRibbi Eliezer (38) says that Asenat was the daughter of Dina and Shechem and was sent away by Yaakov Avinu and ended up in Potifar's house. "Emunat Itecha" (5757 p. 16) writes that Dina had the spark of Mashiah Ben Yosef within her so וַתֵּצֵא דִינָה is the gematria of משיח בן יוסף and the gematria of the Milui of דינה is also equal to משיח בן יוסף. We see that Dina's job is to enter the Kelipa and work for Yosef and prepare the setting for Mashiah Ben Yosef - and this is called מדינה - i.e. the State of Israel comes from Dina - from the root of Dina, who is working in the Kelipa to prepare for Mashiah Ben Yosef. [YY - Rav Fish emphasizes here that any person who doesn't keep Mitzvot cannot be a Mashiah, as many mistakenly think.] By Dina being hidden in the box and not marrying Esav, Yaakov was punished - since her job was to join the Kelipa to produce Asenat, she wasn't supposed to be hidden anyways, so she could have helped Esav mend his ways, so this is why Yaakov Avinu was punished for this.
The Zohar that talks about the 6.5 + 6.5 years after the 60 years - another girsa is really 6.5 + 6 years, which would put the end of the era at Pesah, 5772. Rav Morgenstern's Yam Hahochma agrees to this dating.
Rav Shimon Horvitz ZT"L, a Rosh Yeshiva of Sha'ar Hashamayim and Kabbalist, wrote in an approbation to a book in 5692:

I request from the honor of his Torah that he should organize well all the hints and novelties regarding our Redemption and the freedom of our souls, and he should publish it with success and Hashem should help him with this because with the darkness of this great and awesome exile, it is proper for all who have secrets and good hints regarding the Redemption that they should publicize them as they cause joy in the hearts of man and cause a strengthening of hope, and they are like cold water on a tired soul.

The Malbim at the end of Daniel gave his Ketz and people asked him how he could do so. He replied that תפח רוחן של מחשבי קצין only applied right after the Hurban, but not now.
We saw the sudden passing of 3 Gedolei Yisrael, the Rashei Yeshivot of Mir, Beis Hatalmud and Beis Medrash Elyon. The common thread of all three is that they were Lithuanian Gedolim who came from America who had big Yeshivot in Eretz Yisrael. On a spiritual level, there is a clear hint from above that the spiritual connection of America and Eretz Yisrael took a huge blow and some of the Tzadikim who transported that positive influence are no longer with us.

Former Chief Rabbi Lau Talks Mashiah With Turkish TV

2011-11-16T03:49:00.002-06:00

The interview is with Adnan Oktar, about whom you can read here. According to Wikipedia, he denies being a Holocaust denier, but the Guardian is skeptical. He appears to have done some Teshuva in that regard and having Rabbi Lau on definitely helps.

I heard lots of "Inshala", "Mashala", and some "El Hamdullah" in this interview. Otherwise, I only understood the English and Hebrew spoken. There was a lot of talk about the days of Mashiah in this 34.5 minute interview.

Hat tip Rafi

A Liberated Tunisia, a Liberated Yerushalayim

2011-11-16T02:20:00.003-06:00

Elder of Ziyon quotes Tunisia Live (along with Elder's emphasis):

Tunisian Islamist party Ennahda invited Houda Naïm, a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council based in Gaza, to speak at a rally in Sousse, a coastal Tunisian city, this past Sunday. The event marked the first time in known memory a member of Hamas has addressed the Tunisian public.

Naïm praised the victory of the Tunisian people in establishing democracy, and stated her hope that the “liberation” of Tunisia would lead to the liberation of Palestine.

The event also saw a speech from Ennahda’s general secretary Hammadi Jebali, recently proposed by the party to be the new Prime Minister of Tunisia.

Jebali declared that the occasion was “a divine moment in a new state, and in, hopefully, a 6th caliphate,” referring to the historical system of Islamic monarchies.

The tone of this last comment is in sharp contrast to many of the party’s public statements, where it has denied any intention of instituting Sharia or Islamic law in the nascent democracy.

The general secretary also echoed Naïm’s words, stating, “The liberation of Tunisia will, God willing, bring about the liberation of Jerusalem.”

This is the democracy that Esav wanted for Yishmael? This is what it got. The beginning of the sixth caliphate. Neighbors Egypt and Libya are watching closely. Tunisia was the first to start the Arab Spring. It might be the first to bring about the Islamic Winter.

Not all is bad with the article, though. At the end, when it calls for the liberation of Jerusalem, I agree. Hopefully, Hashem will soon liberate it from the Waqf.

ציון במשפט תפדה ושביה בצדקה

Recent Interesting Links - Parshat Hayei Sarah

2011-11-14T02:58:00.000-06:00

Dixie Yid has R' Moshe Weinburger Shlit"a talking about about Rav Finkel ZT"L. An excerpt:

I was זוכה to meet with the Rosh Yeshiva about 20 years ago and he asked me, "Moshe, do you ever think the Cubs will win the World Series?" I tried to imagine the effort the Rav Noson Tzvi put in to go from being that little boy with the Cub's hat, to the gadol that he became.

Some crazy person, who injured and attempted to murder the former Rav of צפת, thinks he can bring the Geula by murdering Rav Ovadia Shlit"a. Rav Ovadia knows about the threat and has upgraded his security detail. Someone close to him said that we need to learn lessons from the murder of Baba Elazar ZT"L.
Firecracker thrown at Rav Yoshiayu Pinto's house
Rav Chaim Kanievsky recently said (Hebrew/English) that Hashem is closing accounts before Mashiah comes. See also Neshama.
Rav Ovadia on Iran: Hashem should nullify their advice and their swords should go into their hearts
Someone on Ladaat asks: with all the Tzadikim dying, do we say מיתת צדיקים מכפרת or Has Veshalom do we say מפני הרעה נאסף הצדיק?
Rabbi Steven Pruzansky on Modern Orthodoxy
Video of an interview of residents of Oz Tzion, which was destroyed and being rebuilt
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak "doesn't know" if Israel is behind the explosion in Iran, but offers a prayer, saying, "I do not know, but may there be more such explosions."

Inspiring Article about Jewish Survival

2011-11-11T01:24:00.000-06:00

Here by the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Rabbi Warren Goldstein

Rav Fish on King David's Roots in Parshat Vayeira

2011-11-10T15:30:00.000-06:00

Rav Fish has a pretty long essay (in Hebrew) about the roots of David Hamelech from this week's Perasha.

Rav Berland: Ahdut Will Defeat Iran

2011-11-10T04:24:00.001-06:00

Rav Berland Shlit"a had a Shiur last night to 300 Hasidim in Yerushalayim, reports Behadrei Hareidim. He said that there will be open miracles as in the time of the wicked Haman so there is nothing to be concerned about as Ahdut will win.

May we truly become one people and defeat our enemies in that merit.

Another Moroccan Kabbalist's Body Reburied Whole

2011-11-10T02:24:00.000-06:00

Arutz Sheva:

The body of Rabbi Reuven Ajeyani, Rosh Yeshiva of the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Sefrou, Morocco was interred Wednesday in the Jerusalem Har Hamenuchot cemetery, 70 years after the rabbi passed on.

Rabbi Ajeyani was famous for his vast knowledge of Talmud and Kabbalah, and was known for his blessings that brought about Divine salvation for countless followers.

The body of Rabbi Ajeyani was found miraculously intact, without signs of decomposition, demonstrating his true virtue.

This reminds me of my post last year about Moroccan Kabbalist brothers Ribbi Avraham Tangi and Ribbi Shelomo Tangi, where the same occurred.

Recent Interesting Links

2011-11-09T06:38:00.001-06:00

Netanyahu's father-in-law, Shmuel Ben Artzi, passed away. Kikar has the details of an old meeting he had with Rav Yaakov Galinsky from Hadera, both of whom were Talmidim of different branches of the Novardok Yeshiva. It also mentions how he learned under the Steipler for a year, put up the Hazon Ish's first Sukkah, and many other interesting things.
Rafi explains why he admired Rav Finkel.
Aryeh Deri was interviewed about the early years of the Shas party. Update: English translation here.
A dog found drugs inside a Siddur.
Rav Ovadia Shlit"a supports those who oppose demolition of homes and called Peace Now "Resha'im"
Rabbi Michael Broyde on Modern Orthodoxy today
Mystical Paths, Going Home and The Muqata talk about the Sarkozy/Obama open mic slip-up.
HonestReporting has its "Guide for the Perplexed" glossary of terms (h/t EoZ)
Mystical Paths on Rochel and Geula
Mystical Paths has a follow-up to my previous post about a war with Iran
Tomer Devorah shares some of her insightful thoughts

Germany and Italy Again for WW3?

2011-11-08T12:05:00.001-06:00

Debka:

Germany has put its Air Force F-16 and Tornado warplanes in intensive training for a possible attack on targets in Iran, after taking part last week in a joint drill with the Israeli Air Force and other NATO members at the Italian Decimomannu air base on Sardinia.

Iran, for its part, is gearing up for a gloves-off reprisal against its attackers. DEBKA-Net-Weekly's coming issue out Friday has exclusive details on this menacing military buildup.

We know what the Gemara Megilla 6a-6b says about Rome keeping Germany in check and that when they get together, they destroy the world, like what happened in WW2.

This time, however, it seems that they will be fighting on the side of Am Yisrael - against Yishmael. However, it is still a possibility that this will lead to "destroying the world" - whatever that exactly means.

May Hashem save us from all Tzarot.

Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, ZT"L

2011-11-08T11:38:00.000-06:00

I did not merit to know the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ZT"L, who passed away early this morning. Nevertheless, I knew the Yeshiva he headed - "The Mir", as they say - as the premier Yeshiva in Israel. The majority of the rabbis of the Yeshiva I attended in Israel learned at The Mir.

For some good posts about the life of this former Chicagoan, see:

R' Yair Hoffman
R' Harry Maryles
Neil Harris

Targum on Berit Bein Habetarim Notes Iran's Downfall

2011-11-07T16:29:00.001-06:00

Both the Kol Emunim newsletter (p.1, left column) and Hashem1.net (from 5 years ago) note how Iran's downfall is noted by what's known as the Targum Yonatan on Parshat Lech Lecha. (I linked to it 5 years ago too.)

If you see the Targum inside, it appears that the Targum Yerushalmi agrees to the Targum Yonatan that Iran's downfall is noted.

Hashem1.net notes from the wording of the Targumim that not only will its downfall occur, but its downfall will be such that it will never rise again. Also, from the wording of the Targum Yonatan at least, it will cause the rise of the nation of the house of Israel. May this occur speedily in our days.

Update: Some commenters (Anonymous and Josh) have pointed out that the original manuscript of Targum Yonatan had "Edom" instead of "Persia" and that some versions have "Persia" due to the censors. I commented that it could be that the censors prophecied not knowing what they prophecied. One possibly could use the same reasoning in this post which comes from Vayikra Rabba.

Eid-Al-Adha Coincides with Parshat Vayeira This Year

2011-11-07T11:52:00.000-06:00

The Muslim holiday of Ein-Al-Adha, which commemorates Ibrahim's alleged willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael to Allah according to Muslim tradition, coincides with Parshat Vayeira this year. Parshat Vayeira, as many know, is the Parasha in which Avraham Avinu is willing to sacrifice Yitzhak Avinu on Mount Moriah. In fact, it was Yishmael who was left behind with the donkey to whom he was compared.

This convergence is a rare occurrence due to the fact that the Muslim calendar is solely lunar-based. I don't know what the significance of this is, but I have a guess.
The last few times this occurred (based on the United States commemoration of this holiday):

Nov 7, 1848

Oct 23, 1882

Nov 10, 1913

Oct 19, 1915

Nov 5, 1946

Oct 20, 1980

Nov 7, 2011

Earthquakes Rattle Democratic, Republican Strongholds

2011-11-06T02:40:00.000-06:00

3.2 Earthquake Shakes the East Bay

Oklahoma rattled by state's largest quake

Could Rahel Imeinu Really Have Helped Soldiers During Cast Lead?

2011-11-03T16:04:00.001-05:00

In honor of the upcoming 11 Heshvan Yahrtzeit of Rahel Imeinu, the Pahad David newsletter (from Rav David Hanania Pinto Shlit"a) answers that question on page 2 (for Hebrew speakers).

See also here, here and here.

Marches Against Yerushalayim

2011-11-03T11:45:00.000-05:00

Arutz Sheva:

Israeli security officials are keeping a wary eye out on several groups that are planning mass marches on Jerusalem.

Read the whole scary article there.

Is Zecharia 12 coming true with this march in March?

Why Can't Eli Yishai Sleep? - 3

2011-11-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

Arutz Sheva:

Minister of Interior Affairs Rabbi Eli Yishai (Shas) says that all talk of an attack on Iran is unnecessary, and that the State should handle its security affairs. Rabbi Yishai spoke entering a conference at Sderot.

He denied reports stating that he was losing sleep over a complicated raid on Iran. (Reshet Bet Radio)

Peacenik Gave Sefer Hazohar to Former Hamas Spokesman

2011-11-02T16:58:00.000-05:00

Yeah, you read the headline correctly.

Gershon Baskin, a leftist with ties to Hamas, gave a Zohar to former Hamas spokesman Razi Hamad.

I call it "Razim for Razi".

Apparently (if I'm getting the story correctly), this occurred after Gilad Shalit was kidnapped, and back channels were working on some sort of solution of getting him out. Some rabbis had a connection to Hamas, but Gershon had a stronger connection, so the rabbis wanted him to give the sefer to their spokesman at the time to build a relationship with them and get Gilad out. They attached a page in Arabic explaining what the Zohar is.

Just plain weird.

Rav Kaduri ZTVK"L Told His Havruta When Mashiah is Coming: Av, 5772

2011-11-01T18:21:00.001-05:00

A Hebrew-language monthly newsletter called "Or Elyon" tells over some very interesting information, which I will translate below.

Click the image below and then click "Download" on the right.

Update: Here is another link to Or Elyon.

Rav Yosef Hayim Zaccai Shlit"a, from the city Beitar Illit, who merited to learn many years as the Havruta of the Elder Kabbalist Rav Yitzhak Kaduri ZTVK"L, and in addition, acted as the Hazzan of his Yeshiva for 15 years, reveals to "Or Elyon" the awesome secret that he heard with his own ears from the holy mouth of Rav Kaduri ZT"L on the time of Mashiah Tzidkeinu's coming:

It was on Hannukka, 5766, about a month before the passing of Moreinu VeRabbeinu the Elder Kabbalist Rav Yitzhak Kaduri ZT"L, we sat and learned the Holy Zohar as is our custom every evening. Suddenly, the rabbi asked me, 'Why did Yehuda do this?' In other words, why did Yehuda bring the Mashiah with the story of Yehuda and Tamar in a way that appears not proper? I answered him, 'The honored rabbi knows all the secrets, and definitely, that which the Kabbalists explained is not hidden from his holy eyes - that HKB"H wanted to hide from the ס"מ, who is the head of the forces of the Sitra Ahora (impure forces) in the world, that He is bringing the Mashiah in order that he will not be jealous and prevent his coming to the world. Therefore, HKB"H brought the Mashiah in an outer form that looks - Kivyachol - like it is being done in an unholy way, and by doing so, the matter will be hidden from the eyes of the ס"מ.'

The Rav repeated the aforementioned question again and again, and then, I understood that the rabbi is interested that we speak about the Mashiah. I got the courage and asked him, "Our rabbi! When will Mashiah come?" The rabbi answered me, "I cannot reveal," and laughed a big laugh. I asked him again, "Our rabbi! When will Mashiah come?" The rabbi answered in 2 words, "בשנת תשעב [In the year 5772]," (which is the year in which we are currently), and he repeated this twice. I was very shocked by his words, and immediately, when I left the rabbi's home, I went up to the Kollel of Kabbalists in the Yeshiva of the rabbi, and told over what the rabbi said to them - they were all amazed.

About 2 weeks later, in the beginning of Tevet, 5766, the rabbi was admitted to Bikur Cholim Hospital in Yerushalayim. I would arrive daily to the hospital to learn with the rabbi. And then, I asked him again, "Our rabbi! In what month and in what year will Mashiah come?" And the rabbi answered me, "In the month of Av, 5772." And he repeated this twice. It is important to note that the rabbi retained conciousness until 2 weeks before his passing. The rabbi died on 29 Tevet, 5766 (as is known, he died at the age of 113 years old!!).

From that day on until today, I publicize and tell this over to everyone I meet. A short while ago, people showed me an essay by the name of "Sod HaHashmal", which Rav Fish Shlit"a authored, and there, it is brought down a testimony from the great kabbalist Rav Morgenshtein Shlit"a, the author of the "Yam HaHochma" books on Kabbala, that he has a tradition from the Vilna Gaon ZT"L that the Geula will come at the end of the year 5772. I was very happy to see that even the great Ashkenazic kabbalists predict Mashiah's arrival at the end of this year.

It is important to note! There is a time for Mashiah's coming that in Haza"l's terminology is called "Be'ita" (in its time) - this time is hidden from all. On the other hand, the Mashiah can come at any moment if Am Yisrael will do Teshuva and will be worthy of his arrival. In Haza"l's terminology, this time is called "Ahishena" (I will hasten it). In my humble opinion, it appears that the intent of the rabbis ZT"L is that Av, 5772 is the most auspicious time for the coming of Mashiah. And it's true that we see many signs that we are extremely close to the time of the coming of Mashiah Tzidkeinu, as we showed many times in the newsletters (see, for example, the essay about Gilad Shalit in the current newsletter [YY - which is also great stuff on the same pdf, page 3]), it is incumbant upon ourselves to worry not to cause with our actions that the aforementioned set time that is auspicious for the Geula will be delayed.

As we said, we are currently in the period of the "End of Days". To what can we compare our situation today? To a giant hall full of people, and in the middle of the room, a large screen is being lowered down which will divide the room into 2 parts. Everyone that is on the right will merit "all goodness", they will benefit and be happy, whereas those who remain on the left will suffer hardships. The screen continues to fall and all that remains are a few centimeters until the screen will reach the floor. In such a situation, everyone is diving under the screen and going to the right side, and everyone is carrying his friend to give him the chance to come over to the right side. The moral of this parable is that the Holy Zohar says that only those who keep the Torah and Mitzvot will merit the Complete Geula. We are currently at the "Zero Hour". We now need to dive through the narrow opening that is left open to the world of Judaism and Teshuva, and also to carry as many good souls as possible toward Judaism with us, so that they will also merit the Geula soon, Amen.

Note that Av, 5772 is exactly 9 months from now.

Why Can't Eli Yishai Sleep? - 2

2011-11-01T13:50:00.000-05:00

Read part 1

Ladaat did an interview with Eli Yishai, where he clarified by saying:

The war is not army against army. When I say that I cannot sleep, I mean what I say. We need a lot of prayer. I am not speaking about targeted assassinations. When we are presently in a category of fighting that is totally different - and not fighting that we recognize - we need Siyata Dishmaya. There were great successes to the security forces. Today, this is a war of missles and that is totally different. We need a launcher and interceptor and this [requires] a totally different level of quality. There is the Iron Dome and Magic Wand. A war of this type requires a lot of mercy from Heaven.

In dramatic and critical moments, Maran [Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a] decided in decisions of which some will not be publicized and some may be publicized at a later date, but these decisions were important as they are matters of life and death.

Rav Fish Submits English-Language PDF Entitled "Geula in 5772" - Part 1

2011-10-31T17:57:00.000-05:00

I already wrote a partial unofficial translation, but this one is more updated, better organized, and includes things that may have fallen through the cracks.

You can view it by clicking on the image below and then click "Download" on the right panel.

This is part 1, and I hope more parts will be coming out soon.

May we truly merit to have the Geula in 5772.

Why Can't Eli Yishai Sleep?

2011-10-31T16:05:00.000-05:00

Arutz Sheva:

Shas chairman and Minister of Interior Eli Yishai delivered a message of foreboding to the Sephardi-hareidi religious movement's activist leadership Sunday, saying that he had trouble sleeping at night thinking about Israel's security situation.

"The nation of Israel is not redeemed except through making teshuva [finding G-d]," he said in a conference at the Kinar Hotel in northern Israel. "If we want redemption in this difficult and complex time… it is better not to say how complicated and how complex it is and how much sleep we lose over it."

"It's difficult to sleep at night when you know what is going on," said the minister, in an uncharacteristically dramatic statement. "Remember the Second Lebanon War, how many missiles there were – the entire North ran away. Imagine the North, Center and South… I do not want to scare anyone, but the missile array of Hamas, Hizbullah and the Syrians, the approximate number of long and short range missiles approaches 100,000 missiles. Try to calculate G-d forbid what that can do."

"And here, more and more people understand what we like to say – 'We have no one to trust except our Father in the Heavens.'"

Kikar Hashabbat has an article that assumes that Eli Yishai's comments about how complicated and complex it is refers to an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. They also refer to the secret portion of the meeting between Netanyahu and Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a last week and speculate that perhaps, such an attack was what was being discussed. Just today, the Prime Minister was speaking about how a good offense is as important as defense, and I don't think he was only referring to Gaza.

The U.S. is against any such strike and prefers further sanctions to military action. So does Netanyahu, but likes to keep the military option on the table. The question is - is this the table?

Picture from Ladaat

Halevai!

May Hashem nullify the plans of those who rise up against us and make successful the plans of those who protect us.

Google Searches Coming Here

2011-10-31T12:59:00.000-05:00

According to my statcounter,

This post comes up first on:

which became more popular after he was named MVP of the Series. (He doesn't seem to be, by the way, as he's not listed here.)

This post comes up third on:

which became popular after the UN announced that there are that many people in the world today.

Tana"ch Being Reindexed

2011-10-28T15:22:00.000-05:00

Some authors of Sefarim, like Rav Wolbe in Alei Shur, were careful to not reference the chapter and verse of Tana"ch references, but used some other method like Parsha:Aliya. The reason these authors did so was because the source for chapter and verse did not originate with Jews. However, as pure as this method is, the references were nowhere near as specific as the good-old Christian-based chapter:verse references.

Some bold-thinkers are now thinking out of the box and starting to reindex Tana"ch into the Parshiyot and Sedarim that were originally used by Jews for millennia before it was changed by non-Jews.

(As an example of both methods, the end of Vezot Haberacha counts and gives a siman for both the Sedarim [Jewish] and chapters [non-Jewish] of Sefer Devarim.)

This is a great way to take back Torah Shebichtav from those who hijacked it and bring us into a new era.

Ashkenazic Gedolim Suggest Learning Mussar to Stem Tide of Violence and Tragedies

2011-10-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

Kikar has an article that tells us that due to the recent tragedies and violence in the community, the Lithuanian and Hasidic Gedolim suggest to all to learn Mussar books in order to stem the tide. They say that no one is exempt from learning Mussar - whether it be Yeshiva boys, Kollel men, Ba'alei Batim, women, and children - everyone needs to learn Mussar.

Among the rabbis who came out with this declaration:

Rav Elyashiv Shlit"a
Rav Shteinman Shlit"a
Rav Vosner Shlit"a
Rav Kanievsky Shlit"a
Belzer Rebbe Shlit"a
Sanzer Rebbe Shlit"a
Vizhnitzer Rebbe Shlit"a

In an unrelated note, Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a recently gave a shiur about the importance of Shenayim Mikra Ve'ehad Targum, and gave suggestions to people for whom it is difficult to do so. He put an exclamation mark on this by repeating a warning that those who do not do so will be punished.

Anti-Semitism by Occupy Protesters Catches Media's Eye

2011-10-28T10:23:00.001-05:00

World Series Game 6 and the Jewish People

2011-10-28T02:20:00.001-05:00

I don't like the St. Louis Cardinals. I'm a Cub fan. Actually, I hate the Cardinals. But I respect the Cardinals for what they've done this year and this last game.

First, a little context. The Cardinals were 10½ games back of the Atlanta Braves for the wild card spot on August 25^th. They then won 23 of 31 games to amazingly clinch that wild card spot.

They then went on to beat Philadelphia and Milwaukee, 2 great teams, in 2 playoff series.

In the World Series, they were down 3-2 to the Texas Rangers before game 6.

In what was arguably the best World Series game in history, the Cardinals faced defeat and were down to their last strike not once, but twice in the game, and came back to win it to force a game 7.

Here's how it happened: being down 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth, Albert Pujols hit a 1-out double. Lance Berkman walked. Down to the final strike that would have won the game for the Rangers, David Freese hit a 2-strike, 2-out pitch for a triple, scoring Pujols and Berkman to send it to extra innings with the score tied 7-7.

In the Rangers' 10^th inning, Josh Hamiton hit a 2-run homer to put the Rangers up 9-7. But just when you thought it was over again, the Cardinals came back in the bottom of the tenth. Back to back singles by Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay put runners on first and second. Kyle Lohse bunts the runners over to second and third. Former Cub Ryan Theriot grounds out, scoring one run, making it 9-8. With first base open, the Rangers intentionally walk Pujols to bring up Berkman. And it happened again - with two-outs and two-strikes, Berkman singles, scoring a run and tying the game at 9-9.

After a scoreless 11^th for the Rangers, David Freese comes through again with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the inning, winning the game for the Cardinals, and sending the series to a game 7.

Depending on what happens in game 7, this has got to be one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history. Even the 69 Mets (don't get me started) might have to concede to this team.

And no matter what happens in game 7, game 6 has got to be one of the greatest World Series game comebacks in baseball history.

The way they came back in the regular season and the way they were at הגיע מים עד נפש, and they came back to win reminds me of the history of the Jewish people.

The Jewish people were on the brink of extinction too many times to count. Think of the sins of the Egel and the Meraglim. As Tehillim 106:23 reminds us, Moshe Rabbeinu needed to pray for our continued existence. Think also of Par'o, Haman, Hitler, and everyone in between. And they're still trying to destroy us as the Hagadda reminds us, while HKB"H saves us from their hands.

We needed our Go'el Rishon, Moshe Rabbeinu, who saved us with his prayers when Hashem thought to destroy us. That was David Freese's ninth-inning triple.

We also needed our intermediate Go'alim, like Mordechai and Esther, among others, who saved us from extinction from history's madmen who would like nothing more than all Jews dead. That was Lance Berkman's tenth-inning single.

And finally, we will need our final Go'el, Mashiah Tzidkeinu, who will bring us home and build the Beit Hamikdash. That was Freese's walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11^th.

All the signs for Mashiah's arrival have passed long ago. Although the third 2000 year period is called the days of Mashiah, we have yet to experience this fully. We are currently in extra innings. May we all merit to see that walk-off home run in the very near future.

Double Murder Across the Street from Jewish Day School in Skokie

2011-10-27T10:43:00.000-05:00

Patch.com:

Update 10:06 p.m. -

The father of the murdered 18-year-old mother called 911 operators shortly after attacking them and told police he had just stabbed his 18-year-old daughter and 2-year-old granddaughter, police said.

Police did not say what the man's motive was.

Update 8:08 p.m. -

A 39-year-old Skokie, Ill., resident is being questioned by police and is currently a person of interest, investigators said. Police officials said the man's relationship with the victims will not be released until all family members have been notified.

Earlier -

A woman and her 27-month-old daughter were stabbed to death in their Main Street apartment Wednesday, police said.

The incident happened in the 4600 block of Main Street, near Kilpatrick Avenue. Both were transported to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston but were pronounced dead shortly after, police said.

Police currently have a suspect in custody, and they noted that there is no threat to the public at this time.

This is across the street from Arie Crown Hebrew Day School.

Scary!

Gematria to Show Herman Cain Will Win in 2012

2011-10-26T18:00:00.001-05:00

OK, this is not totally serious, but I'm just having a little fun here.

The original punishment of Kayin (Cain in English) was נָע וָנָד, תִּהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ (a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth).

However, once Kayin went into exile, half of his punishment was atoned for, as it says in Sanhedrin 37b, which is why it says he lived בארץ נוד, but as Rashi in the gemara says, the "נע" part is atoned for already.

Therefore, Kayin's punishment is only וָנָד, תִּהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ , which equals the gematria of 773, or 5773 - the year of the election. Cain will therefore be President in the year 5773.

Take it with a grain of salt.

Shomrei Emunim Rebbe on Europe's Economic Crisis

2011-10-26T12:05:00.001-05:00

Rav Fish sent his pdf out for Parshat No'ah (~~I'll BL"N update it with a link when it's on Ladaat~~ it's there now - see here). Included is his quote of the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe from his newsletter from Parshat Ha'azinu.

Shomrei Emunim Rebbe Shlit"a:...We see that they took knowledge from us. Everything's moving, as it says, "The earth reeleth to and fro like a drunken man, and swayeth to and fro as a lodge; and the transgression thereof is heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD will punish the host of the high heaven on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth."

And we see that the whole world is boiling supernaturally, and the entire [way Hashem is] conducting [the world] is supernaturally. And I said that whoever is knowledgeable will see that [the verse] "He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them" is being fulfilled, as HKB"H increased the 2 most capable economies - America and Europe - and transfered 85% of their manufacturing to China, and today they need to borrow money from them, and this is how China is capturing Europe.

And this is mentioned in the holy Zohar [Va'era 32a] בההוא זמנא יתער עמא חד מסייפי עלמא על רומי חייבא, ויגח בה קרבא תלת ירחין, ויתכנשון תמן עממיא ויפלון בידייהו - [a nation from the end of the earth [namely, China] will wage war against evil Rome and will win] and they have no merit whatsoever left to them as Europe is saturated with Jewish blood that was spilled therein in the past 2000 years, and especially in the last 1000 years.

Buhosher Rebbe Shlit"a: All the nations there.

Shomrei Emunim Rebbe: All of them, and not one is innocent. And Mashiah cannot come until there will be a day of vengence, as it says "For the day of vengeance that was in My heart, and My year of redemption are come."

Rav Chaim Kanievsky Blesses Nachman Kletzky with More Sons

2011-10-25T16:17:00.001-05:00

Nachman Kletzky, Leiby Kletzky A"H's father, felt so inspired by the consolation letter Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a sent him when he was in mourning, that he had to return the favor and personally go to Israel and console Rav Chaim Kanievsky during his own period of mourning.

During their conversation, Rav Chaim repeated what he wrote earlier and said, "You should know that your son was a Gilgul of a high-level soul that completed its purpose in this world after its rectification. We don't know the calculations in heaven, but this was a decree from Hashem upon us to be strong and encouraged."

At that moment, Nachman Kletzky turned to Rav Chaim and cried noting the sad circumstances that his only son was murdered and he has no more sons. Rav Chaim looked at him for a long time and surprised everyone by saying, "I wish you that you will have additional sons who will Be'ezrat Hashem be Gedolei Yisrael."

See also Mashiah is Coming for additional details of the visit.

Qadaffi's Death, Turkey's Devastation, and Shalit's Freedom

2011-10-23T14:52:00.000-05:00

No, sorry. I didn't connect these three monumental events. I'll leave that for those greater than me. Just a post with links about them separately.

Gilad Shalit

Kikar Hashabbat has an article (in Hebrew) which lists more connections between Gilad Shalit and Yosef Hatzaddik and asks commenters to add even more. (See also here, here, here, here, and here.)

Qadaffi

Interesting that I called the war against Qadaffi a Kreplach War since it started on Purim. It ended just after Hoshana Rabba
How long will Put as a nation exist? Or will it be divided among tribal leaders?
I said it in February and again today. Despite the possibility of Qadaffi being a halachic Jew, it's still apt to say באבוד רשעים רנה.
I wonder whatever happened to the potion R' Hayim Pinto Shlit"a gave Qadaffi. Perhaps he lost it in the move to Sirte or from Sirte.
It doesn't surprise me at all that it was a NATO bomb that originally injured him. It was the King of the North vs. King of the South.

Turkey

Many articles pointed to R' Nir Ben Artzi's prediction of the destruction of Turkey after they were outright antagonistic to Israel in the past few months.
YWN also notes Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a's recent strong words against Turkey.
Shirat Devorah has a Torah code from Rav Glazerson about it already.
Meanwhile, Turkey rejected the IDF's offer for assistance, while ZAKA prepares to go.

Recent Interesting Links - Hoshana Rabba, 5772

2011-10-19T13:12:00.001-05:00

After the Petira of Rabbanit Kanievsky ע"ה, Rav Chaim Kanievsky יבדלט"ו instructed his daughter Rabbanit Leah Koldetzky (sp?) to take over in her role as dispenser of Berachot. Also, Netanyahu sends condolences.
Rav Brazil on Hoshana Rabba
Rav Fish's thoughts on the release of Gilad Shalit here - (Click the image and then click "Download" on the right.)
Before Gilad Shalit meets Rav Ovadia Shlit"a, Rav Ovadia compared his release to Tehiyat Hameitim.
Rav Gershon Edelstein Shlit"a also agreed with the deal and dismissed claims that it would lead to more terrorism by saying, "[Releasing terrorists] is not even Kedei Demeihen [equal to the value of the captive], so really, they're not giving them anything. Are they lacking suicide bombers? There are - Hashem should save us - enough terrorists."
Yehudi Yerushalmi points to a Gulf News article where the author admits his embarrassment for being considered 1/1027th of a Jew.
Elder of Ziyon tells you why Gilad Shalit was not at ease during his Egyptian interview
Shirat Devorah has In the Blink of an Eye and Mashiah is Coming has hints to Gilad's release in Tehillim of Tuesday
See my own recent posts about Gilad Shalit
Update: Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski has some practical advice in light of the Shalit deal
R' Dov Bar Leib's 4-part collapse of the Western economy - at his blog and at Mystical Paths.
Makat Arov in Ohio
For the second time this Sukkot, The Windy City is getting high winds. My Sechach partially blew off last night.

Pitka Tava and Hag Same'ah!

Man Claiming to be Mashiah Interrupts Rav Ovadia's Amida

2011-10-18T15:22:00.001-05:00

From Kikar:

An apparently disturbed individual interrupted Rav Ovadia Yosef's Amida of Arvit on Hoshana Rabba, claiming "I am Mashiah Ben David. I request that Rav Ovadia annoint me as the king."

Everyone, including apparently Rav Ovadia Shlit"a himself, was afraid of the man.

He was quickly taken out of the Beit Midrash by reporter Ephraim Gilad, who described the man as extremely strong, and said that he was afraid for Rav Ovadia's safety. He told him not to return there again.

Waiting for Redemption: 1941 days/1943 years

2011-10-18T12:36:00.001-05:00

Gilad Shalit waited for redemption for 1941 days.
We are waiting for the Final Redemption for 1943 years and we are still waiting. (For those who insist the destruction took place in the year 70 CE, it is 1941 years.)

The redemption of 1 Jew gives us hope for the Redemption of all Jews.

Netanyahu, in his speech this morning, quoted from the Haftara of Bereishit, which will be read this Shabbat:

לְהוֹצִיא מִמַּסְגֵּר אַסִּיר, מִבֵּית כֶּלֶא יֹשְׁבֵי חֹשֶׁךְ

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.

And the Rada"k explains that it refers to those who are tied up in exile. We too will be redeemed, G-d-willing soon.

Also, one cannot discount the power of prayers, which stormed the heavens to help free Gilad. 1941 is the gematria of Tehillim 40:2:

קַוֹּה קִוִּיתִי יְהוָה; וַיֵּט אֵלַי, וַיִּשְׁמַע שַׁוְעָתִי

I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

The Hoshana Rabba service is full of references to the Final Redemption. Let us take this opportunity to storm the heavens for that purpose as well.

Mo'ed Tov and Pitka Tava to all.

Gilad is Free!

2011-10-18T07:18:00.000-05:00

It's a happy/apprehensive/sad day for Kelal Yisrael.

Baruch Hashem! Gilad Shalit is back home. During Sukkot, which is חג האסיף, Hashem has gathered one of his children back home.

On the other hand, many are apprehensive that terrorists are being freed and saddened that justice was not done properly to them. May אל נקמות ה' take care of that part of the deal.

And during this חג האסיף, while Hashem is gathering His children from captivity, may He also gather the other Jewish captives back, such as:

Jonathan Pollard
Sholom Rubashkin
Alan Gross
Jacob Ostreicher
Yaakov Yosef Gruenwald

and all others as well.

Rav Sitorsky on Sukkot

2011-10-18T07:04:00.000-05:00

I hadn't listened to Rav Sitorsky's Shiur in a while, so I checked out his shiur on Sukkot, and it was great as usual.

Here are some of the gematriot he mentioned:

אדום וישמאעל= 51 + 457 = 508
חג הסוכות = 11 + 497 = 508

וסוכה תהיה לצל = 97 + 420 + 150 = 667
רוח מלך המשיח = 214 + 90 + 363 = 667

בסוכות הושבתי = 494 + 723 = 1217
ובא לציון גואל ולשבי פשע ביעקב = 9 + 186 + 40 + 348 + 450 + 184 = 1217

בסוכות תשבו שבעת ימים = תשבי

שבעת = תשע"ב

ישראל בטח בה' = 541 + 19 + 28 = 588
מלחמת גוג ומגוג = 518 + 70 = 588

He also quoted the Gr"a who made the distinction between the bullocks that correspond to the days where the Torah says שעיר and the number of days where the Torah says שעיר עזים. One corresponds to the nations under Edom and one corresponds to the nations under Yishmael. And they both equal 35 each, as 13+12+10 = 35 and 11+9+8+7=35.

Gilad Shalit BE"H Being Released on Yosef's Day

2011-10-17T01:29:00.000-05:00

With Hashem's help, Gilad Shalit will be released on Tuesday, which is the 6th day of Sukkot. According to the Kabbalistic way of ordering the Ushpizin, the 6th day corresponds to the day of Yosef Hatzaddik.

I wrote a post a couple years ago on the connection of Gilad Shalit to Yosef Hatzaddik.

חיל בלע ויקאנו and Gilad Shalit

2011-10-12T12:26:00.000-05:00

1027 soldiers are destined to be exchanged for Gilad Shalit.

1027 is the gematria of חיל בלע ויקאנו מבטנו ירשנו אל - as drush, one might say Al Tikri Hayil, Elah Hayal, meaning Hamas has swallowed up a soldier for many years, and is now spitting him out - from the belly of Hamas, Hashem will throw him out.

As another way of interpreting the verse, one can see what we learn in Sanhedrin 106b from this verse. It says there (per Rashi's interpretation) that David Hamelech asked Hashem to kill Do'eg. Hashem responded חיל בלע ויקאנו - he learned a lot of Torah, so wait until he forgets it all. David Hamelech asked Hashem מבטנו ירשנו אל - please don't wait - make Do'eg forget his Torah already.

Similarly, we have to endure the wait of getting Gilad out by releasing Palestinian prisoners due to whatever merits Yishmael has. We plead to Hashem to erase the merits of Yishmael and not wait any longer.

The same is true at the macro level. Please, Hashem, erase the merits of both Edom and Yishmael so we don't have to endure this Galut any longer.

This verse is also Kabbalisticly used for its Rashei Teivot, which spells out a Holy Name, which is used to gather the holy sparks from the Kelipot - as a rectification of the Pegam Berit. Gilad returning home is a symbol of the return of the holy sparks to their rightful place.

May Gilad come home soon and may all the holy sparks be rectified soon and taken out of the Kelipot, speedily in our days, Amen.

Recent Interesting Links - Erev Sukkot, 5772

2011-10-12T10:21:00.000-05:00

The secrets of the Vilna Gaon - Rav Yaakov Ades reorganizes Rav Chaim Volozhin's introduction to the Gr"a's Sifra Ditzni'uta (Hebrew)
What if it rains on the first (2) night(s) of Sukkot? - Rabbi Yair Hoffman in VIN
Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a instructs R' Eli Yishai to buy Tefilin Mehudarin for Gilad Shalit when he's free BE"H (Hebrew)
Why Now? - Rabbi Pinchos Lipshutz about Sukkot

חג שמח and מועדים לשמחה to everyone!

May Hashem soon establish for us Sukkat David Hanofelet, using all interpretations.

Shalit for Over 1000 Pieces of Garbage

2011-10-11T17:49:00.002-05:00

Good news: Gilad is going home BE"H!

Bad news: So are over 1000 terrorists, which some reports say includes Marwan Barghouti ימ"ש (whose release, if you use a little imagination, was predicted long ago).

See Debka, which attributes this deal to Panetta's recent visit and meeting with Mashaal ימ"ש, and says:

By procuring the release of 1,000 Palestinians from Israeli jails, Hamas has outperformed is rival, the Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas as the lead champion of the Palestinian cause. After defying the Obama administration by applying for UN recognition for Palestinian statehood, Abbas is now getting his punishment.

So we have a small glimpse of how things work in Shamayim. We all were nervous about Palestinian statehood. However, the whole Palestinian statehood attempt just got the U.S. angry, which, in turn, led the U.S. to punish Abbas, which, in turn, led to a U.S. meeting with Hamas, which, in turn, led to this Shalit deal. This is an unbelievable example of Yad Hashem.

Now, as for those who have big problems with this deal because it will lead to more terrorism, I understand you. Here are the logical arguments against the deal and the counter-arguments:

Statistics are that 80% return to terrorism. However, 80% is still considered a Shema, especially when you add the probability of the terror being successful ל"ע. And the rule is Bari VeShema - Bari Adif.
אין פודין את השבויין יותר על כדי דמיהן. What they're getting back doesn't even come close to Shalit's value. His value to Am Yisrael is priceless.
This will lead to more kidnappings. Again, a shema, which is trumped by a bari of getting Shalit back.

Then, there are the emotional arguments made, like "how can you release the guy (or woman) who killed so-and-so and many others?" Yes, I agree that it's emotionally gut-wrenching to do so. However, we must follow Halacha here, no matter what our emotions may tell us.

Of course, it's not as simple as that - and we are talking about life and death matters either way it's handled. The decision must have been a painful one for all involved. That's why we have a gadol like Rav Ovadia to make these decisions. And it seems that he supports the deal of releasing these pieces of garbage for Shalit. Some other gedolim may have ruled otherwise in the past about it, but I support Rav Ovadia's decision.

May Hashem justify the decision he made.

Update: Similar sentiment expressed by the chief rabbis of Israel:

The Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Rabbi Yona Metzger, released a joint statement Tuesday welcoming a proposed deal to free Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,000 captured terrorists. The two also said they are praying the deal will not cause harm to the country.

“We call on the entire people to pray for Gilad, and to pray that the joy [of his release] will be complete and will not be accompanied by sorrow or damage as a result of the agreement and its aftermath,” the rabbis wrote. “In the merit of the mitzvah of freeing captives, the greatest of the commandments, may the Holy One, Blessed is He, hear our prayers and hasten our redemption.”