Biden: No Self-reflection After Boston, But Rambam Says Otherwise

Politico:

And Biden said the way to defeat terrorists and terrorism is to never change the nation’s way of life.

“The only way they can gain ground is to instill fear that causes us to jettison our values, way of life, for us to change. The moment we change, the moment we look inward, the moment we get into a crouch in a defensive, that’s the moment when they win.”

Rambam, Ta'aniyot 1:3:

אבל אם לא יזעקו, ולא יריעו, אלא יאמרו דבר זה ממנהג העולם אירע לנו, וצרה זו נקרוא נקרית--הרי זו דרך אכזרייות, וגורמת להם להידבק במעשיהם הרעים, ותוסיף הצרה וצרות אחרות: הוא שכתוב בתורה, "והלכתם עימי, בקרי. והלכתי עימכם, בחמת קרי" (ויקרא כו,כז-כח), כלומר כשאביא עליכם צרה, כדי שתשובו--אם תאמרו שהוא קרי, אוסיף עליכם חמת אותו קרי.

Kerry to Make Jewish Cities Desolate

Arutz Sheva:

Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim made the comments during talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who hosted top Arab League officials Monday, as part of his attempts to renew the Middle East peace process, AFP reported.

...

Kerry has suggested that the Arab Peace Initiative, unveiled in 2002 by Saudi Arabia, in which 22 Arab countries would normalize ties with Israel in return for Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria, could be a way forward to promote the peace process.

Parshat Behukotai:

וְאִם-בְּזֹאת--לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ, לִי; וַהֲלַכְתֶּם עִמִּי, בְּקֶרִי

וְהָלַכְתִּי עִמָּכֶם, בַּחֲמַת-קֶרִי

...

וְנָתַתִּי אֶת-עָרֵיכֶם חָרְבָּה

...

וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִי אֲנִי, אֶת-הָאָרֶץ; וְשָׁמְמוּ עָלֶיהָ אֹיְבֵיכֶם, הַיֹּשְׁבִים בָּהּ

Rav Amar on Shivyon

Arutz Sheva:

Chief Rabbi: Equal Burden of Service? Nonsense

Rabbi Shlomo Amar says talk of hareidi-religious enlistment is ‘nonsense.’

By Maayana Miskin

First Publish: 4/29/2013, 3:42 AM

Rabbi Shlomo Amar, the Chief Sephardi Rabbi of Israel, dismissed calls to require hareidi-religious men to enlist in the IDF in a talk Saturday night. Rabbi Amar spoke prior to the weekly Torah lecture given by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

Rabbi Amar said that the issue of hareidi enlistment “is nothing more than the evil inclination, which has put a ruach shtut [lit. ‘spirit of nonsense’ – ed.] into some people.”

“In our generation Torah is flowering like we have not seen for generations,“ he said. “The evil inclination saw this and was jealous, and went and put it in some people’s heads to fight against Torah.”

“There has never been nonsense like this,” he said. “As if we have no issues, our society doesn’t have rich or poor, we’re all ‘fully equal.’ This is the only equality we lack, there are no enemies, we have made peace with them. The only enemy left is the yeshivas.”

“There has been nothing like this before, this craziness… Due to our sins this spirit of nonsense entered some people,” he said.

“Our redemption depends entirely on Torah,” he concluded.

Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu's 3800th Wedding Anniversary

Avraham Avinu was born in the year 1948 from Creation.  Sarah Imeinu was born in the year 1958 from Creation.  According to Midrash¹, Avraham married Sarah when he was 25 and she was 15.  That means that it was the year 1973 from Creation.  That was 3800 years ago - or 200 19-year cycles ago.

The exact date of their wedding is unknown, however.  (Could it have been Lag Ba'omer?  Who knows?)

For the couple who made Aliya on their 50th Golden anniversary and had their first child on their 75th Diamond anniversary, may Hashem remember their deeds for the merit of Kelal Yisrael on their 3800th.

וזוכר חסדי אבות ומביא גואל לבני בניהם למען שמו באהבה

---

¹ Yalkut Shimoni 78 (see the Zayit Ra'anan there), and also mentioned here and seems to be the popular opinion (but see also the 2 girsa'ot in Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabba Chapter 18 and the Yeshu'ot Yaakov's commentary)

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Emor 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• The government of heresy
• R' D. Lev adds: The verse בְּרַגְלַיִם, תֵּרָמַסְנָה; עֲטֶרֶת גֵּאוּת, שִׁכּוֹרֵי אֶפְרָיִם [The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot] is the Rashei Teivot of תשע"ג.
• The following verse says  וְהָיְתָה צִיצַת נֹבֵל, צְבִי תִפְאַרְתּוֹ, אֲשֶׁר עַל-רֹאשׁ, גֵּיא שְׁמָנִים--כְּבִכּוּרָהּ, בְּטֶרֶם קַיִץ [And the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be as the first-ripe fig before the summer].  New parties צצו - sprouted up. "נבל" refers to נתניהו בנט לפיד.  The word "כבכורה" alludes to the fact that this occurred before the previous Knesset's term was up.  "בטרם קיץ" tells us that they established a government before the summer.  אֲשֶׁר יִרְאֶה הָרֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ, בְּעוֹדָהּ בְּכַפּוֹ יִבְלָעֶנָּה [which when one looketh upon it, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up].
• R' O. Yazdi adds: "סוף הרשעים" plus the words is the gematria תשע"ג.
• Poverty before Geula
• Zohar Beha'alotecha 153a says that there will come days that will be like the Exodus from Egypt, where it is written "And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation."  But in the final exile, there is no death - only poverty - as a pauper is considered like a dead man.  This will fulfil in them [the verse] "And I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of the LORD." And to fulfil in them [the verse] "And the afflicted people Thou dost save".  And the wealthy ones that will remain among them, [this verse] will be fulfilled in them "Ye are idle, ye are idle".  They are idle and weak in Torah, they are idle and weak in doing favors for masters of Torah and Torah leaders who need to travel from city to city while no one has pity. [And the verse] "and let them not regard lying words" [means] that they lie and say that the burden of the tax is upon them that because of this, they do not do favors.
• Tikunei Zohar 113a says [in interpreting the verse] "If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door": what is רבץ [crouching]?  [Based on the verse] "If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying [רבץ] under its burden" - that he could not bear on his shoulder the stringency of the Torah, he could not bear the yoke of the government in exile, "thou shalt forbear to pass by him" - here, He was showing Kayin that Israel will in the future be in poverty in the exile [as it says:] "lowly, and riding upon an ass" - that they will be like a donkey, whose burden is upon his shoulders from the yoke of taxes in the exile and from the burden of work, and this is "lying [רבץ] under its burden" in the exile.  And to the children of Kayin, who were wealthy and strong like kings with great power, He said, "If thou doest well to lift up the poor of Israel, who are heavy with a heavy burden, I will bear your children in the world and have Erech Apayim with them.  But if not, sin coucheth at the door - meaning the gate of Gehinnom is open to take revenge from you and your children.
• Tikkunei Zohar 27a says that the poverty of the exile of the Erev Rav over Israel speeds up the Redemption, and their weakness prevents Israel's Redemption.  Because of this, Hashem appeared to Moshe [as the verse says] "in a flame of בלבת fire out of the midst of a bush" - from the thorns.
• Also, לבת hints to לבה [core educational curriculum] of the Erev Rav who are pushing Israel with the aspect of thorns.
• Tikkunei Zohar Hadash 134a says [on the verse] "I the LORD will hasten it in its time": If they merit, I will hasten it, and if they don't merit, in its time בעתה, which is בעת ה - at the time of "ה".  What is its time?  [From the verse] "It is time for the LORD to work; they have made void Thy law."  And there are times like those and there are times like these: "that he come not at all times into the holy place".  And upon this, Kohelet says "A time to weep, and a time to laugh".  And the Sod of the matter is that immediately when the time for weeping comes and it will be a time of poverty for Israel, immediately, there will be a Redemption from exile, as it says "and it is a time of trouble unto Jacob, but out of it shall he be saved". ... And the Sod of the matter is [the verse] "They shall come with weeping בבכי" - with the weeping of poverty because the gematria of the word בבכי is the same as the word דל.  And once Moshe saw the pressure of poverty for Israel, it says: "and behold a boy that wept".  What does it say immediately following?  "And she had compassion on him" to redeem him.
• More on the government of heresy
• Tehilim chapter 53 (gematria of אליהו plus the Kollel): "נבל" is Rashei Teivot נתניהו בנט לפיד.  Then, "בני" is Rashei Teivot בנט נתניהו יאיר.  Then, "there is none that doeth good, no, not one" has the aspect of "it is all turned white".  Then, "who eat up My people" refers to those who usurp the money of Israel.  Then, יְשֻׁעוֹת hints to תשע"ו.  Then, the Rashei Teivot and Sofei Teivot of שבות עמו also hints to תשע"ו.
• The same hints can be found in a very similar chapter - chapter 14 (gematria of דוד).
• Netanyahu and Lapid are hinted to in the verse that Rashi says refers to the Geula - Bereishit 15:17: וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה, וַעֲלָטָה הָיָה; וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן, וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ, אֲשֶׁר עָבַר, בֵּין הַגְּזָרִים הָאֵלֶּה.
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that "תנור" of this verse is the gematria of שי פירון.
• "עבר" of this verse is the same letters as ערב and hints to the Keitz of the evening time of 5772-5775.
• "בין" of this verse is Rashei Teivot בנימין יאיר נפתלי [Binyamin, Ya'ir, Naftali].
• The Rama"z adds that under the thigh, there are ליב"ה limbs whereupon the thigh stands, as the Mishna states (Aholot 1:8): "30 [ל] limbs by the palm of the foot - which is 6 for each toe - 10 [י] for the ankle, 2 [ב] for the lower leg, 5 [ה] for the knee, and 1 for the thigh." 
• And we find in the Zohar (Vayishlah 171a) [on the verse] "he touched the hollow of his thigh" that [the angel of Esav] wisened up against him [Yaakov Avinu].  He said, "Once the pillars and supports of Torah are broken, immediately the Torah cannot be strengthened."
• Also brought down in Rabbeinu Behaye (Bereishit 32:24) "he touched the hollow of his thigh" hints to the future generations - that there will come a generation where Esav will be strong against them so much so that it will be close to being totally wiped out.
• Also brought down in the Ya'arot Devash (vol. 2, Derush 7) "he touched the hollow of his thigh" - and in Midrash and Zohar, it is expounded to mean the righteous who descend from the thight of Yaakov in every generation that he touched them - in this did he strain the thigh of Yaakov.
• ליב"ה is the letters of הבלי העולם הזה [vanities of this world]
• or בלי ה' [without Hashem]
• ליבה means love, and it's known what the Hazon Ish said: "What they call 'love', we call 'Karet'"
• Also, the root of the ליב"ה is the אמנת כנרת, which is hinted to in the verse (Yirmiyah 7:28) אָבְדָה, הָאֱמוּנָה, וְנִכְרְתָה, מִפִּיהֶם [faithfulness is perished, and is cut off from their mouth].
• It's brought down in the writings of the Hafetz Hayim [on the verse] "And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me; moreover I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them" [that he explains] that the Midrash explains that he pressured them with words, with curses and epithets where they made Israel into a laughing stock so much so that Israel could not escape from them.  And this [cry] went up to HKB"H and it caused an awakening in Heavenly mercy, and they were redeemed.  And the same is true in our days - that since they make the Torah giants as laughing stocks, the Heavenly mercy will be awakened upon us and will save us from our oppressors.
• 2 stages of Geula
• It's brought down in the Malbim on Yirmiya 31:6 "sing with gladness for Yaakov" - first sing with gladness that will be for Yaakov.  And what will this gladness be?  "and shout at the head of the nations" that at the end of the days of their exile, the servitude will be removed from them and they will shout that they will be at the head of the nations - that the nations will give them honor and they will be at their head in place of how they were originally degraded and lowly among them.  Indeed, "Yaakov" refers to the general public, including the lower-echelon of society, while "Yisrael" refers to the greats thereof.  And this gladness that they will shout at the head of the nations will only be for "Yaakov" - not for "Yisrael" who want His Shechina to return back to Zion.  But then, at that time, "announce ye" - publicly - and "praise ye" Hashem via what you say 'O LORD, save Thy people' - the righteous - 'The remnant of Israel' who want a true salvation among the ingathering of the exiles and their returning to Zion.  And so will it be then as Hashem will return them.
• Teshuva before Geula
• It's brought down in the Kuntres "Ve'aneta Hashira" by Rav Nahmani ZT"L that from the day of the 17th of Tammuz until the day of Hoshana Rabba will be 3 months when all of Kelal Yisrael will repent.  It's possible that he was hinting to the 3 months mentioned in the Zohar [Va'era 32a] since the end of the Gog Umagog War and the victory is expected to be on the day of Hoshana Rabba.
• Hints from Yerushalayim street names
• King David St. in Yerushalayim continues on to become "Keren Hayesod" [YY - it doesn't really continue it, but it does intersect the street] to hint to the 2 Meshihim - since "Keren" symbolizes "kingship" and "Yesod" is the symbol of Yosef so "Keren Hayesod" is the symbol of "the kingship of Yosef", which is Mashiah Ben Yosef.  The continuation of that street that connects the Meshihim is "King George St.", which hints to "King Gog", which connects the Meshihim.
• More Israel-Korea Links
• R' Avraham Agassi adds that in 1948, the Land of Israel was divided into 2 parts and Korea was divided into 2 parts. 
• "Korea" hints to this division into 2 just like "Keri'at" Yam Saf.
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that צפון קוראה with the words and Kollel equals ישראל.
• קוראות [Koreas] hints to the verse (Zecharia 14:6) וְהָיָה, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא; לֹא-יִהְיֶה אוֹר, יְקָרוֹת יקפאון.
• Early calendar this year
• It's brought down in Rav Morgenshtern's Kuntres (Nishmatin Hadtin, Tazria 5773) that a certain rabbi showed him an amazing thing in Pirkei deRibbi Eliezer (chapter 8) that the "Ibburim" [leap years or days added to the year] will be minimized at the end of the exile before the coming of Mashiah.  This is the wording of the Midrash: "Just like the Ibburim were minimized from Israel during the slavery in Egypt, similarly, they are destined to be minimized at the end of the fourth exile before Mashiah will come."  Perhaps, the intent is that this year, there is a minimization of the Ibbur in that a leap year will be needed after this year.

Rain News

According to Tom Skilling, it was officially Chicago's wettest April on record.

The Midwestern U.S. has not had a good time with recent rain and expects more.

Rain had also unseasonably been falling in Israel, which is both good in some ways and not-so-good in others.

אם בחקותי תלכו...ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם

Gematria for Wednesday Night's Omer

היום שלשים יום לעומר שהם ארבעה שבועות ושני ימים
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יַחֲזִיר לָנוּ עֲבוֹדַת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ לִמְקוֹמָהּ, בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן סֶלָה

The above has the gematria of 5772. With the Kollel, it equals 5773.

May the merciful Hashem return the Avoda of the Beit Hamikdash back to its place for us speedily in our days, Amen Selah!

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Aharei Mot/Kedoshim 5773

(Belated.  Sorry.)

From Rav Fish's latest:

• Clarification regarding dates
• Since the Keitz we have written about is based upon dates that were written explicitly in the Zohar in a few places, it is important to clarify that 5772 of the Zohar is our 5773.  This is because the Zohar is a Midrash Haza"l and Haza"l did not count the week of Creation as a complete year as they started to count about 1000 years ago according to the opinion of the Ba'al Hama'or.  And also all the hints that we brought about the year 5772 are strong, according to Haza"l, also for the year 5773.
• It's also important to clarify that in the Zohar, it says that in the end of 5772 (which is our 5773), the 72 years of Hevlei Mashiah and the birth of Mashiah will end, followed by the next stage, which is the Gog Umagog War, which will be in the year 5773, whch is our 5774.  And the Zohar did not note when in 5773 (5774) this war will take place - in the beginning of the year, the middle, or the end.  And although there are proofs from Haza"l in other places that the war will occur on Sukkot, the Zohar on 5773 (5774) does not mention an exact date.  It's possible that the war will begin at the end of 5773 (5774) and will finish in the following Sukkot.  
• We also brought down from the Ariza"l who wrote explicitly that 5775 will be the end of the filtering process, which was discussed at length.
• All these are dates of a Be'itah Geula, which is the last time that Mashiah is obligated to come.  If we will merit, he will come immediately.
• The Lubavitcher Rebbe re: Nukes 
• And they sent me a Siha from the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT"L regarding nuclear bombs (Siha 10 Shevat, 5746).  In it, he is concerned that a nuclear bomb will fall in the hands of a young boy who is not mentally stable who, with the press of a button, can change the world for the worse ח"ו.
• North Korea and Israel
• Both were established in 1948
• Both have similar flags
• The State of Israel is a preparation for Redemption, and it's possible that North Korea is a preparation for Redemption.
• [YY - North Korea is also known as DPRK, which in Aramaic is spelled דפרק - meaning "that redeemed"]
• 10 Tribes
• It's brought down in Pirkei DeRibbi Eliezer (17) that Kibbutz Galuyot will begin with the 10 tribes, and then Hashem will ingather those scattered of Yehuda.  And we will bring down his words:

  When in the future, HKB"H will gather Israel in from the 4 corners of the world, first he will gather in the tribe of Menashe, as it says: "Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine", and afterwards Ephraim, as it says: "Ephraim also is the defence of my head", and afterwards, Yehuda, as it says: "Judah is my sceptre".

• Other hints for "Korea"
• It says: הָיִיתִי, כְּכוֹס חֳרָבוֹת. שָׁקַדְתִּי וָאֶהְיֶה-- כְּצִפּוֹר, בּוֹדֵד עַל-גָּג "I am become as an owl of the waste places. I watch, and am become like a sparrow that is alone upon the housetop." This verse is talking about the Shechina that is in exile with Israel. And it is also brought down in the book "Alfei Yisrael" (vol. 2, p. 570) that this bird that is called "כוס" has a shape like a כוס - a cup - and its nature is to cry out at night and is hidden מכוסה from people. These ideas hint to the Shechina in the exile with the aspect of כוס, as It is hidden from people and cries out at night over the children of Israel who are found in exile. We find in Targum Onkelos that he translates כוס as קריא, which itself hints to קריאה - calling out and crying.
• R' Eliezer Shlomo Zonenshein adds: קוריאה [Korea] is the gematria of כבש [lamb] to hint to the lamb of the daily sacrifice, of which one was brought in the morning and one in the afternoon.  This is why there are 2 Koreas: one is South Korea which corresponds to the lamb brought in the morning, having the aspect of חסד, which is hinted to [Kabbalisticly] by the south.  The other is North Korea which corresponds to the lamb brought in the afternoon, having the aspect of דין, which is hinted to [Kabbalisticly] by the north.  This is why the קץ is dependent on צפין קוריאה [North Korea] which corresponds to the afternoon lamb - of ערב - which is the time of Redemption.  
• As we find with Daniel, who bound together the Keitz with the daily sacrifice (in Daniel 8:13):

  'How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that causes appalment, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?' And he said unto me: 'Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be victorious.'

  And in 12:11:

  And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the detestable thing that causes appalment set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Happy is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be; and thou shalt rest, and shalt stand up to thy lot, at the end of the days.

• And we also brought down the verse that the Zohar mentions about the Redemption: "Woe unto us! for the day declineth, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out!" from which the Yerushalmi learns the time for Minha, which corresponds to the daily sacrifice of the afternoon.
• Also, the wording of the Mishna about the daily sacrifice of the afternoon (Yoma 7:3) is עם תמיד של בין הערבים, which is Rashei Teivot of ה' תשע"ב.
• We also brought down from R' Aharon Lieberman that תשע"ה is hinted to 4 times in the Parshat Hatamid: את הכבש האחד תעשה.
• More about "ערב"
• ערב is the same letters as רעב, which is hinted to in this verse that talks about the Redemption (Amos 8:11): הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים, נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי רָעָב, בָּאָרֶץ: לֹא-רָעָב לַלֶּחֶם, וְלֹא-צָמָא לַמַּיִם--כִּי אִם-לִשְׁמֹעַ, אֵת דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה [Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.]
• Yom Yerushalayim
• R' Yehuda Veingut adds that Iyar 28 is the Yahrtzeit of Shemuel Hanavi, who coronated both Sha'ul and David.  Therefore, on this day, the shining of David started to break through.  The main breaking through started with Yerushalayim, which is the Sod of נצח, as the gemara (Berachot 58a, at the bottom) brings down: "והנצח refers to Yerushalayim.  וההוד refers to the Beit Hamikdash".  This is because Shemuel rectified the נצח, as is brought down in the Zohar (Bereishit 21b) on the verse that Shemuel said: וְגַם נֵצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא יְשַׁקֵּר וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם: כִּי לֹא אָדָם הוּא, לְהִנָּחֵם [And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent.]
• Ministry of Education
• The Rama"z adds that the main building of the Education Ministry of Yerushalayim is called "The Lev Ram Building", לב רם has the gematria of ערב to hint that this place will last until the time of the Keitz of ערב.  [See the Hebrew for the continuation of this.]
• Oshkosh, WI
• R' S. Reiskin adds that there is a city in the state of Wisconsin in the U.S. with the name "Oshkosh" [אשקש].  This hints to: וְהָיָה בֵית-יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה, וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ [And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble]

Rosh Kollel Warns of Huge Tragedy Bringing Hevlei Mashiah This Coming Motza'ei Shabbat

UPDATED

Kikar reports as their lead story that a Rosh Kollel going by the initials S. G. said that a huge tragedy will לא עלינו occur this Motza'ei Shabbat that will bring Hevlei Mashiah.  He said, though, that those who cling to Torah and Mitzvot will be saved.

According to the report, the Lithuanian Rosh Kollel, who is from the Neveh Yaakov neighborhood in Yerushalayim, said that already 2 months ago, he "saw" during his prayers that the date of 17 Iyar will be something special.  He categorized it as "A big Balagan".

According to him, "The process will start specifically on this date because this is the date that the Mabul started according to Ribbi Yehoshua in the gemara.  I don't know what this will be exactly," explained the Rav, "but I saw this clearly many times, and we're talking about Hevlei Mashiah Mamash."  The Rav emphasized that we're talking about the final shake-up before we are going to greet the face of Mashiah Tzidkeinu and that we're not talking about a punishment, but rather, a process within Redemption.

The Rav said, "I call this 'The Redemption of the Ramhal'.  I learn a lot of his writings, mainly 'Shiv'im Tikunim', and I am therefore concerned that it is a part of the total process."

According to him, the only way to be saved is to be careful with the trait of humility.  "One needs to move to complete humility.  And those who do not keep Shabbat should immediately keep Shabbat, Kashrut, and Taharat Hamishpaha.  Grab as much as you can immediately."

In conclusion, the Rav qualifies his words a bit, and says that although he sees nothing preventing this from occurring, he adds: "Even if nothing occurs, it is forbidden for the matter to cause a weakening in faith, G-d forbid, and everyone should understand that it was my mistake.

At the moment, I don't have reservations about this.  I saw this clearly for months.  But if nothing happens, all should know that I erred.  The mistake would be mine, not in the Redemption process, which is on its way most definitely, but I would have not explained the date properly.  The Redemption process is already on its way, and this is clear."

Ostreicher: "I hope Alan Gross got to eat my rice"

Matzav:

Yanky Ostreicher was interviewed on The Dov Hikind Show on Motzoei Shabbos, speaking from Bolivia, where he is still under house arrest 16 weeks after he was released on bail.

Joining Assemblyman Dov Hikind were Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey and New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.

“Every prosecutor and judge on my case is either in jail or under house arrest and I am still not out?!” asked Mr. Ostreicher with palpable pain and frustration.

“The embassy knows. The state department knows. My lawyers have received threats, but I have no security at all,” said Mr. Ostreicher, who has been incarcerated for over 685 days.

“They will have to answer why it all happened,” said Mr. Ostreicher about the Bolivians. “No one is discussing the millions of dollars worth of rice that disappeared,” he said.

During Yanky’s imprisonment, Bolivia, an impoverished country, strangely donated almost 500 tons of rice to Cuba, and Yanky says that it was his rice that was donated, adding, “I hope Alan Gross got to eat my rice,” referring to an American Jew jailed in Cuba.

Listeners to the show also heard from Yanky’s wife, Mrs. Miriam Ostreicher.

You can hear the audio of the show there too.  

This brings to mind the famous saying of Haza"l (Bava Kamma 92a):  

כל המבקש רחמים על חבירו והוא צריך לאותו דבר, הוא נענה תחילה

Whoever requests mercy for his friend while he needs the same need is answered first.

I can only add:

וּפְדוּיֵי יְהוָה יְשׁוּבוּן, וּבָאוּ צִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה, וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם, עַל-רֹאשָׁם; שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּן, נָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה

The Week that Was

What a crazy week it has been!

A week that "was supposed" to only feature Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzma'ut upon the State of Israel's 65th birthday, instead turned the mayhem everywhere else.

This week featured:

1. The Boston Marathon Bombing
2. Big earthquake in Iran (most powerful in almost 40 years)
3. Ricin sent to a senator, a judge, and the President and the perpetrator's capture
4. A massive explosion in West, Texas, with many dead, missing, and injured
5. Major flooding in Chicago - the first time my home got flooded that I can remember
6. Killing of first marathon bomber - Tamerlan Tsarnaev - after they killed a policeman
7. Manhunt for the second - Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with the entire Boston shut down

We pray that next week will be better, as Rav Yaakov of Luniel composed:

יהי שבוע הבא לישועה ולרוחה

The Boston Terror Attack and Geula

The terror attack that occurred in Boston was the first attack on American civilians since 9/11.  People lost lives.  People were critically injured.  People lost limbs.  If you notice, the limbs lost were almost all lower extremities. 

So, we had an event that was supposed to celebrate the power of one's legs and it turned into a tragedy where many people injured - or even lost - their legs. 

It says in Ha'azinu:

לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת לָמוֹ.

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, against the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that are to come upon them shall make haste.

Of course, we don't know Hashem's ways. We don't know why an 8-year-old child and others had to die. We don't know why all these people had to lose their legs.  It seems so senseless, and yet we know it's not.

If there is any positive that we can take from this tragedy, we can possibly believe that it is connected to לעת תמוט רגלם - "the time when their foot shall slip".

The gematria of לעת is 500. It is exactly 500 years since the mainland of the United States was discovered by the first known European - namely, Juan Ponce de Leon, in April, 1513.

The verse implies that when their foot shall slip, the day of calamity to the nations of the world is קרוב - at hand - and the things that are to come upon them shall חש - make haste (as many commentators - like the Rashba"m and Da'at Zekeinim - point out, the word חש is related to בעתה אחישנה).  Hashem's vengeance upon the nations is part of the Geula process, ulimately leading up to a rectified world.

Let us hope that we will soon see the feet of the Mevaser and the "feet" of HKB"H on Har Hazeitim.

The Fish, the Snake, and the Pig

Shabbat 77b:

ת"ר שלשה כל זמן שמזקינין מוסיפין גבורה ואלו הן דג ונחש וחזיר

Our rabbis taught in a Beraita: there are 3 things that get stronger with age: a fish, a snake, and a pig.

As the Ben Yehoyada explains:

It appears to me, with Hashem's help, that the reason that HKB"H did so with only these creatures is because there are 3 nations in the world whose lineage remains in the world more than the 70 nations. They are: Israel, Yishmael, and Edom. This is because Sanheriv mixed around the other nations and they have no known name nowadays.

Therefore, He did this with the fish which is a Kosher species - in that the more it ages, the stronger it gets - corresponding to Israel, who is compared to fish in that the more the nation of Israel ages, its strength increases relative to itself as they have glory in this.

And He did this with a snake, which is a non-Kosher species, corresponding to the nation of [Yishmael], as it says in Ra'ya Mehemna in Pinhas p. 276 [246] that "Snake" is appointed over [the nation of Yishmael] and he is "Ra-hav" ...

And He did this with a pig, which is a non-Kosher species, corresponding to Edom, which is Esav, as it says in the book Megaleh Amukot, Ofan 147 that Esav is compared to a pig, as it says: "The boar out of the wood doth ravage it".

Rav Yaakov Yosef ZT"L

Baruch Dayan Ha'emet.

Rav Yaakov Yosef ZT"L, the son of להיבדל לחיים טובים וארוכים Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a, has passed away.

News coverage at:

Arutz Sheva
Kikar + here, here, here, here,  pictures of his life here, & his last Shiur here
Ladaat
Behadrei + here, here, here, & pictures of his life here
YWN
VIN
JPost

There were reportedly approximately 100,000 people at the funeral.

May he be Meilitz Yosher on all of us.

Debka: US is at DEFCON 3

Debka reports that the US is at DEFCON 3.

This is confirmed by the DEFCON Warning System:

www.defconwarningsystem.com

Here's a clip from the movie "War Games" where it went from DEFCON 3 to DEFCON 2:



The difference is that this one is not a game and not a movie.  This is real.

See also Tomer Devorah and End of Days.

ה' עז לעמו יתן ה' יברך את עמו בשלום

Interesting Recent Links Tazria/Metzora 5773 - Part 2

The now famous "Plastic Bag Airplane Man" picture has been making the rounds: here, here, here, here, here, and here (and that's all I know about).  The full explanation is here (in Hebrew.  H/t: comment by Rafi).

Kikar - The health of Rav Yaakov Yosef Shlit"a is rapidly deteriorating and Reading Tehillim 1000 times for Rav Yaakov Yosef Shlit"a

YWN - Lincolnwood, IL: Frum Candidate Leading By ‘One Vote’ In Local Election

Tomer Devorah - A Conversation Around the Dinner Table (Aliya scare tactics or reality?)

Hamikdash had a dream about meeting the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT"L (and asked him when Mashiah is coming)

On the Main Line - JPost on Rav Isser Zalman's Funeral

Fox News - Iranian invents machine that predicts the future

Herald Sun - North Korea missile spotted in launch position - South Korea at "Watchcon 2"

Matzav - I Was Accused; It Could Happen To You

Curses and Threats

I've been extremely critical of Naftali Bennett, but someone took it to the next level and issued a Pulsa DeNura on him, saying that he's going to end up like Sharon. 

Lo Zo Haderech.  There are other ways to defeat his ideas. 

As Rav Shteinman recently said, we must have Emunah that all will end up for the best.  Even with this Emunah, we must still fight his ideas, but not take it out on him physically or spiritually. 

In a somewhat related story, someone sent Chicago Cubs' owner Tom Ricketts a goat's head in what was apparently a Godfather-like threat.  Goats are very symbolic for Cubs fans.  The owner is considering making changes to the scoreboard and the number of night games at Wrigley Field.  Many people don't want that to happen.  The police are investigating.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Tazria/Metzora 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• North Korea and the east
• [After quoting Zecharia 8:7 that mentions saving the Jewish people from the land of the east and of "מבוא השמש", which is translated as "West", but could also have another connotation:] "מבוא השמש" hints to these lands which are called "The Land of the Rising Sun".
• Also, Rashi on (Yeshaya 18:1) says:

  Ah, land of the buzzing of wings - because they are stuck in the East, and the land is hot.  The birds gather there, and it is buzzing with wings of birds.  And this prophecy is about the population of Gog Umagog.

• Also, Rashi says that Hashem punishes the wicked via an eastern wind.  He says (in Shemot 14:21):

  With an eastern wind which is the strongest of all winds.  This is the wind with which HKB"H punishes the wicked, as it says: 1) "I will scatter them as with an east wind", 2) "an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD", 3) "the east wind hath broken thee in the heart of the seas", 4) "He hath removed her with His rough blast in the day of the east wind".

• Also, we find in the Zemirot of Shabbat a connection between vengence against Edom and an east wind at the time of the Geula: 

  בְּבֹאוֹ מֵאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים. זֶבַח לוֹ בְּבָצְרָה וְטֶבַח לוֹ בְּבוֹגְדִים. וְיֵז נִצְחָם מַלְבּוּשָׁיו לְהַאֲדִים. בְּכֹחוֹ הַגָּדוֹל יִבְצוֹר רוּחַ נְגִידִים. הָגָה בְּרוּחוֹ הַקָּשָׁה בְּיוֹם קָדִים.

• We also find in the Zohar (Balak 199a) that Hashem will judge the wicked in the future with the attribute of צדק  as it says about Mashiah: צֶדֶק, אֵזוֹר מָתְנָיו and צדק is hinted to in the verse brought down earlier: מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח, צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ.
• More about North Korea
• [After mentioning that צפון קוריאה is Rashei Teivot of קץ, he adds that] צפון קוריאה is the gematria of קץ משיח. 
• Seoul hints to שאול [Gehinnom, as Rav Nahmani ZT"L mentioned].
• And it's brought down in Halachic books that the International Date Line halachicly passes [just east of] Korea, and it's called "Korea" because it splits [קורעת] the world with the International Date Line.  And we can explain according to what we said that Korea is the ends of the earth, and the Gog Umagog War will begin there - that it will תקרע - split apart the world and will bring about an end to the dark world of the exile.
• [After mentioning that North Korea gained independence the same year that Israel did - in 1948,] Rav Tzion David Siboni adds: צפון קוראה + the words and the Kollel is the same gematria as ישראל.
• Rav Y.S. Tzur adds: צפון קוריאה is the gematria of מלאך המוות.
• Rav S. Reiskin adds: קוריאה in Atbash is דפגמת"צ, which in gematria is גבורות.
• [After mentioning that the leader of North Korea's name contains the word ג'ונג, which hints to גוג, he adds:] the word "Korea" in Korean is הנגוג ["Hangug"], which contains גוג and is the gematria of גוג מגוג with the words and Kollel.
• The map of Korea looks like a backwards Nun to hint to the end of the חרון אף [anger] of HKB"H, as Rashi says (in Bereishit 11:32):

  The Nun is backwards to tell you that until Avram, there was anger of Hashem.

• It also has the shape of a shoe, which hints to the end, just like a shoe, which is at the end of the height of man.
• Also, the verse we mentioned מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ hints to this.
• [YY - I'm leaving out the rest of this paragraph as I couldn't independently verify it.]
• Nuclear explosions
• שואה אטומית [nuclear holocaust] is the gematria of ה'תשע"ג.
• [After explaining that פצצת אטום - nuclear explosion - is the gematria of משיח x2, he adds:] "Nuclear explosions" are also hinted to in the Mishna in Middot 4:6: 

  The Heichal was 100x100x100.  The אוטם [hidden foundation] was 6 Amot and its height was 40 Amot, 1 Amah of כיור [lit. decorated], and 2 Amot of בית דלפה [lit. house of dripping], 1 Amah of ceiling, 1 Amah of plaster, ... 3 Amot of Ma'akeh, and 1 Amah of כלה עורב [sword-like material that prevents ravens from landing on the top of the Beit Hamikdash].

  The אוטם hints to אטום [atomic or nuclear bomb].  כיור hints to כור גרעיני [nuclear reactor].  דלפה hints to the cooling liquid which drips.  כלה עורב hints to the purpose of the nuclear bomb, which is that is comes to destroy the "raven" from the world; ravens symbolizing the side of evil in the world.  And therefore, the אטום in the Mishna is foundation of the Beit Hamikdash, which holds the walls, as the Bartenura brings down there, to hint to the idea that a nuclear explosion will be the foundation to the building of the 3rd Beit Hamikdash, speedily in our days, Amen.
• לגו קרתא
• [On the Zohar that says: בשבעין ותלת כל מלכי עלמא יתכנשון לגו קרתא וגו',] the gematria of לגו קרתא is בניו יורק אמריקה. [YY - בר מינן]
• Government of Apostasy
• [After talking about the government all turning to apostasy, he adds:] We see from the prophecy of Hoshe'a that the Jewish people will seek out David their king after being in a state of having no king to rely upon, as it says in Hoshe'a 3:4:

  For the children of Israel shall sit solitary many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim; afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall come trembling unto the LORD and to His goodness in the end of days.

• Chuck Hagel
• צ'ק היגל [Chuck Hagel] is the same letters as יגלה קץ.
• Kibbutz Galuyot via Escaping Persecution
• [After quoting the Kol Hator that said that Kibbutz Galuyot will be via escaping persecution, he adds:] Similar comments were said in the name of R' Yisrael of Ruzhin ZT"L (brought down in Hamevaser Torani, 11 Nissan 5773): 

  In his final year, the Rebbe arranged his Seder amidst terrible crying ... After the end of the Seder, he turned to those gathered and said, "Dear Jews, you should know that a day will come that great hatred - Rahmana Litzlan - will be aroused against the Jews, and they will forcibly expel us to the Land of Israel because no other land will permit us to enter.  And a redemption amidst degradation is better than a redemption amidst honor.

• 5773
• The gematria of the Alba"m of the verses יָאֵר יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ.  יִשָּׂא יְהוָה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם plus the 45 letters equals 5773.
• 2x72 + 3x63 + 4x45 + 5x52 = 773.  [72, 63, 45, & 52 being the gematria of the Milui of Hashem's name.]
• הxב"ן symbolizes the completeness of Malchut, which is associated with the name ב"ן and the letter ה in Kabbala.
• Daniel
• Daniel [who prophesied about the End of Days and symoblizes Malchut] is called (Daniel 10:11) "איש חמדות", whose gematria, if you add the letters and Kollel equals ה'תשע"ג.
• Metzudat David there says that he has beloved good attributes and [Rashi there says that] he is a pure man.
• The Rama"z says that the Rashei Teivot of דוד מלך ישראל חי וקים is חמודי.

Interesting Recent Links - Tazria/Metzora 5773

Dixie Yid - Rav Moshe Weinberger on Aharon Shel Pesah

The Path to Follow newsletter - The Medical Reason for Mila on the 8th Day (found on page 4 of the pdf)

Mishkan Shiloh newsletter (in Hebrew) - Saved from Death by His Friend, the Snake (found on page 2 of the pdf)

Tomer Devorah - The Latest on the Korea Crisis

Ladaat and Behadrei featured the famous Rav Nahmani video about North Korea which was made a month before he passed away 19 years ago.  (An version with English subtitles is available over at Shirat Devorah.)

Arutz Sheva - Dozens Killed in Iran Quake near Nuclear Plant

Arutz Sheva - Synagogue and Yeshiva Vandalized in Mitzpe Yericho (Note that 28 Nissan, in addition to being Yom Hasho'ah, is the date that Yericho's walls fell in the days of Yehoshua, and the Siddur Ya'avetz says that this should be commemorated with praises to Hashem.)

Arutz Sheva - Prayers for Rabbi Yaakov Yosef

Parshablog - Guys Rule in Tazria

Life in Israel - Making Lag Ba'Omer More Significant Than Shabbos

Famous Version of "Ani Ma'amin" Composer - or Recreator - Passed Away

Arutz Sheva:

Motty Parnes, who composed the extremely popular melody to "Ani Maamin," the piyyut by the Rambam (Maimonides), has died, according to his cousin, Chanie Luz.

Luz said Monday that Parnes was in his mid-60s, and that he had been suffering from a degenerative disease.

This is a link to version of the song, as it appeared in a record by Pirchei Agudas Yisrael from 1969:

"From what I know about him, he was one of the first composers and instrumentalists in the hassidic musical revolution in the 60s," wrote Luz in her Facebook page. "He played in the first orchestra made up of hassidic yeshiva students, Negina, and composed the music to Ani Maamin and Pitchu Li Shaarei Tzedek, among other tunes, which virtually all religious people know."

The song is often sung at all kinds of ceremonies – including military ones, as can be seen in the video below.

Freely translated, the words mean:

"I believe with a complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he is running late, nonetheless, I will wait for him, every single day."

A commenter on Matzav, however, clarifies:

2. Comment from R. Weisberg
Time April 8, 2013 at 8:12 PM

Although I am deeply saddened by the death of our old friend, Motty, whom my husband Itzy Weisberg recently visited in New York, your facts are erroneous, although Mutty played guitar to accompany my husband, the nigun AniMaamin was composed solely by Itzy. Had it not been for Motty however, the nigun may have been lost since my husband composed it on Shabbos in Telshe Chicago and may have forgotten it had Mutty not played it on the guitar Motzei Shabbos. Baruch Dayan Emes to a wonderful musician. This song has inspired thousands of Jews around the world, certainly in part to Motty’s amazing musical ability. May it serve as an aliyas neshoma for him.

Whatever his role, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.  It is this song that has kept Kelal Yisrael yearning for Mashiah throughout the years.

Many good Mashiah songs have come afterwards and many versions of Ani Ma'amin have passed through time.  This one, though, has a special place in my heart and in the heart of so many.

I don't know if it's because it's the first one I learned as a child or if it's because of its beautiful tune or both.  It is a tune I use to rock my baby to bed and to affirm our faith at a Seudat Shelishit table.  It is the epitome of Mashiah songs.

Baruch Dayan Ha'emet.

Please Pray for Rav Yaakov Yosef

Please pray for Rav Yaakov Yosef Shlit"a, the son of Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlit"a, who was admitted to Hadassa Ein Kerem Hospital in serious condition.

His name is: Rav Yaakov Hai Ben Margalit רב יעקב חי בן מרגלית

Will Pigs be Permitted in the Future?

From this week's Kol Emunim newsletter, page 2.  Written by רב א ה ר from Beit Shemesh.  Translation and links added by me. 

It says in our Perasha "And the swine, because he parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, but cheweth not the cud, he is unclean unto you."

In Siddur Yaave"tz in Perek Shira (Zimrat Ha'aretz p.19b), he writes:

And even the pig, Raza"l said that HKB"H will in the future return it and permit it, but because of its abundance of Tum'ah [spiritual uncleanliness] and filth, it has no rectification currently until the future when HKB"H will remove the spirit of Tum'ah from the earth.  And scientists say that pigs cannot look up to heaven.  This is because of its falling into the depths of the Kelipot and the strength of its judgement.  This is why it is not mentioned in Perek Shira.

Really, the main statement of Haza"l - that it is called a חזיר since HKB"H will, in the future, return it להחזירו and permit it - is brought down in many of the early sages, among them: the Ikkarim (3:16) and the Ricanti in Shemini.  (However, Rabbeinu Bahye in Shemini writes that the Midrash is not literal, but allegorical, referring to Esav.  See there.  And see also the Ritv"a in Kiddushin 49b and Rosh Amana by the Abravanel, who say similarly.)

However, many Aharonim have alerted us to the fact that this Midrash is nowhere to be found.  The Benei Yissaschar (Adar 7:2) writes:

It is habitual in people's mouths to say that the pig will become Kosher in the future, but really, the source for this is unknown since it is not found in the Midrashim of Haza"l known to us.  Perhaps, it is a tradition that in the future, speedily in our days, at the time of conquest, it is destined to again become Kosher.

(See also the Sedei Hemed [here, here, here, and elsewhere] at length.)

The Torah will never be changed, and many Aharonim, like the Ikkarim (ibid), the Abravanel (ibid), the Responsa of the Radva"z (vol. 2, #828), and the Yefeh To'ar on Vayikra Rabba 13:3 have asked on this Midrash: how is it possible to be permitted in the future to eat pig meat when we know that one of the dogmas of faith is that the Torah will never change and there will never be another Torah from the Creator, may His name be blessed?

However, in the book Asara Ma'amarot by the Ram"a MiPano (Hikur Hadin 4:13), he writes:

HKB"H will, in the future, renew His creation with the 2 Simanim since right now, [a pig] only has split hooves, and in the future, it will chew its cud.  And that which the verse testifies about it "והוא גרה לא יגר" is not future tense, as the Rada"k says, but rather a past tense verb.

And the Or Hahayim in Shemini writes similarly:

והוא גרה לא יגר means that the matter is conditional.  As long as it doesn't chew its cud [, it is not Kosher].  However, in the future, it will chew its cud and it will return to being permissible. And it is not that it will remain without chewing its cud and still be permissible for the Torah does not change.

And it is similarly explained in the book Torat Moshe by the Hata"m Sofer in Parshat Re'eh (on the verse ואת החזיר):

Definitely, HKB"H will not uproot one Mitzvah from all the Mitzvot, as the commentators and researchers have asked on the aforementioned Midrash.  However, really, in the future, HKB"H will change the nature of the pig and remove its filth and its nature will be purified.  So, if its nature is purified, it will hence chew its cud and will become permissible for us.  And no Mitzvah is being uprooted from the Torah in this way since the Mitzvah remains forever - that a pig, who is haughty by nature, and thereby does not chew its cud, will forever remain forbidden.

And a shorter version of this is in Torat Moshe on Parshat Shemini (on the verse זאת החיה).

Is pig meat considered "something that has a future permissibility"?

The Sedei Hemed (Pe'at Hasadeh, Kelalim, Ma'arechet Gimel, #7) brings in the name of the book Mor Va'aholot in Ohel Rashei Besamim p. 6b, who asks on this Midrash that says that the pig will be permissible in the future because if this were true, it would have the law of something that has a future permissibility, and if it gets mixed into a cooked food, it could never be nullified (see Yoreh De'ah Siman 102), and we never found such a Halacha anywhere!  And the Hata"m Sofer in Torah Moshe (in Re'eh, ibid) asks similarly in the name of the great Ga'on Rav Avraham Avish ZT"L.  (And he build the foundation of his question upon the words of the Or Zaru'a (vol 1, Siman 756) and the Maharsha"l, who relate to a piece of meat that is forbidden because of a Teiku [when Eliyahu will come and may say that it is permissible] and then became mixed into another mixture, whether that is considered "something that has a future permissibility" or not.  See also the Ba"h, Yoreh De'ah, Siman 102.)

The Hata"m Sofer answers based on this foundation that the permissibility of the pig will be since its nature will change and will chew its cud, so granted those pigs that are still alive, their natures will change and will thereby become permissible.  However, a pig that got mixed into a cooked dish or among other pieces of meat where its nature did not change before it died will be forbidden forever.  Therefore, they cannot be called "something that has a future permissibility".  And the Or Yekarot on Shemini says the same on his own [YY- the Or Yekarot seems to say a totally different explanation to the Midrash.  צ"ע].

Why will only the pig be permissible in the future?

We really need to understand why the pig will change for the better over any other non-Kosher animal in that only it will become permissible to eat.  The early sages already discussed this and explained this in various ways.

We will copy the explanation of Maran Ha'Admo"r the author of the Hukei Hayim ZYA"A, who explained based on the holy Zohar (2, p. 41a) that the reason they took the Korban Pesah on the 10th of the month and all the other laws that are dependent on the holiday of Pesah is to show the Egyptians that their god is worthless - see there at length.  Also mentioned there is that the prohibition of breaking the bones of the Korban Pesah is only so that the bones will roll in the garbage cans and thereby be degraded in the eyes of the Egyptians and they will see the degradation of their deities.  We see that the main idea of the Korban Pesah is a means to nullify the Kelipa of Egypt. 

According to this, it's possible to say that just like in the Redemption from Egypt, they brought the sheep and ate it in order to nullify their deity which was the Kelipa of sheep, and they nullified it by eating it, so too, in the future, when the redemption will be from the Edomite exile, and the Kelipa of Edom is a pig as is mentioned in Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 13:5), therefore, they will then eat the pig in order to nullify their Kelipa in this way, since by slaughtering it and eating it, it will become degraded and the Kelipa of Edom will be nullified speedily, Amen, may it be Hashem's will.

Finding merit - by the Belzer Rebbe ZT"L

We will conclude with a nice anecdote from the [fourth] Belzer Rebbe ZTVK"L (brought down in the pamphlet "Sipurei Mofeit"), who was known to always advocate on behalf of Kelal Yisrael - and it was habitually said by the Admo"r [YY - I believe this refers to the Shomrei Emunim Rebbe] ZT"L that since the days of the Kedushat Levi from Berditchev, no one has advocated on behalf of Israel like him.  Once, people spoke with him regarding secular people in Israel who were raising pigs in their homes, and he answered them that these people must believe and expect the coming of Mashiah Tzidkeinu when the pig will be permitted again to be eaten, and that is why they are raising them.

For more about this subject, see footnotes 30 and 33 at Aharit.com and see this Teshuva by Rav Pinhas Zevihi Shlit"a.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Shemini 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• North Korea as east and north:
• North Korea, which is in the East of the world, is hinted to in the verses about the awakening of Geula: (Yeshaya 41:2) מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח, צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ; יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם, וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ - "Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth? He giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings"  The word יקראהו hints to קוריאה - "Korea", and the word צדק is Rashei Teivot for צפון דרום קוריאה - "North South Korea".
• Also, verse 5 there says רָאוּ אִיִּים וְיִרָאוּ, קְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ יֶחֱרָדוּ which is Rashei Teivot קוריאה - "Korea".
• And we find in Midrash that this "east" is also "north", hinting to North Korea, which is in East Asia, which is to where the 10 tribes were exiled.  As it says (Midrash Zuta Shir Hashirim 2): 
• "Who hath raised up one from the east" - And why does he come from the East?  Rather, from where the sun rises - this refers to Mashiah who is descended from David, who is allegorized by the sun, as it says "and his throne as the sun before Me".  And just as the verse says about him that he awakens when he is as if asleep, so too HKB"H, once the Keitz arrives, the verse says "I have roused up one from the north, and he is come, from the rising of the sun one that calleth upon My name".  And why does He come from the north?  Rather, it is because Israel was exiled to the north, Kevayachol, The Glory was exiled with them to the north.  This is why it says, "I have roused up one from the north."
• As the Malbim (Yeshaya 59:19) explains [see the verse there]:
• In the east, which is where the 10 tribes were exiled, as it says, "I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west".  There [in the east] is where the miracles and wonders will be revealed first since the redeemer will be revealed in the east, as it says, "Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth?" for in the east, they will see the glory of Hashem and His wonders.  And in the west, where is where the Diaspora are scattered - i.e. [the remaining tribes of] Yehuda and Binyamin are there, they will only hear the miracles from afar and they will see the name of Hashem coming from afar.  "For it will come" when the oppressor comes like a flooding river, referring to the camp of Gog Umagog, and "the breath of Hashem drive it" and lift up this river to raise up its waves, as it says "and I will turn thee about and lead thee on, and will cause thee to come up from the uttermost parts of the north".
• And also we see in the continuation of the verses in Yeshaya Chapter 41 that all this comes as revenge for oppressing the poor and downtrodden of the Jewish people:  "The poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I the LORD will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them."
• And even according to those commentators who explain the verse referring to the war that Avraham fought against the 4 kings to save Lot, we explained that the purpose of the war was to save Lot so that he will begot the root of King David.  And the verses hint to the birth of David, which is the birth of Mashiah.
• Also, the word קוראה is Rasheit Teivot of the words (Malachi 3:19) כִּי-הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם בָּא, בֹּעֵר כַּתַּנּוּר; וְהָיוּ כָל-זֵדִים וְכָל-עֹשֵׂה רִשְׁעָה, קַשׁ, וְלִהַט אֹתָם הַיּוֹם הַבָּא אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יַעֲזֹב לָהֶם שֹׁרֶשׁ וְעָנָף ["For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall set them ablaze, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."]
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that this idea is also mentioned in Zecharia (8:7) "Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save My people from the east country, and from the west country;".  And the Malbim explains that "east country" refers to the 10 tribes who were exiled to the east.
• North Korea and Kan Tzippor:
• The Zohar (Shemot 7b) says: "At that time (the time of the Geula), the King Mashiah will be awakened to exit the Garden of Eden from the place that is called Kan Tzippor [the Bird's Nest]".
• The letters קן ציפור are found in the beginning of Hebrew word for North Korea: צפון קוריאה.
• קן ציפור is also Rashei Teivot for קץ - Keitz.
• Also, the gematria of קן ציפור plus the words equals צפון קוראה [North Korea].
• R' Avraham Agassi adds that this gematria, which is 538, can be scrambled to 358, which is the gematria of משיח [Mashiah].
• Also, קן ציפור, which is the gematria of 536, can be scrambled to 356, which is the gematria of אמריקה [America].
• North Korea and the 10 tribes:
• If we connect this to our reality nowadays, that North Korea, which is in the east of the world, is threatening an immediate nuclear war against the United States, it is clear from Haza"l that the 10 tribes are in North Korea, something that also makes sense in reality since the area is closed off from the outside world until today, and it's impossible to know what's going on there.  And I heard from Rav Eliyahu Avihayil Shlit"a, who deals with 10-tribe issues, that they found tribes in South Korea that they think are descendants of the 10 tribes.  And similarly, they have also written me in the name of Dr. Avigdor Shahan HY"V who researched the topic of the 10 tribes.
• And recently, they instituted learning Gemara in the South Korean educational system.
• And also, the name of the South Korean-manufactured cars - Hyundai - is from the word "Yehudi".
• And I heard that these cars are the most-sold cars in Israel.
• Also, they have written me that from the year 676 CE until the year 935 CE, a kingdom by the name of "Silla" ruled over both Koreas.  שילה having the same gematria as משיח [Mashiah].
• Afterwards, the kingdom changed to the name Goryeo, which hints to גור אריה יהודה. 
• R' Avraham Yitzhak Weinberg adds that the threats occurred at the beginning of the קיץ [summer], which hints to the קץ [Keitz] and to the influence of the sun, which comes from the east.
• It was also publicized that North Korea makes an Avoda Zara from a הר געש [volcano] that is near them, and they made their leader into an idol since he was born at the footsteps of this volcano.  And the year תשע"ג is hinted to twice in the verse (Tehillim 18:8) וַתִּגְעַשׁ וַתִּרְעַשׁ, הָאָרֶץ-- וּמוֹסְדֵי הָרִים יִרְגָּזוּ; וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּ, כִּי-חָרָה לוֹ [Then the earth did shake and quake, the foundations also of the mountains did tremble; they were shaken, because He was wroth.]
• More about the verse from Yeshaya 41:2:
• We find in Midrash (Bereishit Rabba 2:3):
  

  HKB"H said: How long will the world conduct itself in the darkness.  Let the light come.  "And G-d said: Let there be light" - this refers to Avraham, about whom it says, "מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח, צֶדֶק  Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth?"  Don't read it העיר [raised up/awakened], but rather האיר [caused to shine].  "And G-d called the light 'day'" - this refers to Yaakov.  "And to darkness, He called 'night'" - this refers to Esav.  "And it was evening" - this refers to Esav.  "And it was morning" - this refers to Yaakov.  "And it was evening" - this refers to the setting of Esav.  "And it was morning" - this refers to the rising of Yaakov.  "One day" - as it says "And there shall be one day which shall be known as the LORD'S, not day, and not night".

• We see that the verse מִי הֵעִיר מִמִּזְרָח, צֶדֶק is connected to the Geula and to the time of "evening", which hints to the end of 5772.
• We also find this in another Midrash (Tanhuma Lech Lecha 9):

  The 4 kings engaged Avraham.  Also, to Israel, all the kings will engage them in the future, as it says, "Why are the nations in an uproar? And why do the peoples mutter in vain?  The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed".  Just like by Avraham, HKB"H went out and fought against his enemies, as it says, "Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth? He giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; his sword maketh them as the dust, his bow as the driven stubble," so too in the future, HKB"H will do so for His children, as it says "Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fighteth in the day of battle."

• More on North Korea:
• [After previously quoting the Zohar saying that the nation that will fight against Edom will be from the ends of the earth, and then quoting Rav Nahmani ZT"L saying that this nation is North Korea, which is Rashei Teivot of Keitz, he adds:] We also see on a map that North Korea is on the easternmost part of the Asian continent, being the furthest edge of the Asian continent from the Land of Israel.  And since the influence of the world starts from Israel, the point of North Korea is fitting to be called "the ends of the earth". 
• Also, modern North Korea was established and gained its independence in the same year that Israel did - in 1948.  
• Rav Shelomo Reiskin adds that the name of its leader is "Jong", which hints to "Gog".
• Also, the name of North Korea in the past was "Gojoseon" [גוג'סאון] and later "Goguryeo".
• And it is said about Prince Gog, that he is "the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal".  And in the book "Tzippita Lishu'a" (p. 69) by Rav Yoel Schwartz Shlit"a, he explains that "Tuval" is "Korea", as the Yerushalmi Megilla (1:9) brings down that Tuval is "Vitanya" [which could mean Vietnam, or its once Communist ally, North Korea].
• Rav Y.S. Tzur adds that צפון קוריאה is the same gematria as מלאך המות.
• [See more about North Korea at this recent Shirat Devorah post, this recent Tomer Devorah post, and by searching for Korea on my blog.]
• [In Rav Fish's view,] President Obama has turned around from being an enemy of Israel into a friend:
• [After discussing the connection between the new government and "לבן", Rav Fish adds:] And we also see that President Obama, who sits in the White House [בית הלבן], has turned around his hatred for many years of the State of Israel into a friend - at the same time as the establishment of the new government, and he came to visit the Land of Israel for the first time since he became president 4 years ago.  This is because he feels that they belong to the same Kelipa, as he told Lapid when they met for the first time, that he has what to discuss with him.  And even though we brought many signs that he is Gog, the wickedness of Gog is that he goes out to fight against Hashem and against His Mashiah, but these Kelipot [in power], he has no problem with them!
• As we find in the Torah that when Yaakov was by Lavan, Esav didn't fight against him and didn't try to harm him in any way, but immediately when Yaakov left Lavan, it says (Bereishit 32:7): 'We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.'  Why specifically now was Esav awakened to fight against Yaakov?  Where was he all these years?  And if we say that Esav didn't know where Yaakov was, who informed him now?  Some explain that Esav was afraid of Lavan, but if so, it still troubling: what changed when Yaakov left Lavan?  Yaakov was going with his wives, who were the daughters of Lavan, so he still had something to fear.  It could be explained according to what we are saying that after Yaakov took the blessings with מרמה, a strong Kitrug on the side of the Sitra Ahora against Yaakov was awakened since he took the blessing for this world too.  This caused the angel of Esav in Heaven to move Esav down below to want to kill Yaakov.  Rivka knew the power of the Satan, so she wisened up against it.  This is the meaning of the verse (Bereishit 27:43) "Now therefore, my son, hearken to my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran."  That was so that Yaakov will go to Lavan and will be under Lavan's protection, as he was much worse than Esav.  And the angel of Esav was calmed down since he saw that Yaakov will go to Lavan who wanted to uproot everything, and he is much worse than me, said the angel.  All this was for the immediate salvation of Yaakov's body so that the Satan will be calmed and a certain time will pass, and by that time, Rivka hoped that with the passage of time, the situation will improve, as it says (verse 44) "and tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away".  The intent was for the angel of Esav in Heaven's fury to turn away.  But all this didn't help since at the moment that Yaakov left Lavan, and the Satan saw that he left in peace, he reawakened his Kitrug and caused Esav down below to act against Yaakov, so it follows that Esav left with 400 men.
• And it happened that Obama's car did not run when he was on his way to Yerushalayim, and there is a sign that in the future, he will be stopped again on his way to Yerushalayim.
• The Rama"z adds that the issue with the car was that they put diesel in it instead of דלק [gasoline].  This is just like Yaakov told Lavan: כי דלקת אחרי.
• Ya'ir Lapid:
• [After discussing how יאיר לפיד is the gematria of משה - Moshe, to whom he actually compared himself in a pre-Pesah video, Rav Fish points out that]  יאיר לפיד plus the words and letters is also the gematria of פרעה - Pharoah, who is the לעומת זה [corresponding figure on the other side] of Moshe Rabbeinu.  
• R' Yosef Sheinberger adds that this government of apostasy is the 19th Knesset of the State of Israel.  This hints to the blessing for the apostates in the Amida, which was the 19th blessing that Haza"l established.  
• Also, Ya'ir Lapid's party has 19 representatives.
• Also, יאיר לפיד with the words equals ארמילוס, the Kelipa that opposes Mashiah.
• More on the government as being a catalyst for the Geula:
• R' Yosef Sheinberger adds that כלו הפך לבן is the Rashei Teivot of כלה, which hints to אגרא דכלה דוחקא, [which we explained in the name of the Gr"a means that the main reward for Torah study is the poverty associated with it,] which hastens the Geula.
• Also, the text of the Hagadda, which says: שבכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותינו והקדוש ברוך הוא מצילנו מידם is the gematria of ה'תשע"ג.  
• It was also publicized over the holiday that Maran Rav Shteinman Shlit"a told Rav Dov Povarsky Shlit"a in regard to the new government that we already see "the feet of the messenger of good tidings".
• Locusts before the Geula:
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that ארבה [locusts] plus the Kollel equals לפיד בנט ביבי.
• "Erev" as these years:
• The Zohar Hadash (Tikkunim 132b) says on the verse  וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה, לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב [And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide] that לפנות ערב hints to the clearing away (פינוי) of the ערב רב - Erev Rav from the world during the time of Erev.

Interesting Recent Links - Shemini 5773

YWN - Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Syria damaged further

NBC5Chicago - Et Tu Mark Kirk? (yet another example of Al Tivtehu Bindivim...)

End of Days blog - Korean Peninsula Inching Closer to World War

Mashiach is Coming blog - Advice from a Jewish Mother

Kikar - Why are Israeli musicians coming closer to religion?

Tomer Devorah - The Battle for Jerusalem

Life in Israel - Tamar Gas flow starts on a Shabbos

Arutz Sheva - Ruling shows that rock-throwing that kills = murder