In Honor of the Hafetz Hayim's 80th Yahrtzeit

In honor of the Hafetz Hayim's 80th Yahrtzeit today, we will quote from the very end of his book Shem Olam:

...And now we will speak about the third reason [why a benefactor won't give a gift to the recipient] which is a deficiency in the recipient since he is not worthy of the gift. To this, it could be said that this reason doesn't apply to HKB"H since when He wants to redeem, He doesn't look at their deeds, but rather, והוא יפדה את ישראל מכל עוונותיו [And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.] This is as it says in Shir Hashirim Rabba on the verse מְדַלֵּג, עַל-הֶהָרִים--מְקַפֵּץ, עַל-הַגְּבָעוֹת:

Moshe told the Israelites that they are being redeemed in this month. They replied to him, "How could we be redeemed? We have no good deeds!" He replied back, "Once He wants your redemption, He doesn't look at your evil deeds." ...

What comes out of all this is that a person should not give up hope from mercy from Hashem Yitbarach, and one needs to expectantly long for salvation. And this is especially true nowadays when numerous consecutive troubles have befallen us and especially the prevention of Parnassah - and if someone makes money, it goes into a bag with a hole in it. And literally what is written וְהִשְׁאַרְתִּי בְקִרְבֵּךְ, עַם עָנִי וָדָל [And I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people...] has been fulfilled in us. So, definitely, we need to expect every day the mercy of Hashem Yitbarach, and let the verse וְאֶת-עַם עָנִי, תּוֹשִׁיעַ [And the afflicted people Thou dost save] be fulfilled in us.

Rav Mutzafi Shlit"a on How to Survive the Syrian Crisis

No big Hiddushim here.

From his website:

שאלה - 114395

בעקבות החשש שהמתקפה של ארה"ב בסוריה תגרום חס ושלום למתקפה של האוייב לישראל, מה הרב ממליץ לביטול הגזרה ולשמירה והגנה על תושבי כל הארץ ולסייעתא דשמיא שלא ניפגע ולא נפחד

תשובה

לשוב בתשובה ולהרבות בלימוד התורה.

Translation:

Question:

In the wake of the concern that a US attack on Syria will Has Veshalom cause an attack by the enemy against Israel, what does the Rav suggest to cancel the decree and for the safeguarding and protection of the inhabitants of the entire land, and for Heavenly assistance so that we will not be harmed and not be afraid?

Answer:

To repent and increase Torah study.

Interesting Recent Links - Nitzavim/Vayelech 5773 II

Mashiach's Wife - Are Current Events a Fulfillment of Ancient Prophecy?

Arutz Sheva- Russia Sending Battleships to Mediterranean

Kikar - Gas mask rush frustrates those waiting in line (video) while Rav Hayim Kanievsky Shlit"a responds to avreichim from the Mir who asked whether they should similarly wait to get gas masks by saying, "Masks? They're for Purim!" See also YWN. Later, Kikar added that Rav Kanievsky added, "One should only fear Rosh Hashana and that our merits should be numerous while in judgement." It also notes Rav Shteinman Shlit"a's long-standing opposition to gas masks, which he claims can be dangerous. (Other gedolei hador may argue, so always ask your LOR.)

YWN - Gas Mask Stations Mobbed in Every City in Israel

Esser Agaroth - It's not About Syria; It's About Israel

Mystical Paths - War Warnings - Return through Love or Fear?

Tomer Devorah - The Clash of Civilizations - It's not What You Think

YWN - Rav David Batzri Shlit"a Collapses while giving Shiur

YWN - Rav Ovadia Shlit"a Released from Hadassah Hospital

Kikar - Rav Mahpud: Shirazi and Yazdi Jews must go through examination to see if their Berit Milah is Kosher (and the Mohelim are named)

YWN - A Passionate Appeal from the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah in Eretz Yisrael

Kikar - Belzer and Sanzer Rebbes meet and declare, "We are in exile among the Jews"

YWN - Tekuma Rabbonim Send a Stern Letter to Bennett See the actual letter over at Kikar.

The Path to Follow - Shuvyomechad (p. 2) and The Paper is White (p.5)

YWN - W4W Condemns WoW Sit-in at Kotel

YUTorah - Rav Meir Goldwicht: The Power of Yishmael (audio in Hebrew - OK, it's not so recent, but well-worth a listen, h/t R' Josh)

Algemeiner - The Orthodox Rabbi and the Rapper (h/t R' Gil)

Is the War with Syria to Begin on Elul 25?

Debka says so. (H/t Devash)

If true, it is interesting since it matches the Zohar Balak 212b, which says that wars will break out on the 25th of Elul. It is also the same day that the Benghazi attack occurred last year, as was noted here. You can also see the translation of the Zohar here, but note that this translation was biased toward 9/11/01 being the start of the war (which may not be totally off-base, either).

Of course, Elul 25 is also the day the world was created, 5772 years ago. All the Derashot for 5772 still apply.

And as Rav Fish mentioned a few weeks ago, the Zohar mentions Elul 25 falling out on Shabbat. (Note that some versions mention it falling out on Friday, but such a thing is impossible because of Lo Adu Rosh - as mentioned by the footnote here.) Plus, it's the Shabbat of Nitzavim/Vayelech which talks about Geula in the Torah portion. Plus, as mentioned before, Nitzavim/Vayelech correspond to the current century. Also, as Rav Fish brought down, R' S. Reiskin says:
כ"ה אלול תשע"ג = לכה דודי לקראת כלה.

Interestingly, this is all happening right after the last of the eligible Falash Mura arrive in Israel in Operation Kanfei Yonah.

As it says:

וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, יוֹסִיף אֲדֹנָי שֵׁנִית יָדוֹ, לִקְנוֹת, אֶת-שְׁאָר עַמּוֹ--אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁאֵר מֵאַשּׁוּר וּמִמִּצְרַיִם וּמִפַּתְרוֹס וּמִכּוּשׁ, וּמֵעֵילָם וּמִשִּׁנְעָר וּמֵחֲמָת, וּמֵאִיֵּי, הַיָּם.

May we only see and hear good things soon.

Is Damascus Destined to be Destroyed?

A few months ago, Rav Fish brought down some material from the beginning of chapter 7 of Yeshaya and applied it to our days.  However, he stopped at verse 7 and did not comment on verse 8.  I assume the reason for the lack of comment is that doing so would be controversial at best and being פותח פה לשטן at worst.  This is because if we apply that verse to today, the logical reading of the verse foretells the downfall of the State of Israel after 65 years.  However, there are less controversial ways to explain it, as we will explain.

A little background: Pekah the King of Israel and Retzin the King of Aram are fighting against Yehuda. Pekah had slaughtered 120,000 and captured 200,000 (Divrei Hayamim Bet 28:5-8), but he and Retzin were unable to conquer Yerushalayim (Yeshaya 7:1). The prophet is now describing the downfall of both Pekah and Retzin.

Yeshaya 7:8 reads:

כִּי רֹאשׁ אֲרָם דַּמֶּשֶׂק, וְרֹאשׁ דַּמֶּשֶׂק רְצִין; וּבְעוֹד, שִׁשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה, יֵחַת אֶפְרַיִם, מֵעָם.

For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.

Note, however, that Mechon Mamre's translation is not completely accurate according to Metzudat David and Radak. They explain the words יחת אפרים מעם to mean that Aram will be broken while Ephraim will also be broken as a people. (That is, they will go into exile.)  Note that according to Metzudat David and Radak, the verse is mainly speaking about Aram's fate, while also mentioning the fate of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  The verse would therefore be translated like this:

For the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall it be broken, and that Ephraim be not a people.

All the commentators seem to say that the 65 years mentioned here were not to begin from the moment this prophecy was given, but rather, they began earlier with the prophecy of Amos (chapter 7) where it states that Israel would be sent into exile. Metzudat David notes that the prophecy of doom against Aram was within the 65 years (see Melachim Bet 16:9) while the prophecy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel was for exactly 65 years, and it mentioned 65 as the maximum for the doom of both.

If we do two things to keep the simple meaning of the verse, however, we can make an interesting observation. The two things we can do is to first start counting from when this prophecy was given, and secondly, we can make the 65 years an exact year count - even for Aram.  How do we do this? By applying it to today.

If you take the beginning of the verse, in addition to the ו of ובעוד:

כִּי רֹאשׁ אֲרָם דַּמֶּשֶׂק, וְרֹאשׁ דַּמֶּשֶׂק רְצִין; וּ

you get a gematria of 2523.

Furthermore, we know from Seder Olam Rabba that Yeshaya 7 occurred in the 20th year of Pekah. According to this chart, that would be just before Hoshe'a ben Elah took over in 3186, so it would be sometime in late 3185.  If you add 2523 to 3185, you get 5708, the year the State of Israel was declared.

Then, the verse says:

בְעוֹד, שִׁשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה, יֵחַת

meaning, in another 65 years from 5708, it will be broken. That is, Aram will be broken. Aram is today's Syria - the Syria of the end of 5773 and beginning of 5774.

Ok, but how about the rest of the verse? The verse concludes:

אֶפְרַיִם, מֵעָם

This could possibly have a positive spin to it, and mean that the concept that our nation requires a leader from Ephraim will be broken, as it says in Yehezkel 37:22:

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.

As it says in Otzar Hamidrashim, when the Nero of the East (נרון מזרחי = באשאר אסאד) who's in Damascus falls, all the kingdoms of the east fall, and then the salvation for Israel will sprout and Mashiah ben David comes...

May we merit to see this speedily in our days.

Interesting Recent Links - Nitzavim/Vayelech 5773

Kikar - Concern about all Beritot Milah done in Shiraz, Iran not being Kosher

B'Ohel Haneviyim - Ki Tavo 5773

Years of Awe - 266 Days and Counting

Arutz Sheva - Report: Syrian Intervention Could Begin Within a Week

Seforim blog - On whether Rav Zevin ZT"L wrote the pro-Yeshiva-draft article attributed to him (See a great Sukka poster there too. H/t R' Gil. ) See also page 30 of the previously-linked Kuntras by Rav Benizri.

Rav Fish - Geula Update - Ki Tavo 5773 (sorry, no translation this week)

Wikisource - A new Tanach on the Internet - see the explanation at TorahMusings (looks nice although one slight issue I have is that some of the Kametz Katans there are IMHO incorrect).

YWN - Ketzaleh: Oust Bennett Before It's Too Late. See also Kikar, quoting from Besheva.

Cross Currents - Motivators (Rabbi Shafran on a recent Bar Mitzvah which looked like too much of a bar and the opposite of a Mitzvah.) See also Emes Ve'emunah.

YWN - Rav Ovadia Shlit"a doesn't give his Motza'ei Shabbat Shiur and goes to the hospital for severe back pain, but is B"H doing better

Kikar - Praying for Rav Ovadia's health at the Kotel (pictures)

Interesting Recent Links - Ki Tavo 5773 II

Arutz Sheva - Area Near Al-Aqsa Mosque Collapses

Arutz Sheva - Activists to Bayit Yehudi: Time to Wake Up

YWN - Gafni: "This government reminds us of Sedom and Amora"

Yated - A New Week Brings New Threats

Arutz Sheva - Rabbi Ronsky: Inaction in Syria Foretells Inaction if Israel is Attacked

Hezbos - The Fresh Air of Redemption

Kikar - The gift that surprised President Shimon Peres (So you mean to tell me that President Peres is a descendant of Rav Hayim Volozhin and PM Netanyahu is a descendant of the Gr"a? I'm not quite sure what to make of this.)

Cross Currents - Angels at the Hollywood Bowl

Mashiach Is Coming - For the Love of Torah

Tomer Devorah - Ki Tavo: The Ultimate Punishment

Marbeh Torah - An Irreverent Play in Brisk Turns Out to be Accurate (page 4, left column)

Life In Israel - Quote from Avigdor Lieberman on How Erdogan Continues to Show How He's an Anti-Semite

Interesting Recent Links - Ki Tavo 5773

VIN - Only Orthodox Jew of Nicaragua Passes Away

JTA - Jewish School in Gondar, Ethiopia closes as Ethiopian Aliya Nears End

Tatsats has a note on my lastest Rav Fish post based on his Shitta

YWN - B’Ohel Haneviyim: Parshas Ki Seitzei 5773

R' Pinchas Lipshutz - A Meaningful Elul (Interesting story with the Munkatcher Rebbe.)

Matzav - Study Claims Global Warming will Lead to Wars

Kikar - Rav Benizri publishes second and expanded version of his Kuntras on why Yeshiva boys are exempt from the army. The link to the Kuntras is here.

Kikar - Aryeh Deri: "Par'oh decreed only against the males; Lapid decreed even against the females"

Kikar - Meir Porush: "Lapid prevents bread from children and is proud of it"

Shiloh Musings - Netanyahu, Lapid Punish Families With Children and Bennett is Silent

YWN - Chareidi Retaliatory Initiative Against Dati Leumi Tzibur (There are crazy ideas and crazy people everywhere. B"H, this is not a widespread initiative.)

YWN - The Summer of Discontent

YWN - Ketzaleh: Change Lapid for the Haredim

YWN - Shas Calls on BY to Bolt Coalition

Kikar - Rav Ben Dahan meets Rav Ovadia Shlit"a. See also Arutz Sheva.

VIN - Livni: "Dramatic Decisions" Coming Up in Piece Talks (Lo Aleinu)

Cross Currents - Black Peril, White Knights (Rabbi Shafran about WoW)

Jerusalem Post - Tradition Versus Modernity: Women of the Wall

YWN - Kiddush Hashem - Israeli tennis team won't play on Yom Kippur despite an over $13,000 fine

Life In Israel - Kiddush Hashem - Israeli soccer team shields children from pouring rain while the Ukranian team twiddles their thumbs See also Mashiach is Coming

Matzav - Wendy Runge Granted Parole

Kikar - Rabbanit Koldetsky gives suggestions for women to light candles earlier and pray 3 times a day

The Path to Follow - A Terrifying Reminder (page 4)

Mubarak Mubarak

Wikipedia:

Mubarak (Arabic: مبارك‎, Mubārak) is an Arabic given name, which has the meaning "blessed one".

Fox News: Report: Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to be freed

Egyptian judicial officials have ordered former President Hosni Mubarak freed from jail, a stunning turnaround for the 85-year-old strongman who ruled the nation for three decades before being ousted in a popular revolution, and a move that could plunge the unraveling North African nation into further violence.

...

He will still continue to stand retrial for the protesters' killing but cannot be held in custody anymore because of a two-year limit for holding an individual in custody pending a final verdict. Mubarak has been in detention since April 2011, and is being held at Tora prison on the southern outskirts of Cairo, the same facility where senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood are being held.

Hmmmm....

Pollard Pleads for Redemption - and Not of Himself

Jerusalem Post: Jonathan Pollard: Restoring Israel to Greatness:

...

In summary, Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world so befuddled by moral ambiguity that it is willing to dishonor its dead, betray its bereaved, and disgrace its citizens for the sake of political expediency.

...

A sovereign state which is capable of dishonoring its dead by freeing their murderers and tormenting their bereaved loved ones has, in essence, discarded all of the moral underpinnings of its own existence.

Nor should it come as any surprise – as any student of history knows – that no country can survive without a clearly defined moral infrastructure.

The Land of Israel is eternal and the State of Israel has temporal stewardship over the land. The corrosive moral ambiguity that has brought us to this dreadful day is relentlessly eating away at the legitimacy of the state’s continued role as legal guardian of the land. The prognosis is dire.

Only a reawakening of national resolve and a rebirth of ethical politics rooted in national self-respect, moral rectitude and courage of conviction can guarantee the future. No political process devoid of these fundamental values will ever end the agony or the fear for the State of Israel.

It is clearly time for an historic restoration.

Cosmic calls Pollard's article "a painful read". And the reason it's painful is because of its truth.

Dov Bar Leib tells us to pay attention to everything he says because he "speaks volumes".

Soul Mazal assigns Mashiah-significance to his words.

As does Mashiach's Wife.

And I agree.

The "corrosive moral ambiguity" is pretty much what our sages have predicted for Ikveta Dimshiha (Sota 49b, Sanhedrin 97a).

I came across an amazing one-two punch of the Targum Yonatan and Malbim on Micha 4:8.  The verse states:

וְאַתָּה מִגְדַּל-עֵדֶר, עֹפֶל בַּת-צִיּוֹן--עָדֶיךָ תֵּאתֶה; וּבָאָה, הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה הָרִאשֹׁנָה, מַמְלֶכֶת, לְבַת יְרוּשָׁלִָם

And thou, Migdal-eder, the hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come; yea, the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

The Targum Yonatan, quoted by both Rashi and the Radak, explains this verse as follows:

ואת משיחא דישראל דטמיר מן קדם חובי כנשתא דציון לך עתידא מלכותא למיתי וייתי שלטונא קדמאה למלכות כנשתא דירושלם

And you, the Mashiah of Israel, who is hidden due to the sins of the congregation of Zion, to you the kingdom is destined to come, and the original rulership will come to the kingdom of the congregation of Yerushalayim.

We see that the delay of Mashiah's arrival and causing him to be hidden is due to our sins.

The Malbim takes a different approach to this verse, and says that it tells us the stages of history that lead up to Mashiah.  He writes:

ואתה מגדל עדר, מסב פניו אל הר ציון הנזכר, אומר אליו, אתה הר ציון, שאתה מגדל של העדר הלז, שהוא עדר הצאן הצולעה והנדחה, תחלה תהיה כמגדל של צאן, ואח״כ תהיה עופל, שהוא מבצר חזק, ומפרש שזה יהיה בשלש מדרגות, תחלה בת ציון עדיך תאתה שהגליות יתחילו להתקבץ וגלות יהודה ובנימין שהם בת ציון שגלו מציון בחורבן בית שני יתקבצו אליך, ואח״כ ובאה הממשלה הראשונה , תבוא ממשלה קטנה, שיהיה להם קצת ממשלה והנהגה כמו שהיו לישראל בימים הראשונים לפני מלך מלך לבני ישראל שהיה להם שופטים מנהיגים אותם, ואח״כ תבא ממלכת לבת ירושלים יהיה להם מלכות קבוע שהוא מלכות בית דוד, שאח״כ ימלוך המלך המשיח בממלכה קבועה, וכן התבאר ביחזקאל סי׳ ל״ד כ״ג כ״ד, וסי׳ ל״ו כ״ד כ״ה, ועמוס ט׳ י״א , שמלכות בית דוד תתגלה בהדרגה, ותחלה לא יהיה רק במדרגת שופט ויתעלה לאט לאט עד שיהיה לה׳ המלוכה , עיי״ש:

"And thou, Migdal-eder" - He turns His face toward Mt. Zion that was mentioned, and tells it, "You Mt. Zion, who are a tower of that flock, as the returning exiles are like a flock of sheep, first you will be like a tower of sheep and then you will be 'the hill', which is a strong fortress."  And it explains that this will be in 3 steps: First, "the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come" - that the exiles will start to gather, and the exile of Yehuda and Binyamin, who are "the daughter of Zion" as they were exiled from Zion in the destruction of the second Beit Hamikdash, will gather toward you. Afterwards, "yea, the former dominion shall come" - a small kingdom will come, which will be for them a little bit of rulership and leadership as Israel had in the days of old before a king ruled over the children of Israel, where they had the Shofetim leading them. And afterwards, will come "the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem" - they will have a set kingdom, which is the Kingdom of the House of David, as afterward, the King Mashiah will rule as a set kingdom.  And this was similarly explained in Yehezkel 34:23-24 and 36:24-25 and Amos 9:11 - that the Kingdom of the House of David will be revealed in stages, and first, it will only be the stage of a Shofet, and it will rise up little by little until the kingship will be Hashem's.  See there.

In the Malbim's prophetic words, stage 1 started in the 1800s and lasted until 1948.  Stage 2 began in 1948, and we are in the last vestiges of it today.  We are eagerly awaiting stage 3, which hasn't arrived yet due to our misdeeds.

Stage 2 is compared to that of the Shofetim.  I'd like to suggest that the first and last verses of Megilat Rut explain where we are and where we want to be.

Rut begins:

וַיְהִי, בִּימֵי שְׁפֹט הַשֹּׁפְטִים

and Haza"l say:

אוי לדור ששפטו את שופטיהם ואוי לדור ששופטיו צריכין להשפט

It is woeful times when a prisoner in the darkness of prison needs to rebuke the leaders of Israel for its misdeeds.  However, the darkest part of night is right before dawn, which brings me to the last verse in Rut:

וְעֹבֵד הוֹלִיד אֶת-יִשָׁי, וְיִשַׁי הוֹלִיד אֶת-דָּוִד

This represents the Malbim's third stage. May it come speedily in our days.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Ki Tetze 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• Finding the Keitz from the Torah
• It says in Shir Hashirim (7:12-13):
  
  לְכָה דוֹדִי נֵצֵא הַשָּׂדֶה, נָלִינָה בַּכְּפָרִים. נַשְׁכִּימָה, לַכְּרָמִים--נִרְאֶה אִם-פָּרְחָה הַגֶּפֶן פִּתַּח הַסְּמָדַר, הֵנֵצוּ הָרִמּוֹנִים; שָׁם אֶתֵּן אֶת-דֹּדַי, לָךְ.
  And the Targum on verse 13 is (my translation):
  

  אֲמָרִין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִלֵּין לְאִלֵּין נַקְדִּים בְּצַפְרָא וּנְהָךְ לְבֵית כְּנִשְׁתָּא וּלְבֵית מִדְרְשָׁא וּנְבַקֵּר בְּסִפְרָא דְּאוֹרַיְתָא וְנֶחֱמֵי אִי מָטָא זְמַן פֻּרְקָנָא דְּעַמָא בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּמְתִילִין לְגוּפְנָא לְאִתְפַּרָקָא מִגָּלוּתְהוֹן וְנִשְׁאָל לְחַכִּימַּיָא אִתְגְּלֵי קֳדָם ה' זְכוּתָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא דְּמַלְיָן פִּקּוֹדַיָּא כְּרִמָּנָא אִי מָטָא קִצָּא לְמֵסָק לִירוּשְׁלֵם לְמַתָּן תַּמָּן שְׁבָח לֶאֱלָהָא דִּשְׁמַיָא וּלְמִקְרָב עַלְוָן וְנִכְסָת קוּדְשִׁין.

  The children of Israel say one to another, "Let's get up early in the morning and go to the synagogue and study hall and research in the book of the Torah and see if the time of the Redemption of the Nation of the House of Israel - which is compared to a vine - has arrived to be redeemed from their exile. And we will ask the sages - about whom it is revealed to Hashem the merit of the righteous, who are full of Mitzvot like a pomegranate - if the Keitz has arrived to go up to Yerushalayim to give there praises to the G-d of the heavens and to bring burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.

• We see from this Targum that searching for the time of the Keitz is in the Torah. And in every generation, Jewish people get up every morning and go to the synagogue and study hall to learn Torah and to search the Torah to know if the time of the Keitz and Redemption of Israel has arrived. This is in order to know if the time to go up to Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh has arrived to be ready to bring sacrifices.
• And as Rav Fish mentioned earlier, we brought down a Midrash where Habakkuk asks Hashem, "Until when?" to which Hashem replied to him to take a tablet and to write the entire Alef Bet on it, and he'll know the Keitz. This shows that the knowledge of the Keitz is through the letters of the Torah.
• Also by the Exodus, the Midrash states, "It teaches that they possessed scrolls which they would read weekly saying that HKB"H would redeem them."
• Lapid and Eliphaz
• [YY - I'm assuming Rav Fish got this either directly or indirectly from here. ע"ש.]
• In Parshat Vayetze, Haza"l tell us about Eliphaz Harasha, the son of Esav Harasha. When Yaakov Avinu was on his way to Yeshivat Shem Ve'ever, Eliphaz ran after him and emptied him of all his money due to "valid excuses" of honoring one's parents. Eliphaz married Timna, a woman who had a strong bond to holiness because she wanted to cling to the progeny of Avraham. From this union, came out Amalek.
• The comparison of Eliphaz to Yair Lapid is clear: He is a Rasha, the son of a Rasha, who wants to empty the money of those going to Yeshivot using "valid excuses". Lapid joined with נפתלי - which is the gematria of תימנע (with the י) - who appears to have a strong bond with holiness, and from this union came this government which is the Kelipa of Amalek who fight against the Torah.
• This is just as was publicized in the name of Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman Shlit"a, who said to have in mind during the Torah reading this week to fulfil wiping out Amalek - on the Amalek of our generation, Yair Lapid.
• Also, לפיד with the letters is the gematria of אליפז.
• Also, an amazing thing in Torah codes: "יאיר לפיד" in the smallest spacing in the Torah crosses the name "אליפז". It also includes the portion with לב"ן and Yaakov. In addition, it has קרח, who fought with Moshe Rabbeinu, and "רפאים", who symbolize the Erev Rav who weaken (מרפים) Jews from the Torah. Also, it has תשע"ג.
  
• And amazingly, Ribbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira ZT"L, the grandfather of the Baba Sali, wrote a Piyut called "י-ה אביר" and is published in his book יגל יעקב. In this Piyut, he asks Hashem to save the money of Israel from Edom, Eliphaz, and Amalek, as if they are alive today, and from harsh taxes, and from "the fire of Lapid", and "the father of Lapid" is also hinted to. Also, he requests that Hashem speedily give bread to His people, and to take revenge upon Put, Canaan, and Amon, which will take place in the Gog Umagog War. Here is the wording of that Piyut:

  יָהּ אַבִּיר בִּיר, תִּיסַד סִיד וּתְכוֹנֵן וְתַחְמֹל מוֹל, וְתָרוּם רוּם שְׁמָמָה: עַם דָּל וְנִרְמָס מִמִּרְמַס מַס, וְהַצִּיל וְתֶאֱשָׁם שָׁם, וְתַפִּיל פִּיל מְהוּמָה: קָדוֹשׁ דּוֹשׁ וְתִרְמֹס מוֹס, כַּתְבָן וְגַרְגָּר גָּר מְפֹאָר אָר הָרִימָה: בְּזָדוֹן דּוֹן אֱדוֹם דּוֹם, וְכַלֵּה עֲמָלֵק לֵיק, לְעֵשָׂו שָׂו כִּסְדוֹמָה: אֱלִיפָז פָּז נִתְקַשָּׁט שָׁט, בְּעוֹלָה גְּמוּלוֹ לוֹ לְהָרַע רָע שְׁלֵימָה: בְּמוֹאָב אָב אֵשׁ לַפִּיד פִּיד, וְהִכָּרֵת וְהַסְתֵּת תֵּת וְיַתֵּת תֵּת לְשַׁמָּה: יָהּ עֲמוֹד מוֹד לְאַכְזָר, וּתְאַבֵּד כִּי אָבַד בַּד, וְשִׁבַּר בַּר וְחוֹמָה: חִישׁ לֶחֶם חָם, וְתִשְׁפֹּט פּוֹט וּכְנָעַן לַעֲמוֹן מוֹן, פְּלָשֶׁת שֵׁת לִמְהוּמָה

• 5773, 5774, 5775
• [YY - The following gematrias can be verified by typing the year into Gezageza's gematria page.]
• Rav A.T.A. notes that the only complete verse with the gematria of 5773 is (Yirmiya 23:27) הַחֹשְׁבִים, לְהַשְׁכִּיחַ אֶת-עַמִּי שְׁמִי, בַּחֲלוֹמֹתָם, אֲשֶׁר יְסַפְּרוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ--כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכְחוּ אֲבוֹתָם אֶת-שְׁמִי, בַּבָּעַל [That think to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.]
• Also, the only complete verse with the gematria of 5774 is (Shemuel Bet 7:10) וְשַׂמְתִּי מָקוֹם לְעַמִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְטַעְתִּיו, וְשָׁכַן תַּחְתָּיו, וְלֹא יִרְגַּז, עוֹד; וְלֹא-יֹסִיפוּ בְנֵי-עַוְלָה לְעַנּוֹתוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה [And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disquieted no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first]
• Also, one of the only two verses with the gematria of 5775 has to do with searching for David Hamelech (Shemuel Alef 23:23): וּרְאוּ וּדְעוּ, מִכֹּל הַמַּחֲבֹאִים אֲשֶׁר יִתְחַבֵּא שָׁם, וְשַׁבְתֶּם אֵלַי אֶל-נָכוֹן, וְהָלַכְתִּי אִתְּכֶם; וְהָיָה, אִם-יֶשְׁנוֹ בָאָרֶץ--וְחִפַּשְׂתִּי אֹתוֹ, בְּכֹל אַלְפֵי יְהוּדָה [See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hideth himself, and come ye back to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.]
• Rav Tzion David Siboni adds that the party יש עתיד is the same letters as י"י תשע"ד, showing that they are Hashem's stick in the year 5774 to bring the days of Mashiah.
• Also, יש עתיד plus the letters = the verse כי עת לחננה כי בא מועד
• Also, אש לפיד = משיח בן דוד.
• Another Torah Code
• Here's another Torah Code table from Rav Glazerson, where one can see that it passes through the story of Korah, Datan and Aviram against Moshe Rabbeinu. [קרח ועדתו = יש עתיד] The table contains "Government of Shemad", "Lapid", "Bennett", "Oppressor", "Of Torah", "5773":
  
• 9 Months
• [After mentioning the 9 months that started with Kerry's White House speech, and will end on Shevi'i Shel Pesah,] one could also say that the 9 months began on Tu Be'av, when they voted to draft those learning in Yeshivot, and it will end on the first day of Pesah.
• Osama Bin Laden ימ"ש
• אוסמה בן לאדן [equaling 249] is the same gematria [with the Kollel] as אברהם [equaling 248] or דרום [south, equaling 250], which represent the "right". 2 x אוסמה בן לאדן equals 500, which symbolizes the Keitz, as we shall see soon.
• And the man who inherited the Al Qaeda leadership is Ayman Zawahiri. Ayman (איימן) has the letters of ימין (right) and Zawahiri hints that the Sefer Hazohar sweetens the Keitz.
• The headquarters for this Kelipa is תימן, which means "south", which symbolizes the "right".
• And in English, תימן is "Yemen".
• תימן has the gematria of 500, which is the same as the Milui of the name ש-ד-י, as Al Qaeda wants to say "Enough" and bring a Keitz and end to everything in creation. The gemara on Hagiga 12a and Rabbeinu Bahye (Bereishit 43:14) explain that the name ש-ד-י refers to bringing an end to something.
• Verses referring to תימן having to do with the Geula
• Habakkuk 3:3 - אֱלוֹהַּ מִתֵּימָן יָבוֹא
• Zecharia 9:14 - וְהָלַךְ בְּסַעֲרוֹת תֵּימָן
• Rav Eliyahu Grossberg adds that קעידה is the same letters as עקידה, which hints to Akeidat Yitzhak, in whose merit we will be redeemed.
• Rav S. Reiskin adds that אַייְמַן אַ'זְוָואהִירִי is the gematria of משיח.
• Miscellaneous
• Rav David Tzion Siboni says that עשו ישמעאל is the gematria of דוד מלך ישראל חי וקים to show that when Esav will fight Yishmael during Gog Umagog, then we will merit the coming of Mashiah, which has the Sod of דוד מלך ישראל חי וקים.
• [After bringing down the Midrash that says that in the future, the rivers will take revenge on the nations that oppressed Israel from the verse נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת, יְהוָה, and that the polar ice caps are melting,] Rav S. Reiskin adds that the word נשאו is the gematria of משיח and of קוֹטֶב הַצְּפוֹנִי [the North Pole].
• The gemara in Ta'anit 29a says "When the first Beit Hamikdash was destroyed, it was the 9th of Av, and Motza'ei Shabbat, and Motza'ei Shevi'it." In 5775 and 5776, Tish'a Be'av will fall out on Motza'ei Shabbat like during the Hurban.
• The Rashei Teivot and Sofei Teivot of במוצאי שביעית בן דוד בא is the gematria of תשע"ה.

Interesting Recent Links - Ki Tetze 5773

Shvilei Pinches - It is a Mitzvah to Release the Neshama of Mashiah from Its Sanctuary by Extracting all of the Children from the Treasure-house of Neshamot

Kikar - 17 Jewish immigrants secretly arrive from Yemen - only 90 Jews are left

Kikar - After Hizballah displayed a sign "We're coming!", Israelis displayed a sign, "You're 3000 years too late!"

YWN - Of Elections, Chief Rabbis and Democracy

YWN - Many Frum Yerushalayim Girls Are Still School-Less

Life In Israel - A Mystical Cat is Forgiven

Chicago Tribune - Holocaust Survivor Donates Torah in Memory of Parents, Husband

Chicago Tribune - Tennessee Judge Orders Baby's Name Changed from Messiah See also Life in Israel, Esser Agaroth, and Mashiach is Coming

Tomer Devorah - For Sure a Sign of Redemption (about investing in real estate in Israel)

Matzav - Rav Shteinman: Yair Lapid is the Amalek of Today (also mentions the idea of being Yotzei Zechirat Amalek during Maftir this week) See also The Partial View.

Behadrei - Son of Jewish mother who is a descendant of the Ben Ish Hai requests to perform Pidyon Haben on himself (hat tip Mashiach is Coming)

YWN - WoW wants to pray Selihot at Kotel See also Matzav. (Tovelot VeSheretz Beyadan)

Ladaat - (Not just the pope!) Did President Peres also read Rav Yaakov Ades' book?

The Path to Follow - The Tzitzit (page 2) and Old Time Methods of Waking Up for Selihot (page 4)

Tomer Devorah - Egypt on the way to Being Like Syria

David Hamelech and His 400 Children?

From Rav Shmueli's newsletter from last week (p. 14):

Sanhedrin 21a:

Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: King David had 400 children who were all children of "Yefat To'ar" women, and they grew their hair as a Belorit and they all sit on golden wagons and they travel at the front of the army. And these were the strongmen of the house of David.

Rashi in Kiddushin 76b explains that it means children born to members of his army, and they remained non-Jews, which is why they kept their Belorit hair-style, a style forbidden to Jews. However, the problem with this explanation is that the gemara in Sanhedrin implies that they were actually David Hamelech's children. So, besides the obvious question of how David Hamelech can have so many children, we have another issue in that a warrior is halachicly entitled only one Eishet Yefat To'ar per war (Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 8:3) and we know that David Hamelech only waged 18 wars (Vayikra Rabba 1:4). If so, how is this halachicly possible for David Hamelech to do so, and why wasn't this story of David Hamelech noted as a question when the gemara in Kiddushin 22a mentioned the 1-Yefat-To'ar-per-war halacha?

The Yad Ramah is also bothered by the question and he says - similar to Rashi - that it must be referring to 400 men with 400 Yefat To'ar women - or less than 400 if they had twins. He agrees that it cannot be referring to David Hamelech's actual children since Yefat To'ar status is only at the first Bi'ah, and if there was Bi'ah afterwards, she would be considered a Giyoret - not a Yefat To'ar - and furthermore, he would thereby have more than 18 wives, so it must be referring to other men.

The Ben Yehoyada asks on Rashi's explanation: why did they not convert? And if they did convert, why were they allowed to keep their Belorit hair-style? He says, therefore, that really, they did convert, but were allowed to have a Belorit since the prohibition to have a Belorit is only Rabbinic and in a wartime setting, it was permissible since these men were used to scare the enemy. They were put at the front of the battle to show the enemy that in previous wars, the Jews were victorious, and captured many Yefat To'ar women, who had these Belorit-styled men as sons. They needed a Belorit to distinguish them from other Jews since the enemy knows that Jews don't have Belorit styles, so they must be from Yefat To'ar women. The reason why there were exactly 400 of them is to counteract the Sitra Ahara, which is the Sod of Esav coming with 400 men.

Rav Reuven Margoliot [couldn't find the source, but found it also quoted here] has a somewhat radical solution to the problem. He says that from the verses at the beginning of Divrei Hayamim Alef, chapter 3, it lists 6 sons of David Hamelech and their mothers, 4 sons and their mother, and then it lists 9 sons without their mother. It was these 9 sons whose mothers were Yefat To'ar women. When the gemara says "400 children", this was a scribal error since the original scribe wrote ת' to denote תשעה for 9, but the copyist assumed it was ת' for 400.

Rav Shmueli concludes that even though Rav Margoliot's solution is interesting, other commentators didn't hold like it and explained the 400 literally [whereas Rav Margoliot is explaining "his children" literally, while the other commentators do not].

Rav Shmueli then goes on about another one of Rav Margoliot's amazing explanations - the 12 wives of Bar Kappara.

Interesting Recent Links - Shofetim 5773 II

YWN - B'Ohel Haneviyim - Shoftim 5773 ("...the Geula isn’t something that we will necessarily be expecting. It is rather something that will happen to us suddenly. ...")

Kikar - Secular residents of Moshav Zeru'ah protested a Yeshiva opening in their community, which likely contributed to Rav Shteinman Shlit"a canceling his trip there (see also YWN), but one resident who opposed it and was also having problems with his daughter being in an interfaith relationship changed his mind after Rav Yissachar Meir ZT"L came to him in a dream holding a sword saying that all his problems stemmed from his opposition to the original Yeshiva there that Rav Meir established.

Arutz Sheva - PR Firm Hiring Anti-Haredi Provocateurs?

Arutz Sheva - After 4 soldiers were wounded in Lebanon, a Lebanese paper claims the IDF was ambushed by Hizbullah

YWN - El Al plane comes back to the gate to pick up a special passenger

YWN - Rav Shteinman Shlit"a Explains What He Worries Over

Tomer Devorah - Radioactive Water at Fukushima is an emergency

Matzav - Former IDF Intelligence Chief: US Coming Around on Iran Strike

YWN - Wool Tzitzit Lands Soldier in Military Jail

Kikar - Some very clever mashup pics.  Here are a couple of my favorites:

Original Source



Original Source

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Shofetim 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• Peace Talks
• We saw clearly that the exact hour - at 3:00 AM on 23 Av - when they finally approved the cruel budget against the Yeshiva boys, they sat down in the U.S. for a new process of peace talks, including Edom putting pressure on the State of Israel to return territories to the Arabs. And it's said that the pressure today is the greatest ever, both from the U.S. and from the E.U., who already banned the settlements, etc. Upon this, it is written: וַהֲלַכְתֶּם עִמִּי, בְּקֶרִי. וְהָלַכְתִּי עִמָּכֶם, בַּחֲמַת-קֶרִי; וְיִסַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם [and you walked with Me with "Kerry". And I will walk with you with the fury of "Kerry", and I will punish you...] The name of the American Secretary of State who putting pressure on the State of Israel is "Kerry". [YY - see also here.]
• And I heard from the [elusive] Kabbalist Rav Moshe Aharon Hakohen Shlit"a that the awakening of Gog Umagog will begin with the pressure of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
• Nine Months
• And it was publicized that the Americans gave 9 months for the peace talks, which will conclude on Shevi'i Shel Pesah, 5774.
• We earlier brought down the Gr"a on Tikkunei Zohar, who said that the Redemption will come after there is distress for Talmidei Hachamim for 9 months and together with this, the Kingdom of Rome will spread for 9 months.
• And we find in the Gemara (Yoma 10a): "Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: [Mashiah] Ben David will not come until the Kingdom of Romi spreads over the entire world for 9 months." We see that that the evil kingdom = Romi = Edom = America and Europe of today, who are applying the pressure.
• The Mashgiah Rav Don Segel is quoted as saying, "HKB"H is crying for us to get closer to Him. And if Has Veshalom, we don't rectify ourselves and don't get closer, it is called 'וַהֲלַכְתֶּם עִמִּי, בְּקֶרִי. וְהָלַכְתִּי עִמָּכֶם, בַּחֲמַת-קֶרִי'. We will Has Veshalom finish progressing. Horror of horrors."
• Also, קרי hints to the blemish of the Berit and the Internet, which has spread - Rahmana Litzlan - in our generation. This is because Eretz Yisrael spits out those who blemish their Berit, as is brought down in the Zohar (Va'era 23a, Pinhas 225b).
• R' Y.S. Tzur adds that קרי is the gematria of נחל חרדי since it is a punishment for trying to recruit Yeshiva boys into the Nahal Haredi - it should never happen.
• Crying in Prayer Before Danger
• And I heard in the name of Rav Daniel Stavsky that the following verses in Yoel 2 apply to today:

  1 Blow ye the horn in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is at hand; 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as blackness spread upon the mountains; a great people and a mighty, there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, even to the years of many generations. 3 A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame blazeth; the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing escapeth them. 4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so do they run. 5 Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a mighty people set in battle array. 6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces have gathered blackness. 7 They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; and they move on every one in his ways, and they entangle not their paths. 8 Neither doth one thrust another, they march every one in his highway; and they break through the weapons, and suffer no harm. 9 They leap upon the city, they run upon the wall, they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief. 10 Before them the earth quaketh, the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining. 11 And the LORD uttereth His voice before His army; for His camp is very great, for he is mighty that executeth His word; for great is the day of the LORD and very terrible; and who can abide it? 12 Yet even now, saith the LORD, turn ye unto Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation; 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God; for He is gracious and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, and repenteth Him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth whether He will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto the LORD your God? 15 Blow the horn in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride out of her pavilion.

• This tells us that we need to move heaven and earth in prayer when we see decrees as harsh as these, and not to be quiet and peaceful Has Veshalom. And this is what the author of the Shevet Halevi called for on Erev Rosh Hodesh.
• In times past, when there were harsh decrees against communities outside of Israel, men, women, and children would gather in the synagogues and cry out to Hashem, but today, when so many decrees have landed together, both against the physical and the spiritual, the world is business as usual... As one of the rabbis said: "The situation is reminiscent of the eve of the dreaded Holocaust, when indeed they were concerned about all the looming troubles, but nevertheless, during the Bein Hazmanim of 5699, a mere few days before the Holocaust started, everyone was on vacation, as usual.
• More About Kerry
• Rav Glazerson adds that in the past, there was another Secretary of State who applied pressure upon Israel to return settlements: his name was [James] Baker, with בֵּיקֶר being the same letters as בְּקֶרִי.
• Kerry is also hinted to in the Palestinian negotiator [Saeb] Erekat, with his name in Hebrew עריקאת.
• Kerry is also hinted to in אמריקה [America].
• Also ג'ון קרי or אובמה וקרי has the gematria of "עש". As the Megaleh Amukot (Toledot) says, at the time of the Final Redemption, Yaakov Avinu will take the Vav from עשו's name and he will turn into עש [a moth], as it says עש יאכלם [the moth shall eat them up]. It is also brought down in Etz Hayim by the Ariza"l (שער יג ח"א ע' רא) that one who sins blemishes the clothing of his soul, and brings the "moth" on them.
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that the gematria of יש עתיד and שי פירון is the same as קרי.
• It's brought down in Rav Glazerson's book "Leshon Hakodesh" that the capital of Edom and Esav is called קסרי, which has the letters "קרי ס". In Rav Fish's essay "Hashmal Ot", he explains that the letter ס symbolizes the Yesod of Malchut, which is where the Sitra Ahara grabs onto. Therefore, the Yenika of Esav, the Yesod of the Kelipa, is from the aspect of קרי and from the aspect of ס.
• Also, ג'ון קרי is the gematria of קסרי. And with the letters, it is the gematria of עשו.
• Also, קרי is the symbol of Amalek, who came from Edom, as Rashi explains on (Devarim 25:18) אשר קרך בדרך: An expression of seminal emission and impurity, as he made them impure with homosexuality.
• Also, the Zohar (Toledot 145a) explains that Esav spat [ירק] when he heard that Yaakov Avinu stole the Berachot from him. ירק has the same letters as קרי. Also, רוק [spit] has the same gematria as ערלה.
• Torah Codes
• "Kerry Baker", "U.S.", "Amalek", "Fatah", "5775"
  
• "Obama and Kerry", "Magog", "Amalek", "Fatah", "5774"
  
• "President", "U.S.", "Obama", "Fight of Jerusalem" in the verse וּלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל, שְׁמַעְתִּיך, which is the verse that the Zohar says Ribbi Hiya cried over when he reached it.
  
• The Source of Spiritual Decline in Our Generation
• We could explain why there is so much decline in spirituality and people going off the Derech in our generation, especially via the Internet, which has caused the downfall of many, including G-d fearing and wholesome people. This is because the souls of the Generation of Redemption came to the world to learn the inner secrets of the Torah, so if they don't learn and taste from the light from where the root of the soul resides, there is no light that will push away the darkness. And therefore, it is specifically technology that draws people to sin as technology is the "Le'umat Zeh" [antithesis] in physicality of the revelation of the inner secrets of the Torah in the final generation. As the Zohar (Vayera 116b) says:

  In the year 5600, the gates of wisdom above and the wellsprings of wisdom below will open up and the world will prepare to enter into the seventh millennium like a person who prepares on Friday as the sun is setting to enter into Shabbat.

  We see that from the year 5600, the era of preparing for the Redemption has begun with the revelation of the inner secrets of the Torah on the holy side and the wisdom of technology on the Kelipa side. And if we don't taste the root of the soul on the holy side, and the Kelipa opens up all the gates, what is a son to do other than sin when he doesn't have a little light to push away the darkness?
• Polar Ice Caps Melting
• It was publicized recently that the ice on the North Pole and South Pole is melting a lot quicker than expected, and even though from above, it looks frozen, it was revealed that it is melting from bottom to top, and there is a concern of sudden tragedies in the world. Rav S. Raiskin adds that the phrase היבשה תוצף [the dry land will become flooded] is the gematria of הגאולה תתחיל [the Redemption will begin].
• Gog Umagog Involving Egypt
• [We mentioned previously about the various sources that Gog Umagog starting in Egypt. On that note,] we see today that the U.S. (Magog) supports the Muslim Brotherhood, who was ousted out of power in Egypt, while Russia supports the new government that took its place. We see how it is very likely that the complexity of Gog Umagog can be around Egypt.
• Children Knowing The Keitz
• [After quoting the Zohar (Vayera 118a) that when the Keitz is close, even children will know how to calculate it, he adds:] It is similarly brought down in "Otzerot Ramha"l" (p. 254)

  The Sod of the reason the Zohar says that at the end of the exile, even children can say the Kitzin is that the Ze'eir Anpin in exile has the Sod of Katnut, on which the Sitra Ahara has a hold. At the end of the exile, however, when this status will end, the children will reveal Kitzim since through their revelations, the Sitra Ahara, who grabbed onto the Ze'eir Anpin during Katnut will be pushed far away and with this, its level will be increased speedily in our days, Amen.

  This means that when the Zohar says that the children will reveal Kitzim, it doesn't mean "children" literally, but rather, the aspect of children. Since now, the Ze'eir Anpin is in Katnut and the S"A has hold on it, we need to reveal the Keitz of Redemption at the end of the exile while it's still in the Mohin of Katnut, which has the aspect of a child. And by doing so, the S"A that was grabbing hold of it will be removed. We see from his words that not only is there no prohibition of revealing the Keitz, but just the opposite, it is a great Mitzva to do so since by doing so, it removes the Sitra Ahara's hold which thereby brings the Redemption closer.
• Elul 25 on Shabbat
• We find in the Zohar (Balak 112b) that at the beginning of the process of the coming of Mashiah, the 25th of Elul will fall out on Shabbat. This occurs in both 5773 and 5774.
• In addition, that Shabbat, we read Parshiyot Nitzavim-Vayelech, which correspond to the current century we are in, and have to do with the Redemption.
• R' S. Reiskin adds that the phrase כ"ה אלול תשע"ג is the gematria of לכה דודי לקראת כלה.
• Also, אלול תשע"ג is the gematria of משיח יתגלה
• Also, אלול with the letters is the gematria of גוג ומגוג with the Kollel.
• Miscellaneous
• The verse that talks about the unification of Redemption: מִי זֹאת, עֹלָה מִן-הַמִּדְבָּר, מִתְרַפֶּקֶת, עַל-דּוֹדָהּ; תַּחַת הַתַּפּוּחַ, עוֹרַרְתִּיךָ--שָׁמָּה חִבְּלַתְךָ אִמֶּךָ, שָׁמָּה חִבְּלָה יְלָדַתְךָ has Rashei Teivot ה'תשע"ד [which is 5774].
• Also, the verse וַעֲבַרְתֶּם, אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן, וִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מַנְחִיל אֶתְכֶם; וְהֵנִיחַ לָכֶם מִכָּל-אֹיְבֵיכֶם מִסָּבִיב, וִישַׁבְתֶּם-בֶּטַח is Sofei Teivot מלחמה [war] and Rashei Teivot מואב or אובמא if you reuse the א.
• פורת יוסף is the gematria of משיח צמח שמו. It is also the gematria of אלול תשע"ג with the words.
• Rav Elyashiv and the Doubling of History
• יוסף שלום אלישיב with the words = 888 = ב' תתפ"ו. And we brought from the gemara (Sanhedrin 20a and Tosafot there) that the number that this represents - 2,886 - is the number of years from Adam Harishon until David Hamelech ruled alone. And if we add another 2,886, we again get David, the Mashiah, in the year 5772.
• Also, תתפ"ו hints to the verse that deals with preparing the meal-offering: פָּתוֹת אֹתָהּ פִּתִּים, וְיָצַקְתָּ עָלֶיהָ שָׁמֶן; מִנְחָה, הִוא This is a hint that the number 2,886 is connected to the preparation of the Minha, which is the preparation to Malchut and Redemption that applies to Mashiah Ben Yosef, as he explained earlier. And after the פתות (the 2,886 years), one can pour the oil and annoint the king as the verse continues. Also, ב' אלפים תתפ"ו is the gematria of מנחה סלת מחבת מרחשת חלות רקיקם.
• Al-Qaeda is the Kelipa that is Connected to Keitz Hayamin
• [After noting that the war against Al-Qaeda is not over, but on a low flame,] R' Tzion David Siboni adds that קָעִידָה [Qaeda] is the gematria of קץ [Keitz] and אל [Al], with different Nikud, is Hashem's name of kindness, which is related to the right side. We see that in the name "Al-Qaeda", the Keitz Hayamin is hinted to in its name and identity. This is why at the end of the Shemitta year 5761, which was a time of Keitz, they performed the act of terror on the Twin Towers, etc. We see that their actions were in a manner that was higher than the category of nature, but was enclothed in nature. Also, אל-קעידה has the Rashei Teivot of א"ק, which Kabbalistically represents a higher world. Also, the head of the Kelipa's name is "Bin Laden", and we find in the Zohar (Bereishit 6b) that the Kelipa of בלאדן is the Kelipa of a dog. And a dog is the Kelipa that works for Eliyahu Hanavi, as the Megaleh Amukot brings down on the gemara (Bava Kama 60b) "Dogs playing is a sign that Eliyahu came to the city" because אליהו is the gematria of כלב, and is the aspect of the שם ב"ן of holiness. Therefore, when Eliyahu comes to the city, dogs are playing since they are the "Le'umat Zeh" of Eliyahu and they nurture from him.

Rav Wosner Shlit"a Turns 100

Beli Ayin Hara, Rav Wosner Shlit"a, the author of the Shevet Halevi, turns 100 today according to the Hebrew calendar, says Behadrei.  As opposed to last year, when he marked his birthday by being Sandak, he originally wanted not to mark the date at all, but after dozens of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren came to offer their wishes, he acquiesced to marking the occasion with a "Lehayim" this year, according to the Behadrei report.

May Rav Wosner be blessed with many more years of good life.

Interesting Recent Links - Shofetim 5773

Chicago Tribune - Early Rosh Hashanah creates problem for Maot Hitim

YWN - Photos of the funeral for 10 Sifrei Torah burnt in a synagogue arson attack in Netanya

YWN - Rav Shalom Cohen to Bennett: I love you, but you must do Teshuva (Kikar has the video.)

YWN - Kotel Rav/Police Fear Conflict and Violence at the Kotel See also Rafi's take.

YWN - Thousands of Benot Yisrael Pray at Kotel on the 2nd Day of Rosh Hodesh

Jpost - What's Wrong With Women of the Wall?

Matzav - cRc Top 10 Questions for July 2013

Matzav - YCT - Guilty as Charged

The Path to Follow - Why the Hacham Tzvi was Mahmir with Agunot (page 2) and Rav Moshe Aharon Pinto ZT"L Stories (pages 4-5). Also, see Rav Moshe Aharon Pinto ZT"L Stories in Hebrew from Pahad David.

Halacha Yomit - Bitahon and the Maharal's Wedding

Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Elad: Rishonim, Aharonim, and Even HKB"H Bichvodo Uv'atzmo Came to Me in Dreams

Image from Kikar

Kikar reports that Rav Mordechai Malka, the chief Sephardic rabbi of Elad, has surprised many in the introduction of volume 4 of his book "Derech Hamelech" by saying that during the course of his learning, he merited to see Rishonim and Aharonim like the Rashb"a and the Gr"a in his dreams.

He adds further that he once had an extra special dream in which HKB"H Bichvodo Uv'atzmo revealed Himself to him as the image of great light - along with His heavenly entourage [of angels] - and told him that He and His entourage are happy with his Psak Halacha (regarding Hadlakat Neirot, which would prevent a Beracha Levatala).

To further strengthen his case, Rav Malka notes that it's known that one of the Ba'alei Hatosefot wrote "Responsa from Heaven" to use dreams to make Halachic decisions. [See Rav Ovadia Yosef's opinion on how much weight the "Responsa from Heaven" has here.]

It should be noted that Rav Malka adds that his Piskei Halacha don't solely rely on his dreams, but rather, his dreams come to assist to clarify the matter.

Rav Ades and the Pope Note

In the past 2 weeks, I've been getting an unusual number of hits from people searching for "Rav Ades Pope" or similar queries on search engines. The search engines directed the users to this post.

The most likely reason for the upswing in hits to that post is a recent Mishpacha Magazine article that noted the whole story. (What's posted online only has an excerpt of the article and doesn't mention the pope.)

In short, the Mishpacha interviewer asked Rav Ades Shlit"a about this and he pretty much said that he doesn't know for sure, but that the timing of the resignation couldn't be coincidental.

If Pollard is Released On...

Jonathan Pollard has unfortunately been in prison for 10,119 days and counting.

Last year, I had hoped for a release on July 4th, Independence Day in the United States, which was day 9722. Alas, it was not meant to be then.

We sincerely hope that Jonathan will see freedom very soon.  We also know that Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT"L said that Jonathan's release is the key to our Redemption.  While viewing the verses in the table below, keep that in mind.

Here is a table with the amounts of days coming up that he will have been in prison (if he's not released earlier) which have verses with that gematria (using Gezageza for gematria help).

Days	Date	Reference	Verse	Comment
10131	8/17/13 י"א אלול תשע"ג	Melachim Bet 20:13	וישמע עליהם, חזקיהו, ויראם את כל בית נכתה את הכסף ואת הזהב ואת הבשמים ואת שמן הטוב ואת בית כליו, ואת כל אשר נמצא באוצרתיו: לא היה דבר, אשר לא הראם חזקיהו בביתו:ובכל ממשלתו	King Hizkiya was the victim of espionage by the Babylonians, who took advantage of this information later.
10135	8/21/13 ט"ו אלול תשע"ג	Devarim 31:29	כי ידעתי, אחרי מותי כי השחת תשחתון, וסרתם מן הדרך, אשר צויתי אתכם; וקראת אתכם הרעה, באחרית הימים, כי תעשו את הרע בעיני יהוה, להכעיסו במעשה ידיכם	The evil that will befall us at the End of Days due to our sins.  Jonathan remaining in prison is pretty evil.
10136	8/22/13 ט"ז אלול תשע"ג	Melachim Alef 8:43	אתה תשמע השמים, מכון שבתך, ועשית, ככל אשר יקרא אליך הנכרי:למען ידעון כל עמי הארץ את שמך, ליראה אתך כעמך ישראל, ולדעת, כי שמך נקרא על הבית הזה אשר בניתי	King Shelomo asked Hashem to allow the stranger's prayer to be answered, unlike consecutive US Presidents not pardoning Jonathan.
10137	8/23/13 י"ז אלול תשע"ג	Devarim 31:21	והיה כי תמצאן אתו רעות רבות, וצרות, וענתה השירה הזאת לפניו לעד, כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו: כי ידעתי את יצרו, אשר הוא עשה היום, בטרם אביאנו, אל הארץ אשר נשבעתי	Evils and troubles befalling him before I bring him to the Land of Israel.  (May the last part of this come quickly.)
10148	9/3/13 כ"ח אלול תשע"ג	Divrei Hayamim Bet 23:13	ותרא והנה המלך עומד על עמודו במבוא, והשרים והחצצרות על המלך, וכל עם הארץ שמח ותוקע בחצצרות, והמשוררים בכלי השיר ומודיעים להלל; ותקרע עתליהו את בגדיה, ותאמר קשר קשר	The corrupt government is being usurped by a member of the Davidic Dynasty.  (May this too come quickly.)
10172	9/27/13 כ"ג תשרי תשע"ד	Divrei Hayamim Bet 6:16	ועתה יהוה אלהי ישראל, שמר לעבדך דויד אבי את אשר דברת לו לאמר, לא יכרת לך איש מלפני, יושב על כסא ישראל: רק אם ישמרו בניך את דרכם, ללכת בתורתי, כאשר הלכת, לפני	King Shelomo asks Hashem to keep His promise that if Jews keep the Torah, only members of the Davidic Dynasty will sit on the throne.  (Note that this day is Simhat Torah outside of Israel.)

May Jonathan Pollard be freed very soon and may Mashiah come speedily in our days, Amen.

Interesting Recent Links - Re'eh 5773 II

Hirhurim - The End of the Hirhurim Blog (this is sad, as, if you could believe it, his blog was one of the inspirations of my own. It will be missed. At the same time, I'm wondering what's in store.)

CosmicX - Video of Rishon Letzion Rav Yitzhak Yosef Shlit"a on "The Importance of Learning Halacha" (1 hour 20 minutes in Hebrew)

Jewish Journal - WoW's Collateral Damage

Yated - In Search of Ahavat Hinam

Emes Ve-Emunah - (in response to the above) Ahavat Hinam is a 2-Way Street (Feel the love. I like both articles, but the problem with both articles is that once you demand love from the other side, it is no longer "Hinam".)

Ladaat - Bennett: We won't be partners in processes that divide Am Yisrael (yeah, right)

Matzav Opinion - Let's start harrassing Neturei Kartaniks (עם עקש תתפתל or too extreme?)

Tomer Devorah - Halacha vs. Democracy

CNN - Massive CIA coverup about the Benghazi attack

Ladaat - Rav Wosner calls for Yom Kippur Katan prayers on Monday, Erev Rosh Hodesh Elul, due to all the Gezeirot facing Am Yisrael

The 2 days of Rosh Hodesh themselves should be loads of fun. Activities include:

• Another WOW provocation
• Moshe Feiglin calls for storming Har Habayit
• Conflict at Me'arat Hamachpela?

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Re'eh 5773

From Rav Fish's latest:

• Rav Rumfler: We could logically assume that this was the last Tish'a Be'av
• The following is quoted in his name:

  We hope that this Tish'a Be'av that just passed was the last Tish'a Be'av, as even according to simple logic, it seems very very likely that this was already the last Tish'a Be'av. The whole world is already like a boiling concoction with all the provocation of wars - true, that it has already been many years in this situation - but now in these days, it is much more so. We know and believe that in the end, it [Redemption] will definitely come, as Haza"l said that it will come. If so, one who believes in the words of Haza"l, how can he be so calm and say, "Nu, it has been many years and nothing has happened!" However, we know and believe that it is going to happen, so if that's the case, why are we not concerned every moment that perhaps it is now? As we know, this moment comes with Heseh Hada'at [interruption of thought] as Haza"l say, "[Mashiah] Ben David only comes via Heseh Hada'at."

  
  

  Similarly, we must understand that the Gog Umagog War, which is the At'halta Dig'ula [beginning of Redemption] - as Haza"l say, "Wars is the At'halta Dig'ula" - will also come with Heseh Hada'at suddenly. One must understand these sayings of Haza"l - how can this Hesah Hada'at exist when we see what's going on in the world and all the troubles occurring one after the other? The gemara itself mentions this sign that when there will be troubles - one after the other - this is a sign that the Redemption is very close. If so, how is it possible to have Heseh Hada'at when one sees this clearly? What does Heseh Hada'at really mean? Rather, the matter is as we mentioned that as we see clearly that things have drawn out so long, and we therefore have a feeling in the heart of man that it will drag out a lot longer - this is why we are not inspired and don't feel it at all. However, the truth is that one should pay attention that it could happen at a moment's notice - the Gog Umagog War must come, the Redemption must come - everything will occur in its time, but Hashem wants to give us more time to be awakened. This is why things are dragging out so long and are waking us up again and again.

  
  

  One should know that the longer things continue to wake us up and we don't wake up from it will Has Veshalom magnify the heavenly condemnation and cause it to come Has Veshalom with a strong hand. Furthermore, in the meantime, sins increase and our spiritual downfall gets bigger every day, which will cause the further severity of the matter when it comes. It comes out that on the one hand, the delay is a benefit - to give us a chance to wake up and repent. However, on the other hand, for those who don't awaken after such a prolonged time of warnings, it could Hash Veshalom magnify his sin very much. This is like Rabbeinu Yonah wrote in Sha'arei Teshuva that the longer a person delays his sin and does not repent for it, this magnifies his sin every day since delaying repentance is worse than the sin itself.

• Psalm 53
• [After mentioning Tehilim chapter 53 that says אמר נבל [נתניהו בנט לפיד] בלבו אין אלהים etc., as mentioned here...]
• The Ba'al Haturim brings down in a couple places that Psalm 53 speaks about the time of the Final Redemption:
  
  • On Bemidbar 24:8, he says:

    א-ל מוציאו ממצרים - "Hashem brought him out from Egypt" is said twice to say that just as He brought them out of Egypt, similarly will He bring them out in the future from among the nations. ועצמותיהם - "and their bones" - the ע is hanging to say that at that time, He will uproot 7 nations, but in the future, He will uproot the other 63, as it says [in Tehillim 53:4]: כֻּלּוֹ סָג, יַחְדָּו נֶאֱלָחוּ "Every one of them is unclean, they are together become impure".

  • On Bemidbar 25:12, he says:

    [Tehillim 53:7 says:] יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב, יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל "let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad" - ישמח has the same letters as משיח [to tell you] that [Eliyahu Hanavi] will be happy during the days of Mashiah.

• Also what it says in 53:6 שָׁם, פָּחֲדוּ פַחַד-- לֹא-הָיָה-פָחַד: כִּי-אֱלֹהִים--פִּזַּר, עַצְמוֹת חֹנָךְ; הֱבִשֹׁתָה - the Sofei Teivot backwards of these words is הכתר מיד האדום which hints that Hashem will take the crown of kingship from Edom at the time of the Redemption, as it says: "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S."
• 5773 Redemption in a Tanach Code
• R' Moshe ___ sent a table in which we see the words "שנת תשע"ג" [The year 5773] within verses describing the beginning of Redemption:
  
• Rav Shmueli on Ekev
• [As I linked to where Rav Shmueli said this last week,] Rav Shmueli said on the words והיה עקב תשמעון - the word והיה has the same letters as Hashem's name of mercy, עקב refers to עקבתא דמשיחא, and תשמעון refers to תורת שמעון, referring to the Zohar that we should learn in this era to receive Hashem's mercy.
• Trains
• The word רכבת [train] is the same gematria as הר הבית. Also, the verse where Yehuda told Binyamin that the Beit Hamikdash will be in his portion is כי עבדך ערב את הנער, which has Sofei Teivot of רכבת. And we saw lately that there were a lot of train accidents in the world.
• Also עבדך ערב את plus the words is the gematria of תשע"ב.