Geula Update from Rav Fish - Ki Tisa 5775 - Part 2

From Rav Fish's latest (pdf page 12):

"I will wait every day that he comes"

It will be explained according to the Vilna Gaon, the Hafetz Hayim, and the Brisker Rav - may their merit protect us, Amen - that we are standing very close to the coming of our righteous Mashiah, Amen, may it be His will

At the beginning of this essay, it is important to emphasize that this essay is not coming to establish nails to say that these words are clear without a doubt since the author of the essay is too small to say words like these and these words stand in the heights of the world.  No one is able to say when the date and time of the Redemption will take place.  Rather, the purpose of this essay is to prove that we are very very close to the upcoming Redemption, and it is to strengthen us that we should prepare properly.

Behold, in the book "Lev Eliyahu" (by Rav Eliyahu Lopian ZTVK"L) at the end of Parshat Yitro, Rav Eliyahu Lopian relates that he heard the following from Rav Elchonon Wasserman HY"D, who was in London close to the Holocaust.  And he told him that he heard the following from the Hafetz Hayim, who told it to him after WWI was over:

It says in Hazal (Shoher Tov on Tehilim 118) and also said by the Malbim that the Gog Umagog War will take place 3 times. And that which we just now traversed was the first part. And in another 25 years, the second part of Gog Umagog will take place. [His words were fulfilled exactly since 25 years after the end of WWI started the Holocaust.] And then, time will pass and there will be a final war and Redemption.

And I heard from Rav Sorotzkin from Monsey that the Gaon Rav Elya Svei ZT"L related that he heard from Rav Aharon Kotler ZT"L, who heard from Rav Elchonon what he said in the name of the Hafetz Hayim that after the Gog Umagog War part 2, which was the Holocaust, 70 years will pass and then will begin the final war and Redemption.

Also, Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg Shlit"a in his speech of encouragement [to Yeshiva boys] starting the winter Zman this year said the following:

We have an accepted tradition from elderly Jews (referring to Rav Avrohom Pam ZT"L) who remember that Rav Elchonon was in America in 5699, and he said:

Of course, I wait for him every day that he will come. Of course, there's Ahishena

And he then said what he accepted from Ru'ah Hakodesh (referring to the Hafetz Hayim) that

there is an aspect of 10 Shemitot after the terrible war that occurred from 5699 until 5705. These 10 Shemitot are 70 years of preparation for Mashiah, and this will be followed by Be'itah - that is the final time that he can come.

And really the year 5705 was a Shemitta year and from the year 5706, there were 10 Shemitot (7-year cycles) until Motza'ei this Shemita of 5775.

And it's known that everything the Hafetz Hayim predicted came true. And also, I heard that Rav Aharon Kotler ZT"L said that everything the Hafetz Hayim said was fulfilled. And I heard the same from an esteemed Rosh Yeshiva who heard this story regarding the 10 Shemitot in the name of the Hafetz Hayim about 60 years ago.

And I saw in the book "Hatekufa Bis'arat Eliyahu", authored by Rav Yisrael Eliyahu Weintraub ZT"L, in Essay 1, p. 5, he quotes the words of the Vilna Gaon:

Night is compared to exile and morning to Redemption... And the Shechina cries out during the last 70 years about the Torah learners regarding the great poverty they will experience... And the Shechina is called a "gazelle"... and it cries out at its birth, which is the last 70 years of exile...

And Rav Weintraub explains that from these words of the Gaon, we see his method regarding the standing of the maidservants and their children at the head of the nation while Yosef and Rahel were at the end of the nation. And this situation is to place the burden upon the Torah scholars, and this came from the advice of Yaakov Avinu to hasten the end, and the birth pangs transfer to this form (that is, the poverty to Torah scholars that will come from the Erev Rav, who are the heads of the nation at the end of the exile, that this is what Yaakov came to hint with this by placing the maidservants and their children first as this is what will occur at the end of the exile) in order to hasten the Redemption.

And it comes out according to this that that which is written that the Shechina cries out in the last 70 years of exile over the great poverty that will occur to Torah scholars, which is what the Gaon writes based on the Zohar - Rav Weintraub explains that this is said in our days when the Erev Rav are ruling and causing poverty to Torah scholars. And it seems that these 70 years are going to conclude very soon since the Erev Rav has oppressed us from at least the time that the State of Israel was established, and 67 years have passed since then, and they oppressed us even before they established the state and tried with all their might to uproot the Torah and that the House of Israel should, Heaven forbid, be like the rest of the nations.

And at first glance, it seems that this was the source of the Hafetz Hayim that after the terrible war, there will be 70 years of preparation for Mashiah, which is the suffering of Torah scholars under the exile of the Erev Rav in the Land of Israel. And if so, it is understood what the Hafetz Hayim added that afterwards, the Be'itah will occur since these 70 years are the final years in exile, as explained above.

And this whole idea that the Gaon writes that the Shechina cries out in the last 70 years is brought down in the Zohar in many places, and the Gaon similarly writes (Tikkunei Zohar 3b s.v. ואית ע"ב)

After all the Kitzin, that is 70 years of the birth pangs of Mashiah, as it says in Tikkunei Zohar: The Decree of 70 years...

[YY - I didn't find this exact quote, but I found a similar one on p. 25 here]

And it's also brought down in the book Uvdot VeHanhagot Leveit Brisk, vol. 3, p. 39 [search for word איילתא] that Rav Meir Soloveitchik Shlit"a related that in front of his father, the Brisker Rav ZTVK"L, he mentioned the words of the Gr"a (brought down in Avnei Eliyahu - a commentary on the Siddur Hagra - Ishei Yisrael, p. 175) based on the Zohar that there are 70 words in Psalm 20 and they hint to the 70 years of the birth pangs of Mashiah "as the gazelle cries out 70 sounds, which are the days of trouble, and from them, they will be redeemed."  And his father ZT"L said that we are currently in these 70 years.  And according to what was written until now, this is simple.

According to all this, we can explain the words of the Gr"a in his book Yahel Or on Parshat Mishpatim as material since he writes there that in many places, it says that in 72 years in the Sixth Millenium, the birth pangs of Mashiah will occur (and according to all that we said, we see many places in the Zohar that 70 years is mentioned - without the 2 years added - and the 70 years refer to the period we're in according to what we said).  And the Gaon adds there that in these 72 years, the verse עזב תעזוב עמו will be fulfilled - as Hashem will only "help out", but after the 72 years, the verse of הקם תקים עמו [i.e., that Hashem will even lift us up] will be fulfilled, and the intent of this refers to the Redemption, when the ingathering of the exiles and the Redemption is referred to.

And at first glance, that which he says that in these 72 years, help from Heaven will begin is referring to the period after the Holocaust, when our subjugation to the nations of the world ceased and the decree of exile that was decreed upon Am Yisrael during the Destruction of the 2nd Beit Hamikdash ceased.  And HKB"H, with His mercy, gave us, after 1877 years, the possibility to return to the Land of Israel - something that did not occur for the entire previous 1877 years, as in most of those years, the Land of Israel was desolate.

And the truth is that already many years prior to this, our Jewish brethren started making Aliya to the Land, but there is no comparison to the period after the Holocaust, at which time, myriads of our Jewish brethren made Aliya from the entire world, and also, the nations of the world allowed us to enter the Land.

However, that which we came to the Land is the final stage and the harshest in exile - to enter under the rule of the Erev Rav for the last 70 years and to suffer from them great poverty like the words of the Zohar, and this will hasten the Redemption.  And it is not that the fact that we returned to the Land is already the beginning of the Redemption, as many err in saying.

And G-d willing, very soon, we will merit that the aspect of הקם תקים עמו will be fulfilled as the Gaon wrote in his book, the aforementioned Yahel Or.  And HKB"H will redeem us an eternal Redemption and build the Beit Hamikdash, speedily in our days, Amen, Selah.

P.S. To conclude this essay, I wanted to add that in Daniel 12:9, it is written that the words (about the Redemption) are hidden and sealed until the Endtime.  And Rashi explains this as "until the Redemption is close."  From this, we see that Rashi didn't write "until the Redemption actually comes".  The implication from his words is close to the Redemption, the words will no longer be hidden, and I hope that the intent is to what is written in this essay.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Lech Lecha 5775

From Rav Fish's latest:

• New Twist on Reason #15 to believe Mashiah is coming in 5775:
• I heard from Hagaon Hatzadik Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg Shlit"a (and it can be heard on Kol Halashon [at minute 37:15]) that he said that he heard from Jews who heard from Hagaon Rav Elchonon Wasserman HY"D, who spoke in the United States in the year 5699 - on the eve of the Holocaust - and told them the following words:

  I received with Ru'ah Hakodesh that we are standing before a terrible war that will conclude in the year 5705, after which will come 10 Shemitot of Preparation for Mashiah.  And the end of the 10 Shemitot - that conclude in the year 5775 - is the time of Be'itah when Mashiah is obligated to come.

• The Klausenberger Rebbe's Warning
• And we will bring words said by the Klausenberger Rebbe on Motza'ei Simhat Torah, 5775 (found in the pamphlet "Betzila Demehemnuta", No'ah, 5775):

  O Holy Israel, "It is a time of trouble for Yaakov" and the Children of Israel need Heavenly mercy - both in the Holy Land and in other places.  All the nations - from one end of the earth until the other - are rising against us, whether in public or in private.  We just passed an extremely difficult year - with much fear and panic, especially during the days of the difficult war with the children of Yishmael, YMS"V.  And  we should not be like those fools who already imagine to themselves that everything is over - for such is a complete mistake - for it has not finished whatsoever.  And it's possible to say that [the war] didn't even start yet - that this was but a taste where they revealed a minute amount of their power and what they are able to do.  And the end is dependent upon us and on - it is clear and agreed upon that we have no one to rely upon except upon our Father in Heaven, and we have no other option except to cling to Hashem Yitbarach.

• Heshvan as a month for Punishment and Geula
• [After the Zohar talks about the 274 years from the morning of the sixth millennium - which can refer to 5774:] And we see from the Zohar that in the month of Heshvan will complete the rule of the Kelipot that rule in Eretz Yisrael.  And this will be such that the idols that rule over Eretz Yisrael - meaning the rule of the Erev Rav - will start wars in the world.  And while they are starting wars in the world, the people of Edom will come in and rule over Eretz Yisrael for 12 months, at the end of which comes Mashiah.  And we will bring the wording of the Zohar [Zohar Hadash Balak 56c]:

  And in the month of Bul [Heshvan], the enemies of Israel will fall, and all the idols that remained in the Holy Land will be removed. And from there, [Israel] will go and wage wars on the world. And while they are waging wars on all the people of the world, the children of Edom will enter the Holy Land and capture it and rule over it for 12 months.

• And it is brought in the book Benei Yissaschar (MarHeshvan:4, s.v. יצא) in the name of Rav Menahem Mendel of Rimnov ZT"L:

  Our eyes see that all the decrees that begin against the Jewish People from the kingdoms and new taxes and levies always begin in MarHeshvan. And he said the reason is since in this month, there was a rebellion against the Kingdom of the House of David and they inaugurated Yeravam to the throne, therefore, the decrees of the kingdoms are in MarHeshvan. 

  And also because in MarHeshvan, the Flood came down according to Ribbi Eliezer.  
• [YY - I believe Rav Fish meant to continue the Benei Yissaschar: 

  And behold, according to this, you should contemplate that being that Israel sinned and said then in this month "see to thine own house, David", therefore, at the time of the Tikkun speedily in our days, behold the king from the House of David - Mashiah Tzidkenu - will rule, and he will consecrate the Beit Hamikdash in MarHeshvan, and the world will be rectified with a kingdom.  And behold, according to this, the order of the consecrations of the Batei Mikdash is: the first Beit Mikdash was in Tishri, which relates to Ephraim.  The second Beit Mikdash was in Kislev, which relates to Binyamin.  The hoped for [third] Beit Mikdash speedily in our days - we should merit to see it - will be consecrated in MarHeshvan, a month that relates to Menashe.

  ]  
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that חשון [Heshvan] is the gematria of השטן [the Satan] and מר [Mar] is the gematria of עמלק [Amalek].
• R' A. M. adds that the letters נחש [snake] appear in the word חשון [Heshvan].
• 5775/Shemita Gematrias and Sofei Teivot
• The Sofei Teivot of the Milui of תשע"ה is תי"ו שי"ן עי"ן ה"י, which spells ינון - a name of Mashiah.
• R' M.P. adds that the middle letters of מצאי שבעית stands of 91 - which is the gematria of הוי"ה אדנ"י in the worlds of בריאה יצירה עשיה, which is the Sod of the Geula, as the Ramhal put in his Siddur at the end of the Amida - to join Atzilut with בי"ע [the other 3 worlds].  
• R' Tzion David Siboni adds that שנת השמיטה is the gematria of שמע ישראל ה' אלקינו ה' אחד.
• Also, מוצאי שביעית plus the letters is the gematria of שמע ישראל.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Ki Tavo 5774

From Rav Fish's latest:

• Yom Kippur on Shabbat
• On the gemara (Shabbat 118b) that says "If Israel would keep 2 Shabbatot properly, they would immediately be redeemed," the Bnei Yissaschar says that this refers to when Yom Kippur falls out on Shabbat, and it will this year (5775).
• More on the 25th of Elul
• This is the Yahrtzeit of Ribbi Elazar Beribi Shimon.
• בכ"ה אלול ה'תשע"ד is the gematria of אז ישיר משה.
• More on the 278 Shemitot (see the previous 2 weeks)
• R' R.Z. explains that if we add the 10 Shemitot during Galut Bavel to the 278 of Galut Edom, we get 288 Shemitot, culminating in 5775.  This hints to the 288 holy sparks that are stuck in the Kelipot and will be completely filtered in the year 5775 according to the Ariza"l.
• More on Imrei Bina (see last week)
• The Imrei Bina talks about the 2300 years from Minyan Shtarot completing in 5748.  This was right around the fall of the Iron Curtain.  This was a symbol of the breaking down of barriers between Israel and our Father in Heaven, as the gemara (Berachot 32b) states, "Ribbi Elazar said: From the day the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed, an iron wall intervened between Israel and their Father in Heaven."
• Fast Days of 5775
• R' Yehuda Schwartz adds that Tzom Gedalia, Shiv'a Asar BeTamuz, and Tish'a Be'av are all Nidhim [pushed off until Sunday].  So once they were already pushed off, they should be pushed off forever, and we should merit Redemption.  May it be Hashem's will.  
• תשעה באב is the gematria of ה'תשע"ה.
• Bereishit 2:4 and 5776
• R' Yaakov Matar adds that 5776 hints to the verse that hints to the summary of Creation at the time of Redemption - when Creation will come to its culmination and purpose: (Bereishit 2:4)  אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, בְּהִבָּרְאָם: בְּיוֹם, עֲשׂוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים--אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם [These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.]  The word עשות has the letters of תשע"ו.  And next to that word is the first occurrence of Hashem's name [שם הוי"ה] - and it is the 477th word in the Torah, which is the gematria of בעתה.
• More on the 17th of Elul
• According to one opinion in Rashi (see Ramban on Bereishit 8:4), Noah sent the dove on the 17th of Elul.
• The Shulhan Aruch 580:2 brings down that the Meraglim died on the 17th of Elul.
• Kabbalistic books bring down that HKB"H created and destroyed worlds from the 17th of Elul until the 24th of Elul.
• Tzuk Eitan and 72
• R' Menahem Barhoum adds that the number 72 is connected to Tzuk Eitan in many ways:
• Twice, there was a 72-hour cease-fire
• 72 Israelis were killed
• The 72nd victim died from his wounds on ה' אלול, whose gematria is 72.
• All this is a hint from Heaven that the 72 years of the birthpangs of Mashiah and the birth of Mashiah is ending - with the latest possible time being the end of 5774.
• More 5775 Gematrias
• R' Yosef Sheinberger adds that כי תצא למלחמה על is the gematria of תשע"ה.
• עזה ויריחו תחלה [Gaza and Jericho First], which started the accursed Oslo process, is the gematria of תשע"ה.
• ISIS
• R' Shemuel Triaster adds that דעא"ש [ISIS] is hinted to in the verse (Tehilim 83:5)  אָמְרוּ--לְכוּ, וְנַכְחִידֵם מִגּוֹי; וְלֹא-יִזָּכֵר שֵׁם-יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹד [They have said: 'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.']

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Vayera 5775

From Rav Fish's latest:

• Another version of what the Hafetz Hayim said
• [YY - There have been a number of versions of how the Hafetz Hayim presented the 3 wars of Gog Umagog.  Last week, Rav Fish quoted Rav Zilberberg, who explained the final war as coming 10 Shemitot from the end of the previous world war.  Here's another version:]  
• Rav Yosef Ben Porat said in the name of the Hafetz Hayim (brought down in the "Shabbat Kodesh" supplement of Yated Ne'eman, Lech Lecha, 5775) that the Hafetz Hayim said during WWI that 25 years later would start another war which would make the first one look like child's play.  And 75 years later, a third war will break out that will be greater than all of them, and would make the second war look like child's play.  Then, Mashiah will come.  And just as WWII broke out 25 years after WWI broke out, similarly, in 5775, which is 75 years after WWII broke out, WWIII is expected to break out.
• Hints from Tehillim Chapter 90
• There is a hint to the years 5700-5705 in the verse שת (שַׁתָּה) עֲו‍ֹנֹתֵינוּ לְנֶגְדֶּךָ [Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee] where the Ketiv is שת - the letters ת"ש [the year 5700] and the Keri is שתה - the letters תש"ה [the year 5705].  It is saying that in these years, our iniquities will be before Thee to apply unmitigated justice.  And if we connect the letter ע from the word עונותינו to the previous word שתה, we get תשע"ה [the year 5775], meaning that then is when that period will end.
• This is why the verse continues [in verse 10]:  יְמֵי-שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה [The days of our years are threescore years and ten] to hint to the additional 70 years that exist after the year 5705.
• And afterwards, we reach Redemption, which is hinted to in the continuation of the verses [verses 13-15] שׁוּבָה יְהוָה, עַד-מָתָי; וְהִנָּחֵם, עַל-עֲבָדֶיךָ. שַׂבְּעֵנוּ בַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ; וּנְרַנְּנָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה, בְּכָל-יָמֵינוּ. שַׂמְּחֵנוּ, כִּימוֹת עִנִּיתָנוּ: שְׁנוֹת, רָאִינוּ רָעָה. [Return, O LORD; how long? And let it repent Thee concerning Thy servants. O satisfy us in the morning with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days wherein Thou hast afflicted us, according to the years wherein we have seen evil.]

Days of Ikveta Dimshiha and the Wars of Gog Umagog - Part 2 of 2

Translation of this essay is continued from here.

And also the Targum Yonatan ben Uziel translates and mentions in his translation the country of Italy wherein Rome is located from where Xtianity started.  And all Xtian nations today are called "Rome" since they represent the Xtian faith which started in Rome.  And in practicality, in this verse, it is written that there will be a war between the Xtian countries (Rome) and Arab countries (Yishmael) which is the wars that exist today in Syria and Iraq where nations from the Xtian faith are fighting and trying to destroy the ISIS organization as is brought down also in the Zohar at the end of Parashat Va'era as was brought down at the beginning of this essay.  And in the Targum Yonatan ben Uziel, it is written at the end of this verse that the end of these and these - i.e., the Xtian countries today and Arab countries - they will all fall in the hands of the King Mashiah.  And we see from here that we are currently in the final war whose conclusion will be the revelation of Mashiah Tzidkeinu who will fight them and overpower them.  And also the Ramban, in his commentary on this verse, writes that this is a great and awesome day against the nations.  And we see that this war is already the beginning of the vengeance that Hashem will avenge against the nations of the world for what they did to the nation of Israel throughout the exile.  And also the Malbim in his commentary on the Torah called HaTorah VeHaMitzvah explains there on the verse that in the End of Days, the Romans (which is Xtian countries today) will come and capture the Ishmaelite countries, which are the Arab countries today - Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen - as today America and Russia have come and are capturing those places and are fighting the ISIS organization and other terror organizations of the children of Yishmael - the Arabs - today.

And whoever contemplates the world today sees the prophecies of Bil'am about the final war - that will come about, wherein Mashiah Tzidkeinu will come - in a clear manner that is occurring in the world.  And also in the prophecy of Daniel chapter 2, where, as is known, Nevuchadnetzar, king of Bavel, dreamt a terrible dream wherein his saw a large idol whose head was made of gold, its body made of copper, and its legs from silver.  And he saw in his dream that suddenly a large stone rose up and broke the idol completely.  And Daniel interpreted the dream for him that HKB"H showed him what will occur in the world from the time of his kingdom until the coming of Mashiah.  And the idol
that he saw hints at the 4 kingdoms that will rule in the world - each one it its time - until the coming of Mashiah.  And the stone that he saw hints to "Even Yisrael" which will rise up through HKB"H and it will destroy all the kingdoms.  And this is as the commentaries explain there that the reference is to the King Mashiah who will destroy all the nations.  And the Malbim on verse 45 explains that the nations of the world - Edom and Yishmael - will destroy each other and such will be the wars of Gog Umagog that will gather all the children of Edom (today's Xtians) to fight against the children of Yishmael (today's Arabs) and they will destroy each other.  And we see the matters occurring in a clear manner today.

And if we will summarize that which was written, we are forced to see from the words of Haza"l in the Zohar (Va'era 32) and in the prophecy of Daniel in chapters 2 and 11 and in the prophecy of Bil'am about the final war that will come at the End of Days wherein Mashiah Tzidkeinu will come - it will be between the nations of Edom/Rome (today's Xtians) and the children of Yishmael (today's Arabs).  And the main part of the war will be in Ashur - which is today's Iraq - and in across the Euphrates River, which today is the country of Syria and also the Land of Israel.  And these matters are occurring in the world in a clear manner to those who contemplate them.

We are therefore in the Gog Umagog War wherein Mashiah comes.  And we see the words of the Hafetz Hayim ZYA"A who said this about 100 years ago being fulfilled in a clear manner before our eyes.  And in the year 5775, Rav Tzvi Meir Ziberberg Shlit"a said in a speech of encouragement that he gave in Yeshivat Or Elhanan in Yerushalayim that he heard from elderly people who heard from Rav Elchonon Wasserman when he was in America in the year 5699 that he said that we need to wait every day for the coming of Mashiah.  This is like the words of Haza"l that if the nation of Israel will merit, the Redemption can come any day.  And he added that he has a tradition from "Ru'ah Hakodesh" (he didn't say from whom, but apparently it was words that he heard from the Hafetz Hayim) that after the harsh war that will be (he said these words close to the Holocaust), there will be an aspect of 10 Shemitot which are 70 years of preparation for Mashiah and afterwards will come the 3rd part of Gog Umagog.   [YY - see also here and here.]  And after all we mentioned earlier regarding what is going on today in the world, the matter is simple that we are already in the third part of Gog Umagog.  And it's possible to add also that in these years, the country of Russia is participating in the wars near the children of Yishmael, which is a part of the process of the Gog Umagog War.  And the known tradition form the students of the Vilna Gaon ZYA"A in his name is being fulfilled - where he said that if Russian ships will pass the Bosporus Strait, we need to wear Shabbat clothes to greet Mashiah Tzidkeinu.  And really, in recent years, warships have passed the Bosporus Strait in Turkey on their way to the Mediterranean and reached Syria and there, they participated in wars on the side of the Syrian president and helped him in wars that exist there against the rebels.  And we see how exactly in this era that according to all the aforementioned words, we are very close to the Final Redemption - as the words of the Vilna Gaon are being fulfilled since if they will be fulfilled, it's a sign that we need to prepare for the coming of Mashiah Tzidkeinu.

And there are those who might say after reading this essay, "Good!  Mashiah is coming!  But what's the problem?  I am already prepared for his arrival, and I will accept him with joy!"  The gemara in Sanhedrin (98b) says that Ribbi Yohanan, Ula, and Rabba said that they do not want to be around at the time that Mashiah Tzidkeinu comes and they were afraid that they would not be worthy to pass this time period peacefully.  And the gemara there brings down that Abaye asked Rabba [his rabbi], "Why are you afraid to be around at the time of the coming of Mashiah if Ribbi Elazar said that one who busies himself with Torah and acts of kindness will be saved from the birthpangs of Mashiah and you (Rabba) have both busied yourself with Torah and with acts of kindness!  Rabba answered him that he is afraid of those days of the coming of Mashiah since perhaps, sin will have caused him to not be worthy of being redeemed.  And if those Amora'im - supremely holy men who were able to revive the dead - were afraid of the time of the coming of Mashiah, how are we able able to be so self-assured that we are totally worthy and we have nothing to rectify?  If we would examine our actions, wouldn't we see that our situation is not so simple?

And in the prophecies of the prophet Malachi to the nation of Israel, it says the following (Malachi 3:2):  "But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap".  And there, it is referring to the time in which Mashiah Tzidkeinu will come.  And the Rada"k there explains like this:

Who will tolerate the day of his coming?  Since the day of his coming, many will be refined.

  And in the continuation of the verse, he writes the following:

In other words, that day will be like the fire that refines the slag from the silver.  Similarly will the wicked be separated from the good - and the wicked will be destroyed while the righteous will remain.  And it says such in the prophecy of Zecharia: "And I will bring the third part through the fire".

And there, the prophet Zecharia prophesies that two thirds of the world's population will die in the Gog Umagog War, and the third that remains - the Creator of the world will refine just as metals are refined in fire.  And the righteous and those that trust in the Creator of the world will merit to be saved.

And therefore, we need during this time period to grab onto the paths of repentance - that everyone is able to return to Hashem and the Creator of the world is waiting for us constantly to repent.  And it is known that there are 3 main parts of repentance that are mandatory.  They are: 1) regretting one's sins, 2) supplications, and 3) resolutions for the future to better one's ways and taking a small resolution that one is able to withstand.  And this is the order of repentance that everyone is able to do.  (And of course, there is much one can say about this, but these are just the main points for the sake of brevity.)  And it seems that this is what is incumbent upon us to do in this time period.  And the saying of Haza"l is known that HKB"H says to the nation of Israel: "Open up an opening for Me the size of the sharp part of a needle and I will open up for you the size of the doorway of a banquet hall."  And a man who grabs onto the pathways of repentance and wants to better his ways and accepts upon himself a small resolution to strengthen himself, from now on he already opened a small opening and one who comes to be purified receives help from heaven.  And may it be Hashem's will that we will merit to see very soon Hashem's return to Zion with great mercy.

Geula Update from Rav Fish - Ki Tetze 5774

Introduction to this week

This week, Rav Fish quotes extensively from the Imrei Bina, written by Ra'avad I.  Exactly 6 years ago, this work was the biggest thing in the Geula-blog world, as it seemed to imply a 5768-9 Geula.  See the first bullet of this old post, Dreaming of Moshiach's post, and treated extensively over at Hakeitz Hameguleh - see his Table of Contents post for links.  Alas, it was not to be then, but there are other ways to interpret this cryptic Sefer, as we shall see below.

[Dikduk Note: I'm calling it the Imrei Bina for consistency even though according to my normal transliteration style, it should really be called "Imrei Vina", as per Mishlei 1:2.]


From Rav Fish's latest:

• More on the 278 Shemitot (see last week's contribution for background) 
• מתשי"ט [from 5719] has the same letters as שמיטת [Shemita of] since then is when the Shemitot of pregnancy end.
• R' R. Z. explains [it a little differently - ] that we should calculate from the time of the second Beit Hamikdash that was destroyed in 3828 until Shemita of 5726 and there are 271 Shemitot, which is the gematria of הריון [meaning pregnancy, a very famous gematria mentioned by the gemara Nidah 38b] that corresponds to exile.  And Motza'ei Shemitta - in 5727 - corresponds to the day of birth.  And from then begins the next 7 Shemitot, corresponding to the first 7 days of the boy, culminating in 5775, upon which it says וטמאה שבעת ימים, and Motza'ei Shevi'it of 5775 [5776] corresponds to the 8th day, when the Orla will be circumcized and Mashiah Ben David will come, speedily in our days Amen.
• And the matter is inferred in the words of the Ra'avad in Imrei Bina 8b-9a [all Imrei Bina English quotes use Gilui's translation]:

  and on Tishah B'Av on the 1st year of the Shmitah cycle, the 2nd Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, and they stopped to count (for the duration of) 277 shmitah years that weren't counted. The secret of that is "and is it not hidden with Me?" (The commentary there says gematria of part of this expression taken in a certain way is 277) ...
  
  And at the beginning of the 49th Yovel cycle, the freedom of the 48th Yovel, ... it is the Great Yovel, and the holy nation will return to its inheritence.

  That is, that 277 Shemitas were not counted, but for the 278th Shemita, we will already be able to count it from Biblical law.  And therefore, the Ra'avad connects the 278th Shemitta to Yovel, as we brought down from the Zohar Hadash Balak 68b [which I translated earlier]

  [On the verse אראנו ולא עתה - "Rabbi, Rabbi! How hard is the matter? How long is the time? How many troubles upon troubles are prepared for the Jewish people in exile? How many beasts will rule? How many will roar to tear Israel asunder in every era until the End of Days?" At the time that will be prepared according to the counting of years of Yovel and Shemitta together - which is 274 from the 6th day. A sound will be awakened from the highest heights of the heavens, a bitterly sad sound, that which never existed before from the day that the worlds were created. ... And that sound will be soft and quiet, with bitterness and sadness, going down and going up, going up and going down. And it also says, "A lovely impala you were to Me from the early days, but you were forgotten from Me. I had everlasting love with it. I remember that the seal of its image was sealed upon My heart and was sealed upon My arm, and its love was strong inside Me, and its flashes of flames burn inside Me." At that time, HKB"H will strengthen Himself and appease His impala with many appeasements, and will strengthen it, and will raise it from the dust - He and no one else.

  And we see that the Zohar mentions 274 years from the morning of the Sixth Millenium, meaning 5774 [YY - or alternatively, if counting from 5501, then it's 5775]. And we see from the Zohar that the time is connected to Shemita and Yovel.
• And it's also brought down in the Imrei Bina (beginning):

  Sidra Kadma’ah – At Mount Sinai, a voice went out and said “In this Yovel year, you will return, each man to his inheritance”. At (the time of) 1938 years after the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash (which was in 3829, which makes a total of 5767), each man will return to his inheritance, and the year after these years will be the Great Yovel, and Yovel releases at the beginning, therefore at the beginning the holy nation will return to its inheritances.

  The Ra'avad says that 1938 years after Destruction of the Beit Hamikdash - and another year - will occur the Great Yovel, within which its first Shemita, the Geula will come. And here, he is speaking about the Shemita that occurred in 5768, which he connects to the Great Yovel. In the first Shemita of this Yovel, the Children of Israel will return to their inheritance - and this could occur until the end of 5775.
• R' R.Z. also explains that the Ra'avad in Imrei Bina [YY - actually, the quote is in the same book, but from a different work contained there called "Shir Yedidot"] prophesied exactly the Holocaust and its date, which were the punishment of the Gog Umagog War, and the Ra'avad is speaking about the year 5704, as we will explain.  And from then, we start to count the 72 years of Hevlei Mashiah, which concludes in the year 5776, which is Motza'ei Shevi'it when Ben David comes.  Let's bring down his words (p. 16b) [my translation with Rav Fish's explanation in parentheses]:

  With the 7 words from "היתה תהו" until "פני תהום" (gematria equalling 1871), He covered the earth (He covered the Sefira of Malchut, also known as ארץ, with these 4 Kelipot [Tohu, Vohu, Hoshesh, and Tehom]). He gave a limited time and destruction to the flood of the proud waters (of these 4 evil kingdoms). With its measure being: (i.e., how do we measure this? From which year did their rulership start?) from the time they made an upheaval of "but the latter hath dealt a more grievous blow" (i.e., from the time of the Destruction of the 2nd Beit Hamikdash, which the prophet calls האחרון הכביד - in other words, we should calculate the measurement of time for being subservient to the nations from the time of the Destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and add 1871 years like the aforementioned gematria). And when this calculation is complete, He will flood (the world with punishment) and He will remove (the sins of) the guilty (of His people and remove our subjugation to the nations).

  And since the Ra'avad on p. 8a holds that the Destruction occurred in the year 3829, if we add 1871 years to this, we reach the year 5700, which is when the Holocaust began.
• And it's also brought down in the Imrei Bina (7b) [my translation with Rav Fish's explanation in parentheses]:

  When the 2nd Beit Hamikdash was destroyed, like the gematria of הית"ה [which is 420 years that the Beit Hamikdash stood] etc., there will be 4 kingdoms living, which end in the value of אש"ם [standing for] אלף שמונה מאות [which equals 1800] and 75 [altogether 1875] ... when S"M and his mate will be destroyed from the world. And "all the sons of Seth" [ש"ת is gematria 700] refers to the year 700 in Sixth Millenium [i.e. 5700]. Plus 4 extra years (i.e., that which he wrote "1875" - even though the gematria of the verse of תהו until תהום is 1871 - and also, it brings us to the year 5704) which hint to the 4 kingdoms who arose ... (In other words, he counted in his count another 4 years to make 1875, which comes to the year 5704 - in the middle of the Holocaust - because they correspond to the 4 kingdoms themselves which are the Kollelim of the 4 words "Tohu, Vohu, Hoshech, and Tehom" as he explains)

• And he [=R' R.Z.] wants to bring a proof that the beginning of the 72 years of Hevlei Mashiah began in the year 5704 and not 5700, as we find in the gemara (Shabbat 118a):

  Ribbi Shimon Ben Pazi says in the name of Ribbi Yehoshua Ben Levi in the name of Bar Kappara: Whoever fulfils [eating] 3 meals on Shabbat will be saved from 3 punishments: the birthpangs of Mashiah, judgment of Gehinnom, and the Gog Umagog War.

  We see that Hevlei Mashiah and Gog Umagog are 2 separate things. And since the punishment of Gog Umagog occurred during the Holocaust - since during the 3rd part of this war, we're already expecting miracles, wonders, and Redemption - we must say that the 72 years started after the Holocaust and the Holocaust is not included in them.
• And the matter still requires more scrutiny since it is known that the Gedolei Yisrael of that generation, including the Hazon Ish and others, pointed to the Holocaust as Hevlei Mashiah - even though they knew the words of the Hafetz Hayim that the Holocaust would be Gog Umagog Part 2 - because it is very possible that the punishments that relate to that time period connect together.  And for example, the famous words of the Steipler ZT"L that at the time of the Holocaust, we already suffered the majority of Hevlei Mashiah, that means that the punishments of Gog Umagog joined together with the punishments of Hevlei Mashiah during the Holocaust.  And as a result of this, they suffered less than 70 years of Hevlei Mashiah because we already had our fill of it during the Holocaust.  If this is the case, also regarding the time aspect, the Holocaust years should count for both.  וצ"ע.
• R' Yosef Morsiano adds that שבוע שבן דוד בא בו [the seven years wherein Ben David comes in it - from Sanhedrin 97a] plus the letters, words, and Kollel equals 775 [corresponding to the year 5775, the Shemita year].  If you just add the letters, you get 769, corresponding to the year 5769, the year that the seven-year cycle began.
• Another 5775 gematria
• R' Avigdor Aharonson adds that זה זמן גמר הבירור [this is the time of the end of the filtering] is gematria 775.
• R' Tziyon David Siboni adds that משיח בן דוד [MBD] is the gematria of הבירור [the filtering].
• 17 Elul
• [YY - Rav Fish wrote earlier this year: 

  Zohar Hadash (Balak 55d) talks about 274 years after the sixth millennium (which can be understood as the morning of the sixth millennium, which would mean 5774 [YY - although it could also mean 5775]). Rav Fish says that the Zohar implies this starts Shavuot of this year. The Zohar says to add 70 days and another 32 days and then another 12 months of wars. R' A. H. adds that the date of 70+32 days after Shavuot falls out on the 17th of Elul, which is when WWII broke out.

  ]
• R' Moshe Levinger adds that this comes out on Friday of Parshat Ki Tavo this year.  [Friday corresponds to the sixth Aliya of Ki Tavo, which is the Tocheha.]
• שעה
• It's brought down in the Roke'ah (Shir Hashirim 8:4) that it says the phrase האהבה עד שתחפץ three times in Shir Hashirim, and this phrase has the Rashei Teivot שע"ה.  This hints to the fact that the Gog Umagog War is to last 3 hours.  
• It appears that we could add that there is also a hint to the Shemita year of תשע"ה, which is when the Gog Umagog War is expected.
• Rashei Teivot from Tzuk Eitan
• [YY - Wikipedia English explains that a ממ"ד [Mamad, or Merkhav Mugan Dirati] is a reinforced security room.  See more there.]
• A true ממ"ד that saves lives from חבל"ה [lit. terror] is מקרא משנה דרך ארץ, as the Mishna (Kiddushin 40b) brings down:  כל שישנו במקרא ובמשנה ובדרך ארץ, לא במהרה הוא חוטא [Whoever involves himself with Scripture, Mishna, and proper conduct will not sin so quickly].
• Request from Rav Fish
• Closer to Rosh Hashana, Rav Fish plans to publish a comprehensive essay on the subject of the 6000 verses in the Torah corresponding to the 6000 years of the world.  Anyone who has information or Hiddushim on this topic - or has a tradition regarding the number of verses (whether according to Ta'am Elyon or Ta'am Tahton, etc.) - is requested to email him.  (His email can be found on the bottom line of page 10 of the pdf.)  He thanks you for giving merit to the public.