The following is part of a Sicha from the Lubavitcher Rebbe delivered on 14 Iyar 5740 regarding the war of Gog u Magog.
Rabbi Yochanan quotes Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai regarding Gog u Magog. It seems like it is a terrible tragedy for the Jews, but as it says in Sanhedrin and other sources: ''Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: ''When King David ran from his son Avshalom, he exclaimed Ma raba tzorei - How big are my problems?" whereas on the passuk Lama ragshu goyim uleumim yehegu rik - Why do nations gather and people speak futility?'' he doesn't say ''how big are my problems?'' but the opposite.
On yehegu rik - speaking futility : Rashi and other commentaries explain that it's not tzorei - tragedy, but rik vahevel - speaking futility. It has no meaning for the Jews.
Goyim are fighting between themselves, gathering and talking, but it's all ineffective. Why? Because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them.
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| Lubavitcher Rebbe painted by Robert Kremnizer |
Hashem is instigating Egyptians amongst themselves and different nations between them. Then comes the question: How should a Jew view this?
We have the decree from Torah that even though nations are gathering and talking negatively, still for the Jews it has absolutely no meaning. But not because of our own strength, G-d forbid, but because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them.
And that's why it's not affecting the Jews. They call it tragedy? G-d forbid! The nations come up with different ideas but it's all Hevel Larik - futility. Why? Because Hashem is with us.
The fact that they are gathering, Jewish people know that it's all pointless. because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them. He is not just notifying, but He is mocking and laughing at them. As it says ''He who touches them, is touching the Apple of my Eye''. That is what Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is saying about the seventh year. He is talking about the year of the Coming of Moshiach.
Right at the end of the seven years of wars, Moshiach comes. Which wars? The ones where the nations gather and speak futility. The story of Egypt, the story of Afghanistan, another story, that fight, another fight, but in relation to Jews ''the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps''.
Why? Because Jews are connected with the Guardian of the Jews. Then he sees in a revealed way that Hashem in Heaven laughs and mocks them. And the war of Gog U'Magog is not affecting the Jewish people.
Gog is fighting with Magog and it says in Tanach that it will be in Jerusalem, but that has nothing to do with the Jewishness in Jerusalem, and not in the city of Jerusalem, rather it's around Jerusalem. The Jews are standing strong because Jerusalem is a city where King David lived and the name ''Yerushalayim'' comes from the words ''yiras Hashem shleima'' which means ''complete fear of G-d''. And Jews who are complete G-d fearing people bring it into actuality and the city of Jerusalem will stay untouched.
And the nations are Utzu Eitza - contriving a scheme - but when the Jewish people behave in a manner of ki imanu Kel - G-d is with us - then dabru davar velo yakum - their conspired plot will not be materialized.
8 comments:
The Lubavitch Rebbe said that the second world war was the war of Gog and Magog. The third component of this war (as related in the name of the Chofetz Chaim) has been transformed into a mainly spiritual component because of the lengthiness of exile and the avodah of the previous great tzaddikim and the great sufferings of the Jewish people.
The war in Syria is 'around Jerusalem' and fulfills the conditions of the war of Gog and Magog.
Likewise the Rebbe explained that the 80% of Jews that did not make it out of Exile will not apply to the coming redemption (Likuttei Sichos 11 pg.2).
Some wish to apply negative scenarios for the sake of inspiring others to Teshuvah.
The Rebbe taught not to follow this approach.
Some wish to apply a mussar approach based on an individual's dreams etc.
The Gemara quotes that when prophecy was taken from the Neviim it was given to the Sages. The Gemara explains that a Sage is greater than a prophet. (Bava Batra 12) This accords to what the Gemara teaches there that prophecy was taken from the Neviim and given to children and fools.
Nowhere does it teach that we must heed children and fools before the teachings of the Sages. This is because prophecy was never taken from the Sages only from the lower level Neviim.
Therefore it is incumbent upon all the generation to heed the advice of the Rebbe and increase in Ahavat Yisrael and the spreading of Chassidus and not in a mode of doom and gloom. With light and not might.
After the Holocaust especially the Jewish people have already fulfilled all the negative components of prophecies and we must now help to fulfill the positive components in actuality.
We must dedicate ourselves to Ahavat Chinam period and in this way we will actualize the Rebbe's vision of bringing the complete redemption in physical reality.
thanks,Jordan
P.s. thank you for your wonderful efforts in inspiring everybody with your blog may you have great blessings for you and your family as one who's merit from inspiring the Rabim is very great indeed.
Thanks for the above beautiful comment. Please explain the following:
'Likewise the Rebbe explained that the 80% of Jews that did not make it out of Exile will not apply to the coming redemption (Likuttei Sichos 11 pg.2).'
Much thanks,
Judi
That's exactly what happened in the failed Paris "peace" conference. However, I'm afraid much of this is wishful thinking, since all those who had near death experiences for the last two years saw many Jews being killed and destruction in Israel before the final redemption - chas ve shalom. We have to be righteous, follow the Torah and the mitzvot, support our country and stay together. Don't take Hashem's assistance for granted. He doesn't like to be taken by a fool. 80% of Jews in our generation don't keep Shabbat and the basic commandments, so how the final salvation won't be a remake of Egypt when most of our people died in the plague of darkness? The Torah says "no Shabbat, forget about Olam Habah", right? Nevertheless, I hope the holy rebbe proves me wrong. Nothing will make me happier than being wrong on this.
The Rebbe explains that even though the redemption will follow the pattern of the exodus from Egypt where 80% of Jews were lost in the plague of darkness, nevertheless this will not reproduce itself in the coming redemption.
At first glance one can postulate that because of the Holocaust and intermarriage assimilation rates since the Holocaust, this 80% loss sadly, has already occurred.
But when looking at things with a different 'Mashiach' perspective, we see that the awareness of Torah and Mashiach has never been so widespread as it is in this Internet generation and (like the Rebbe teaches) it is impossible to say that all Jews have not already have had thoughts of Teshuvah.
Combining these thoughts, it is very easy to see that things are ripe for Mashiach to come and in a very short moment educate the world (which obviously includes these '80% Jews').
What is incumbent upon us is to spread the pathway of the Rebbe's teachings. If everybody of those so called 20% of observant Jews helped to encourage Shabbos and Mitzvah observance to 3-4 non-observant brethren within a short time everybody would be Shabbos observant. After the Holocaust,there is no benefit to threatening Jews with doomsday scenarios and we see that this pathway does not bring about proper fruits.
It is important to emphasize the Rebbe's pathway of spreading light in a non-judgmental and Ahavas Yisrael way since we can be sure that the Rebbe understands the needs of the generation and that this leads us to the ultimate redemption. Whereas we cannot be sure of where other pathways may lead us to.
The Rebbe has already proved his naysayers wrong by the very existence of his shluchim around the world who are increasingly spreading Yiddishkeit and Chassidus to their surroundings. They are good role-models to emulate.
Jordan
Beemet, Lubavitcher Rebbe was a great soul. He ushered in the time of awareness regarding Mashiach in 1992.
Interestingly to note that Rebbe sent people in the world to look for Mashiach. I had a chance to meet such an envoy in India in Kolkata many years ago.
Nowadays we understand the fundamental relation between Yisrael and India. Yisrael has other important partners on the world arena, such as US and Russia, but these countries have manifestations of antisemitism to a certain degree, whereas they don't occur in India. This is an issue worth pondering upon.
Naturally, India, Hodu, is involved with the process of geulah that has to have certain countries as winners.
Bibi realised that India is the most important world strategic partner of Yisrael. Good on you Bibi!
Jordan: The rebbe himself said to one of his closest friends that in the very last generation there would be Torah speakers that will sow fear in the hearts of secular Jews in order to motivate them to do teshuva, so we must support those speakers. I like Chabad very much, but I only became observant when I saw scientific evidence in the Torah – proving that it could never be written by a human being – heard testimonies from people who had near death experiences, and learned about Gehenom, Kaf Hakela and punishments in general, specially in the afterlife. Ask rabbis like Yosef Mizrachi and they'll show you many thousands of Jews who became fully Orthodox thanks to lectures where they were taught about the consequences of disobeying God's rules, while those speakers who don't do it are not very effective in kiruv. Fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom.
Dror: The fact that India has close relations with Israel and they weren't involved in antisemitic persecution doesn't mean they are partners in the redemption, since that country is full of idolatry.
The War between Edom and Persia will commence in Yemen.
As the pasuk about the Final Shofar blast that welcomes the Messianic Era tells us:
יד וַיהוָה עֲלֵיהֶם יֵרָאֶה, וְיָצָא כַבָּרָק חִצּוֹ; וַאדֹנָי יְהוִה בַּשּׁוֹפָר יִתְקָע, וְהָלַךְ בְּסַעֲרוֹת תֵּימָן.
And the LORD shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord GOD will blow the shofar, and will go with stormwinds of Teiman (Yemen).
HaShem is hovering over us and sees us here in Israel in our pain, some of it "self-imposed" from the Erev Rav. He then shoots an arrow in the direction of where the final war to destroy the World of Lies is going to commence. And with the blast of the Shofar, He will direct the judgement on the nations of the world from Teiman.
http://www.hidabrut.com/video/159646/Rabbi-Shimon-Heller/The-Nuclear-Threat-through-the-Eyes-of-Our-Sages
It is mentioned in this video that there will not be another Holocaust, but at the same time, there will be WWW3. Only committed Jews will be saved who genuinely return to Hashem.
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