Ikvot Meshicha: The Time Immediately Before Mashiach

 

by J. Immanuel Schochet

The time appointed by G‑d for the Messianic redemption is a closely guarded secret.1 Nonetheless, we are offered many hints to recognize its proximity: when certain conditions come about, await the imminent coming of Mashiach. 

Most of these conditions are quite disturbing, clearly displaying a situation of the very “bottom of the pit.”2 One major source describes the world-condition in those days as follows: increase in insolence and impudence; oppressing inflation; unbridled irresponsibility on the part of authorities; centers of learning will turn into bawdy houses; wars; many destitutes begging, with none to pity them; wisdom shall be putrid; the pious shall be despised; truth will be abandoned; the young will insult the old; family-breakup with mutual recriminations; impudent leadership.3 

Other sources add: lack of scholars; succession of troubles and evil decrees; famines; mutual denunciations; epidemics of terrible diseases; poverty and scarcity; cursing and blaspheming; international confrontations nations provoking and fighting each other.4 In short, it will be a time of suffering that will make it look as if G‑d were asleep. These are the birthpangs of Mashiach, bearable only in anticipation of the bliss that follows them. 

“When you see a generation ever dwindling, hope for him… when you see a generation overwhelmed by many troubles as by a river, await him.”5 “When you see nations fighting each other, look toward the feet of Mashiach.”6 

Little wonder that some sages expressed apprehensions about those days in terms of, “Let [Mashiach] come, but let me not see him.”7 The prevailing attitude, however, is to await his coming in spite of all, even if thereafter we shall merit no more than sitting “in the shadow of his donkey’s dung!”8 

The troubles and agony of chevlei Mashiach (birthpangs of Mashiach), however, are not unavoidable: 

“What is man to do to be spared the pangs of Mashiach? Let him engage in Torah and acts of loving-kindness!”9 

Moreover, there are also good and happy signs indicating the imminent coming of Mashiach: a good measure of prosperity;10 a renewal of Torah-study;11 and opening of the “gates of wisdom above and the wellsprings of wisdom below,”12 evidenced also by scientific and technological discoveries and advances; a manifestation and propagation of the mystical teachings of the Torah;13 and also “In the time that Mashiach will awaken, many signs and miracles will occur in the world.”14

Source and Footnotes: click here

Soaring Inflation

One of the many signs given that will occur in the days before Moshiach are the soaring prices, and as you can see we have sky-rocketing inflation in some places, and gradual rises in others:

Inflation around the world 

Russia: 9.2% 

United States: 7.9% 

Spain: 7.4% 

Mexico: 7.3% 

New Zealand: 5.9% 

Australia: 3.5% 

China: 0.9% 

Japan: 0.5%

Source: News

Don't Forget to Remember

Photo: Rabbi Sacks Org

Text by Rabbi Benjy Simons

Parshas Vayikra and Zachor

If Alcohol can damage-your short-term memory? 

Imagine the damage Alcohol can do. 

There is a popular adage that goes, ‘everyone is born with a photographic memory, we just don’t bother developing the film.’ As we begin the complexities of the book of Vayikra, it is interesting to note that Rashi highlights an interesting titbit of information when it comes to how Moshe learnt Torah. He explains that in the Torah, there is often spacing and paragraphing which actually reflects not just separate ideas throughout the Torah, but also how the Torah was communicated to Moshe in that it represents a specific pause for contemplation and reflection before the following idea was transmitted. This concept has been often called ‘study breaks’ to facilitate further learning, focus and retention while preventing study fatigue. 

At the same time, the importance of reviewing that which one has learnt on a regular basis must also be emphasised . The Talmud [Sanhedrin 99a] likens reviewing learnt material to harvesting that which is planted, which the Maharsha explains enables a person to refine the information learnt and gain a level of mastery of the subject. 

The level of reviewing the subject material will often depend on how well the information was learnt in the first place. To maximise one’s memory retention it is encouraged to learn audibly [Eruvin 54a] and many move in a rhythm which too improves neural connections and offers a variety of health benefits. Music also activates both hemispheres of the brain which improves one’s recollection [Tosfos to Megillah 32a] and also is associated with creating a happier disposition which encourages learning [Chida]. 

The Yerushalmi [Berachos 5:1 54a] further encourages one to toil over one’s studies in a Shule or Beis Midrash and the importance of learning from within a book and as mentioned, taking regular intervals to ponder and digest what one has studied. The Talmud [Eruvin 54b] also advises one to chunk information or create mnemonics and acrostics to combine multiple units of information by recoding them into smaller bits of data. 

The Rambam [Laws of Studying Torah 3:12] stresses the importance of diligence and persistence in one’s learning to the extent of straining one’s body and not learning amidst physical indulgence. The Talmud [Eruvin 54a] further stresses the importance or having refined social attributes that contribute to one’s memory retention and the Chasam Sofer would urge one to write down their learning and novel ideas. 

The Gemara [Bava Basra 10b] writes that it is said in the next world that happy is the individual who reaches the next world with his learning in his hand. As we further have Parshas Zachor this week as we recall the actions of Amalek in the lead up to Purim, may we merit to always carry our learning with us and grow with our Torah studies.

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Worldwide Tehillim for Geula

 HT: Myrtle Rising

Please share this post. FB has banned my blog but you can copy the picture and send it to your contacts or just upload it to FB or any other social media.

The Time of Mashiach

HT: Sherry

Rabbi David Ashear [under 3 minutes]

What will it really be like? When Moshiach is here.... 

Jews of Ukraine: A History

 Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson: short video

Unleashing a Monster

 Rabbi Mendel Kessin, new shiur

Ukraine's Komarna Rebbes

This is a re-blog from 2011. Ukrainian history.  This is a familiar map to us now, back in 2011 perhaps not so familiar to most of us.

Komarno is near the city of Lviv



Source: Yitzchak Yaakov Rosenbaum HaLevi - as heard from the Komarno Rebbe Eliezer Tzvi Safrin shlita

[Interestingly, all of the previous Komarna Rebbes passed away during the time of the Omer]
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After the collapse of communism in 1990, the chassidim of the Komarna dynasty travelled to search for the graves of their Rebbes which had been destroyed by the Nazis.

They arrived in Komarno [Ukraine] and asked many people where they could locate the part of town where the Jews had lived. Here they found an old farmer and questioned him regarding the whereabouts of any Jewish graves.

The farmer had no idea, he couldn't help them at all.... but the chassidim continued to question him and ask him if he could think of anything that could help them....... suddenly the farmer remembered that there is a certain paddock, about a mile from the town of Komarno, where they take the cows and sheep to graze. The animals would always stop at a certain point and refuse to go any further. They would only eat the grass on one side of the paddock.

Ohel of Komarna Rebbes

The farmer took the chassidim to the paddock and showed them the area that the cattle refused to graze in. The chassidim began to gently dig at the grass and discovered the graves of their Rebbes. Although the headstones had been destroyed by the Nazis, the graves were lying untouched beneath the grass.



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A visitor to the ohel reported a newly-lit candle burning in the corner. He wondered who had been there and left it - he went outside and asked the children playing there who it was who had just visited and left the candle. The children said that no-one had been there at all, and that he was the first visitor that day.
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Pirkei Avot [ch.2] states: "Weigh the loss from a mitzvah against its reward." This is an admonition to the leaders of the community, said Komarno Rebbe Eliezer Zvi Safrin [1830-1898] zatz'l, that they should be willing to sacrifice their personal spiritual gain in order to raise the level of others. Even if a person must interrupt his own learning or growth in order to engage in kiruv (bringing others closer), this loss is insignificant compared to the rewards.

Rav Safrin -- known as the "Sar Bet Hazohar" [Master of the Zohar]: Regarding this the Zohar [II:128b] says that if one helps another overcome his yetzer hara, it is as if he has created a new person. Moreover, there is no greater honor to Hashem than this, the Zohar says. If one holds the hand of a rasha and tries to lead the rasha on a new path, he accomplishes three things: he helps to crush the yetzer hara, he brings honor to G-d, and he causes the world to endure. Such a person will merit to see children and grandchildren, and about him it says "Mighty in the land will his offspring be, a generation of the upright who shall be blessed." [Zekan Beto]