Believe It - Or Not

I'm a bit late to the party..... Tomer Devorah has already pointed out the 40 day sign: 40 days plus one since the total solar eclipse, and the Iranian President is incinerated in a helicopter crash.   

At the time of the eclipse, people pointed out that the date of 4/8 as written in America [in Australia we would write it as 8/4] corresponds with Chapter 4, Verse 8 of the second book of the Bible [as they call it] - Shemot

4:8  And it will come to pass, that if they do not believe you, and they do not heed the voice of the first sign, they will believe the voice of the last sign.

Rashi comments: When you tell them, “Because of you I was stricken, because I spoke ill of you,” they will believe you, for they have already learned that those who trespass against them are stricken with plagues, such as Pharaoh and Abimelech, [who were punished] because of Sarah. 

So it's a warning to the world, to those who attack the Jewish people in some way, and indeed one day after the 40 days was up, the Iranian President was obliterated - midda kneged midda - he said there would be "nothing left" of Israel, and there was nothing left of him.

So that is the first sign, as far as I'm concerned.  

And if they do not heed the voice of this sign, they will believe the voice of the last sign.

I'm not sure why some commenters are attacking Devorah Chayah in the comments of her post.  In one of her responses she wrote "the constant recognition of possibility is what keeps me going" - and I totally agree with that.  Hope and possibility is also what keeps me going.

Anyway, she was right when she blogged about the 40 days.... and I think she's right again.  But please don't attack me, it's not good for my mood. 

Nothing Left

 Source: Michael Freund

Less than a month ago, Iranian President Raisi threatened that “nothing will be left” of Israel. 

And today - there is nothing left of him.

“For the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be like the fat of lambs - they shall be consumed in smoke, they shall be consumed.” - Psalms 37:20

Does Eliyahu Precede Moshiach?

There is a tradition that Eliyahu [Elijah the Prophet] will come before Moshiach, to inform the world of the advent of Moshiach. Is this showing of Eliyahu a mandatory pre-requisite for Moshiach?

The Talmud relates:1

Once, Rabbi Joshua met Moshiach and asked him: ‘When are you going to come?’ Moshiach replied: ‘Today!’

Rabbi Joshua then met Eliyahu, who asked him: ‘What did he [Moshiach] tell you?’ Said Rabbi Joshua: ‘He lied to me, for he told me that he is coming today, but he didn’t come!’

Said Eliyahu: ‘He didn’t lie, but this is what he really meant: He will come “Today, if you hearken to the voice of G‑d.”2

Maharsha explains that if Moshiach comes today, we assume that Eliyahu came yesterday to the Supreme Beth Din [in Tiberias].

Another explanation is that if we merit, and Moshiach comes sooner (before the appointed time), he may then come on his own before the revelation of Eliyahu. This is presented in Krayti U’playti [by Rabbi Yonason Eibschutz]:3

Rambam posits4 that it is not a certainty that Eliyahu must come before Moshiach. Although some Sages maintain that before the advent of Moshiach, Eliyahu will appear, yet, there is no definite basis for this.

This poses a difficulty, inasmuch as the Talmud states5 that Eliyahu will come first, and as is seen in Tanach,6 “Behold I send unto you Eliyahu the Prophet.” How do we reconcile these two statements re: the coming of Eliyahu?

The answer is seen in the timing of Moshiach, as the Talmud cites the verse:7 “In its time will I hasten it” — If Jews do not merit, Moshiach will come in his appointed time; but if they merit, then Moshiach will come sooner, in haste.

Rambam holds that there is an order to the coming of Moshiach, that Eliyahu comes first to foretell of his coming. This, however, is effective only when Moshiach comes in his appointed time. But when Jews merit and the redemption is hastened, as expressed in,8 “He is leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills” — G‑d then changes the order, as a sign of His love for Jewish merits and good deeds. This is expressed in the Rambam’s concise words.

The Sages note that Eliyahu comes first, to convey the news of Moshiach; yet, this is not definite. For, perhaps G‑d will have mercy and bestow His holy spirit upon the Jews to serve Him with a full heart; then He will swiftly bring Moshiach without the need for Eliyahu’s message.9

FOOTNOTES

1. Sanhedrin 98a, Rashi

2. Psalms 95:7

3. Yoreh Deah 110, Bais Hasafek/end

4. Hilchos Melachim 12:2

5. Eiruvin 43b

  Source Sichos in English - Lubavitcher Rebbe

Why This Golus Is So Long

Rabbi Mendel Kessin

Sticks and Stones: Insults and How We React To Them

H/t Sara

by Rabbi Eliyahu Safran

“Our Rabbis taught: Those who are insulted ne’elavin but do not insult, hear themselves reviled shomeim cherpasan without responding, act through love and rejoice in suffering, regarding them the verse states: ‘But they who love Him as the sun goes forth in its might’ Judges 5:31

In commenting on this Talmudic passage, my grandfather notes, “Why the double language? Why, “those who are insulted but do not insult” only to repeat (in form and idea) “hear themselves reviled without responding” . 

Aren’t these speaking to the very same people and lesson, they who are insulted but do not respond in kind? 

To address the question, he delved deeply into the psychology of life. He explained that there are times when one is insulted, demeaned and humiliated, and the insulted one remains stone silent; he gives no response at all, not so much as a peep to the one who insulted him. However, his silence, my grandfather notes, does not necessarily suggest that he is generous of spirit, or blessed with the most beautiful human attributes. It could very well be the insult stuns him so that he is rendered silent, left to seethe, to seep and to stew in his anger and silence. 

There are other times when one who is insulted knows only too well how evil the one piling on the insult is, he knows just how despicable the insult is and he feels he simply must respond… and yet, he holds his tongue. He accepts the abuse heaped upon him with silence and grace. This reaction is a sign that the insulted one is of noble character, that he is high up on the ladder of hishtalmut (wholesomeness). 

Thus, when we are first taught about those who “are insulted but do not insult (ha’neelavin ve’einan olvin) we cannot be certain that their non-response comes from a noble place or from a frightened, defeated place. However, those who “hear themselves reviled” (shomeim cherpasam) hear all of the abuse heaped upon them. They know how to respond. Indeed, they are capable of giving back in kind to those who heaped cherpa upon them. Yet, they do not. They einam meishivin – they do not respond. Their non-response, rather than being a sign of weakness is a sign of strength; it is the ultimate indicator of their character. They are the ones who “act through love and rejoice in suffering”! 

It is in praise of those possessing such fine character that the passage goes on, “…they who love Him as the sun goes forth in its might.” Why? Why this verse from Judges with its comparison to the sun? Because the insulted one who does not respond – even with a justifiable reason to respond – is compared to the sun which did not respond to the moon’s complaint and unfounded challenge that “…it is not possible for two kings to rule with one crown (light)”!

Source: OU Torah

Understanding Mashiach ben Yosef Part 3

Rabbi Efraim Palvanov

Part 1 can be found here

Part 2 here

Awaiting Moshiach - The Mitzvah Hashem Fulfills

H/T Mindel Puah

Rabbi Daniel Glattstein

"The mitzvah of awaiting the coming of Moshiach is so important and so powerful, that in it's merit alone, Moshiach could come..."

The Fall of Gaza and the Rise of the Third Temple

Re-blog to remind you

Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn

*The Fall of Gaza and the Rise of The Third Beis Hamikdash* [Part 2 of 2] - note, I do not have Part 1

This translation was carefully researched and prepared by Rabbi Shmuel Pollen, Shlit”A

BS”D 

The father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Shneerson, makes a comment in his book “Torah of Levi Yitzchack” (page 452) that seems to imply that the fall of Gaza is a harbinger of the rebuilding of the 3rd Holy Temple and the coming of Moshiach. 

He writes that the “doors of Gaza” are 60 cubits and the sanctuary of the Beis Hamikdash is also 60 cubits. 

He further writes: “G-d created the world in such a way that, everything in the realm of good, has an opposing counterpart in the world of evil.” 

This would imply that if Gaza (the side of evil) were to be destroyed, the opposite of that would happen to the Beis Hamikdosh i.e. it would be built. And the Beis Hamikdosh will only be rebuilt with the coming of Moshiach. 

Gaza (in Hebrew: Azah) comes from the word “brazen (face)” As it says “the brazen faced go to hell.” And “dogs have a brazen soul.” Gaza corresponds to the rule of the evil side, Satan and impurity. 

The Talmud states in Tractate of Sotah 10A, “the pillars of Gaza which Samson knocked down were 60 cubits tall. This corresponds to the 60 tractates of Talmud. 

This also corresponds to the 60 mighty Jewish soldiers who guarded King Solomon. The sanctuary of the Beis Hamikdash was also 60 cubits tall. As it states: “The house that Solomon built for G-d was 60 cubits.” 

Once again, we see the fall of impurity leads to the rise of holiness. When Gaza falls, along with the 60 cubit pillars Samson knocked down, the Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt with, G-d’s help. 

The Gaon of Vilna, peace be upon him, says, the impurity of the Philistines is preventing the Jewish people from meriting the messianic redemption today. 

*What is the connection between the Philistines and Gaza?* 

King David writes in psalm 83 that “within the Ishmalites (the Arabs today) we have mixed in, the Philistines and the Amalekites.” This means, all the evil forces, are together into Gaza: the children of Ishmael, the Amalekim, and the Philistines. 

Shortly before his death, the Philistines poked out both of Samson’s eyes. With no vision, Samson prayed to G-d for one final feat of strength to be able to knock down the columns of the building and thereby kill many Philistines. He asked for this act of revenge, in the merit of the loss of one of his eyes. Why did he ask only for one eye and not both? Many more Philistines were killed in Samson’s death than he ever killed in his lifetime. But the great Rashi tells us, that he wanted to leave the other eye so we can be rewarded with another defeat of the Philistines in the future (we have that merit on our side in our current war). 

When Gaza falls, the redemption will come. And we will build the Beis Hamikdash. And we will merit to see the face of the Moshiach, speedily in our days, with G-d’s help. Azah is related to the word “Azuvah” which means deserted, because “Gaza will be deserted.” Before the day is done, may all the enemies of G-d, be destroyed. 

*Translation by:* Shmuel Yitzchak Pollen