Monday, July 6, 2009

The Sixth Day

There is an ancient Jewish tradition, based on Tehillim 90:4, that the six days of creation in Breishit chapter 1 are a hint at six thousand years of human history. See Sanhedrin 97a, and the Ramban to Breishit 2:3, and chapter 1 of Sifra diTzniuta. Of all the days of the week, we only have an exact hour by hour description for the sixth day, as is explained in a few sources.

Aside from an hour by hour description of the events of the sixth day, we also have two traditions regarding how to count the hours. In Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer, we have that an hour is one thousand years divided in to twelve parts, meaning there is no creation at night, therefore the night is as if it didn't exist. Therefore an hour is 83 and 1/3 years.
In Kol haTor, the sixth millennium is divided in to twenty four parts, so that each hour is 41 and 2/3 years.
We must understand that these are both words of the living G-d. The application of this idea has ramifications for our time.
Twelve Hours over the Sixth Millennium
  • Hour 1. 5000 - 5083.33 Hashem gathers the dust. After the close of the fifth millennium, a day that is all exile, the Zohar is revealed.
  • Hour 4. 5250 - 5333.33 A Neshamah is blown in him. The Torah of the Arizal is brought to the world.
  • Hour 7. 5500 - 5583.33 Chava was paired for him. A time of separation between the Moshiachs.
  • Hour 10. 5750 - 5833.33. He sinned. It is taught in Kabbalah that the root cause of Adam haRishon's sin is the same root as the Erev Rav. The Arizal taught in Shaar haGilgulim that the last generation would be a reincarnation of the Erev Rav. Kol haTor teaches that the generation before the end would end in 5750, so this reincarnation, it is implied, begins immediately thereafter. The point here is that now is the time to repair the problems that have been lingering around since the very beginnings of Am Yisrael in the desert some 3300 years ago.
The twelve hour story is that of Am Yisrael, led by the two Moshiachs, bringing about a repair for what went wrong in Gan Eden at the beginning of history by fixing the mistakes of the Generation of the Desert. It is therefore incumbent upon us to study well the mistakes made in the Desert, and determine how to escape repeating those same follies.
Twenty Four Hours over the Sixth Millennium
In his commentary to chapter 5 of Sifra diTzniuta, the GR"A explains how the Six Days of Creation hint at certain developments in the upper world. Here is a quote:
And on the the sixth day "Let the land bring forth (living creatures)", and afterwards, when the Chair is complete, "Let us make the man", the tikkunim of Nukva and its Nesirah, and afterwards male and female of Briah, and the coupling of male and female as said before.
And we know in specific that the GR"A was referring to the hours, as he wrote a little bit afterwards:
And know, that all of these days are a hint to the six thousand years, which are the six days, as it is said above in chapter one, that the six thousand years are dependent on the six first (days). And all the details, which are in these six days, they are in effect in the six thousand years, each one in its day and hour.
The basic idea is that all of the different tikkunim mentioned map out to history, and the basic mapping is in the hours of the days. See here. We find explained elsewhere that the Nesirah, which parallels the making of Chavah from Adam haRishon, is the immediate predecessor of Final Redemption.
  • Hour 7. 5750 - 5791.66 Chava was paired for him. The Nesirah. This does not mean that the Nesirah takes the entire "hour", but that it takes place during the "hour" in question.
To explain the concept of Nesirah, I will use a metaphor.
Imagine two magnets being held back to back. The front of one magnet is positive, and the front of the other is negative. However, the insides of the magnets are somewhat mixed: parts of the negative magnet are within the positive and vice versa, and therefore they aren't completely attracted to eachother. They are therefore held together by an outside force. During the count to 999, these out of place parts are set free, but are not yet able to move to the correct magnet.
The negative side is held in place, attached to the positive, kept there by a higher power. After all of the out-of-place parts are set free, that higher source begins to retract its hold. When that removal is completed, the inherently negative magnet is left in utter darkness. Outside darkness is strengthened. Afterwards, the higher light indirectly causes light to shine on the positive side. During this time, and afterwards, the negative side receives all the negativity from the positive side, and vice versa, and they come to face each other face to face, as the attraction of the front sides is stronger than that of the back sides.
The negative magnet here is a metaphor for the Shechinah. Since the Shechinah is still in Galut, this darkness that comes upon the Shechinah is to manifest in darkness that will plague Am Yisrael in the lands of Galut. See Rashi to Deuteronomy 30:3, and Talmud Bavli Rosh Hashanah 31a. This darkness will reach its peak in the first half of 5773, as is hinted at by the words of the Ariza"l in Sha'ar Maamrei Rashbi on Parshat VaEra. The beginning of the new light that will come down to the positive side, Z"A, will be during Yovel, in 5776.
The point of the Nesirah is the permanent coupling which follows. This time begins upon the return of the Shechinah to Tzion, at the time of Ateret haYesod, which is when the Nesirah is to complete.
The Nesirah is a necessary pain that brings the Final Redemption, if we are not worthy by our own actions to cause these tikkunim. The Nesirah will happen, it is in the very DNA of time. The question is only whether or not Am Yisrael will be pushed out of Exile, or if we will make the choice ourselves ahead of this period, thereby choosing to make a Tikkun for the Sin of the Spies.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Nesirah, Gadlut Bet, Ateret HaYesod

There is an amazing convergance of tikkunim that occur during the 7th Hour. The Back to Back status, mentioned in the last post, is when both sides are lacking completion. Both sides need to become a full partzuf of 10 sefirot. Z"A lacks only the Mochin (the first 3 sefirot), whereas Nukva (the Shechinah) lacks all sefirot but Keter.

The tikkun of Z"A comes via Yovel, but the addition of the Mochin is complete only in 5783, with the end of the Nesirah from that side. This is Gadlut Bet.
When the status of Face to Face is reached, Z"A provides the tikkun of the Nukva. The tikkun is to add the other 9 sefirot via the Sefirah of Yesod, namely Ateret HaYesod.
Therefore, when the status of Face to Face is reached, the tikkun of the Shechinah begins immediately.
The tikkun of Z"A manifests itself in a greater spiritual potential in Am Yisrael. The tikkun of the Shechinah is the return to Tzion.
A source from Pitchei Shearim:
פתחי שערים נתיב נוקבא דז"א פתח כ"ב
שבגלות שאין הזיווג גמור ואינו תדיר אז תיכף חוזרת אב"א וגם הטוב הנתקן בכל יום משתהא למעלה וקודם הגאולה בעת חבלי משיח, אז אתחשכת נוקבא וחוזרת נקודה אחת פב"פ כידוע תיכף אחר הנסירה. ואח"כ תתבנה פב"פ בסוד פרצוף גמור בזיוויג מתמיד

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Approaching Darkness

The prior two posts refer to an important kabbalistic process that culminates in the Geulah called the Nesirah.

Imagine two magnets being held back to back. The front of one magnet is positive, and the front of the other is negative. However, the insides of the magnets are somewhat mixed: parts of the negative magnet are within the positive and vice versa, and therefore they aren't completely attracted to eachother. They are therefore held together by an outside force. During the count to 999, these out of place parts are set free, but are not yet able to move to the correct magnet.
The negative side is held in place, attached to the positive, kept there by a higher power. After all of the out-of-place parts are set free, that higher source begins to retract its hold. When that removal is completed, the inherently negative magnet is left in darkness. Outside darkness is strengthened. Afterwards, the higher light indirectly causes light to shine on the positive side. During this time, and afterwards, the negative side receives all the negativity from the positive side, and vice versa, and they come to face each other face to face, as the attraction of the front sides is stronger than the back sides.
The positive magnet symbolizes Z"A, and the negative, the Shechinah. When the Shechinah loses its light from Chochmah, the Shechinah is in darkness, and the Sitra Achra is strengthened. Since at this time, the Shechinah is still in Galut, this is a dangerous time for Am Yisrael outside the Land of Israel, in about 3 and a half years. The light will shine down on Z"A from the side of Binah in Yovel, about 3 years later. The darkness overtakes the Shechinah in the first half of 5773, and the two sides are brought face to face in 5783, two times hinted at by the Ariza"l.
The timing of this is hinted at in a general way by the GR"A: He writes in his commentary to Sifra diTzniuta that all these developments in the upper world are hints at events throughout the course of history, and the Nesirah is in the 6th day. According to the methodology that the millennium needs to be divided in to 24 hours (the method used in Kol haTor), we are currently in the 7th hour, in which (according to most opinions) Chava is separated from Adam haRishon, the Nesirah from chapter 2 of Breishit.
This steady removal of the light of Chochmah corresponds to the darkness following the Pekidah, as taught by the Ramchal in Ma'amar haGeulah, and explains why it seems that the Six Day War seems to have been the height of Israeli history, and most everything else has been downhill afterwards. Further, it is a fulfillment of the verse in Yirmiyahu "and it is a time of trouble for Yaakov, and from it, he will be saved". For as a necessary transition to the Zechirah when we are not worthy, the darkness must come. As the darkness approaches the lands of exile, I pray that my brethren will choose to sit in the light of the palace of Hashem.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

More on Nesirah

פירוש הגר"א לספרא דצניעותא פרק חמישי
וביום ו' תוצא הארץ כו' עולם הבריאה. ואח"כ שנשלם הכסא נעשה האדם תיקוני נוקבא ונסירתה. ואח"כ זו"נ דבריאה וזיווג זו"נ כמש"ל
ודע שכל אלו הימים הן רמז לששת אלפים שנה שהן ו' ימים כמש"ל פ"א שתא אלפין שנין תליין בשתא קדמאי. וכל הפרטים שהן בו' ימים אלו הן מתנהגין בו' אלפים כל א' ביומו ובשעתו. ומכאן תדע קץ הגאולה שהוא בעתה ח"ו כשלא יהיו זכאין שהוא קץ האחרון ומשביע אני את הקורא בה' אלקי ישראל שלא יגלה זה
בבלי סנהדרין לח עמוד ב
שביעית נזדווגה לו חוה

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Source Texts for Nesirah

ספרא דצניעותא סוף פרק ראשון
ויאמר אלקים יהי מארת ברקיע השמים שליט דכר בנוקבא (בנ"י שליט דכר בנוק' שלימו דכר ונוק' דכתיב) דכתיב (משלי י') וצדיק יסוד עולם. נהיר יו"ד בתרין ונהרי ומעבר לנוקבא. אתייחד יו"ד בלחודוי ובתר כן סליק בדרגוי לעילא לעילא. אתחשכת נוקבא ואתנהירת אמא ומתפתחא בתרעוי. אתא מפתחא דכליל בשית ומכסייא פט פתחהא. ואחיד לתתא להאי ולהאי ווי למאן דגלי פתחהא:
פירוש הגר"א שם
אתחשכת נוקבא ואתנהירת אימא ומתפתחא בתרעוי - הוא כנ"ל על ידי הסתלקותו של יו"ד למעלה אתחשכת נוקבא שבניינה הוא על ידי היו"ד ובהסתלקותו לעילא מביא חו"ג יותר מאירים כידוע שזה סיבת עלייתו למעלה ואתנהירת אימא עי"ז בזיווגא לתת מוחין ולכך עלה למעלה שהמוחין הוא מלמעלה למעלה עד א"ס כידוע וכשמביא מוחין מזדווג באימא ואתנהירת אימא והוא עיבור שני עיבור המוחין כידוע כמ"ש בתר דינקת הדר אתעברת מנייהו וזהו ויבדל בין האור ובין החשך ר"ל בין ז"א שבו אימא דאתנהירת ובין נוקבא דאתחשכת ואז ננסרו כי זה אור וזה חשך. ואח"כ יולדת המוחין וז"ש ומתפתחת בתרעוי שהן נ' תרעין דבינה שהן עשר דיו"ד של חכמה שכולל ה"ח וה"ג שלכן נהיר בו"ד שהן חו"ג כנ"ל ונכללין בה בה' שלה ה"פ י' הוא חמשים:
פירוש מאמר הגר"א בפתחי שערים נתיב פרצוף נוקבא דז"א פתח כ"א
ועכשיו נבאר סוד הנסירה ע״פ דברי רבינו הגדול ז"ל מ"ש בפי׳ לספד"צ פ״א במ"ש שם נהיר ירד בתרין ונהיר ומעבר לנוקבא אתייחד יו"ד בלחודוי ובתר כן סליק בדרגוי לעילא לעילא אתחשכת נוקבא ואתנהרת אימא ומתפתחא בתרעוי כו׳ וכו׳
ע"ז רבינו שם שסוד הנסירה הוא כי באו״א בשניהם כלולין דו״נ בו"ד בחכמה במילוי יו"ד ובבינה בה׳ שהוא ד"ו ואימא יסד ברא כונן שמים בתבונה ולכן שם נכללים בשניהם באות אחד בה׳ אבל כשאבא נהיר דאבא יסר ברתא אז נהיר בו"ד שביו"ד לכן הגבורות הולכים ומתפרדים והנסירה היא בסוד הדורמיטא שמוחין דאבא מסתלקין להאיר לדעת ולנוק׳ ואז אח״כ מסתלקים לשרשם למעלה ומתוך כך נחשכת נוק׳ ששרשה בחכמה ואז כל הדינים שבדכורא ניתנים לנוק׳ ובו נשארים כל חחסדים ובשביל כך אין להם דיבוק יחד ואז ננסרו לבוא פנים בפנים וסוד הסליקו הוא יש'ס שמתלבש בז"א שבעת הזיווג דאו'א נכלל יש"ס באבא והיינו שעולה לקבל מוחין יותר עליונים ועי"ז אתנהרית אימא בסוד קבלת המוחין מאבא והוא בז״א ועי"ז ויבדל אלהים בין האור בין ז״א שבו אימא דאתנהרית ובין החשך נוקבא דאתחשכת.
והכוונה בזה שזו"נ שניהם נשרשים בין באימא בין בין באבא והיינו שבשני הזמנים צריך שיהיה להם שורש וקיים ע״י או׳׳א עילאין ובזמן שאין התיקון כראוי ואין זו״נ ראוים לזיוונ פב"פ בסוד בנין נשמות בתוספת השפעה לנבראים ואז אין להם רק בסוד הצמצום מצד תסדו ית׳ כמו שהיה בתחלת הבריאה ואדם אין וגו׳ שאין עבודה בתחתונים גורמים השפעת הטוב הראוי ואז התחתונים צריכים להיות נכללים בהשפעה עליונה מסט׳ דלעילא ולא מסט׳ דילן והוא דביק ו״נ ביחד כמש"ל ואז הם בסוד הארת אימא לבד שהיא המחזקת כח ז״א והיינו השפעה מסט׳ דלעילא אף שלא ע"י מעשינו רק בסוד השמירה לנבראים והוא בסוד האותיות בלא נקודות בסוד כתיבה ודבור שהכתיבה באותיות לבד ואין בהם רוח חיים רק רשימו של המאירות שהם מצויירים בציור האותיות כמ"ש כמ"פ והוא סוד ה׳ עילאה דאימא בסוד ה׳ מוצאות הפה והם ה״ג מנצפ"ך דידה בסוד חות״ם לבד שאין שם רק חות"ם של המאורות ולכן שם נדבקו ד״ו ביחד שהם זו״נ אבל באבא שם נשרש מדרגות זו״נ בהיותם במדרגה הראויה ע"פ העבודה הנכונה ע"י איזה מצוה, שגורם לזה שהתחתונים מצד עצמם יהיו ראוים לקבל שפע הטוב ע"פ הדין מסט׳ דילן ולא מסט׳ דלעילא ואז מתגלה עומק חכמה עליונה שכוונה לזה שעתה מתמלא רצונו ית׳ בסוד החכמה של הבריאה ואז המאורות בתוספת השפעה יתירה בסוד רוח חיים ממש והם בסוד י׳ שהם הנקודות המאירים באותיות והוא הדבור שיוצא מפי הקב"ה וז"ס.
הזיווג של זו"נ שמכונה בשם דבור וידבר על לב הנער"ה ואז מצד זה ניתן שורש לזו"ן שיתפרדו והיינו שהתחתונים יהיו מעצמם מוכנים לכל השלמות ואין צריכים עוד לסט' דלעילא והשפע מצד הדין נשלם בתחתונים והם מקבלים הטוב שנשפע במאורות העליונים שהם החסדים שבאים לז"א והוא סוד ו"ד שבמילוי יו"ד שהוא באבא שמשם מתפרדים כמ"ש. וסוד הסתלקות מוחין דאבא לשרשם הוא בסוד מולד הלבנה שקודם המולד היא מתחשכת כשדבוקה עם השמש ממש ואז בעת המולד ממש כחות הדין מתגברים שכן הוא תמיד בעת שיש עת רצון וגילוי יחודו ית' בעולם אז הסט"א תובע דין ואינו רוצה בהתגברות וגילוי הקדושה והוא סוד הדינים שכולם מסתלקים לנוק' בעת הנסירה ואז אתחשכת שאז מסתלקין מוחין דאבא שמשם החסדים למעלה עד שאח"כ מביא מוחין חדשים והוא סוד ביסום הדינים ע"י חסדים שמקבלת מדכורא בעת הזיווג והוא סוד המולד של הלבנה בעת שמתפרדת מן השמש והוא הנסירה שלה כמ"ש וסוד בנין הנוקבא שתהיה נקראת בשם בפ"ע אדנ"י נעשה בהסתלקות ג' מוחין שהם ג' הויות מחג"ת שהם הג' אבות ג' שמות א"ל אלה"ים הוי"ה וכשתסלק ג' פעמים הוי"ה מג' שמות הנ"ל נשאר שם אדנ"י כמ"ש רבינו הגדול ז"ל בכתביו. והיינו שחג"ת נק' ז"א עד החזה והפרסה ששם עיקר פרצופו.
וסוד הגדול הזה נרמז בתורה במ"ש וירא והנה באר בשדה וגו' שזה היה קודם שנזדווגה רחל ליעקב ואז היתה עדיין אב"א עד החזה נגד נה"י והוא בשדה מקום חורבה שנגד שם אחיזת הסט"א ברגלין. והנה ג' עדרי צאן רובצים עליה הם נה"י הנ"ל ששם היא דבוקה עדר"י צא"ן הוא סוד תכ"ה שהם אחרי השם שד"י. והוא בס"ת א"ת הוי"ה אלהי"ך שאז מתחיל הנסירה לצורך הזיוויג בעמידה דשחרית כמ"ש הרב הקדוש ז"ל והוא ע"י שמקבל אהבת ה' אל לבו שהאהבה הוא בסוד החסדים שכל מצוה ועבודה הוא בזו"נ וצריך להיות בדחילו ורחימו סוד או"א וע"י היחוד שמקבל בפ' פראשון ומוסר נפשו על יחוד שמו אז הוא ממתק הגבורות והם סוד הגבורות שנותנים לנוק' ע"י הסתלקות מוחין דאבא למעלה והוא מסירת נפשו שמעלה המוחין והמחשבה בשביל יחודו ית'. וי"ז נבנה הנפש בסוד הדורמיטא ואז אתחשכת נוקבא כידוע שבעת שננסרת אז חוזרת פב"פ בסוד נקודה אחת לבד כמשי"ת ענינו במקומו. ואח"כ בפ' ואהבת שעורר רוח שבו בסוד אהבה בלב והם החסדים שנכנסים בז"א. והיינו שתחלה הוא בסוד שם שד"י א' בציר ודלת הנ"ל ואח"כ מתחיל הנסירה וכתיב והאב"ן גדולה ע"פ הבאר שהוא בעת שיסודה סתומה בתולה ואיש לא ידעה ג"ן נעול וגו', וכתיב ונאספו כל העדרים וגו' והם חג"ת אבה"ן שבונים אותה בסוד פרצוף ומביאים אותה לזיווג עם ז"א ואז וגללו את האבן וגו'. וכן בעת שבאתה רחל אל יעקב ואז ויגל את האבן וגו' והבן מאד.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Some Interesting Quotes

See here.

The Keitz Meguleh in the Mishnah

מסכת מעשר שני פרק ה משנה ב
כרם רבעי עולה לירושלים, מהלך יום לכל צד. ואיזה הוא תחומה--אילת מן הדרום, עקרבת מן הצפון, לוד מן המערב, והירדן מן המזרח. ומשרבו הפירות, התקינו שיהא נפדה סמוך לחומה. ותנאי היה הדבר--אימתיי שירצו, יחזור הדבר לכמות שהיה. רבי יוסי אומר, משחרב בית המקדש, היה תנאי זה; ותנאי--אימתיי שייבנה בית המקדש, יחזור הדבר לכמות שהיה.
Mishnah Masechet Maaser Sheni, 5:2
Kerem Revai goes up to Yerushalayim up to a days walk on all sides (that is to say that there is a rabbinical decree that Kerem Revai is not to be redeemed, but only eaten in Yerushalayim if it is within these boundaries). And what is the boundary? Eilat from the south, Akravat from the north, Lod from the west, and the Jordan from the east. And when the fruits increased in quantity, they made a ruling that it could even be redeemed right next to the walls (of Yerushalayim). And a condition was made on the matter, that whenever they will want, it will return to as it was (and all fruits from within a day's walk will be eaten in Yerushalayim). Rebbi Yose says: When the Beit haMikdash was destroyed, there was this condition. And they put a condition on it, that when the Beit haMikdash will be built, it will return to as it was.
תלמוד ירושלמי מעשר שני, דף כט עמוד ב
אמר רבי אחא זאת אומרת שבית המקדש עתיד להיבנות קודם למלכות בית דוד דכתיב (דברים לב) ודם ענב תשתה חמר ואת אמרת הכין
Talmud Yerushalmi, Maaser Sheni, 29b
Rebbi Acha said: This proves that the Beit haMikdash will be built before the arrival of the kingdom of the house of David (i.e. Moshiach ben David), as it is said: (Devarim 32) "And the blood of grapes you drank as a foaming wine", and you say thus?
That is to say: Ha'azinu speaks of the last generations. In this, we see that the fruits of the land will be of great abundance. The reason for the disagreement in the Mishnah is because the two reasons given coincided: The fruits decreased at the time of the destruction of the Beit haMikdash, and so too the rebuilding of Yerushalayim and the Beit haMikdash will coincide with an increase of the fruits of the land.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Ketoret Doesn't Kill

In the fourth aliyah of Korach, it is told that Moshe told Aharon to go out amongst the people with the ketoret in order to atone for them.

Rashi brings a midrash there that basically goes as follows:
The people thought: Nadav and Avihu died because of ketoret, Korach and his congregation died because of ketoret. It would seem logical to state, from their perspective, that Ketoret kills. Moshe therefore used the ketoret to stop the plague in order to show that their troubles are due to sins, not the ketoret.
I believe the metaphor for today is as follows:
The Left has offerred up Eretz Yisrael to our enemies. As it continually blows up in their faces, they blame it on those that aren't under their spell: We didn't go far enough. We didn't behave properly. We treated them in a condescending manner. So we must therefore show them the fallacy of their ways: We demand that the Arabs recognize the state of Israel as the national home for the Jewish nation. If they are not willing to do this, then the entire process has been one big joke: One state of Palestine in which Jews will not be welcome, and another state *currently* with a Jewish majority, to which Israel must allow unlimited Arab immigration, leaving the Jews with no state west of the Jordan.
The peace process failed because it is against the will of the Creator, not because we weren't nice enough.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Circumcision of the Heart

In Parshat Nitzavim, Moshe Rabbeinu foretells the return of Am Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael after the fulfillment of the blessings and curses of Parshat Ki Tavo. I'd like to focus on two verses:

דברים ל:ו - ומל ה' אלהיך את לבבך, ואת לבב זרעך, לאהבה את ה' אלהיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך למען חייך
דברים ל:ז - ונתן ה' אלהיך את כל האלות האלה על איביך ועל שנאיך אשר רדפוך
Devarim 30:6 - And Hashem, your G-d, will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart and all your soul, for your life's sake.
Devarim 30:7 - And Hashem, your G-d, will give all these curses upon your enemies and those that hate you, that pursued you.
It seems to me from here that the term "circumcision of the heart" is related to Ateret haYesod. Therefore, this is a teaching that after the Zechirah begins, the נקמה taken by Moshiach begins. This is brought in Ma'amar haGeulah, for anyone interested.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

On the Speech

The main question I had was whether or not he would give in to Obama. He didn't. It was obvious that he wouldn't necessarily make the Right happy, but he did his job and did not give in to the Left.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

New Book

I just picked up an interesting new sefer yesterday called Nefesh Eliyahu, on the study of Kabbalah in general. Many different things brought from the GR"A and Ramchal. Short book, 152 pages (and that is the end of the 4th appendix).

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Yovel and Omer - Comparison

Each year of the Yovel, as well as each day of the Omer, we count, as early as we can. For counting towards the Yovel, it is at the beginning of Tishrei, and for the Omer it is right after evening prayers.

When looking at history as a Yovel of Yovels, as I mentioned before, it is different:
Each Yovel is really marked at the end, as opposed to the Omer, which is marked at the beginning.
As such, the action required on the part of Am Yisrael is essentially over at the beginning of the 49th day of the Omer, for the counting is done at the beginning of the day.
To carry that parallel through, the beginning of the 49th Yovel cycle, beginning in less than 7 years, is the end of the preparation to receive.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Kol HaTor - Heavenly Help

Chapter 5, part 1, siman Gimel:

On the measure of help from heaven in a miraculous way in the steps of Moshiach: The help from heaven in general and in a miraculous way in particular comes measure for measure. In the measure that a person measures out, it is measured out for him in heaven, that is to say in the said measure that the act of a mitzvah is done by a person in action in a natural way, in this measure comes the help from heaven, level against level, on the principle of 499.5 from the left and 499.5 from the right according to our rabbi the GR"A in many places (and in particularly in his works Yahel Ohr Sod Barak haShachar). And if one would ask how is it possible to act going in to something, and more so to actively endanger oneself while depending on half natural and half miraculous, for we do not rely on a miracle going in to something. But the calculation is that the miraculous side goes up by many percentage points and on many sides, and in what is related to actions of the Footsteps of Moshiach, and more so on actions done by the community, the calculation is, per the explanation of the GR"A, that the miraculous help from heaven is greater than simply measure for measure, and sometimes the help from heaven goes up to a thousand times more. And the calculation is like this: The highest level of the Awakening from Below, in what is possible and also in what is required of the individual and the community, to arrive and to achieve in action, both per repairs, and also actions of salvation, is the level of 999 in Yesod (Likutei haGR"A), which is the "thousand rivers" (Zohar VaEra 2:27b), as is known, which is held up in the calculation and in the power of the 2 hosts, like the explanation of our rabbi the GR"A in many places, which are in Netzach and Hod, which are the "legs", "the legs standing as cypress", which are the 2 Moshiachs. The last level of Alef is completed by the small Alef of Zeir Anpin, in the secret of "the smallest one shall be for a thousand", which completes the number of 500 from here and 500 from there, which are in Netzach and Hod, which is in Vav and in Heh. According to this, behold in every level which is done by the left line, which is the attribute of din in a natural way, the right line immediately joins it, which is the attribute on chesed, in a miraculous way. And when the activity is done by the community, the individual merits of each person are added on, according to the root of the soul, from the middle line, the line of rachamim, on the entire nation. And all the more so when it is the work of Kibbutz Galuyot, about which it is said "with great Rachamim I will gather you". And when the last level of Awakening from Below is reached, which is 999 levels, which is the completion of 999 in Yesod, in the 3 worlds, and their completion by the small Alef, immediately is added upon them the Upper Shefa of the Great Alef of Arich Anpin, wherein every Alef is 1000 times from the lower Small Alef of Zeir Anpin, for it dwells in the Yud and Heh (as two friends that do not separate), and it is all in the Upper Shefa and in a miraculous way. As is known, the blessing of Hashem comes from the Shefa of the Great G-d, and that is the meaning of the verse: "He will add upon you like yourselves 1000 times and bless you" etc. Also from here is the calculation of "one shall pursue a thousand".

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Moshiach, Teshuvah, and Yovel

In Tikkunim Chadashim of the Ramchal, Tikkun 69, there is an amazing idea put forth.  It says that when Moshiach will be revealed, Moshiach himself will cause a Teshuvah in Am Yisrael by the words that he will speak to us (perhaps this is hinted at by Yosef speaking to his brothers at the end of sefer Breishit).  Teshuvah is from the side of Imma, which is also the side of Yovel.  Therefore it is logical that Moshiach is to be revealed during Yovel.  It says that Teshuvah will be aroused until HaKadosh Baruch Hu and the Shechinah are revealed.

The Tikkun itself seems to be talking of the time from 66 to 66 and a half time.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Why 33?

A continuation of this post.

We are in day 33 of a count to 50 (of course we only reach 49, but that is another story).
It would seem to me that at 33, we are 66% of the way.  As the Zohar states in Parshat VaYera, 66 is related to Moshiach ben Yosef, and Moshiach ben Yosef reveals the secrets of Torah.
It also contains the exact 2/3 point, which hints at Ateret HaYesod, but we do not count partial days.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

An Idea

Pardon me for the random thoughts.

In Zohar Chadash Maamar Mechirat Yosef we have that the punishment for Mechirat Yosef is 7 times the number of years that each brother caused Yosef not to see his father, giving us 7 * 22 * 10 = 1540 years.
As stated before, Galut Edom is 1953 years, which also divides evenly by 7, giving 279, which is the Gematria of ימי-טהרה, from Parshat Tazria.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Redemption of Truth and Machzor HaGadol

At the beginning of Chapter 4 of Kol HaTor, we have the following:

א) תכלית הגאולה גאולת האמת וקדוש השם.  עפ"י דברי נביאינו ובאורי רבנו, תכלית עבודתנו בכלל, מלחמה בארמילוס ע"י קבוץ גלויות וישוב ארה"ק לשם גאולת האמת וקדוש השם, וזאת כוונת הנביא (ישעי' נ"ב) "גאל ירושלים" הנקראת עיר האמת. גאולת האמת יכולה להיות רק אחרי כל ביעור הקליפה של עשו הבא בצורת ארמילוס אשר כל שאיפתו היא שנאת האמת, וזהו עשו שונא ליעקב שהוא יסוד האמת, תתן אמת ליעקב, ותכלית גאולת האמת היא קדוש השם
A) The purpose of the Geulah is the Redemption of Truth and Sanctification of G-d's Name. According to the words of our prophets and the explanations of our rabbi, the purpose of our work in general is war against Armilus by way of Ingathering of the Exiles and settlement of the Holy Land in the name of Redemption of Truth and Sanctification of G-d's name, and that is the meaning of the prophet (Isaiah 52) "Redeemed Yerushalayim", that is called City of Truth.  The Redemption of Truth can be only after the burning of the klipah of Esav which comes in the form of Armilus, whose whole desire is the hating of truth, and that is "Esav hates Yaakov", which is the foundation of Truth, "Give truth to Yaakov", and the purpose of the Redemption of Truth is the Sanctification of G-d's Name...
It would seem to me that we are in the era of the fulfillment of this passage, and it is encapsulated by our current Machzor Gadol of 28 years.  The first half of the cycle (coinciding with the fall of the Klipah of the Left) will be the physical fulfillment of Redemption of Truth, the second half will be the "spiritual" side, if you would, the idea side, which can only truly commence after the Klipah itself is defeated.  As in all aspects of the Geulah, the physical side precedes the spiritual.  Redemption of Truth is crucial always, but its success depends on freedom from the servitude of the nations, which coincides with the beginning of Yemot HaMoshiach.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

New Online Book: Yovel & Geulah

For Shabbat BeHar / Yom Yerushalayim
Comments can be posted here or emailed to me.  Slightly updated, includes the visual aids.
NEW: Hebrew version here.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

The Three Oaths in Tazria

I was contemplating why it is that the GR"A is the only one to explain the oath of Ketubot 111a as referring to Har HaBayit and not Eretz Yisrael. First, the text of the Gemara there:

אחת שלא יעלו ישראל בחומה ואחת שהשביע הקדוש ברוך הוא את ישראל שלא ימרדו באומות העולם ואחת שהשביע הקדוש ברוך הוא את אומות העולם שלא ישתעבדו בהן בישראל יותר מדאי
  1. That Israel shall not go up as a wall
  2. That HaKadosh Baruch Hu imposed an oath on Israel that they won't rebel against the nations.
  3. That HaKadosh Baruch Hu imposed an oath on the nations of the world not to oppress Israel too much.
The GR"A's commentary to Tikkunei Zohar (without translation), page 157:
ובמה כו' בימינא - ר"ל תורה מימינו כו' נשבע ה' בימינו וזהו ע"פ המים וז"ש עד דייתי כו' וזהו ורוח וכו' על כו' שתחלה צריך לתורה ואח"כ בא משיח אלא שמוזהרין שלא ידחקו את הקץ וז"ש בימינא שעתה השיב אחור ימינו כמ"ש כיון שגלו אין לך ביטול כו' וכמ"ש בכמה מקומות במה יתערון למשיח באורייתא אלא שמושבעין שלא יצאו מאליהם לבנות בה"מ שושנה דלעילא עד שיבא
I think that all three of these oaths can be seen from VaYikra 12:4
ושלשים יום ושלשת ימים תשב בדמי טהרה, בכל קדש לא תגע, ואל המקדש לא תבא, עד-מלאת  ימי טהרה
And for 33 days she shall sit in her dam tohar, and she shall touch nothing holy, and she shall not come to the Mikdash, until the completion of the days of purity.
To parse differently:
And for 33 days
  1. She shall sit in her dam tohar (Knesset Yisrael shall sit in Exile and not rebel)
  2. She shall touch nothing holy (Don't read she shall not, but rather you shall not tough anything holy, meaning the Holy Nation)
  3. She shall not come to the Mikdash (That Am Yisrael shall not go up to build the Mikdash until the appointed time, the end of the 33 days.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Chronology - Pshat or Drash?

There are a number of places where our chronology is not based on the pshat of the Tanach.

  • Chumash - One can determine, using only the text of the Chumash, when the exile in Mitzraim began.  One cannot, however, determine when it ended.  Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer chapter 48, for example, asserts that Yocheved was born when Am Yisrael entered Mitzraim, and she was 130 when Moshe was born.  But this is not in the Chumash.  The Chumash leaves this open for drash.
  • Shoftim Period - Melachim Alef, 6:1 states that the building of the 1st Beit HaMikdash began 480 years after the Exodus.  The exact chronology of events, and duration of time the mishkan was in each location during this 480 year period seems to be from mesorah and not the text.
  • Galut Bavel - The length of Galut Bavel is 70 years, but what does that mean precisely?  As I have mentioned before, there are multiple 70 year periods at play.  The period between the building of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash and the arrival of Ezra haSofer is made much shorter by Chazal's identification of Artachshasta as Daryavesh (Bavli Rosh Hashanah 3b).

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Halachah of Yovel

Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 3:4 Yovel is equal to Rosh Hashanah in blowing (of the shofar), and in blessings.

Question: Was this halachah ever observed?  Brachot were put in place during the time of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash.  According to most opinions, Yovel has not been in force as a mitzvah d'oraita since the time of the 1st Beit HaMikdash.  It would seem that the shofar would not be observed if Yovel were marked d'rabbanan, but the brachot could be recited during the musaf prayer.
I have not seen any evidence of this, I was wondering if anyone else had seen anything, or had any other insight.  Comments welcome.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

For Tazria

A link to Geulat Mitzraim to Yemot HaMoshiach

Ever so slightly updated.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Yovel - Beit HaMikdash Connections

The Yovel year in which Yehezkel received his vision of the 3rd Beit HaMikdash took place in 3353.  The year we mark as the beginning of Bayit Sheini is 3409.  That is a 56 year difference.

The Yovel year in which Am Yisrael returned to all of Yerushalayim was 5727.  Another 56 years brings us to 5783.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Dividing the Hours of the 6th Day

According to the counting system presented in Kol HaTor, we are currently in the 7th hour of the 6th day, since we count only the 2nd half of the 6th millennium.  According to Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 38b and Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer chapter 11, this is the hour in which Hashem made Chava for Adam.

If we divide the 7th hour again in to 24 parts, the new 7th hour falls from 5782 to 5784 (ignoring the fractions of years).
What is interesting as well is that during the 3rd hour, Adam stretches out his limbs.  This covers 5775 to 5777, covering the next Yovel.
Update:
A commentor reminded me of a Baraita in the Yerushalmi Brachot 1:1 that goes as follows:
רבי אומר ארבע אשמורות ביום וארבע אשמורות בלילה העונה אחד מעשרים וארבעה לשעה העת אחד מעשרים וארבעה לעונה הרגע אחד מעשרים וארבעה לעת
Rebbi says: There are four watches of the day and four watches of the night.  An "onah" is 1/24th of an hour.  An "et" is 1/24th of an "onah".  A "rega" is 1/24th of an "et".
Doing the math recursively, the 7th rega of the 7th et of the 7th onah of the 7th hour of the 6th day brings us to approximately half way through 5783.  And the 3rd et of the 3rd onah of the 7th hour of the 6th day brings us to approximately 1/3 in to 5776.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Symbolism of the Four Cups

The First Cup
  1. Said over Kiddush
  2. Corresponds to this world, to signal that we should sanctify ourselves in this world.
  3. Corresponds to the word "והוצאתי", "and I will take you out"
  4. Corresponds to the Geulah of 56, the Israeli War of Independence
The Second Cup
  1. Said over Magid
  2. Corresponds to Yemot HaMoshiach, when we will still mention Yetziat Mitzraim
  3. Corresponds to the word "והצלתי", "and I will save you"
  4. Corresponds to the Geulah of 60, the Six-Day War, the Pekidah.
The Third Cup
  1. Said over Birkat HaMazon
  2. Corresponds to Atid Lavo, when we will have Seudat Livyatan
  3. Corresponds to the word "וגאלתי" "and I will redeem", but on the side of Chesed, "בזרוע נטויה", "with an outstretched arm"
  4. Corresponds to the Geulah of 66, with Moshiach ben Yosef, followed by the Zechirah.
The Fourth Cup
  1. Said over the Great Hallel
  2. Corresponds to Techiyat HaMeitim, when we will say the Great Hallel
  3. Corresponds to the word "וגאלתי" "and I will redeem", but on the side of Din, "ובשפטים גדולים" "with great judgments
  4. Corresponds to the Geulah of 72, with Moshiach ben David
Notes
Numbers 2 and 3 of every list are according to the GR"A, who held that the common relationship between expressions of Geulah and the cups was incorrect, but rather it was all from a single pasuk:
שמות ו:ו - לכן אמר לבני ישראל, אני ה', והוצאתי אתכם מתחת סבלת מצרים, והצלתי אתכם מעבדתם, וגאלתי אתכם בזרוע נטויה, ובשפטים גדלים
Therefore, the question of whether or not five cups are needed goes away.
Number 4 is according to the Zohar Raya Mehemna on Pinchas.  On the first and second cups, the correlation between 3 and 4 works well.  "And I will take you out" is well suited for the Kibbutz Galuyot of 600,000 achieved at the time of the war in 5708.  The threat of immenent destruction that preceded the war in 5727 goes well with "And I will save you".  The question is how Moshiach ben Yosef has to do with the Geulah on the side of Chesed, and Moshiach ben David with Geulah on the side of Din.  Perhaps the answer is that Moshiach ben Yosef will come in the zechut of the work of Am Yisrael in the Keitz Meguleh, and therefore the experience will be sweeter, whereas the Geulah of Moshiach ben David will be one of more Din, as it is related to the final war of Gog uMagog.
For more symbolism, see Yerushalmi Pesachim 10:1.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

On Cycle-Accuracy

The Lunar Cycle
We have a tradition that the average Molad interval is 29 days, 12 hours, and 793 chalakim, where there are 1080 chalakim in an hour.  Written differently, 29 days, 12 hours, 40 minutes, 73 chalakim (this is the way it is written in Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer).  
In Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer chapter 7 it is written:
The total of the days of the lunar year is 354 days, 8 hours and 876 chalakim.  All the hours of the lunar month are 708 hours and two thirds of an hour.  All the hours of a lunar year are 8504 hours.
That is to say that it gives the precise length of the lunar year, and then goes on to get imprecise.  First it drops the 876 chalakim, and then it reworks the calculations without the "pesky" chalakim.  If all the hours of a lunar month are 708 hours and 2/3 of an hour, then that means that a lunar month is 29 days, 12 hours, and 40 minutes.  That means that the imprecision is 73/1080 of an hour, or approximately 4 minutes.
The Solar Cycle
The year that we use for Birkat HaChamah is 365 days and 6 hours.  The difference between this and the solar year of Rav Adda is 365 days, 5 hours, and approximately 997 chalakim, or 365 days, 5 hours, 2/3 of an hour, and 277 chalakim.  The difference between the two is about 83 chalakim per year, or about 4.6 minutes per year.
In both places, we have inaccuracies on the "small" scale of less than 5 minutes per unit (lunar month or solar year). 

Birkat HaChamah Online Book

I've been writing a (short) book on the math behind Birkat HaChamah for the last year or so, and I have decided to start to make it public online with Google's new web publishing app.  I have 8 chapters, an appendix, and I've translated Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer chapters 6 and 7.  Please leave comments on this post if you have any.

Here's the link.
Update:  All parts of this book have been put online.

The Three Weeks

America's celebrated date marking the declaration of its independence, July 4th, 1776, was the 17th of Tamuz, 5536.  If we count forward until the 9th of Av using 12 days per year, we arrive at 5788, which is towards the end of a "day" which spans 5777-5789.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Birkat HaChamah - Mezarim

From my translation of chapter 6 of Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer:

And in 366 degrees (not 360), the Sun goes up and down, 183 it goes up in the East, and 183 it goes down in the West, corresponding to the days of the solar year. And in 366 windows, the Sun goes out, and it comes in the East, 91 days on the southern end, and 91 days on the northern end, and 1 window in the middle called the Nogah window. In Tekufat Tishrei, it (the sun) starts from the Nogah window and goes around to the southern end, window after window, until it arrives in the Shabbtai window. In Tekufat Tevet, it starts from the Shabbtai window and goes around and returns back, window after window, until it arrives to the Taalumah window, from where the light goes out, as it says, "And Taalumah brings out light" (Iyov, 28:11). In Tekufat Nisan, it starts from the Taalumah window, from where the light goes out, and it goes to the northern side, window after window, until it arrives in the Naamon window. In Tekufat Tamuz it starts from the Naamon window and goes around and returns back, window by window, until it reaches the Cheder window, from where the storm wind (ruach sufah) goes, as it says (I'm not going to translate the pasuk, but its Iyov 37:9).

In those [windows] that are in the East, it would go out, and correspondingly in the West, it comes in, and the Shechinah is always in the West. It comes in and prostrates itself before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and says before Him, "Master of the Universe, I did all that you commanded of me".

The window in the middle of the Firmament, its name is Mezarim, and it (the sun) doesn't go out and enter in it aside from one time in the great cycle, that through (the window), it goes out on the day that it was created, in the night, in the west.

החלון שבאמצע הרקיע, שמו מזרים, ואינו יוצא ונכנס בו אלא פעם אחת של מחזור גדול, שבו יוצא ביום שנברא בלילה במערב

On the Significance of Birkat HaChamah

My online book regarding Birkat HaChamah is mostly complete, one chapter of translation is in editing.  Again, you can find it here.

Therein, I describe how the midrashim related to Birkat HaChamah serve as a cover for other cycles underneath it that help in understanding the course of our history.

There is another great theory that has been published, by Moshe Lerman, which shows that using these midrashim, we can actually determine approximately when and how the Jewish calendar was created.  You can find the article here.