If Yishmael received 1300 years to control Jerusalem in return for being 13 years old when he was circumcised, then let us examine this closely:
Muslims captured Jerusalem in 4398 (638CE), and were kicked out by the Crusaders 461 years later in 4859 (1099CE).
Muslim control of Jerusalem was again restored in the year 4947 (1187CE).
That means that when they captured Jerusalem in 4947, there were 1300-461 = 839 years of control of Jerusalem left.
4947 + 839 = 5786 (2026CE), which is 1335 years after the end of the Dome of the Rock's construction.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Yishmael's Merit
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Receiving Revelations - Avraham Avinu
Parshat Lech Lecha teaches us about two different ways that one can receive a revelation from Hashem.
- At the beginning of the parsha, Hashem tells Avraham to go to the Land of Canaan. According to Ibn Ezra, this was while Avraham was still in Ur Kasdim. If so, this revelation would be as a result of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem done when Nimrod threw Avraham in to the Kivshan. Ramban rejects this and says that Avraham received the mitzvah in Charan. Therefore it would seem that this revelation was a sort of Awakening from Above, that a certain Keitz had arrived.
- Avraham receives a revelation upon arriving in the Land, fulfillment of the mitzvah of Yishuv haAretz.
- After Avraham convinces Lot to move away from him, Hashem is revealed again. Revelation following mitzvah.
- Brit Bein haBetarim came after Avraham refused to take payment from the King of Sdom, another Kiddush Hashem.
- Brit Milah came at least 13 years later, and would therefore seem to come when it did due to a Keitz.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Ramban on Six Days
This is a translation of Ramban to Breishit 2:4, which can be found here.
And know, that it is also included in the word "to do", that the 6 days of Creation are all the days of the world, for its existence will be 6000 years (Rosh Hashanah 31a), that accordingly they said (Breishit Rabba 19:8): A day of HaKadosh Baruch Hu is 1000 years. And behold in the first two days, the world was all water, and nothing was completed in them, and this is a hint at the first 2000 years, that there was none that called in the name of Hashem, and thus they said (Avoda Zara 9a): Two thousand years of chaos. But on the first day, light was created, hinting at the [nearly] thousand years of Adam haRishon who was the light of the world who recognized his Creator. And perhaps Enosh did not begin with his idolatry until Adam haRishon died.
On the second day "let there be a firmament, and it will be a separation", that in it (the second millennium), Noach and his sons, the righteous, were separated from the wicked, who were judged with water.
On the third day, land appeared, and it sprouted and made fruit. This is the third millennium, which began when Avraham was 48 years old [it seems that this is an error, and should be 52] (Breishit Rabba 64:4), and then he began to call in the name of Hashem, and he sprouted a righteous branch, for he brought many to know Hashem, like they have explained "and the soul that he did in Charan" (Breishit 12:5). And he commanded his house and his children after him to observe the way of Hashem to do righteousness and justic, and the matter went up until his descendants received the Torah at Sinai, and the Beit haMikdash was built on this day, and then all of the mitzvot, which are the fruit of the world, were observed. And know, that from the time of "Bein haShemashot" can be counted to the next day, and therefore the matter of a certain day will start a bit prior, like when Avraham was born in the second millennium, and you will see this on every day.
And on the fourth day, the luminaries were created, the great one and the small one, and the stars. This day hints at the fourth millennium, which began 72 years after the first Beit haMikdash was built, until 172 years after the second Beit haMikdash. And behold on this day there was light for all of B'nei Yisrael, for the glory of Hashem filled the House of Hashem, and the light of Israel was for a fire on the altar, lurching like a lion, eating the offerings, and afterwards their light became smaller and they were exiled, like the light going away at the time of the Molad of the moon, and it (the moon) shined for them all the days of the second Beit haMikdash, and the fire on the altar lurched like a dog, and then the two luminaries set towards the evening, and the House was destroyed.
On the fifth day, the water put forth living animals, and birds flew upon the ground. This is a hint at the fifth millennium, beginning 172 years after the destruction of the Beit haMikdash, for thus is the metaphor for the nations, (I'll leave this part untranslated, I don't know how to do it justice)
ויעשה אדם כדגי הים, כרמש לא מושל בו, כלו בחכה העלה, יגורהו בחרמו ויאספהו במכמרתו, ואין דורש אתה
On the sixth day, in the morning, "let the land bring out animals and beasts by their types, and crawly beings by their types", and their creation was before the shining of the sun, like was is written (Tehillim 104:22) "The sun rises, and they gather away, and hide in their dens", and then Adam was created in the image of G-d, and this is the time of his governance, as it is said (Tehillim 104:23): "Let Adam to out to his work, and his labor until evening", this is the sixth millennium, for at the beginning the beasts are in control, they are the kingdoms that don't know Hashem. And after one tenth, like the amount of haneitz hachamah in relation to a day (Pesachim 94a), the redeemer will come, as it is said about him (Tehillim 89:37) "His chair is like the sun to me", that is the son of David who is made in the image of G-d, as it says (Daniel 7:13-14) "And he comes with the clouds of heaven as a man comes, and to the Ancient of Days he arrives, and he is brought close to him, and to him the government, honor, and kingdom is given", and this will be 118 years after the fifth millennium, to the finishing of the word of Hashem from Daniel (Daniel 12:11-12) "And from the time of the cessation of the continual offering, and to the giving of the desolate abomination, 1290 days." And it appears from the change of the days, from the creatures of the sea and the birds, to the animals of the land, that at the beginning of the sixth millennium, the kingdom (of Israel) will be renewed, and be exceedingly strong, and come closer to the truth than those that preceded it.
The seventh day is Shabbat, a hint at Olam haBa, which is all Shabbat and rest for eternity. And G-d should protect us on all the days, and put our place with his simple servants.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Return of the Shechina to Tzion
The order of prayer has the following:
- Ingathering of Exiles
- Rise of Sanhedrin
- Building of Jerusalem (the Beit haMikdash)
- Moshiach ben David
- Return of the Shechina to Tzion
- If we are worthy, and we do not repeat the sin, then the blessing there is the ancient blessing (which many people heard yesterday during Musaf): Blessed are You, Hashem, that only You we will serve in fear.
- If we are not worthy, and the sin is repeated, G-d forbid, then the blessing here is the one that we use today: Blessed are You, Hashem, Who returns the Shechina to Tzion.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Moshe's Future Revelation
The following can be found in Tikkunei Zohar 51a:
ועוד בלבי דא ל"ב אלקי"ם דעובדא דבראשית, ועשר אמירן דאינון י' מן לבי, ולב האי איהו לב, דביה נהיר ההוא דאתמר ביה ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא, וביה עתיד לאתגליא קודשא בריך הוא למשה באורייתא בגלותא בתראה, כגוונא דפורקנא קדמאה, דאתמר ביה וירא מלאך ה' אליו בלבת אש, בקדמיתא בלבת אש דנבואה, ובגלותא בתראה בלבת אש דאורייתא:
... And also "in my heart" (hints at) 32 (occurances of the name) Elokim in Ma'aseh Breishit, and the 10 utterances, which are the yud from "my heart". And the heart, it is that heart, in which that one is enlightened, about which it is said "and she saw him, that he is good", and in the future, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will appear to Moshe in Torah in the Final Exile, like it was in the first exile. As it says "And the messenger of Hashem appeared to him in the flame of fire", then it was the flame of fire of prophecy, and in the final exile in the flame of fire of Torah.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Our Fate is in Our Hands
In the Tenth hour of the Sixth Day, Adam haRishon sinned. But what does that mean?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Kol haTor and the Sixth Day
A short tidbit from Kol haTor chapter 1, siman bet:
עפ"י רבנו הגר"א כל עבודת קבוץ גלויות, בנין ירושלם והרחבת ישוב אר"י להחזרת השכינה
According to our Rabbi, the GR"A, all of the work of ingathering of the Exiles, building of Yerushalayim, and expanding the settlement in Eretz Yisrael is (in order to bring) the return of the Shechinah.
The Three Planes
- עולם - world
- שנה - year
- נפש - soul
- In space, the Yesod is the Land of Israel (per Midrash Ne'elam on Zohar 1:114a, Eretz Yisrael can be considered as Yerushalayim and Tzion).
- In the soul, where the soul is the collective soul of the nation of Israel, the Yesod is the Tsaddik of the generation.
- In time, Yesod is the Sixth Millennium.
- In space, Ateret haYesod is the Final Beit haMikdash, located at the heart of the Land of Israel.
- In the collective soul of Am Yisrael, Ateret haYesod is Moshiach ben Yosef.
- In time, Ateret haYesod is Yemot haMoshiach (the days of the Messiah), in the last part of the Sixth Millennium.
- The difference between just the Land of Israel and when the Beit haMikdash is built is that the connection between Jerusalem of Above and Jerusalem of Below will be connected with the Beit haMikdash in place.
- The difference between a regular Tsaddik (who is Moshiach ben Yosef of his generation, or a potential final Moshiach), and the actual Moshiach ben Yosef (of the last generation) is that Moshiach ben Yosef is able to make the theoretical in to reality. It is (theoretically) the end of the suffering of Moshiach.
- The difference between the period directly before and after the onset of Yemot haMoshiach is the cessation of the servitude of Israel to the nations of the world.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Between Yosef and Tzion
ישעיה יא:יג וסרה קנאת אפרים, וצררי יהודה יכרתו: אפרים לא-יקנא את-יהודה, ויהודה לא-יצר את-אפרים
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.
- 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.
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 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.
- 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.
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.
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.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
More on Nesirah
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"לודע 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
שביעית נזדווגה לו חוה
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Source Texts for Nesirah
ספרא דצניעותא סוף פרק ראשוןויאמר 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 שםאתחשכת 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:
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Keitz Meguleh in the Mishnah
מסכת מעשר שני פרק ה משנה בכרם 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, 5:2Kerem 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.
Talmud Yerushalmi, Maaser Sheni, 29bRebbi 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?
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.
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 חייךדברים 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.
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.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Kol HaTor - Heavenly Help
Chapter 5, part 1, siman Gimel:
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.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Why 33?
A continuation of this post.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
An Idea
Pardon me for the random thoughts.
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...
Sunday, May 3, 2009
New Online Book: Yovel & Geulah
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
- That Israel shall not go up as a wall
- That HaKadosh Baruch Hu imposed an oath on Israel that they won't rebel against the nations.
- That HaKadosh Baruch Hu imposed an oath on the nations of the world not to oppress Israel too much.
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
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.
- She shall sit in her dam tohar (Knesset Yisrael shall sit in Exile and not rebel)
- She shall touch nothing holy (Don't read she shall not, but rather you shall not tough anything holy, meaning the Holy Nation)
- 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.