Saturday, March 15, 2008

Happy is One Who Waits...

Daniel 12

9. And he said, go Daniel, for closed and sealed are the words until the time of the Keitz. 10. Many will be refined, whitened, and the wicked will do wickedly, and the wicked will not understand, and the enlighted will understand. 11. And from the time of the cessation of the Tamid, and to the giving of the Desolate Abomination, days: one thousand two hundred and ninety. 12. Happy is the one who waits and arrives to days: one thousand three hundred and thirty five. 13. And you Daniel, go to the end, and rest and stand for your destiny for the Keitz HaYamin.

The Introduction to Tikkunei Zohar on page 4b

And immediately after it went up, "and they went without strength before the pursuer", and because of this the masters of the mishnah have set up, that everyone that says Amen Yehei Shmeh Rabba with all his might, (in heaven) they tear up a sentence of 70 years, that these 70 years, are after 1200 years, that the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, and there are those that calculate it from the time that the Tamid ceased, because the Keitz of the Redemption is dependent on the level of Yaakov, which is the level of Truth, and that is what is written "Give truth to Yaakov" (Michah 7), which is the sign for 1290, and there are those that add a further 2, from "Close is Hashem to those that call Him, to all those that call Him in truth (in truth has 2 more in gematria), to know in the land Your ways, thus it is here with land, Aleph Ra"tz (i.e. Elef, or 1000, and Ra"tz which is the gematria of 290), 90, to fulfill with it Truth sprouts up from the Land, so that there will be a value of Land (i.e. 1290), but the sentence itself is 70 years.

I do not want to enter in to the subject that is actually being discussed, which is 1200 years of Galus.

Note the following:

  • The time of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash is taken as a different year than the cessation of the Tamid. When dealing with years, 3 weeks (between the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av) is not significant.
  • The juxtaposition of the two year counts, 1200 and 1290, indicates that they start at the same time.

So the question is, are we referring to the 1st Beit HaMikdash or the 2nd Beit HaMikdash?

The GR"A's peirush on the Tikkunei Zohar answers this implicitly. On the words "and there are those that calculate it from the cessation of the Tamid", he writes that the Tamid ceased to be brought 20 years prior to the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. In his notes on the bottom of the page, on the issue of the 2 years for the letter beit, he writes that in reality it was 18 years.

(Explanation - We go 20 years back, and then count 1292 years, or go forward 2 years before counting 1290. Alternatively, subtract 18 from the year of destruction.)

The 1st Beit HaMikdash was destroyed in the year 3338. If we look 18 years prior, we find the year that Nevuchadnezar first came to Yerushalayim. The writers of the Tikkunei Zohar are referring us to this year as our starting point.

So theoretically, if we add 1290 years to this point, we should find our answer as to the identity of the Desolate Abomination.

  • 3338 - 18 = 3320
  • 3320 + 1290 = 4610
  • 4610 - 3760 = 850 CE

What happened in 850 CE of note that might shed light on the matter? Nothing.

However, according to the physical reality, the 1st Beit HaMikdash was not destroyed 2430 years ago, but rather a further 163 years prior in the year 3175 (586 BCE).

  • 3175 - 18 = 3157
  • 3157 + 1290 = 4447
  • 4447 - 3760 = 687 CE

That year was the beginning of the construction of the Dome of the Rock.

That is it.

The verses say to count days. Why would it say days if the meaning is years? I propose that the word days is given to indicate to us that these are physical years. Why? If I tell you to count a number of days, you can actually count the number of days very easily. If I tell you to count a number of years, you will most likely find an outside event as a reference point for your beginning and end. Days represent the physical reality, while years represent a different, yet not contradictory, spiritual reality based on the Jewish year count.

It is clear as day that 45 years later (i.e. 1335 years from the starting point) was not something to rejoice over. We must start over at 0 and count to 1335 starting the next year.

4448 + 1335 = 5783

Construction continued until 4451.

4451 + 1335 = 5786

Indeed happy we will be to witness the events that will occur during those years.

Note how this period coincides with the time that Moshiach ben Yosef will finally be completely free of the Klipah of the Left as I wrote in The Sprouting of Moshiach. The implication is clear. The reason that we are to pray for the survival of Moshiach ben Yosef during the blessing regarding the building of Yerushalayim is now understood. Moshiach ben Yosef will build the Beit HaMikdash. He will be in danger at that time, but he is destined to succeed, for Moshiach ben Yosef does and he succeeds.

Postscript: The chidush here is not the simplicity of seeing that 3175 is about 1290 years before the Dome of the Rock was built, but rather:

  • The calculation for the exact year comes directly from an ancient Jewish source, Tikkunei Zohar, made more precise/explicit by the GR"A.
  • The "secular" dating of Churban Bayit Rishon also has its place in Torah.
  • If the Geulah follows the order of prayer, we can have a further sense of where we are and where we're going.

Further, it opens up further interesting questions to ponder:

  • What date was the introduction to Tikkunei Zohar written?
  • Though the GR"A obviously lived after the Dome of the Rock was built, did he know the actual year it was built?

31 comments:

  1. Yishar Koach. This is a thrilling scoop. The link to "sprouting" does not work.

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  2. Rav Schwab suggested that the sealing of the words is accomplished by the difference between 3338 and 3175. Who does not know about 3175, can only apply the 1290 days to Churban Bayit Sheni, and the early Mekubalim did this. They were wrong, even though their understanding was basically correct. As it says in the pasuk, only at the time of the Keitz the enlightened will understand. Ashreicha.

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  3. Well, starting from 3338 does fit within the 6000 years. 3338 + 1290 + 1335 = 5963. They could have used it, but it would have been a lone calculation for a far off time.

    But if we use the 2nd Beit HaMikdash as reference, we can no longer add 1290 to 1335, and we must lay them on top of eachother, creating a 45 year period of time, which is applied like it is 40 years.

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  4. Regarding the dating of the introduction of Tikkunei HaZohar, let me be a sceptic. I propose that this very passage shows when it was written. It says that the Galut is likely 1272 years after the Churban rather than 1290 and that the last 70 years could be cancelled. The author cited an existing tradition as far as the 1272 is concerned, but did not realize that the 18 years hint at Bayit Rishon. So, I would say it was written close to 1200 years after Churban Bayit Sheni, and certainly less than 1272 years. Regarding the tearing up of the 70 years, this is not an ancient tradition. Kaddish is not such an ancient prayer. The claim of cosmic effects of saying Amen to Kaddish also does not seem to be authentic.

    Regarding the GR'A, he certainly understood. The fall of Jerusalem was always well documented in the Christian world. It must be that the GR"A knew the relevant dates. And he also knew about the missing years, from Me'or Einayim. But he did not break the seal.

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  5. The 1200 + 70 hints at something else as far as I can determine. Start from 3338. I believe it is also Bayit Rishon, and says that we had 70 years to make a tikkun so that Din does not rule... 70 years finishes at the breaking point.

    So you think it was written late, based on an earlier tradition that indeed points at what I have found, and the GR"A makes implicit? This passage, with the accompanying commentary of the GR"A also sheds light on a similar passage in Zohar Shemot.

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  6. Perhaps the academics are somewhat right. Perhaps those that were responsible for the publishing of the Zohar interpreted the 1200 year prophecies as such, while those that started the traditions had no intention. The result is that the Zohar predictions were not taken seriously by the outside world, as it is meant to be.

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  7. Incase it is not explicit enough (for you): 3338 - 18 + 1200, and the next "year" is year 1. See year 66 and 70.

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  8. The Arizal. Brilliant.

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  9. But also see 70 assuming no Arizal.

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  10. Zohar Shemot 9b, last few lines. Vav is spelled וו, implying two 66's.

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  11. So we have 1200 plus 65 before the Arizal and 70 from the Arizal onwards. That adds up to 1335. Happy is One Who Waits.

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  12. The preface I forgot on this post is that there are other valid peirushim that have come to fruition / are coming to fruition.

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  13. If we have 1200 plus 65 before the Arizal, and 70 from the Arizal onwards, leading to 1335, we must check what happened at 1290. The birth of the GR"A. The question is how to connect it to the pasuk.

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  14. Two times 66, I must agree, Zohar Shemot could be read like this. Staggeringly deep.

    So we have two principles:

    1200 + 72 + 1335 physical years from 3175 until Bayit Shlishi

    1200 + 66 + 66 "years" from 3338 to MBY. (And three more gives again 1335.)

    In addition, I think we were led to understand that the 60 before MBY occurred when the counts of Din and Chesed reached 500. The end of one Tekufa equals the beginning of the other.

    B'Chasdei HaShem.

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  15. So the new Tekufah is the Pekidah. Is that from 500 in the right or also the left?

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  16. Maybe we can compromise and say that the Pekidah started when Chesed reached 500, peaked at 60, and faded when Din reached 500?

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  17. Perhaps you can say this. The Sod of 66 regards doubling/splitting of times of geula, Pekida-Zechira. It applies within itself (66=60+6) but also to itself: The first 66 is the Pekida and the second Zechira.

    1200 + 66 is the Arizal, 1200 + 60 the birth of Rav Yosef Karo, and in between was the inquisition and the rise of Tsfat.

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  18. The division is implied in the Zohar and made explicit by the Ramchal in Maamar HaGeulah. 60 for Yaakov, 6 for Yosef. The Ramchal writes that at the Pekidah, if I recall it correctly, that the person Moshiach ben Yosef attains his role.

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  19. Something cool regarding the Chiluk
    1200 + 66 + 69 = 1335.

    In Zohar Shemot 9b, it is explained that the Galut is 12*100 and then 66. And after that, by logic we should add 69, as we have to get to 1335, 100 years for every tribe. It is nistar, but we can conclude that the meaning of this Zohar is that the Galut is 12*(100+66) = 1992 years, with another 69 to reach 1335.

    The 1335 counts from Et Husar HaTamid. If we take 1338-18=1320, the 66 brings us to 5312. We add one, because Seder Olam counted from Adam, and we count from Tohu. So we get to 5313, to the Arizal. The Arizal accomplished a tikun that sped up the count to redemption. From units of 12 we go to units of 7. This is intuitive: it makes the remaing 69 as the 69 weeks of Daniel. The weeks come out to be Shmita weeks (5313 is dividable by 7). The 60th week is 5727-5733, from the six-day war until the year before the Yom-Kippur war. A week in which Hester Panim was slightly lifted, temporarily. Week 66 is about to start: 5769-5775.

    This misses some "fine-structure" but it gives the perspective, and it is easy to catch and remember.

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  20. Interesting. I think we need to understand what the GR"A writes bimforash. I read in Likutei HaGR"A over Shabbos (the old one which is all sod) that there is a keitz after the 1200 and the 72. I think that is also in Yahel Ohr to Pinchas Raya Mehemna. Does he mean 1200 + 66 + 72? That is 1338.

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  21. The 69/70 weeks of Daniel 9 have a limited target, detailed in verse 24. It does not have Techiat HaMetim yet. At 72, the Briyah is restored, but we count on to 100. I saw that HaSulam has this also.

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  22. Perhaps 3320 + 1200 + 66, due to the sod of the vav, start over again, count to 72 (and on to 100).

    That is to say that the miluy of the vav is key to this.

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  23. I agree, תרין בחבורא חדא ורזא חדא. What makes it stronger is the connection with the 1290 of Daniel - there is time for another 66. Moshiach ben Yosef appearing in the Galil at 66, it already happened, but the process was cut off. The famous story is that the Arizal shortly before a Shabbat told his students to join him and go to Yerushalayim for Shabbat (coming from Tzfat!) and then the Geula would come. The students were not able and the opportunity was missed.

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  24. I would mefaresh differently. 66 was not in the Galil, but Mitzraim. The keitz of 1200 + 72 is as follows:

    Count 1200 years.

    Count to 70/72 years, try to merit Zachu Geulah.

    If we are unable, we must by Itaruta Diletata (or maaseh tsaddikim if you prefer) restart the count from 66 back to 1.

    Question:

    Was year 66 the *only* chance to merge the 2 counts, or was it just the last one before 70? I.e. was the opportunity also available some 200 years prior?

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  25. "I would mefaresh differently. 66 was not in the Galil, but Mitzraim."
    That is true.

    I think the opportunity also existed 200 years earlier.

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  26. So a conclusion is that the sod of the calculations of Kol HaTor is tamun also in Daniel 12

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  27. I believe you stated: "However, according to the physical reality, the 1st Beit HaMikdash was not destroyed 2430 years ago, but rather a further 163 years prior in the year 3175 (586 BCE)."
    Actually, the discrepancy is 187 years:
    The Babylonian exile ended in 538 B.C.E. with Cyrus' edict allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Mikdash. This date is supported by Ptolemy's Canon which recorded the occurrence of lunar eclipses during the Nabonasser Era, and which is verified by computerized astronomy. According to the Jewish calendar this was in the year 3410 AM (Aryeh Carmell: Aids to Talmund Study; 4th Ed., V. IX: The Roman Republic; 133-44 BC; Pompey's Later Campaigns, p. 382). I demonstrated the problem in 1987:

    1987 CE + 538 BCE = 2525 years
    5748 AM - 3410 AM = 2338 years
    2525 yrs. - 2328 yrs. = 187 years difference in the calendars.

    Not 163 -- twenty-four years further down the road.

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  28. Anonymous poster regarding 187 years:

    You are making an essential mistake in the interpretation of the Jewish calendar, confusing 2 events.

    The permission given by Cyrus (Koresh) to come back to the land of Israel was in the first year of his reign, which was 3390 according to Seder Olam Rabba.

    The 3410 you refer to (really 3408 or 3409 according to traditional sources) is referring to the 2nd year of Darius (Daryavesh), when the 2nd Beit HaMikdash was built. You are compressing the calendar further than the Jewish chronology does, for you have left out the reign of Cyrus, Achashverosh, and the first year of Darius.

    See here:

    http://keitzmeguleh.blogspot.com/2007/12/70-years.html

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  29. You may also want to look at the 1260 days that the Daniels state the Temple will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles. It is exactly 1260 years from 687-688 to 1948 (year of the return of the nation Israel).

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  30. The 1260 years seems to be a Christian invention based on mistaken ideas regarding the calendar and the words of Daniel.

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