On the 12 Year Long Day

(Make sure to read all posts on Birkat HaChamah here)

• A year is 365.25 days long
• Tekufat Nissan, therefore, falls 30 hours later every week.
• A week is 168 hours long (7 * 24)
• To get to the same point in the week, we need the 30 hour advances to total at least 168 hours.

Therefore:

• Year 1 Tekufat Nissan of the cycle is hour # X
• Year 2 Tekufat Nissan is modulo (X + 1 * 30) with 168
• Year 3 Tekufat Nissan is modulo (X + 2 * 30) with 168
• Year 4 Tekufat Nissan is modulo (X + 3 * 30) with 168
• Year 5 Tekufat Nissan is modulo (X + 4 * 30) with 168
• Year 6 Tekufat Nissan is modulo (X + 5 * 30) with 168
• Year 7 Tekufat Nissan is modulo (x + 6 * 30) with 168

The least common multiple of 30 that is more than 168 is 180 (6 * 30).

180 - 168 = 12 hours of advancement in 6 years.

Therefore it is not relevant to say the 12 can be cut in to 4 pieces, only in 2 pieces. Two halves of the day.

Otzar HaAretz in the Shuk

As a continuation of yesterday's post:

I went through the Shuk today. The Otzar HaAretz shop has taken down their banner, but not the Teudah. The Teudah is not valid, do not be misled.

The Resultant Cycles

(Make sure to read all posts on Birkat HaChamah here)

As I have mentioned before, Birkat HaChamah cannot be understood completely solely from the Baraita of Brachot 59b. There are Solar and Lunar cycles (of 4 years and 3 years, respectively), as well as the 7 Year Luminary Cycle.

Regarding the 7 Year Luminary Cycle, we do not need any of the cycles given in Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer. All we need is a 365.25 day year and a 7 hour cycle, and we obtain a 7 year cycle.

When lining up the 4 year Solar and the 3 year Lunar cycles together, they align once every 12 years.

It should be noted that the hour of the week in which Tekufat Nissan occurs moves forward exactly 24 hours in the week for every 12 years.

That is to say:

• Year 1 Tekufat Nissan is in hour 73
• Year 13 is hour 97
• Year 25 is hour 121
• Year 37 is hour 145
• Year 49 is hour 1
• Year 61 is hour 25
• Year 73 is hour 49

But also:

• Year 1 Tekufat Nissan is in hour 73
• Year 7 is Hour 85
• Year 13 is hour 97
• Year 19 is hour 109

So in a way, every 6 years is a half "day", and every 12 years is a full "day" that have passed.

Otzar HaAretz - Machane Yehuda

This is by no means a usual post, but to warn people from an issur.

For those of you that live in Yerushalayim: The Otzar HaAretz shop in Machane Yehuda is no longer associated with Otzar HaAretz. This can now be seen in the updates section of http://www.hashmita.co.il. The store was removed from the list of stores some time ago (I don't know how long ago), but even as recently as Friday was still open with the teudah and banner still up, claiming to be from Otzar HaAretz. Only recently was the announcement put on the Otzar HaAretz website.

I will consider this post irrelevant once I see that the store is closed.

Zohar Chadash - Mechirat Yosef

Come and see how many years that Tsaddik (Yosef) sat, that he didn't see his father for 22 years. And behold these (years) sat in Mitzraim, 22 years, for every tribe from the 10 tribes that sold him, and according to this calculation, they are 220 years for all of them. Take out of them 10 years, that they took in Din that is Above, because of the 10 holy tribes that perished in Mitzraim, you are left with 210 years. And that is what is written רדו שמה (Go down there. Go down is equal to 210 in Gematria).

Come and see that when the sins caused (punishment) and this Shabbat was not observed as needed, which is written "Don't take out a load from your house on the day of Shabbat" (Yirmiyahu 17). Don't load upon yourselfs a load of sins, that the day of Shabbat was what protected you.

And they didn't listen to the prophet, and the vengeful sword was arroused to avenge the covenant. What is the covenant? That is Shabbat, as it is written "For their generations an eternal covenant" (Shemot 31), and Brit Milah, about which it is written "And holy skin will be passed from upon you (Yirmiyahu 11), and the covenant of the tsaddik, which they sold him.

And it is all in one level: Shabbat, Brit Milah, and Tsaddik. And that is a secret: For 3 sins of Yisrael and (for the) fourth I will not return it (Amos 2), and all were dependent on their sale of a tsaddik for silver. And then they because to subservant to "seven for your sins". And it was decreed upon them 70 years of Galus Bavel, and on the sins of Shmitah and Yovel, which are dependent on the Great Shabbat and the regular Shabbat.

And afterwards they came to the Holy Land, and settled it for 420 years, to make up for the 70 Shmitot and the 70 years are 10 years for every day, from those that suckle from the Seventh, that the Great Shabbat is also called the Seventh from below to above (referring to Binah) Which includes as one Zachor and Shamor. And afterwards they were in 420 years in the land, in the power of the Torah which they toiled in.

And when the sin of Baseless Hatred (Sinat Chinam) caused , the original baseless hatred was aroused. Which is what is written "And they hated him", that very tsaddik. And then HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave them in to the hands of the one that hates them a baseless hatred, which is written of Edom: "Because you have had a hatred of old, and you have thrown the children of Israel by a sword" (Yehezkel 35).

And then it was taken from them, by the count of the years, that they were lacking in the secret of "Seven upon your sins" (Vayikra 26). Come and see, when you count the 22 years 7 times, for all of the 10 that sold him, you have 1540 years.

Their cries did not go up before him. Rebbi Yitzhak said: when HaKadosh Baruch Hu does Din in the upper realm, what is it? Rebbi Elazar said: That he passes it in that river Dinur, and passes them from their control (memshalah), and from that control, other controls of the other nations. He said to him, thus it is written "His servants are a burning fire" (Tehillim 104) He said to him, there is fire that is harsher than fire, and there is fire that extinguishes fire.

(That is the end of the Maamar from the Zohar Chadash, there is another similar, but longer maamar in Sitrei Torah there. Hopefully I'll be able to type that in as well.)

Zohar Predictions - Summary/Table of Contents

• Zohar VaYera 1:116a - 117a - On the year 60, that 60 happens multiple times, the year 5600, and that all calculations must be based on the Jewish calendar, the letters of the Holy Name, or the days of Creation.
• Zohar Vayera 1:119a - The timing of the Pekidah and Zechirah, the revelation of Moshiach in the Galil.
• Zohar Toldot 1:138b-140a Midrash Ne'elam - Calculation regarding Techiyat HaMeitim, Kibbutz Galuyot, the difference between Techiyat HaMeitim for Tsaddikim as opposed to everyone else.
• On the Midrash Ne'elam Timeline - Explaining some of the particulars of the above Zohar.
• Zohar Shemot 2:9a - 2:10a - An overview of the different spiritual states that existed during the period of the 2 Batei Mikdash, the length of Galus, the time it will take for Moshiach to be revealed, the letters of Hashem's name to be rectified, and the Sitra Achra to be completely removed from this world.
• Erev Rav in the Zohar - The Zohar on Chet HaEigel and the Erev Rav, with a peirush on how this relates to our time.
• Zohar Raya Mehemna Pinchas 249a - On the Geulah of 72, its relation to 70.
• Zohar Pinchas 3:230b - Another Keitz, this one at 56.
• Zohar Chadash: Darach Kokhav MiYaakov - A description of the spiritual events that occur during the Pekidah (60).
• Zohar Chadash: Mechirat Yosef - The reason that Galus Mitzraim was 210 years. Also, the length of the punishment for Mechirat Yosef.
• Zohar Chadash Sitrei Torah - Mechirat Yosef - Similar to above, but more complete, also a prediction that seems to be about the coming of Moshiach ben Yosef.
• The Calculation of Mechirat Yosef - Explanation of the calculation in the above Zohar Chadash.
• Pshat of Zohar Kitzim - An observation regarding all of these calculations.

Erev Rav - Table of Contents

• To Unify the Moshiachs - Our goal is to unify the 2 Moshiachs. This discusses the challenges facing us from the Klipot.
• Erev Rav - The Connector - The Erev Rav enables the two other Klipot, Yishmael and Esav, to attach to Am Yisrael.
• Sasson and Simchah - A cryptic Midrash in Sukkah hints at the two Moshiachs being covered in the Klipot.
• The Heresy of Sasson and Simchah - A summary of the problems of Sasson and Simchah.
• Erev Rav - Summary - Summarizing the different aspects of the Erev Rav and the Erev Zeir.
• Erev Rav in the Zohar - The Erev Rav's rise to power in the End of Days is hinted at in the Zohar Ki Tisa.
• Sprouting of Moshiach - The fall of the Erev Rav.

The 84 Year Cycle and Eiruvin 56a

(Make sure to read all posts on Birkat HaChamah here)

The Gemara in Eiruvin 56a reads as follows:

ואמר שמואל אין לך תקופת ניסן שנופלת בצדק שאינה משברת את האילנות ואין לך תקופת טבת שנופלת בצדק שאינה מייבשת את הזרעים והוא דאיתליד לבנה או בלבנה או בצדק

And Shmuel said: There is no Tekufat Nissan that falls in Tzedek that doesn’t break trees, and there is no Tekufat Tevet that falls in Tzedek that doesn’t dry out the seeds. And this is one that the moon is renewed (i.e. the Molad falls in) Levanah or Tzedek.

We see from here that Shmuel attaches significance to two events on the calendar which occur in 7 year intervals. Then, there is a condition limiting the scope, depending on the accompanying Molad. It should be noted, for those that can’t read the original text above, that the extra stipulation uses an Aramaic word, wherein the main statement uses only Hebrew.

Looking at the 84 Year Cycle, we see that when Tekufat Nissan falls in Tzedek, Molad Nissan falls in Chamah. This occurs once in 7 years, therefore the condition of the Baraita never occurs. However, that is not the case: the column I have labeled Molad Nissan is really only Molad Nissan once in a while. That is to say each year advances 12 months, with no leap years.

This cannot be directly demonstrated from Tevet (as above for Nissan) due to the intentional inaccuracies in the Lunar calculations.

Birkat HaChamah - 84 Year Cycle

I have updated the Birkat HaChamah chart to show all of the relevant cycles:

• The 28 year cycle of the Sun
• The 21 year cycle of the Moon
• The 84 year cycle of the Sun and Moon combined.

There are three sheets to the spreadsheet. You can find it here.

Lag BaOmer of History

If we look at a list of Yovel years from the time of Ezra, we can see that the 33rd Yovel period is related to Kabbalah. Also, if we take the 6000 years and divide in to 50 parts of 120 years, we get a similar result.

33rd 120 Year Cycle - 3841-3960 (81-200CE)

• This was the period in which the secrets of Torah were revealed by Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai

33rd Yovel Cycle - 4992 - 5041 (1232-1281)

• This was the period in which the secrets of Torah were published in the Zohar

Here it is in a spreadsheet.

70 Years: Shmitah, Daniel

This week's parshah, Bechukotai, gives a list of blessings for following the ways of Hashem, and curses for straying from His paths. It links the curse of exile with a specific mitzvah: Shmitah. It is written as follows:

ויקרא כו:לז - אז תרצה הארץ את שבתתיה כל ימי השמה, ואתם בארץ איביכם, אז תשבת הארץ, והרצת את שבתתיה

Vayikra 26:37 - Then the land will be appeased of its sabbaticals, all the days of desolation, and you are in the land of your enemies, then the land will rest, and be appeased of its sabbaticals.

Basically, from the time of Yehoshua bin Nun (2488) until the time of the destruction of the 1st Beit HaMikdash (3338), there are 70 Shmitah's worth of sin that need atonement. One might say that the starting date is either when Yehoshua entered the land (2488), or it is really after the land fell to Yehoshua after 7 years of conquering, in the year 2495. Either way, it is slightly over 840 years total.

For explanations as to the exact substance of these 70 years, see the commentators both on this chapter of Vayikra, as well as Divrei HaYamim II, 36:21. Rashi has a detailed list in Divrei HaYamim, but also see the GR"A there.

In Daniel 9:24, we learn that the decree put upon Am Yisrael is not 70 years, but 70 weeks of years, i.e. 490 years. This is the time from the destruction of the 1st Beit HaMikdash to the destruction of the 2nd. 3338 until 3828.

If so, we can see, perhaps, that the 70 years in Galus Bavel were a tikkun for the Shmitah years before the destruction of Bayit Rishon, and the 420 years thereafter are for the other years. Violation of Shmitah brings the punishment of exile, so this punishment, of exile from the land, came first.

The period from Yehoshua until the Churban was more aligned with Chesed, with open miracles and prophecy and Jewish autonomy for a majority of the time, whereas the 2nd Beit HaMikdash was more aligned with Din. Miracles were on a more natural level (Purim is one example), prophecy came to an end, and Jewish autonomy was for but a minority of the time.

Birkat HaChamah - Summary / Table of Contents

Here are the individual articles.  For the online book, click here.

• Misconceptions - Geulah in 5769 - Explains the background logic and teachings behind Birkat HaChamah, dispelling the idea that the Birkat HaChamah in 5769 is the 3rd time in history that it will fall on Erev Pesach.
• Birkat HaChamah - More on the Cycle - More explanations on the results of the 365.25 year, namely a 7 year cycle, on top of the 4 year cycle which is explicit in Rashi on Brachot 59b
• Birkat HaChamah - Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer - The 28 year cycle is part of an overall system, where the sun cycle is 28 years long, and the lunar cycle is 21 years long, creating an 84 year cycle. The obviously intentional inaccuracies in the math here hint that there is a far deeper idea behind Birkat HaChamah.
• Birkat HaChamah - Sifrai Ditzniuta - On the claim that 5769 is an auspicious time because it is a Birkat HaChamah year, and also the year after Shmitah, and that is an auspicious time for the Geulah per the GR"A. The quotation is discussed here and its parallels to the same phraseology in that commentary by the GR"A.
• The 84 Year Cycle and Eiruvin 56a - Examines the relation between the cycles presented in Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer and the Baraita of Shmuel in Eiruvin 56a.
• Birkat HaChamah - Charts - These color coded charts show the hourly cycle of the week and the resultant Solar, Lunar, and combined Solar-Lunar cycles.
• The Resultant Cycles - The cycles that come out of the Solar and Lunar Cycles.
• On the 12-Year-Long Day - Discussing the math behind the 12 year cycle.
• Hints on the Sod of Birkat HaChamah
• Birkat HaChamah Online Book - summarizing most everything above.

Yovel - Summary / Table of Contents

• The Rambam on the Year Count - A translation from the Mishneh Torah Hilchot Shmitah v'Yovel, chapter 10
• Commentary on Rambam - A commentary/explanation the logic behind the Rambam's statements in the Mishneh Torah.
• The Ra'avad on the Yovel Count - The Ra'avad's comments on chapter 10 of Hilchot Shmitah v'Yovel
• Rambam - Why Don't We Count Yovel? - Through careful reading of the Rambam's words, we see that he connects the counting of Yovel to Kedushat HaAretz, and that he submits that halachah is not like his words, and that we do not count Yovel at current due to a tradition.
• Yovel Count of Rebbi Yehudah - I propose that in times of Galut, the counting of Yovel continues, in a hidden way, according to the 49 year cycle of Rebbi Yehudah.
• Yovel Spreadsheets - Google docs spreadsheets showing the results of the prior posts.
• Recent Yovels - The two most recent Yovel years are definitely related to the idea of the Redemption of the Land.
• Shmitah & Yovel - Sefirat HaOmer & Shavuot - Looking at history under the prism of the Sefirot, as we do during the Omer period.
• Significant Days in the Omer & Yovel - Further parallels between Sefirat HaOmer and Am Yisrael's history.
• Mourning after Lag Ba'Omer - Commentary to the last post.
• Tazria and Yovel - Aside from approaching the Yovel Period # 49, we are also approaching the Yovel Year # 66.
• Chesed L'Avraham - Yovel - A quote from Chesed L'Avraham on the relation between Yovel and Geulah.
• Imrei Binah - Table of Contents / Index - A collection of posts regarding an old work that says that the next Yovel year will bring the Geulah.
• Yovel and Geulah - A summary (more of a long essay) with most of the information of the above posts.

70 Steps - 70 Words

According to Kabbalah, the 70 years of the Birthpangs of Moshiach correspond to the 70 words of Tehillim chapter 20, and the 2nd paragraph of Aleinu Leshabeach (Al-Ken).

The last few words of Tehillim chapter 20 are common in Jewish liturgy:

כ:י - ה' הושיעה המלך יעננו ביום קראנו

20:10 - Hashem, save us, the King that replies to us on the day of our calling

• Word 65 - Hashem
• Word 66 - Save us הושיעה
• Word 67 - The King המלך
• Word 68 - (that) replies to us יעננו
• Word 69 - On the day ביום
• Word 70 - (of) Our calling קראנו

Relation

• 66 has to do with a Geulah
• 67 has relation to the rule of Torah upon Am Yisrael
• 68 is about the Beit HaMikdash, the place of prayer
• 69 and 70 are related as they are one phrase grammatically, the day we call out is the day of trouble (see the first pasuk of the Perek.

The Torah's Peace Process

This week's parshah, Bechukotai, details the idea of peace; how to achieve it, and what it entails.

How to achieve it:

ויקרא 26:3 - אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו ועשיתם אתם

Vayikra 26:3 - If you will go in the ways of my laws, and observe my commandments and you will do them

The result:

ויקרא 26:6 - ונתתי שלום בארץ, ושכבתם ואין מחריד, והשבתי חיה רעה מן הארץ, וחרב לא תעבר בארצכם

Vayikra 26:6 - And I will give peace in the land, and you will lie down and there will be none to frighten you, and I will make cease evil animals from the land, and no sword shall come in to your land.

Further results:

ויקרא 26:7 - ורדפתם את איביכם, ונפלו לפניכם לחרב

Vayikra 26:7 - And you shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

Conclusion:

If we keep the Torah, Eretz Yisrael will be completely safe, with no enemies threatening us. Nonetheless, that does not necessarily mean that there will be no further war. In our days, that means essentially no conflict: No worries of terrorists, and no worries of incoming missiles. May we all merit achievement of this peace by way of teshuvah from love and not fear.

The Vision for Peace

A few months back, we discussed how the Erev Rav of the Left is really an enabling force for the Klipah of Esav to connect to Am Yisrael.

I think this is very well demonstrated here.

In his speech, Olmert told the Knesset that he was working on the US vision of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

He said he was committed to carrying out Bush's vision of forming an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. And when a deal would be reached, Olmert said, the divided parliament and Israeli public will rally behind it.

This effectively attaches Am Yisrael to the West, via the Israeli leadership. Without this force in the leadership of Am Yisrael, we will break free of these corrupt ideas and move towards the Redemption of Truth.

The Year Count of the Zohar

As I brought a few months back, the Rambam says that our year count is based on Adam HaRishon being born in year 2.

Therefore:

• Yetziat Mitzraim was in 2449.
• Binyan Bayit Rishon was 2929
• Churban Bayit Rishon was 3339
• Binyan Bayit Sheini was 3409
• Churban Bayit Sheini was 3829

3929 was a Shmitah year, and therefore we just continue the count from this.

It appears from a couple of predictions regarding Acharit HaYamim in the Zohar that the writers of the Zohar did not count from year 2, but rather year 1.

• The Introduction to the Tikkunei Zohar on page 4 talks of 1200 years and then 70 years and then 2 more years = 1272. The GR"A says there that 1272 + 3828 = 5100
• The Zohar Chadash in Maamar Darach Kochav MiYaakov talks about a year with Shmitah and Yovel, and says it is 274 years "from" the 6th millenium. 6000 - 274 = 5726. This is 1 year prior to the Yovel calculation that I've shown here, which is based on the Rambam. The Zohar Chadash there seems to be referring to the same year, but we need to add 1 to arrive at our calendar system's year.

The switch to the Tohu system (i.e. where the first year on the calendar is the Tohu Year, before creation of man) is late, perhaps the time of the Gemara (feel free to comment here with proofs either way). The traditions themselves that are the foundation for the Zohar's teachings, are indeed very old.

Pshat of Zohar Kitzim

This is a restatement and addition to this post.

• Zohar Shemot 9-10: Refers to 1200 years of exile, to be followed by 66 years until Moshiach. 1266 + 3828 = 5094, less than 100 years after the Zohar was published.
• The Introduction to Tikkunei Zohar (with the peirush of the GR"A): Seems to say that it is 1200 + 72, or 1272 + 3828 = 5100. Round number.

The common denominator between these is that these dates are shortly after the publishing of the Zohar. These two basic teachings show up in other places, these two suffice for now.

• Zohar Chadash Maamar al Mechirat Yosef: Says that after Churban Bayit Sheini, there will be 1540 years of Tikkun for Sinat Chinam / Mechirat Yosef. 3828 + 1540 = 5368. After this, it would be 17 years further for Moshiach ben Yosef to begin to stand against Esav.

This would seem to be, per the academic approach, hundreds of years after the Keitz in Zohar Shemot. But this too has the same feature. According to the introduction in the printing that I have, the Zohar Chadash was first published in the year 5351 in Tsefat.

The Zohar seems to have a knack for being published slightly before the "pshat" Keitz that is listed in any volume.

The exception for this is the Keitz of 5408, which as I wrote before, appears to be a late addition anyway. By late, I mean not of the original teaching.

One might think from this that there is a spiritual Tikkun for learning these subjects starting close to their "pshat" dates.

Birkat HaChamah - Sifra Ditzniuta

(Make sure to read all posts on Birkat HaChamah here)

I have seen recently some quotations from the GR"A's peirush on Sifra Ditzniuta that try to suggest that the coming of Moshiach is related to the year of Birkat HaChamah. Allow me to translate the section in question.

And this revelation, it does not have an [exact] known time, "heart to the mouth it is not revealed", but rather it is known that during the entire 5th millenium it could not come, in the secret of the entire day of "ו"ה" (Eichah 1), and it will only be revealed in the 6th millenium which is in the secret of the the Livyatan that was mentioned, and that is what is written (in the Zohar on Va'Era) 1 for 1000 days, that is to say in one of the 1000 years he will be revealed. And it says small days, because just days (alone) is 1000 years in the secret of the 6 Days as was mentioned, but small days is one day which is days of Malchut Chochmah Z'eira, and that is days that is mentioned in the Torah "days will be the Geulah" (See Vayikra 25:29). That is to say that one year will be the year defined as the Geulah, and it is the year after Shmitah, in which that is the time of Chesed, and then will be revealed the פום אמה and Moshiach will come. And that is what is written in the Zohar on the small aleph of the word Vayikra, that it is Malchut, in which the letters are small, and that is the 1000 pieces that Moshe took and left one which is the small Aleph. Aleph (meaning 1) from 1000 and that is Malchut Atarah that there it is revealed.

We can see from this that the GR"A is writing that the exact date is not known, but a certain single year in the 6th millenium will be so momentous in its events that this one single year will be called the Year of Geulah. This year will be the year after Shmitah. The GR"A uses similar language to what he used elsewhere, speaking about Chesed being revealed in פום אמה, and talking about the Atarah. He is talking about the fact that the year of Moshiach's revelation B'itah will be the year that the world reaches the level of Ateret HaYesod, as I mentioned in Shiur Yemot HaMoshiach. No one has claimed that this spiritual event has anything to do with the year 5769.

And for those who are wondering, yes, the year 5783 that is mentioned in Shiur Yemot HaMoshiach is the year after Shmitah.

Summary of Midrash Ne'elam

We are given 3 different year amounts given in the Midrash Ne'elam.

• 40 years
• 210/214 years
• 408 years

As I have mentioned elsewhere (in comments, and I believe also a post), part of this section of the Zohar explicitly states that all of the dead would be resurrected by the year 5408. You can see this in the prior post. It is worded in an odd way. First it says 408 years in the 6th millenium, and it gives a phrase from the Chumash as a sign for this. Then it gives another word from another verse in the Chumash as the sign, and then makes an explicit year statement of 5408.

The 210/214 year period seems to be the years that Tsaddikim will be resurrected before the 408 years are complete.

The 40 year period that is before this can be read two ways. One is that it is 40 years for the process of Kibbutz Galuyot, another is that it is 40 years between the completion of Kibbutz Galuyot and Techiyat HaMeitim. A close reading of the text indicates that there will be 40 years of peace, after the wicked are no more and troubles have left Israel. The text refers specifically to the troubles of the end of the book of Daniel. The 40 years would therefore start at the same time as them, or immediately after they are finished.

Midrash Ne'elam Hebrew/Aramaic Text

I'm posting this here so that we can look at the text in the original. I will most likely highlight, underline, or make paragraph breaks here.

ויזד יעקב נזיד, רבי בא בשם רבי אחא אמר, לעולם טבעו של עולם אינו משתנה, בא וראה מה כתיב, ויזד יעקב נזיד, כמה דאת אמר (שמות יח יב) אשר זדו עליהם, ותרגומו דחשיבו, כלומר הלב חושב ומהרהר בתורה בידיעת בוראו, מה כתיב ויבא עשו מן השדה והוא עיף, הכבד שדרך טבעו לצאת ולצוד ציד בפיו לבלוע, ואינו מוצא, נקרא עיף, והוא אומר ללב, עד שאתה מהרהר בדברים אלו בדברי תורה, הרהר באכילה ובשתיה לקיים גופך, הדא הוא דכתיב ויאמר עשו אל יעקב הלעיטני נא מן האדום האדום הזה, כי כן דרכי לבלוע הדם, ולשגר לשאר האברים, כי עיף אנכי בלא אכילה ושתיה, והלב אומר תן לי הראשון והמובחר מכל מה שתבלע, תן לי בכורתך, הדא הוא דכתיב מכרה כיום את בכורתך לי, קונמיתא דתאיבא, עד שהלב מהרהר וחושב במאכל, בולע הכבד, דאלמלי ההוא כסופא והרהורא דלבא במאכל, לא יוכלו הכבד והאברים לבלוע, דאמר רבי יוסי, כן דרך העבדים שאינם אוכלים עד שהאדון אוכל. אמר רבי יוסי, כתיב לאחר כן, ויעקב נתן לעשו לחם ונזיד עדשים, מהו עדשים סגלגלין כגלגלתא, וגלגלא סביב בעלמא, כלומר דלא אתנשי מארחיה, כך הוא בר נש בההוא זמנא, אף על גב דכל ההוא טיבו ויקר ושלימותא ליהוי, ארחיה דעלמא למיכל ולמשתי לא יתנשי.

מתניתין, תנן ארבע רוחות העולם מנשבן, ועתיד קודשא בריך הוא להתעורר רוח אחד לקיים הגוף, שיהא כלול מד' רוחות, הדא הוא דכתיב (יחזקאל לז ט) מארבע רוחות באי הרוח, בארבע לא כתיב, אלא מארבע רוחות העולם, שיהא כלול מארבעתם, ותאנא אותו הרוח הוא רוח המוליד, הוא הרוח האוכל ושותה, ואין בין העולם הזה לימות המשיח אלא שעבוד מלכיות בלבד, ואין בין העולם הזה לתחיית המתים אלא נקיות והשגת ידיעה, רב נחמן אמר, ואריכות ימים, אמר רב יוסף וכי ימות המשיח ותחיית המתים לאו חד הוא, אמר ליה לא, דתנן בית המקדש קודם לקבוץ גליות, קבוץ גליות קודם לתחיית המתים, ותחיית המתים הוא אחרון שבכלם, מנא לן דכתיב (תהלים קמז ב) בונה ירושלם יהו"ה, נדחי ישראל יכנס, הרופא לשבורי לב ומחבש לעצבותם, זו היא תחיית המתים, שהיא הרפואה לשבורי לב על מתיהם, בונה ירושלם תחלה, ואחריו נדחי ישראל יכנס, והרופא לשבורי לב אחרון על הכל.

It says here from Kibbutz Galuyot until Techiyat HaMeitim, implying that the 40 years is not of Kibbutz Galuyot. This seems to imply that the finishing of Kibbutz Galuyot is the beginning of the 40 years. It goes on to relate this period to the troubles of Daniel 12 (which are really the troubles of Daniel 11).

תנן ארבעים שנה קודם הקבוץ גליות לתחיית המתים, כדאמרינן ויהי יצחק בן ארבעים שנה, האי ארבעים שנה מאי עבידתייהו, אמר רב כהנא אמר רבי ברוקא, מקבוץ גליות עד תחיית המתים כמה צרות כמה מלחמות יתעוררו על ישראל, ואשרי הנמלט מהם, דכתיב (דניאל יב א) ובעת ההיא ימלט עמך כל הנמצא כתוב בספר, רבי יהודה אמר מהכא, יתבררו ויתלבנו ויצרפו רבים, רבי יצחק אמר מהכא (זכריה יג ט) וצרפתים כצרוף את הכסף ובחנתים כבחון את הזהב, ובאותם הימים יהיו ימים אשר יאמרו אין לי בהם חפץ, ומשעה שיעברו הצרות עד תחיית המתים ארבעים שנה.

רב הונא אמר, תא חזי כי ארבעים שנה הלכו בני ישראל במדבר וגו', אשר לא שמעו בקול יהו"ה, כהאי גונא (גופא) הכא, אמר רב יוסף כל אלין חד מלה אמרו, ולסוף ארבעים שנה שהצרות יעברו והרשעים יכלו, יחיו המתים שוכני עפר, מאי טעמא, משום דכתיב (נחום א ט) לא תקום פעמים צרה, ודי להם במה שעברו, ומזמן תחיית המתים יתיישב עלמא בישובו, הדא הוא דכתיב, ביום ההוא יהיה יהו"ה אחד ושמו אחד.

The bolded text below seems to be an original teaching, including a pasuk as a siman, and then the following language in italics regarding the Yovel is different language and pasuk, and then applies the 408 to the 5000, making 5408. The 5400 are written in Hebrew, the 8 in Aramaic.

רבי אלעזר בן ערך הוה יתיב, והוה קא מצטער בנפשוי טפי, עאל לקמיה רבי יהושע, אמר ליה חיזו נהירו דבוצינא דעלמא למה חשוכן, אמר ליה חיזו ודחילו סגי עאל בי, דהא אנא חמי מה דאתערו חברנא מארי מתניתא, דשראת עלייהו רוח קדישין, וההוא דאתערו דבשתיתאי יהא פורקנא שפיר, אבל אנא חמי אורכא יתירא על אינון דיירי עפרא, דבאלף שתיתאי לזמן ארבע מאות ותמניא שנין מניה, יהיו קיימין כל דיירי עפרא בקיומיהון, ובגיני כך אתערו חבירנא על פסוקא דקרא לון בני ח"ת, ח"ת דיתערון לח"ת שנה, והיינו דכתיב (ויקרא כה יג) בשנת היובל הזאת תשובו איש אל אחוזתו, כשישתלם הז"את, שהוא חמשת אלפים וארבע מאות ותמניא, תשובו איש אל אחוזתו, אל נשמתו שהיא אחוזתו ונחלתו.

The grammar of bolded sentence here is very difficult.

(עוד) אמר רבי יהושע, לא תקשי לך האי, דהא תנינן שלש כתות הן, של צדיקים גמורים ושל רשעים גמורים ושל בינונים, צדיקים גמורים יקומון בקימה של מתי ארץ ישראל, מהיום כמה שנים, שהם קודמים בתחלה בשנת הארבעים של קבוץ גליות, והאחרונים כלם לזמן ארבע מאות ושמנה שנה לאלף הששי כדקאמרן, מאן יזכה להאי ארכא, מאן יתקיים בקיום דתיה בין האי זמנא, ועל דא אצטעירנא בנפשאי.

This is a common teaching with the Tikkunim from th Zohar Chadash (on the Keitz of (2)56). All the calculations are for the condition that Am Yisrael doesn't do Teshuvah first.

אמר ליה רבי, הא תנינן (בראשית א ג) יהי או"ר, יהי ר"ז, חזר ואמר בתשובה יתקדם כלא, אמר רבי יהושע אי לאו דאמרת הכי, אחסימנא פומין למצפי פורקנא כל יומא, דכתיב (ישעיה לג ו) חסן ישועות, מהו ישועות, אלו המצפים ישועות בכל יום, מאי הוא דעתוי דרבי אלעזר, היינו דכתיב (דניאל יב ב) ורבים מישני אדמת עפר יקיצו, משמע דכתיב מישני, אלו הם הצדיקים הנקדמים בחייהם קודם זה, וכמה שנים הם נקדמים, רבי יהודה אומר מאתים ועשר שנים, רבי יצחק אומר רד"י שנה, דכתיב (במדבר כד יט) ויר"ד מיעקב וגומר, יר"ד שנה נקדמים הצדיקים לשאר כל אדם, רב נחמן אמר, לפי השיעור שנבלה בעפר, אמר ליה רבי יוסי, אם כן הרבה תחיות הוו, אלא כל התחיות יהיו באותן הזמן, והאי דאתמר בחזון (דניאל י א) ואמת הדבר וצבא גדול:

Birkat HaChamah - Charts

(Make sure to read all posts on Birkat HaChamah here)

In order to visualize the math behind Birkat HaChamah, please see these two charts.

1. The Jewish Week - During a year that has Birkat HaChamah, Tekufat Nissan falls in hour 73 of the week, and advances 30 hours later in the week every following year. See this chart to see the make up of the week and the division in to hours. There are two sheets here to help visualize.
2. Birkat HaChamah Cycle - After you have seen how the week is set up, this chart shows the resulting hour occurances of Tekufat Nissan in a 28 year cycle. I've put in color-coding to indicate the 4 year cycles mentioned in Rashi and Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer as well as the 7 year cycle.

Comments are welcome.

Zohar 1:138b-140a Midrash Ne'elam

"And Yaakov was cooking stew" (Breishit 25:29) - Rebbi Ba in the name of Rebbi Acha said: The nature of the world never changes. Come and see what is written, "And Yaakov was cooking stew", like you see written אשר זדו עליהם (Shemot 18:12), and the translation is that they thought, that is to say the heart thought and the considered Torah and the knowing of its Creator, what is written "and Esav came from the field and he is tired", the liver whose way it is to go out and hunt and his prey is in his mouth and he swallows, and he doesn't find, is called tired, and he says to the heart, until you think words, these are words of Torah, think of eating and drinking to sustain your body. That is what is written "And Esav said to Yaakov, pour me please from that red stuff", for it is my way to swallow the blow, and to destroy the rest of the limbs, for I am tired without eating and drinking, and the heart says give me the first and choicest of all that you swallow, give me your birthright, that is what is said "sell me today your birthright", ( קונמיתא דתאיבא), until the heart considers and thinks of food, swallows the liver, for if it weren't for the desire and the thought of the heart for food, the liver and the limbs couldn't swallow, as Rebbi Yose said, thus is the way of servants that they don't eat until the master eats. Rebbi Yose said, it is written afterwards "And Yaakov gave to Esav bread and lentil stew", what are these lentils that roll like a sphere, and a sphere surrounds the world, that is to say it doesn't change its path, thus is humankind at that time, inspite of all the good and honor and completeness that will be, the way of the world to eat and drink will not change.

Mishnah - It is taught - Four winds/spirits go throughout the world, and in the future HaKadosh Baruch Hu will arouse 1 wind/spirit to sustain the body, which will contain 4 winds/spirits. That is what is written "From four winds/spirits come, oh wind/spirit." (Yehezkel 37:9) "In four" is not written, but rather from the 4 winds/spirits of the world, that it will include them all. And it is taught that this spirit is the spirit of childbearing (המוליד), the spirit that eats and drinks, and

There is no difference between this world and the Days of Moshiach except the servitude of the nations alone, and there is no difference between this world and the Resurrection of the Dead except cleanliness and achievement of knowledge.

Rav Nachman says, also length of life. Rav Yosef said, is not the Days of Moshiach and Resurrection of the Dead the same thing (same period of time)? He said to him, no. As it is taught: Beit HaMikdash is before Kibbutz Galuyot, Kibbutz Galuyot preceeds Resurrection of the Dead, and Resurrection of the Dead is last of them all. From where do we get this? "Builder of Yerushalayim Hashem, dispersed of Yisrael He will gather, the Healer of broken hearts, and bind their wounds" (Tehillim 147:2). That is Resurrection of the Dead which is healing for the broken of heart on their dead, and the building of Yerushalayim is first, and afterwards the dispersed of Yisrael He will gather, and the Healer of the broken of heart last of them all. It is taught: Kibbutz Galuyot precedes the Resurrection of the Dead by 40 years, as we say "And Yitzchak was 40 years old", what do we do with this 40 years? Rav Kahana said in the name of Rebbe Broka, from Kibbutz Galuyot to Resurrection of the Dead many troubles and wars will be aroused on Yisrael, and happy is he who escapes them, as it is written"And at that time your nation will escape, all written in the book" (Daniel 12:1). Rebbe Yehudah says from here: "Many will be clarified and whitened and purified". Rebbe Yitzchak says from here "And I will purify them like the purifying of silver, I will examine them like the examining of gold" (Zechariah 13:9), and in those days, there will be days that they will say I don't want them, and from the hour that these troubles will pass until Resurrection of the Dead is 40 years. Rav Huna said, come and see, for 40 years Bnei Yisrael went in the desert, etc, that they didn't listen to the voice of Hashem, and like that here. Rav Yosef said all this that they said is the same thing, that at the end of the 40 years that the troubles pass and the wicked are finished, the dead will live, those that lie in the dust, what is the reason? For it is written "Trouble will not arise twice" (Nachum 1:9), and it is enough what they experienced already. And from the time of Resurrection of the Dead, the world will be settled properly, that is what is written "And on that day Hashem will be One and His Name One."

Rebbe Elazar ben Arach was sitting, and was very sad, Rebbe Yehoshua came in front of him, and he said behold the light of the lamp of the world, why is it so dark, he said to him: I saw it and great fear came upon me, that I see what will come upon our friends, the masters of the Mishnah, that the Ruach haKodesh rests upon them, and this that will awaken in the 6th millenium will be a great redemption, but I see the extra length for those that have already passed, for in the 6th millenium, at the time of 408 years from it, all the dead will rise before them, and because of this, the masters of the Mishnah have said to them "B'nei Chet" (from Parshat Chayei Sarah), Chet that will awake to/for 408 years, which is what is written (Vayikra 25:13) In this (HaZot, gematria 408) Yovel Year, you will return, every man to his portion. When "this" will be completed, which is 5408, you will return, every man to his portion, to his soul which is his portion and inheritance.

Rebbi Yehoshua said: But don't let it trouble you, for we have learned there are 3 groups, the completely righteous, the completely wicked, and those in the middle. The completely righteous will be among the dead of Eretz Yisrael.

From that time, how many years do they precede [the others] in the beginning of year forty of Kibbutz Galuyot? All of the others [rise] at 408 years in the sixth millennium, as we use the term. Who will merit such length; who will maintain his faith for such a period? That is why I suffered in my soul.

Rebbi Yehoshua said to him: Consider the teaching “let their be light” equals [in gematria] “let there be secret”. [Rebbi Elazar] resumed, saying: With repentance everything will be sooner. Said rabbi Yehoshua: If you would not say this, the mouths of those who expect redemption every day would be silenced. As it says (Yeshayahu 33): “a store of redemptions”. What are these redemptions? Those who expect redemption every day.

What is the opinion of Rebbi Elazar? That what is written (Daniel 12): “and many of who sleep in the dust will wake up” refers to those who are given priority in their resurrection. And how many years are they given priority? Rabbi Yehuda said: 210 years. Rebbi Yitzchak said: 214 years, as it is written (Bamidbar 24) “from Yaakov will come down,” etc. The Tsadikim will precede all other people 214 [gematria of “will come down”] years. Rebbi Nachman said: According to the time that was spent in the dust. Rebbi Yosi replied: If that would be so there would be many resurrections. However, all resurrections will be at the same time, and that is what was said (Daniel 10) in the vision: “And the word is true and applies to the far future.”

Yovel Spreadsheet

(For more on the subject of Yovel, click here to return to the Table of Contents.)

In honor of this weeks parshah, Behar, which discusses Shmitah and Yovel, I have put together a spreadsheet detailing the proposal I made here to combine the 50 year and 49 year cycles of Rabbanan and Rebbi Yehudah. The spreadsheet details Yovel and Shmitah counting from the time of Yehoshua until the next Yovel year in 5776. Yovel years are highlighted across. 50 year and 49 year cycles are highlighted in different shades of green. Google Docs is not quite as easy to use and much slower than Microsoft Excel, as such, please don't make any requests of me to add stuff in to this, but let me know if you find mistakes.

Here it is.

Updated - I have also added a second sheet to the spreadsheet with just the Yovel years.

Zohar Behar - Shmitah and Yovel

In a prior post, I quoted the following from the Zohar:

At the time of the End of Days, according to the hour of the day, at the time that the sun shines, from the 6th Day, at the time that is ready according to the count of years, of Yovel and Shmitah together, which is רע"ד (Raa'd, 274 in Gematria) from the 6th Day. At that time a single voice is prepared to awaken at the heights of the upper heavens, a sad and bitter voice, such that hasn't been since the day that the world was created.

The Zohar (Raya Mehemna on Parshat Behar 118:b) says the following about Shmitah and Yovel:

Shmitah is the lower Shechinah, which is from 7 years. Yovel is of Upper Imma, Binah, which is for 50 years, and in it B'nei Yisrael will establish their geneologies when they come out of Galus.

The Defining Moment

During the period of the Omer, we celebrate the two redemptions that happened in the last 60 years:

• Yom HaAtzmaut - The 20th day of the Omer
• Yom Yerushalayim - The 43rd day of the Omer

What is the celebration of Yom HaAtzmaut? The 20th of the Omer, 5708, was the day that David Ben-Gurion read out the Declaration of Independence for the State of Israel. This was a calendar day before the British Mandate ended. The British left Eretz Yisrael some 12 hours after the Declaration was declared.

Yom HaAtzmaut obviously marks the fact that we have our own homeland, but it also marks the fact that the Jew stood up, unashamed. We woke up from our slumber, and Hashem made us successful over the course of the coming war. The name of the day is fitting. An essential Tikkun of Am Yisrael's personality had finished.

What is the celebration of Yom Yerushalayim? The Six-Day War began on the 41st day of the Omer, and ended on the 46th day of the Omer. The war was pushed upon Israel, and the Jews fought valiantly. Over the course of those 6 days, the majority of the biblical Western Eretz Yisrael came under Jewish control. There was no essential change in Jewish action between that day and the other 5 days of war. Yerushalayim was another Tikkun, adding Yerushalayim on top of Yehudah. In this way the 5708 and 5727 are related, the beginning and the end to one story.

As it says in Zechariah 12:7

והושע ה' את אהלי יהודה בראשנה, למען לא תגדל תפארת בית דויד ותפארת ישב ירושלים על יהודה

And Hashem will save the tents of Yehudah at first, so that the glory of the House of David and the glory of the residents of Yerushalayim will not be exalted more than (that of) Yehudah.

Yom HaAtzmaut has an aspect of Awakening from Below, and Yom Yerushalayim has an aspect of Awakening from Above. However, the work of Awakening from Below is not done.

Daniel - Summary

The visions of Daniel regarding the End of Days are from chapters 7 - 12.

The different chapters occur at different times, presented in chronological order:

• Chapter 7 - The 1st year of Belshatzar
• Chapter 8 - The 3rd year of Belshatzar
• Chapter 9 - The 1st year of Daryavesh of Madai
• Chapter 10 - The 3rd year of Koresh, King of Paras
• Chapter 11 - Recounted to Daniel during the 3rd year of Koresh, but recounts what happened during the 1st year of Daryavesh of Madai
• Chapter 12 - Continuation of chapter 11.

The general content is as follows:

• Chapter 7 - Description of history, ending with the revelation of Moshiach ben David on the "clouds of heaven". This is a description that is beginning to end.
• Chapter 8 - Description of history, from the fall of Babylon until the founding of the State of Israel, the 1st Geulah. This is the vision of "evening, morning, 2300"
• Chapter 9 - Description of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash period. Alternatively, as brought in the comments to some of our posts, a description of the Steps of Moshiach, therefore putting the end of this chapter after that of chapter 8, a logical progression. This is the vision of "70 Weeks".
• Chapter 10 - An introduction to chapter 11
• Chapter 11 - A description of a time of great trouble (per the beginning of chapter 12, which is a continuation of chapter 11). This is towards the end. Being this is also regarding the 1st year of Daryavesh, it appears to be related to the "70 Weeks" of chapter 9.
• Chapter 12 (verse 4 - 13) - Daniel requests further explanation, and is given 2 signs. Moed, Moadim, Va'cheitzi (Time, Times and a Half), and the 1290/1335 days.

On Yom HaAtzmaut 5768

A few short words before Shabbat:

Next week we will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel.

It is important that in spite of the fact that this state does not yet represent what we have desired all these generations, we still come to thank Hashem for this gift, for this Geulah.

This year holds much potential which will not be realized easily. So at this time, before the day arrives, let us all reflect on what happened in 5708, the year the State of Israel was born, when the "holy (nation) was (declared) righteous" (Daniel 814).

Universalism - Watering Down Issues

Many tragedies, unfortunately, have befallen Am Yisrael from biblical times until present. G-d willing, these tragedies will end shortly.

This is a modern trend which obviously goes back further, wherein Jewish commemorations of tragedies turn in to universal lessons, ignoring the distinctly Jewish nature of these events.

Please read this short news blurb to see what I am referring to.

For example, Yetziat Mitzraim is not a universal anti-slavery message. This is explicit in the text itself. The plague of the first born was also for non-Jewish slaves (Shemot 11:5).

The Holocaust's main target was the Jews. Hitler (Yimach Shmo v'Zichro) had an obsession with Am Yisrael on the level of Haman haRasha. He lost the war due to his obsession with destroying Am Yisrael.

When we say "Never Again" or other similar expressions, we must mean that we are on guard against the enemies of Am Yisrael who want to destroy us. If we mean simply that we fight racism, we are missing the point.