10 Steps to Geulah

Per the Gemara mentioned in the last post, the beginning of the return of the Shechinah is hinted at in Yeshayahu 52:2, "Shake the dust off of yourself, rise and sit, Yerushalayim". This is in this week's haftarah.

This is related to the Pekidah, which occurs at 60. So what, then are the 10 steps back to Geulah?

In Kol HaTor chapter 5, part 1, we have the following:

For everything there is a time, and an appointed season to every desire - Hidden hints in the ways of the Atchalta in the sod of Tzofnat Pa'aneach. Appointed end times in the secret of "The time of the song bird" and "The time to favor her", within the 7 Pekidot from the 1st hour of the light of the morning of the 6th millenium in the age of the End of Days in the Last Generation until the Final End, the Wonderous End in Daniel 9.

The surprising thing here is that the phrase "the Wonderous End" does not occur in Daniel 9, but in Daniel 12. Daniel 9 is alone among the later chapters of Daniel as being interpreted widely as about something not related to the End of Days, namely the time of Bayit Sheini.

The 70 weeks of Daniel 9 are (partially) related to the 100 steps of Yesod that I've mentioned before.

As such, the final 10 steps are the steps between the beginning of the Pekidah and the Final End mentioned, by which time the Shechinah will be back in its place.

10 Steps to Galus

In Rosh Hashanah 31a, it is brought that the Shechinah went through 10 stops on the way to its Exile in the time of Churban Bayit Rishon, and that as a parallel, the Sanhedrin went through 10 stops on its way in to Exile.

The Shechinah's departure from its proper resting place caused the removal of the highest form of Truth that is available to us, prophecy.

The Sanhedrin's departure from its proper resting place caused the removal of the highest expression of Torah in man's hands.

Both were not immediate, the departure of the Shechinah stretched for years, the departure of the Sanhedrin was generations.

Let us not be surprised that the reversal of this problem also takes time.

Tish'ah B'Av - Redemption of Truth

As we approach Tish'ah B'Av, it is proper to consider the spiritual heights and depths that Am Yisrael has experienced, for they are related to the essence of Tish'ah B'Av.

At Har Sinai, Am Yisrael experienced an extremely high form of revelation, the truth was "seen" by all. From this time forward was the age of prophecy, where many individuals achieved a high level of prophecy.

The destruction of the 1st Beit HaMikdash brought the age of prophecy to a close. Churban HaBayit and Galut Bavel mark the beginning of the downward spiral of Truth down to the earth. With the withdrawal of prophecy, this level of connection to heaven was blocked. Truth, however, remained in the hands of the Sanhedrin.

Galut Edom brought a further fall, with the cessation of smichah, the disappearance of the Sanhedrin.

Binyan Beit HaMikdash and the end of Galut Edom will reverse this. Truth sprouts up from the ground, in the end it reaches the heavens.

Truth on the ground; that is the individuals fighting for truth. We find what is true, even if unpopular, even if it is against the common belief.

Above this is the Sanhedrin, where the Truth acts on a national level, leading the nation.

But the individuals will as well reach higher, attaining even prophecy as the Truth that they have found continues its path back to the Heavens.

The highest level is prophecy for all, where we will not need to seek out a teacher due to our innate connection to the Truth, as is brought in the Navi.

May Hashem help us to raise the Truth back up from the earth, and let it truly sprout forth.

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.

Yerushalayim: The City of Truth

A few thoughts to ponder amidst current events.

• Torah is Truth
• Yaakov is Truth (Michah 7:20)
• Yerushalayim is to be the City of Truth (Zechariah 8:2)
• Yerushalayim is completely built and able to fulfill its role only when it is connected (Tehillim 122:3)
• Esav hates Yaakov (Rashbi)

• Esav is the External Klipah of the Left
• The Erev Rav is the Internal Klipah of the Left

The implications of these statements help explain what is happening.

Truth

This morning I was reviewing Yehoshua chapter 2 with the GR"A's commentary (among others) and I encountered a great definition of Emet (truth) for our purposes.

Verses 12 and 13 read like this (please forgive the style of the English, the translation is somewhat literal at the expense of ease of reading):

12. And now, swear, please, to me by Hashem, for I did with you Chesed; and you should do, also you, with my father's house Chesed, and give me a sign of Emet.

13. And you should make live my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and everything they have, and save our souls from death.

14. And the men said to her, our soul is under yours for death, if you will not tell regarding this thing, and it will be that when Hashem gives us the land, we will do with you Chesed and Emet.

The GR"A explains the precision of the words. Rachav did Chesed with them. She requested a sign that they would repay this, which is Emet. She requested in return Chesed for her family, which was not directly involved, and Emet in regards to herself, since they owed it to her.

This is explained further in the verse in Michah (7:20)

You give Emet to Yaakov, Chesed to Avraham, to whom you swore, to our fathers, from the days of old.

The GR"A states:

• Chesed to Avraham - is the promise (regarding the Eretz Yisrael).
• Emet to Yaakov - to follow through on the promise that was given to Avraham.

Proper measures. Good is done to us, we do good in return.

Two somewhat political examples of what not to do:

• The South Lebanon Army: They fought against Hizbullah with the IDF for nearly 20 years, and then the Israeli government has basically abandoned them.
• Gush Katif & the Shomron: Many of the residents who were expelled in 5765 were encouraged by the government to settle those areas. Regardless, the Israeli government has basically deprived them of their livelihoods and done little in the way of rectifying the massive loss and trauma imposed upon these productive, G-d fearing Jews.

This is part of Geulat HaEmet (the Redemption of Truth), doing what is right. Not simply determining what is right and wrong (which I hope to discuss soon), but doing what is right. What is right is Emet.