Transitions

The Zohar speaks about the timing of the Geulah, with the most abundant number of "dates" given in Parshat Vayera 119. I have mentioned (here) the transition from Yesod to Ateret HaYesod, and how this ends with the Zechirah.

What I didn't mention is that there are 100 years of the Right and 100 years of the Left, and they run concurrently.

It of course makes sense that Avraham Avinu is related to the Right, and the Zohar in every place refers to the Right when presenting a time.

The Left also has its own count to 100, but there are no complicating overlaps. Its dividing point between Yesod and Ateret HaYesod is this year, 5769, which makes sense, as this is the year of note for Yitzchak, who is rooted in the Left. Though I mention Ateret HaYesod, this is not to be confused with Yemot HaMoshiach, however, for the Left is for beginnings, the Right is for completion.

Therefore, we are currently entering a period of transition to Yemot HaMoshiach. That is to say we have 3 transition points that arise:

1. 5769 - Ateret HaYesod is reached on the Left, the hidden side.
2. 5777/5778 - Yesod and Ateret HaYesod are mixed on the Right.
3. 5783 - Ateret HaYesod is reached on the Right

There is another transition period, one which lasts fairly precisely from the Pekidah to the Zechirah. This is referred to in Kabbalah as the Nesirah, hinted at in Zohar VaEra 27, expanded upon in the Arizal there. Due to the math, it is similar to the transition to Ateret HaYesod, only in reverse.

The overlap period on the Right (wherein we enter this transition) is between 5727 and 5734 (unlike the overlap of Yesod and Ateret HaYesod, where the overlap is at the conclusion), corresponding to the euphoria in Israel after the Six Day War, that is, up until the Yom Kippur War.

From 5734 until 5772, we are in this transition period in all aspects. The transition period on the Right ends in 5772, on the Left in 5783.

Due to the nature of this transition, its main effects are felt at its conclusion (and so the comment that Left preceeds Right is not relevant here). This effect corresponds nicely to the Zechirah: Heavenly abundance will again flow to Am Yisrael.

The Moon in its Strength

At the top of Talmud Bavli Masechet Brachot 59b, the Baraita states:

The Rabbis have taught:

One that sees:

• The sun in its tekufah (equinox)
• The moon in its gevurah (strength)
• The stars in their paths and 
• The constellations in order

says Blessed is the One that Makes Creation.

(See the Yerushalmi for a slightly different version)

For Halachah, only the sun is discussed, and from this we arrive at Birkat HaChamah.

So what is this gevurah?  If, from "the sun in its tekufah", we arrived at there being something special regarding a certain equinox in the sun's 28 year cycle, then the parallel here would be something special in a certain part of the moon's 19 year cycle.

In Kabbalah, summer and winter are both related to gevurah: the summer, in that restraints are removed and the heat comes to the world, and the winter, in that restraints are applied to the maximum, and the extreme cold comes to the world.  The summer is the active strength.

Shemot 12:1 - This month is for you the head of months, it is first for the months of the year.

The focal point in the year for the moon is Nissan, and the focal point of Nissan is of course Pesach.  Our task for finding the Moon's Strength is to find the Pesach that is closest to the summer.

With the Hebrew calendar in effect since approximately the year 4119, the year of the latest Pesach is the 8th year out of the 19th year cycle.

8 + 19n where 217 <= x <= 303

• 8 + (19 * 217) = 4131
• 8 + (19 * 303) = 5765

Recent years of note in this series are x = 300 and 301.  This is the year 5708 and 5727, both where monumental events took place for Am Yisrael shortly after Pesach.  The visibility of these events are dependent on other factors.

G-d willing, the next occurrence of this strength will be the decision of the Sanhedrin, as it is the Sanhedrin's task to set the pattern of the 19 year cycle.  This is much needed, as our current calendar is for the whole Golah, and not for afterwards.

Geulat Mitzraim to Yemot HaMoshiach

Parallels Between Geulat Mitzraim and the Timing of Yemot HaMoshiach

In Parshat Tazria, the Torah tells us that a woman that gives birth is in a state of tumah after birth for a certain amount of time, followed by a period of "dam tohar", pure blood. It is assumed that this blood is not nidah blood, and therefore tahor (not halachah l'maaseh in our days).

• For a baby boy, there are 7 days in tumah, followed by 33 days of dam tohar.
• The total of these days is 40.

Let us assume that these 40 days actually scale to the 6000 years of human history, each day being 150 years.

• 7 * 150 = 1050 years of tumah
• 33 * 150 = 4950 years of dam tohar

The Torah says that during the 33 days, the woman is not to touch anything holy, and is not to come to the Beit HaMikdash. But it does not say this in regard to the 7 days. That is the hint. During the other 7 days (1050 years), the opposite applies. (Obviously a woman who is tamei cannot come to the Mikdash, but we are not talking pshat here)

The 1050 years, being years of tumah, require a tikun, which is not true for the 4950 years. This tumah receives its tikun from the status known in Kabbalah as Gadlut of Zeir Anpin. The Ramchal defines Gadlut as the time of the Batei Mikdash as well as the time of Matan Torah.

• We know that Matan Torah took place in a relatively short period of time, so let us chalk that up as 1 year.
• The 1st Beit HaMikdash stood 410 years.
• The 2nd Beit HaMikdash, per the Tosefot, stood 421 years.
• Per our calendar, we consider that humans began to exist in year 2. So therefore, the tikun would be sometime between 2 and 6001.

1050 - 410 (1st Beit HaMikdash) = 640

640 - 421 (2nd Beit HaMikdash) = 219

219 - 1 (Matan Torah) = 218

6001 - 218 = 5783 From this we can see that 5783 is destined to be the beginning of the final Gadlut period, which the Ramchal refers to as Yemot HaMoshiach. This is confirmed per the sod of the GR"A in Sifra Ditzniuta, that the time of Yemot HaMoshiach is equal to Ateret HaYesod during the 6th millenium.

This tells us that Galut Edom is to end in 5783.

That is to say that Galut Edom lasts from 3830 until 5783 = 1953 years. And see, 1953 is equal to 7 times 279. The Gematria of "days of purity" is 279. The last leg of the 4950 years of "days of purity" is 1953 years long. Why is it multiplied by 7? This is a method of calculation used in the Zohar Chadash for the length of punishment for our sins, see Zohar Chadash Maamar Mechirat Yosef.

We can now see the total years in Am Yisrael's history that the Beit HaMikdash didn't stand:

• 480 years (from Yetziat Mitzraim until Bayit Rishon, see Melachim A 6:1)
• 70 years (Galut Bavel)
• 1953 years (Galut Edom)
• Total = 2503 years

Per the Mishneh Torah Hilchot Shmitah v'Yovel chapter 10, 2503 was the year before the Shmitah and Yovel count started. There is a secret to this. The world as a whole had 2503 years to become prepared for Am Yisrael's settling in to Eretz Yisrael. Due to one (or more than one) of the sins done between Mechirat Yosef until the Sin of the Spies (which are related, as is known), the world was not ready, but history played out in this way in order to show us the big picture. When Am Yisrael caused the 2503 years to be nullified, a new count of 2503 years began, 2503 years of Galut (where Galut includes Yetziat Mitzraim until Bayit Rishon).

Does this not, however, create a paradox? How can we say that 2503 has any significance based on history as we know it? The answer is that we have hints in Chazal on certain decrees regarding the timeline. Take, for example, Eldad and Meidad, who, per the tradition, prophesied Moshe's death in the desert and that Yehoshua would bring Am Yisrael in to Eretz Yisrael. How can this be, if Moshe had yet to sin, and the Sin of the Spies had not taken place? But rather, we see that on some level, there was already a decree, akin to Daniel 9.

If we say that the 1953 years of Galut Edom will complete these 2503 Years of Preparation, then let us line up the two.

2504 (the first year after Preparation) therefore aligns with 5783.

We then have a few significant years to look at, namely new beginnings:

• 2448 - The Pekidah, Moshe goes to Pharoah.
• 2449 - Yetziat Mitzraim
• 2489 - The Entrance to Eretz Yisrael and the beginning of the 7 Years of Conquering. This marks the rise of Yehoshua to leader of Am Yisrael.
• 2496 - The beginning of 7 Years of Division
• 2504 - The beginning of the Shmitah and Yovel count

• 2448 corresponds to 5727, the Six Day War
• 2449 corresponds to 5728, nothing of note. But let us remember that Geulat Mitzraim was in Chipazon, what isn't so by the last Geulah, see Yeshayahu 52:12. This is one of the sodot of that pasuk: Except for by way of teshuvah, which was attainable in 5728, there would be no geulah in that 5728.
• 2489 corresponds to 5769
• 2496 corresponds to 5776 (A Yovel year, as I have written before)
• 2504 corresponds to 5783

It should be noted that the last 3 dates are all Motzaei Shevi'it, just like all of the originals are "beginnings" of 7 year cycles. There is of course a strong relation between Yehoshua bin-Nun and the concepts of Moshiach ben Yosef and Kibbutz Galuyot.

Per our tradition, the year 2448 was the year of the Pekidah. The end of Shemot chapter 2 describes Hashem remembering Am Yisrael, and as is made explicit in chapter 3, this was the Pekidah. How does this relate to 5727?

Per the Zohar Chadash, Maamar Darach Kokhav miYaakov, the year 5727 was the year 60 spoken of in the Zohar VaYera, page 119a (which is called a Pekidah).

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 from the 6th Day.

It is written that it will be at רע"ד from the 6th day. רע"ד is the Gematria of 274. "From" means to count from the end of the 6th day. 6000 - 274 = 5726. But the Zohar does not count according to our system, with Shnat HaTohu, where Adam HaRishon is born in year 2, but rather the Zohar counts according to the Seder Olam Rabba. We must add a year. 5726 + 1 = 5727.

Furthermore, it is written there that Yovel and Shmitah will fall in the same year. Yovel, I have explained elsewhere, last happened in the year 5727.

What we have here is that from the Pekidah until the Geulah-that-wasn't is a total of 56 years: 2448 - 2504. So too in our days, from the Pekidah until the Geulah-that-will-be is 56 years, 5727 - 5783.

Postscript:

We have explained the 1050, but defining 4950 is a bit more difficult. It is the sum total of the Ibbur and Katnut of Zeir Anpin. As far as the math is concerned, it is the sum of two numbers.

As I said before, we must count from 6001. 6001 - 1050 is really 4951.

4951 - 2503 (where 2503 is the total years of Katnut) = 2448 (the year of Pekidah).

That is to say that 4951 is the sum of the years until the Pekidah and the years until the Geulah-that-wasn't.

2448 as 5727

I'd like to expand on the last post (2503 Parallels).

(Keep in mind that we are talking about years here according to our count, where Adam HaRishon is born in year 2, Avraham Avinu was born in 1949, Yetziat Mitzraim in 2449, etc).

If we continue on the last post, we have a couple of ideas.

• After 2503 years, originally, we should have been able to go higher and higher along with the commencing of the Shmitah count. In essence, 2504 is a Geulah that wasn't.
• 5782 is the last year of an alternative 2503 years, with 5783 replacing the year 2504.

The last post looked at the period from the entrance of Am Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael up to the year 2504. But let's look back a bit further.

If we check what year, then, correlates to Yetziat Mitzraim, we get 5728, the year after the Six-Day War. This is more fitting than it seems at first glance. Remember that the Geulah from Mitzraim was in Chipazon. All at once, unlike in our time. The Geulah would only have been in 5728 if we had merited it at that time, otherwise it would be in stages.

As we learn in Shemot 2:23-2:25 and 3:16, the Pekidah in Mitzraim took place before Moshe even returned to Mitzraim. Perhaps this is why Moshe is mentioned in the Zohar Chadash Maamar which refers to the year 5727, he is related to the early Pekidah. Per the commentators, Moshe's encounter with the burning bush was Pesach of 2448.

Anyway, overall we can see that 5768-5769 is a sort of transfer year, the transfer from Moshe to Yehoshua bin-Nun, who brings Am Yisrael in to Eretz Yisrael.

I have updated the spreadsheet from the last post to reflect this in further detail. Check here.

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.

Between Pekidah and Zechirah

We stand today between two great lights, Pekidah and Zechirah. The Pekidah was a great light, the 2nd part of the 4 parts of Geulah. The light of the Zechirah, unlike the Pekidah, does not fade away. Its Tikkunim are permanent. The extremely lengthy Zohar Chadash translation I posted here seems to be referring to this period of time. The calculation seems to hinge on the year 5751. Per Kol HaTor, 5750 is the end of the last generation, implying the beginning of a new era thereafter.

• The beginning of the Pekidah was in 5727, 24 years before 5751.
• The end of the darkness which follows the Pekidah is in 5775, 24 years after 5751.

It is darkest before dawn.

Prior to the Six Day War, there was great darkness and fear. The light was so great that "we were like dreamers" (Tehillim 126). A new Teshuvah movement followed the war, akin to the Ramchal's description of the very reason for the Pekidah. Nonetheless, Israeli history has been in decline since that point. Israeli confidence did not match the mechanics of what was occurring behind the scenes (both physically and spiritually), and after the 6 year period of the Pekidah ended, the Yom Kippur War commenced. War after 6 years of relative quiet.

Another great light is approaching at the next Yovel year, 5776, when the Zechirah will begin. While there are fundamental differences, there are parallels. It is the same Other Side that realizes that this is another step towards its extinction, and as such, the darkness will increase in the years leading up to this, as the Zohar Chadash describes. The quick fading of that great light, however, will not repeat like it did 40 years ago.

Our task at this time is to head off this darkness.