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.

Shiur Yemot HaMoshiach

It appears that my prior post, based on my intellectual curiousity of the numbers brought at the beginning of Parshat Tazria, contains a deep sod. It contains within it the number of years called "Gadlut Beit".

Gadlut Beit is a Kabbalistic term, but the Ramchal brings it down to simple terms that it covers 2 time periods:

1. Matan Torah
2. Yemot HaMoshiach

We start at 1050 (21 * 50) years.

The years of the first two Batei Mikdash:

410 + 420 = 830, but Bayit Sheini, according to 1 opinion, stood 421 years.

So 831 years.

1050 - 831 = 219

But Matan Torah counts as a year. So that makes 218.

And we should really start at 6001, since the implication of Tazria is 6000 years for mankind to repair these 1050 years, and Adam HaRishon was born in year 2.

So 6001 - 218 = 5783.

So 5783 to the end of the 6th millenium is Yemot HaMoshiach, per this sod and the definition provided by the Ramchal.

So too this is the sod of what the GR"A wrote in chapter 1 of his commentary on Sifra DiTzniuta that the Shiur (length) of Yemot HaMoshiach is the Shiur of Ateret HaYesod.

Background: Yesod is divided in to 3 equal parts (See Etz Chaim). The first 2 are called Yesod, and the last 3rd is called Ateret HaYesod.

The Pshat from the GR"A seems to be that Yemot HaMoshiach will be (if we do not merit earlier, i.e. B'Itah) in the last third of the 6th millenium, i.e. 5666.66-6000. One could explain (as I had thought) that the GR"A was simply stating that the Keitz B'Itah would not be before the year 5666. But rather the GR"A was referring to the exact beginning of Yemot HaMoshiach, 2/3 the way through the Steps of Moshiach, which is the same year.

The First Geulah

This is a continuation/correction on this post.

The First Geulah of the Geulah Shleimah is referred to as רנו. This is, in Gematria, 256.

There seem to be 2 ways to read this. I was referring to one of those ways in the prior post. The sevarah behind it is rather solid, but does not match 100%.

Let's look at the 2nd way, which was mentioned in the comments to that post.

Earlier in the Raya Mehemna there, the count of 72 after 1200 is referred to as רע"ב, meaning drop the 1000, but keep the 200. Therefore it would mean that the 256 here refers to 56 after 1200. Furthermore, the Zohar on Pinchas 3:230b refers to this Geulah as being HaKadosh Baruch Hu taking revenge on those that hate him. I have to conclude that this second way of understanding this is the correct understanding, and therefore make this correction to myself:

• 1st Geulah of (2)56 - The Israeli War of Independence in 5708
• 2nd Geulah of 60 - The Six-Day War of 5727

The Fourth and Final Keitz

As I mentioned here, the Geulah Shleimah is made up of 4 individual Geulot, each a more obvious level of revelation.

1. רנו
2. 60
3. 66
4. 72

As I mentioned here, the Geulah at 72 is not really at 72, but some time before that. It is a sort of worst case scenario's Achishenah. We will have a few "easy" chances to cause Geulah Achishenah between now and then, but regardless, we are guaranteed that even at the very end it will be Achishenah.

The reason for that is hidden in the secret of Kol HaTor and Birkat HaChamah.

Zohar Raya Mehemna Pinchas 249a

This Raya Mehemna seems to be written as a commentary on the Zohar.

The Faithful Shepherd said: At that time, the masters of wisdom, etc, until: and the snake shall pass from the world, as it is printed in Acharei Mot 67b, and afterwards throughout what is written by that.

If you want to say that at 70 she goes in to labor and after 2 years gives birth after 1200, according to the calculation of רע"ב, that is what is written "before she goes in to labor she gives birth" (Yeshayahu 66:7), and the secret of the matter is "and it will be before they call and I will answer, they are still [speaking and I will hear] (Yoma 61). But before, meaning before they complete. These 72 after 1200 are the pains of birth, in which the 2 Moshiach's are revealed to the world, and in that time "and in His Sanctuary all say glory" (Tehillim 29:9). And we've already established that the Wise inherit Glory.

And at that time the masters of Torah will be glorified, those that suffered some birth pains like a woman giving birth and were despied amongst the Amei HaAretz will be glorified and immediately "Hashem sat (on His throne) for the flood" for the wicked. There is no flood but judgements of flood, like when the wells of the deep and the gates of heaven opened on the day of the flood. Also here the judgements will be awakened against them above and below until there is no end and all the disgrace that the nations of the Aku"m did in the world did, for Hashem and His people (i.e. the judgements are done for the sake of Hashem and Israel). And how many insults did Israel suffer from them in the name of Hashem? For all of them HaKadosh Baruch Hu takes revenge and for that reason it is said that Hashem avenges and keeps his wrath for them.

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Yahel Ohr of the GR"A on Raya Mehemna 249a

And if you want to say: It brings up a seeming problem that it says in Acharei Mot that the 72 years after the 1200 she will give birth 2 years for 2 Moshiachs after the birth pangs, but isn't it written "before she goes in to labor she gives birth"? That is to say that the pain and difficulty of the servitude and the calling out to Hashem from the troubles.

Yoma: It needs to say here "and what is before?" That is to say, how is this "before"?

But before: An explanation to this seeming difficulty. That is to say that "before" (of the verse) is talking about before the 72 years complete.

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Commentary

While the entire matter of 1200, etc, is about the Keitz B'Itah, and that from the side of strict judgement we should have to wait for these 72 years to be complete, in any event the Keitz is before 72. Guaranteed Achishenah even when the Keitz is B'Itah.

Four Redemptions

One of the prior posts indicates that there are in fact 4 different Geulot (Redemptions) that Am Yisrael is to experience. The full text was posted yesterday here.

The 4 listed are as follows:

• Rejoice (The Hebrew רנו, pronounced Ronnu)
• 60 (The Aramaic שיתין)
• 66 (The Aramaic שיתין ושית)
• 72 (The abbreviation ע"ב)

Rejoice, רנו, is in Gematria 256. I believe that I know what year this means. I will not explain that calculation, but there are conclusions:

• The Final Redemption is (in this Zohar quote) divided in to 4 different mini-Redemptions.
• We have already been redeemed twice. Once was hundreds of years ago, once was decades ago.
• The First Redemption was completely hidden from the world, setting the latest date of the Geulah.
• The Second Redemption (The Pekidah) was mostly hidden from the world, setting the stage for the next step.
• The Third Redemption (The Zechirah) will be obvious, yet there will still be detractors.
• The Fourth Redemption, Creation is perfected.

For the Appointed Time is Coming

תהלים קב:יד - אתה תקום, תרחם ציון, כי עת לחננה, כי בא מועד

תהלים קב:טו - כי רצו עבדיך את אבניה, ואת עפרה יחננו

Tehillim 102:14 - You will rise, have mercy on Tzion, for it is the time to cherish her, the appointed time has come (alternatively: is coming).

Tehillim 102:15 - For Your servants have desired her stones, and cherished her dirt.

A Moed, an Appointed Time, is not just a moment in time, a date on the calendar. It is a time in history that certain actions towards the Geulah are most likely to succeed during the process of Geulah that comes in its time. The Six-Day War, for example, could not have occurred at any other time.

In chapter 4 of Kol HaTor, it is explained that the Moed will actually move towards us in time. When will this happen? When the second verse's conditions hold true, namely that Am Yisrael will again turn to desire Eretz Yisrael's stones and cherish Eretz Yisrael's dust.

It makes sense if you think about it.

Let's say that the final possible date for Geulah really is the year 6000. This would be if we do not fulfill this verse's requirement. In such a scenario, the return to Eretz Yisrael would be completely forced upon us, with no Awakening from Below. This is later, more sudden, and overall takes more time.

At a certain point in history, by a certain amount of Am Yisrael's actions in the Awakening from Below, we merited that the Moed moved towards us. The year 6000 is not the deadline any longer.

The lesson here is fairly explicit: How much we must wait for the Moed is intricately related to Am Yisrael's attitude and actions in relation to Eretz Yisrael.

On Calculating the Keitz

The following is a translation of the last 2 paragraphs of Kol HaTor chapter 4.

And in regard to the opinion that all Kitzim (plural of Keitz) have passed, the meaning is for those appointed time that the specific actions of the appointed emissaries were note fulfilled as explained above. And for those who say "the bones of those who calculate the Keitz should explode", the meaning is those that calculate alone, without the actions of the Awakening from Below, who are not considering the Atchalta which comes by the First Moshiach, Moshiach ben Yosef as the great preparation by way of action. Therefore it is written in the language of "their bones" for they sin against the "bones of Yosef", which within is the secret of Moshiach ben Yosef in the verse "And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him".

And in the measure that we hasten the Geulah, to desire her stones and to cherish her dirt, the Geulah comes towards us in the secret of "for the appointed time is coming" and like is written "return to Me and I will return to you". And in that measure as well, holy hints are revealed before us about the appointed times of rememberence and the Keitz Meguleh in the Last Generation that arrive until the Final Keitz, Keitz HaPlaot (the Wonderous End), until the Keitz HaYamin in the fullness of blessing in the secret of "his right hand is on the hand of Ephraim". A bit of what has been revealed on the way of Tso'fnat Pa'aneach up to what we are allowed to reveal about these hints will be discussed in the next chapter with the help of Heaven.

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I would like to comment on this.

While it can be a somewhat intriguing topic when people believe Moshiach is coming, calculations by themselves do not hold inherent positive value, for a person might get this idea that we are stuck in the flow of history and we do not have an active role in Am Yisrael's destiny. Some of the hints, such as what I have written on this blog, indicate what preparations we need to make, both on a physical and mental level. Physical, I mean leaving Galus. Mentally, I mean removing Galus our minds. Or in our metaphor of being the Generation of the Desert, replace Galus with Egypt. The Redemption of Truth is a goal for us all, leading to essential changes in perception. It is the key to adapting to the changes of our future. It is essential for turning the hearts of the children to their parents and parents to their children.

Why Little By Little?

The following is from Kol HaTor chapter 1, page 33.

Little By Little:

To know ahead of time that the Atchalta DiGeulah comes little by little, according to Chaza"l (Yerushalmi Brachot): Thus is the Geulah of Israel, it comes little by little, like Ayelet HaShachar, "though I sit in the dark, Hashem is my light", and it continues until the day.

Thus it is with every action of the Atchalta, we should start with a little according to the verse "1 from a city and 2 from a family". It is an important rule according to the GR"A that all the things that in the future will be completed with the Geulah start little by little even in the Atchalta, thus in the building of Yerushalayim, we should start even from one stone. According to the verse "behold I have set in Tzion a foundation stone, a tried stone". For this stone is for a test to prove that it is the Will to build Yerushalayim and to expand the place of her tents, and Hashem will help us. Also in the secret of "and I will go slow".

We once asked our rabbi why does the Atchalta need to come davka slowly. If the desired time has come before Hashem to gather the dispersed of Israel, will the Hand of Hashem become shortened? That Kibbutz Galuyot should be the most part at one time?

Our rabbi explained to us that the entire matter of the Atchalta DiGeulah is when we are not meritorious. That is without the merit of our righteousness. And if the Geulah would come at once, behold from one side we would not be able to stand up to the measure of suffering that comes with Midat HaDin as mentioned above. And from the other side it wouldn't be possible to receive the great light that comes from the side of Chesed at once. All this it is imperitive for us to understand from the beginning on the way to the actual work of Kibbutz Galuyot.

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What we can learn from this is as follows: We most certainly believe that if the level of Teshuvah done by Am Yisrael is sufficient, Geulah will happen in a pleasant and quick fashion. However, if we have not done Teshuvah by the time of the Keitz, the suffering, G-d forbid, would be great. Why would the suffering be so great?

Imagine the 999 Steps of Moshiach as a graph. The X axis is time, the Y axis is Am Yisrael's advancement through the Footsteps of Moshiach. The final Keitz, the latest point of X, is at the Y of 1000. Our desire is by our own actions to be at 999 when that day arrives. The further away we are, the more suffering, G-d forbid. The suffering is in direct relation to the steepness of the jump to 1000. If we are at 999, there is no suffering, akin to why we need not count the 50th day of the Omer. Just as we have done 49 days and kivyachol Hashem completes it, so too here, we arrive at 999 and Hashem completes the 1000.

The Keitz Meguleh means staying keeping up with the ascending line to perfection.

May Hashem help us to fulfill the tasks He has put upon us all.

The Sprouting of Moshiach

I have recently attempted to establish that there is significance to the year 5708 on the Jewish calendar. If you have not read the posts already, you can find them here. However, it is blindness to not realize that the State of Israel that we have had these last 60 years is not the pinnacle of history. We must see that the State of Israel is a means, not an end.

Maaseh Avot Siman LaBanim - The deeds of the forefathers are a sign for the children.

As I quoted before, the original Right Side of Kedushah (Side of Chesed), Avraham, which represents Moshiach ben Dovid, was perfected through the birth of the Yishmael, and the original Left Side of Kedushah (Side of Din), Yitzchak, which represents Moshiach ben Yosef, was perfected through the birth of Esav. (The reason, in short, is their birth was the removal of the Klipah from the Kedushah.)

Now we can see one of the reasons that Yitzchak merited children earlier than Avraham; Moshiach ben Yosef comes first, he is the First Moshiach.

The 2 sides of Moshiach, Moshiach ben Yosef, and Moshiach ben Dovid, came in to this world (no, I do not mean that they were born on that day) with the founding of the State of Israel. Perhaps more proper is to say that they stood up at the time of the founding of the State of Israel. Up to a certain point, Moshiach ben Yosef is concealed in the Klipah of the Left, and up to another certain point, Moshiach ben Dovid is concealed in the Klipah of the Right.

So let us examine the lives of Avraham and Yitzchak as brought in the Chumash and Seder Olam Rabba with the notes of the GR"A.

The Chumash teaches that when Yaakov and Esav were born, Yitzchak was 60 years old. However this is problematic by itself: Esav was the firstborn and destined to carry on the family line. According to the Seder Olam Rabba, Esav and Yaakov were 15 years old when Esav sold Yaakov the bechorah (i.e. Yaakov became legally the firstborn at that point). This point is further made in Rashi to Breishit 27:36 - Yitzchak agrees that Yaakov was the rightful recipient of the blessings because Esav sold him the bechorah.

Let's move on to Avraham.

As per the GR"A on Seder Olam Rabba, Avraham Avinu left Ur Kasdim when he was 70 years of age. He then spent 5 years in Charan, and it was there that Brit Bein HaBetarim took place. That same year, while he was 75, he made Aliyah, was forced to go to Mitzraim due to the famine, and came back to Eretz Yisrael. After 10 years of being in Eretz Yisrael and still being barren, Sarah gives Hagar to Avraham, and 9 months later Yishmael is born, with Avraham being 86 years of age.

But let us not ignore Yaakov. Although Yaakov came in to the world without having a Klipah attached to him, the events of his life still have meaning for our times. Seder Olam Rabba states that Yaakov was 63 years of age when Yitzchak (at Rivkah's behest) commanded him to go find a wife (but her real intention is to flee Esav). It was another 14 years, when he was 77 years old, however, before he actually left Eretz Yisrael. It would be a further 20 years, when he was 97, that Yaakov Avinu conquered the Angel. He was yet 1 year older, 98, when he arrived "complete to the city of Shechem".

Our anniversary point is the 20th of the Omer, the day the State of Israel was founded. We will count according to the way people speak, how many anniversary dates we've reached.

That leaves us with the following years:

• Between Yom HaAtzmaut 5768 and Yom HaAtzmaut 5769 - Esav is born. The initial separation of Moshiach ben Yosef from the Internal Klipah of the Left Side, the Erev Rav.
• Between Yom HaAtzmaut 5771 and Yom HaAtzmaut 5772 - Yaakov is told by Yitzchak to flee Esav. This signals the impending end of the Galut. He who doesn't leave Esav by the appointed time is in danger.
• Between Yom HaAtzmaut 5783 and Yom HaAtzmaut 5784 - Esav loses the Bechorah. By this point the External Klipah of the Left Side, Esav, will have been defeated by Moshiach ben Yosef. This will be a turbulent year of ups and downs, reflecting Avraham's Aliyah, as well as his short sojurn in Mitzraim and his return to Eretz Yisrael. This is the year Avraham was promised Eretz Yisrael for his descendents forever.
• Between Yom HaAtzmaut 5794 and Yom HaAtzmaut 5795 - Yishmael is born. By this period, Moshiach ben Dovid will have complete freedom from the Klipah of the Right Side, Yishmael.
• Between Yom HaAtzmaut 5805 and Yom HaAtzmaut 5806 - Yaakov defeats the angel. This might hint at the defeat of the Angel of Death.
• Between Yom HaAtzmaut 5806 and Yom HaAtzmaut 5807 - Yaakov is complete. The unification of the 2 Moshiach's.

According to Targum Yonatan, Rivkah was pregnant with Esav and Yaakov for a total of 270 days. We know from the Gemara that the soul is put in the fetus 40 days in to pregnancy (Menachot 99b), so we can add 230 days on to the beginning of the events of 5768 and 5794, however, as is the concealed nature of pregnancy, we will comprehend this period after the fact. This is further hinted at by the troublesome nature of both births. For Avraham, he had to go to another woman, Hagar the Mitzrit. For Yitzchak, the entire beginning of Parshat Toldot shows us how there was conflict in the womb, up until the birth itself.

Kol HaTor shows us another hint regarding Moshiach ben Yosef. In chapter 2, we learn the following:

• Yosef HaTzaddik became Moshiach ben Yosef at age 17, when he had his first dreams.
• Yitzchak Avinu became Moshiach ben Yosef at age 37, at the time of the Akiedah.
• Yehoshua bin-Nun became Moshiach ben Yosef at age 42, at the time he fought against Amalek.
• Avraham Avinu became Moshiach ben Yosef at age 75, at the time of Brit Bein HaBetarim.
• Moshe Rabbeinu became Moshiach ben Yosef at age 81, at the time he took Yosef's bones out of Mitzraim.

Why do I say 81 years for Moshe? The Jewish system of counting that we have for our forefathers, and the accompanying timeline of human history, is based on counting birthdays past. I.e. the entire year 1948, until his first birthday, is considered year 0. Shemot 7:7 says that Moshe was 80 years old when he spoke to Par'oh. According to tradition, this was about 6 months prior to the actual Exodus, and as such, Moshe reached his next birthday before Yetziat Mitzraim (Moshe's birthday is the 7th of Adar, some 6-7 weeks before Pesach).

If we line this up with our timeline of the State of Israel, we find the following:

• 17 years - Yom HaAtzmaut 5725 - Yom HaAtzmaut 5726 - On the 16th of Iyar 5725, Eli Cohen is hanged in Syria, just 11 days in to this period. He sacrificed his life to save Am Yisrael from danger.
• 37 years - Yom HaAtzmaut 5745 - Yom HaAtzmaut 5746 - On the 8th of Kislev 5746, Jonathan Pollard is refused entry to the Israeli Embassy and arrested in America. He was rejected by his brothers.
• 42 years - Yom HaAtzmaut 5750 - Yom HaAtzmaut 5751 - On the 17th of Cheshvan 5751, Rav Meir Kahane is assassinated in Brooklyn by a terrorist on the payroll of Osama Bin Laden. He worked tirelessly to inspire his brethren to follow Torah and return to Eretz Yisrael.

Using the past as a key to understanding the future:

• 75 years - Yom HaAtzmaut 5783 - Yom HaAtzmaut 5784
• 81 years - Yom HaAtzmaut 5789 - Yom HaAtzmaut 5790

These are years of danger for Moshiach ben Yosef. Moshiach ben Yosef is especially vulnerable to the Klipah of the Right at these times after he has defeated the Left.

May we all merit to have the strength to always stand with the side of truth.

Chanukah

In Parshat Masei, Moshe recounts the different locations that B'nei Yisrael visited during the years in the desert.

The 25th place that B'nei Yisrael encamped is recorded as Chashmonah. The two similarities are fairly obvious. Chanukah falls on the 25th day of Kislev, and the protagonists in the story are from the Chashmunai family. Furthermore, the word Chanukah can be read as Chanu (they encamped) and kah (gematria of 25).

It is a well known fact amongst Kabbalists that the most seemingly mundane passages of Torah contain the greatest of Creation's secrets. One which is well known to many who are acquainted on even a low level with Kabbalah is the Kings of Edom from the end of parshat VaYishlach. The GR"A, in his commentary on Sifra Ditzniuta, relates the kings to the 6000 years of history, and by way of remez, indicates that the Keitz "B'itah" is some time after 5666, in the time corresponding with the last king.

The following is a translated paragraph from the last note on chapter 3 of Kol HaTor from within HaTekufah HaGedolah:

And I (Rav Kasher) will bring here what Rabbi Avraham Isaac of Yerushalayim wrote me, and these are his words: The Elders of Yerushalayim tell that the students of the GR"A begged him to reveal to them the Keitz, which he knew. After they begged him much on this matter, he said to them once that within the 42 travels in the desert includes the secret with all its details.

(I recommend reading the whole footnote, for other related items that are mentioned there)

The quotation then goes on to discuss the warning from the GR"A that one who figures out the details of the secret should not reveal it to another.

Sha'ar HaGilgulim Introduction 20:

... for in the future, Moshe himself will return by way of gilgul (reincarnation) in the final generation, and then he will rise, this is why it says "behold you lie down with your fathers and rise" (Devarim 31:16). And also in the last generation, the entire Generation of the Desert will reincarnate with the Erev Rav, and that is what it says "And the nation will rise up" (same verse). And the matter is that there is no generation that doesn't have Moshe Rabbeinu in it, in the secret of "and the sun shines, and the sun sets", "a generation goes, a generation comes", in order to fix that generation. And also the Generation of the Desert itself, with the Erev Rav, all of them will reincarnate in the Last Generation, "As the days of your going out of Egypt". Also Moshe will rise up among them. For they are all from the secret of Da'at: Moshe, the Generation of the Desert, and also the Erev Rav, as was explained in Parshat Shemot....

An essential Tikun of the Geulah is the Tikun of Dor HaMidbar (The Generation of the Desert mentioned above). There was great potential and unfortunately great mistakes occurred. Therefore, these souls return (on some level) to get a final chance to make things right.

So the question is this: Does Chashmonah hint at Chanukah, or does Chanukah hint at Chashmonah?

Essentially, at some point, the message of Chanukah needs to be internalized in all of us. At some point, we must turn Chanukah in to a metaphor and apply it to our situation.

What is the message of Chanukah? Basically a story of extremism, a big taboo in our days. The two sides were Torah and Hellenism. The choice was imposed upon us, the Hellenists/Greeks demanded abandoning our way of life. To apply the metaphor to Dor HaMidbar, Torah and Eretz Yisrael or returning to Egypt. The way to stay true to the Torah was made extremely difficult by the surrounding environment.

Our age is one of polarization. Western values/attitudes allow for, to a large degree, live and let live attitudes, and therefore invite coexistence between ideologies and religious beliefs. The terrorist threat is causing an essential defining of sides, and the West must define itself in to narrower boundaries. We will soon be pressed to choose between the West and the Torah, it will no longer be a mixture.

May we all internalize the meaning of these 8 days, the miracles, both physical and spiritual, and make these part of our daily life, so we know what to choose when the time comes.

Daniel

Daniel Chapter 12

9. And he said: Go Daniel, for shut and sealed are these things until the time of the Keitz.

10. Many shall be purified, whitened, and refined; the wicked shall do wickedly, and all of the wicked shall not understand, but the wise will understand.

11. And from the time of the ceasing of the eternal, and to giving of the desolate abomination, one thousand, two hundred and ninety days.

12. Happy is the one who waits, and arrives; to days - a thousand, three hundred, and thirty five.

13. And you, go to the Keitz, and rest and rise for your fate, at Keitz HaYamin.

These verses have intrigued over the ages as they seem to point to the final Keitz. So let us ask a few questions:

• The eternal, this is the word used for the daily offering in the Beit HaMikdash. This may be referring to the cessation of the bringing of the Tamid offering.
• If so, the first or the second Beit HaMikdash?
• The Tamid offering, according to certain opinions, did not cease 3 weeks before the destruction on the 17th of Tamuz, but rather some years prior (in the month of Tamuz for both Batei Mikdash). See Rashi on Daniel for example.
• The second item mentioned, the abominate desolation, is most likely related to the same essence as the Tamid mentioned.
• There are two numbers given, 1290 and 1335 days. Are these days or years? Ibn Ezra, for example, takes them to be days, whereas Ramban takes them to be years.
• If days are really years, why didn't the angel just say years?
• There seem to be 3 options regarding these two numbers:

1. They are two independent counts. This seems not to be true since the 1290 is given a starting point, 1335 is not.
2. The 1290 and the 1335 have the same starting point, where there is only 45 days/years extra to achieve the "happy is the one who waits" result.
3. The 1290 and the 1335 are two consecutive periods of time.

דניאל יב:ג- והמסכלים יזהרו כזהר הרקיע, ומצדיקי הרבים ככוכבים לעולם ועד

Rebbi Akiva and Bar Kokhba

It is becoming increasingly evident to me, via the writings in Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer, that at least some of the Sages of the Mishnah knew when the Final Keitz would be. The chapter of Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer quoted in the latest post on Birkat HaChamah includes within it Rebbi Akiva, famous for, among other things, for being a supporter of Bar Kokhba as Moshiach.

I mentioned before that according to the GR"A, if we are worthy, Moshiach ben Yosef could have come any time after the year 4000 and reigned over us until the appointed time came for the arrival of Moshiach ben David. This is the GR"A's drash on the 2000 years of Moshiach from the Tana D'vei Eliyahu.

For reasons I will not discuss at this time, it is apparent that the count that we use today for years is 163 years behind the physical year count since the events of the Sixth Day when Adam HaRishon was created. If we adjust the year count for the Churban of Bayit Sheini, we receive a year in the 4th millenium, but Bar Kokhba's revolt is squarely in the 5th millenium.

I think from this that Rebbi Akiva believed Bar Kokhba to be Moshiach ben Yosef, who fought against Edom, worked towards the building of Yerushalayim, etc. However, as the Rambam says in the Mishneh Torah, he died due to sins.

That is to say that any Moshiach that comes before the final Keitz in our generation and dies, it is known that we did not have the proper level of zechut, and inversely the sins of the generation (as well as individual sins) caused the death.

From this we can interpret the statement of Rebbi Yochanan in Yerushalmi Taanit (4:5) that grass would grow from Rebbi Akiva's face and still Moshiach ben Dovid will not have arrived. Perhaps Rebbi Akiva agreed, the Final Keitz was indeed far off. Rebbi Akiva thought that the situation was ripe according to the merit of Am Yisrael to move in to the age of Moshiach ben Yosef, but his colleagues disagreed on this point. Every generation, indeed every year, has its own special level of Teshuvah necessary for us to merit the Geulah. Their Teshuvah isn't our Teshuvah. This level of National Teshuvah, whatever it may be at an appointed time, causes Am Yisrael to be successful in actions towards the Geulah. Anything less than this level, and things go according to the last date (for each of Moshiach's Footsteps).

The GR"A on Zachu/Lo Zachu

The GR"A teaches different teachings on Yeshayahu 60:22 (B'Itah Achishenah) and Chazal's take on it from Bavli Sanhedrin chapter 11.

Zachu - Moshiach ben Yosef

In the hagahot of the GR"A on the Rambam's halachot on Moshiach, a teaching is brought to resolve the disagreement between the Rambam and the Raavad.

The Rambam holds that the world will continue as normal, whereas the Raavad holds that the world will shift to a miraculous nature. The GR"A there says that these are both the words of the Living G-d.

He goes on to explain: Tana D'vei Eliyahu teaches that the years 4000-6000 are 2000 years of Moshiach. The GR"A explains, if we merit, from the year 4000 onward we can have Moshiach ben Yosef come and rule over us. Moshiach ben Yosef is from the side of Din, so whether or not he comes is dependent on our actions alone. How early in this time period he arrives is dependent on how much zechut we have.

Moshiach ben David, on the other hand, is from the side of Chesed, so this cannot be merited, as this is against the concept of Chesed. When Hashem decides to give us this gift, and we cannot change this.

So to summarize, if we merit it, Moshiach ben Yosef can come at any time between the year 4000 and the time of the advent of Moshiach ben David.

Keitz B'Itah

In the GR"A's peirush to Sifra Ditzniuta, chapter 5, the GR"A boldly states that not only does he know the final Keitz B'Itah, but also he says how to figure it out yourself. Of course he does not make it easy. A logical inference limits it merely to 5751-5834 (the 10th hour, in which Adam HaRishon sinned), whereas the GR"A is quoted elsewhere that the Geulah can really be defined down to a single year. The implication from the way he writes there is that he is going by the classic understanding of Zachu/Lo Zachu.

The Middle Path in Kol HaTor

In Kol HaTor, an interesting problem is raised regarding the interpretation of Chazal of B'Itah Achishenah. The thing is, Chazal's drash is not according to any sort of pshat. Let's look at the pasuk again:

The smallest will be for a thousand, and the young lad for a mighty nation, I am Hashem, in its time, I will hasten it.

So the real "pshat" is that at a certain point, the time of the Geulah will be moved up. When will that be? When the first pasuk is fulfilled, that we will reach the level of a thousand (ad v'lo bichlal, 999) and a mighty nation.

This takes us back to the drash on the 4 paths of Geulah that I wrote about a few months back. We have the ability to choose the way the Geulah comes. We can arrive at the level of Teshuvah required and then we will be redeemed (the Rambam says in Hilchot Teshuvah that this would be immediate), Hashem will compel us to do Teshuvah, we can wait for the last moment, or we can do the actions of the Atchalta in the role of Moshiach ben Yosef.

Therefore the "pshat", if you would pardon the term, is as follows:

If we do our efforts here from below and advance on the path that is laid out before us, fulfilling the goals of Moshiach ben Yosef, then we will arrive at level of 999, and at that point, the Geulah will be sped up. Then the Moed of the Keitz will come towards us instead of vice versa.

Please note on the word "pshat" that I used here. The GR"A is quoted as saying in Even Shleimah that until you understand the sod of a pasuk, you cannot be certain that you understand the pshat. The two must match or the pshat is wrong.

Eilu v'Eilu...

It turns out that all four paths converge in the end.

1. The Teshuvah we need at this time to merit the Geulah is both within our personal space (the daled amot of halachah) as well on the national level, of us doing Teshuvah here in Eretz Yisrael.
2. The Diaspora will be eliminated one way or the other in the near future, by our desire or by way of refuge. I am starting to believe that there will be less obvious warnings than the last time the Diaspora was in danger.
3. Hashem is pushing Am Yisrael closer and closer to the Keitz Meguleh, forcing our hand on a regular basis towards Tikkun (Why is it so hard to establish a state for the Arabs here?)
4. The Keitz Mechuseh, the final appointed time, is rapidly approaching. The Keitz is not at the end of the 10th hour.

Little By Little - The Big Picture

A major principle of the Keitz Meguleh is the idea that all comes little by little. Everything that we will have at the end of the road has its beginning. In our generation of instant gratification, this is an essential perspective shift that we must take. Looking at our current status and then dreaming of the steps between here and the end of the Geulah is daunting. One might want to say:

1. All the Jews living in Israel? Look at how many Israeli's leave!
2. Sanhedrin? The majority aren't Shomer Shabbat!
3. Build the Beit HaMikdash? What would the Arabs do?!

But step back, see the big picture.

1. When the students of the GR"A arrived in Yerushalayim in 1812, there weren't even 10 Ashkenazi Jews. Everyone went to the Sefardi shul (forced unity due to lack of numbers). Today, there are more than 5 million Jews in Israel.
2. Just 100 years ago, the Torah center of the world was Europe. Now, Baruch Hashem, it is Yerushalayim.
3. Yerushalayim is massive city, with dozens of neighborhoods, hundreds of thousands of Jews. Up until late in the 19th century, whether or not there was water was a serious issue on a yearly basis.

The general principle is that Moshiach ben Yosef starts, Moshiach ben Dovid finishes.

Moshiach ben Yosef is the miraculous working force for the physical Geulah, whereas Moshiach ben Dovid is the miraculous force working for the spiritual Geulah.

Now, do not think that the conclusion being Moshiach ben Dovid detracts from the importance of the physical side of Geulah. The physical Geulah is the "seat of David" that we have in our daily prayers. The Ariza"l taught (in Sha'ar HaKavanot) that on the words "and the seat of David your servant quickly set up within it (Yerushalayim)" we should be thinking that Moshiach ben Yosef shouldn't die. Moshiach ben Yosef is the preparation for Moshiach ben Dovid.

As such, we should appreciate the realization of this in our world. We see the physical has made seemingly great advances, and we see that the spiritual seems to lag behind. The events of 1948 and 1967 were not missed opportunities. They were Appointed Times that advanced the physical Geulah. The things that tend to really let down a religious Jew looking at these events (the actual text of the Israeli Declaration of Independence, handing over Har HaBayit to the Waqf, etc) were a function of where we stood on the road to spiritual Geulah.

Taking this perspective, of little by little, and seeing the big picture, we can understand that we have made great advances, and that there is still what to be done in our day to ease our path to perfection.

Believing in Moshiach's Arrival

Some people may have problems with what I'm writing, because it sets the actual arrival of Moshiach somewhat far away (i.e. not now), as is inherent to any process. The GR"A in his Peirush to Sifra Ditzniuta wrote almost explicitly that the Moshiach would come after 5666 (this was not a specific year he was trying to state, but rather an explanation on why the Moshiach would come in the last third of the 6th millenium). The GR"A lived from 5480 - 5558. So the GR"A didn't believe Moshiach could come any day? The resolution of this problem lies in the same perush, that we are dealing with if Am Yisrael does not merit the Geulah. The GR"A indeed did not believe that Geulah without merit could happen in his own lifetime. So what is the belief that the Rambam mentions, that "even if he tarries, I shall wait every day that he should come"? Moshiach will come "today", "if you will heed His voice", as it is taught in Sanhedrin 98a. This of course means that Moshiach's immediate arrival is dependent on our merit. What we see from this is the following: The understanding that the latest revelation of Moshiach itself is not on the threshold does not in any way interfere with our pure faith in Moshiach's arrival.

Misconceptions - Geulah in 5769

For a comprehensive discussion on Birkat HaChamah, click here.

This is slightly off the direct subject, but for the sake of Truth I feel compelled to write.

I've now seen in numerous places online that people think that the Geulah is going to come in 5769. Why?

Because Birkat HaChamah will fall on Erev Pesach, as it did the year the Jews left Egypt, and in the time of the events recorded in Megillat Esther. And this is only desinted to occur 3 times in all of history.

What is Birkat HaChamah?

In Masechet Brachot 59B, a Baraita is taught:

One that sees the Sun in its Tekufah, the Moon in its Strength, the Stars in their Paths, and the Constellations in their Order makes the blessing Praised is the One that did Creation.

When is this? Abaye says: Every 28 years, the cycle returns and Tekufat Nissan falls in Shabbtai (Saturn) at the beginning of the Fourth Day (Tuesday night by our count).

So there are a few ideas that need be explained

• Tekufat Nissan - This is the beginning of the Jewish Solar Year. Theoretically speaking it is the Spring Equinox.
• Shabbtai - Chaza"l bring down that each of the 7 celestial bodies (that are visible to the naked eye) in our solar system are assigned an hour of the night. It is taught that this cycle started the beginning of the Fourth Day of creation (Tuesday night). The order starting at the beginning of the Fourth Day is: Shabbtai (Saturn), Tzedek (Jupiter), Maadim (Mars), Chamah (Sun), Nogah (Mercury), Kokhav (Venus), Levanah (Moon).

The Jewish Solar Year brought down in the Gemara there is according to Shmuel (Eruvin 56a) which is 365 days and 6 hours (365.25 days). If you do the math, you will see that every year, Tekufat Nissan advances 30 hours in the week. For our purposes here, we only care about when in the week this event occurs. If you continue the math, you will see that it returns to the exact same hour after 28 years. It is on those years, on the following morning, that we make the Brachah.

Therefore to see all of the years where according to this system, Birkat HaChamah would be said, simply take 1 + 28n, where n >= 0.

The first thing that you can check is to see if Birkat HaChamah occurred in 2448, the year that our forefathers left Egypt. Birkat HaChamah occured before we left Egypt in the year 2437, and afterwards in 2465.

The incidence of Birkat HaChamah with Erev Pesach is rare, but not unheard of. It last occurred only a few cycles ago in 5685 (1925). Persistence with a good Hebrew Calendar program will show you that this has happened between 5-10 times in the last thousand years (sorry, it's been a while since I checked). We simply cannot say that the third time is the Geulah.

So in order for us to be intellectually honest with this, we must say one of the following:

• The Exodus did not occur in the year 2448 as our tradition dictates
• The calculations used to determine when to recite Birkat HaChamah have changed, in which there is an inherent inconsistency to attach significance to 5769.
• This prediction of the Geulah in 5769 is not correct.

Just as a side note, an interesting calculation that I've found:

If you line up the Solar Years according to Tekufat Shmuel and Tekufat Adda, and see which years are in common for Birkat HaChamah (for Tekufat Adda, which years fall during the entire first hour of the Fourth Day, as it never returns to the exact moment), you will find two years: year 1 and 4297 (637CE), which was the year that Jerusalem fell to Omar and the Muslims. For the sake of truth, we must note that this is because over the course of approximately 2150 years, the two "new years" drifted apart until it the difference became equal to exactly one week. So while 4297 is the one year that Birkat HaChamah would be true for both systems, it would not be the same week.

Note: This is not to say that 5769 will be an insignificant year. See here for more.

Understanding the Essence of the Keitz

From what I see written on Jewish websites, a lot of people seem to think that the Geulah is something fairly simple. It is when all the things written in the Rambam happen. This is simplistic and leads to people entering in to calculations and guessing games as to when it will occur. However, the awesome ideas behind what the essence of Geulah represents should dissuade people from these number excercises. The Ramban brings down in his explanation of Breishit that the events of the 6 Days of Creation parallel the events of the 6,000 years of human existence that followed. While the Ramban was definitely not the first to bring this idea, his explanation is in many of our libraries in Mikraot Gedolot. See Breishit 2:4 for the Ramban's commentary, where he describes the parallels for each millenium. It therefore is derived that the events of the 6th millenium parallel the day when Adam HaRishon was created. This is the background for the statement in Kol HaTor regarding the "hours of the day". The 6th millenium is divided amongst the hours/stages that Hashem created Adam HaRishon on the 6th day. In Kol HaTor, the 6th Day is divided in to 24 hours, with the creation occuring during daylight hours, from 5500-6000. In Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer, chapter 6, it is stated that 84 years is one hour for Hashem (The 84 years discussed here is a whole other conversation). Therefore we can say that the day is divided in to 12 hours (the night hours are swallowed up in the day). Know that there is no contradiction between the two. I will not delve in to this further, but understanding of the 6th day is key. When the GR"A proclaimed in his peirush on Sifra Ditzniuta that he knew the secret to the End, he stated that it was based on this knowledge. What results from this knowledge is the following:

1. Calculating the Gematria of one word will not give you the year of Geulah.
2. Adding 60 or 66 years to the starting year of your choice will not give you the year of Moshiach ben Yosef's revelation.
3. The conjunction of Birkat HaChamah and Erev Pesach does not mean that the Geulah will occur in 5769.

True understanding of our times, where we come from, and where we are heading, comes from understanding history, the calendar, and the parallel between the 6 days and the 6 millenia.

The Choice

As I discussed in the previous post, we are interested in what *we* can do in order to reach the ultimate Completeness of the Geulah. But at first there is a seeming contradiction. I quoted before that the Geulah can be caused by our return to Tzion as well as us doing Teshuvah wherever we are. So obviously there are two different ways that we can choose. Right? Well, it isn't that simple.

The GR"A states in Even Shleimah that every generation has its own Keitz according to the Midah that is in control during that generation. This basically means that every generation is judged differently and as such, the level of Teshuvah required is different in each generation.

So if we all rely on influencing others to do Teshuvah (by itself, in the "dalet amot" sense, personal halachah only) in Chutz La'Aretz while ignoring the Keitz Meguleh, there is a chance that we will not reach the bar set for this generation. As such we could possibly be not only not meriting the Complete Geulah, but also we have not put forth effort to improve our situation as the End approaches us.

On the other hand, the idea of working with the Keitz Meguleh is to qualitatively improve the road to Geulah.

We have faithful promises transmitted to us by the Prophets of what will be in the End of the Geulah, namely: Ingathering of the Exiles to the Land of Israel, Re-establishment of the Sanhedrin, the building of the Third and Eternal Beit HaMikdash, the revelation of Moshiach ben Dovid. The question is how we will get there.

One thing we must understand is that these promises of Geulah are from Hashem, and as such, they are written in to the very fabric of Creation. One way or another, the aforementioned events will occur.

We see both possibilities in the Prophets. It is written in Yeshayahu 54:7 "With great mercy I will gather you", yet it says in Yoel 3:4 that a Tzion and Yerushalayim will be a refuge (implying that we must escape Galut). The GR"A knew that we must come home out of desire, for if we don't, it will be as refuge (G-d forbid). This worried him greatly, and was one of the reasons that he spoke so passionately to his students to make Aliyah.

G-d willing, I will discuss in the near future just what the vision of the Keitz Meguleh entails.

Paths to Geulah

Translation of Kol HaTor end of chapter 4

"For everything there is a time, and an appointed time for every desire" - According to Rabbeinu (meaning the GR"A), the time and the appointed time come according to the desire, and that is the meaning of "for every desire". In Chaza"l we see 4 different versions of the way Geulah will come.

1. If Israel does Teshuvah, they are redeemed, and if not, they are not redeemed.
2. And if they don't do Teshuvah, Hashem puts upon them a king who's laws are harsher than Haman and then they do Teshuvah.
3. The Geulah will come with a "Beginning" (Atchalta) by way of a Return to Tzion and even in the beginning just one from a city and two from a family according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua, and this is the secret of the Revealed End (Keitz Meguleh).
4. The Geulah will in any event be "in its time" (b'itah) and that is the "Concealed End" (Keitz Mechuseh)

However we should think in advance that all of these opinions are the words of the Living G-d, and therefore Rabbeinu said that we need to go ahead and choose the path which is in our hands, path 3 (the Keitz Meguleh). And by us fulfilling this path there will not be any need for the warnings of Chaza"l about difficult laws, etc, and this will cause General Teshuvah, so there will be no need for Hashem to put a king upon us whose laws are harsher than Haman, and the Revealed End (Keitz Meguleh) will bring forward the Final Redemption (Keitz HaGeulah).

(note - for more discussion on the sugya in the Gemara, see Doresh L'Tzion, page 282)