Kol HaTor: Repairing the Sin of the Spies

Preface: The following is a particularly sharp (and lengthy) critique of Jews who oppose moves towards Kibbutz Galuyot. It should be understood the seeming rage of the author, Rav Hillel, came from frustration in fulfilling his holy mission and his desire to do only good for Am Yisrael. If you believe that you would react negatively to critique on the matter of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael, please do not read this post. I did not spend time translating this to cause anger.

The Tikkun of the Sin of the Spies: By Building Yerushalayim

Kol HaTor chapter 5, page 129

The Sin of the Spies in the Desert in the days of Moshe is one of the greatest general sins that attaches itself to Am Yisrael in all the generations until today. According to the midrash of our sages, a weeping from generation to generation was decreed because of the Sin of the Spies, weeping for the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, the destruction of Yerushalayim, and the desolation of the land. In a large part, Am Yisrael has suffered and suffers in all the generations the pains of the bitter exile due to the Sin of the Spies. A large portion of the punishment of this sin was brought down in the days that the sin occured during the generation in the desert, as explained in the Torah, but the remainder of the punishment was divided up to pieces that were put upon all generations, G-d save us.

A great tikkun for the Sin of the Spies can come by way of the redemption and building of Yerushalayim, and by way of actions of gathering in the Exiles, according to the known principle of "G-d made this opposing that", and measure for measure, for merit and also for sin, fix what you broke, to fix everything according to the place, according to the time, according to the action, and according to the publicity. And behold the Sin of the Spies which brought weeping for generations according to the explanation of our sages on the verse "And the people wept on that night", that night was the night of Tishah b'Av, on which the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed. We find that the tikkun for the Sin of the Spies needs to be by building the Beit HaMikdash, and before the building of the Beit HaMikdash, there needs to be the building of Yerushalayim, as explained according to our Rabbi (the GR"A) according to the verse "Yerushalayim will be built and the Sanctuary founded" which is said on the final Atchalta DiGeulah like in the days of Koresh.

And due to our many sins, there are many who are sinning the great sin of "they despised the desirable land", also many that keep Torah do not know or understand that they are caught up in the Sin of the Spies, they are attached to the Klipah of the Sin of the Spies in all sorts of nonsensical, lying arguments, also covering up their logic with the rejected opinion that there is no mitzvah of Yishuv HaAretz at this time. This opinion was already rejected by the geniuses of the world, the Rishonim and Acharonim. These Spies want to be bigger than our rabbis the Tanaim and Amoraim that set that the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael is equal all the other mitzvot in the Torah, and our rabbi the Ramban zya"a that set that the mitzvah of Yishuv HaAretz is a positive commandment of the Torah from "and you shall inherit it and settle it", and our rabbi the writer of Tosefot Yom Tov that before the Geulah there will be an Atchalta like in the days of Koresh in the days of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash and also our rabbi the Shla"h HaKadosh (in Sha'ar HaOtiot) explains the greatness of the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael, that at no time does the holiness of this mitzvah cease, even for an instant. And who is greater for us in all the last generations than our rabbi the GR"A, the holy of Israel, that with firey words urged his students to move to Eretz Yisrael and to work in the Ingathering of the Exiles, and urged his students greately to start the Keitz Meguleh to bring forward the Keitz of the Geulah by way of settling Eretz Yisrael. Almost every day our rabbi spoke to us with great emotion that "In Tzion and in Yerushalayim there will be refuge", and not to delay the appointed time. Who can speak or describe the great worry of our rabbi as he spoke to us with words like these with his holy spirit and with tears in his eyes, and also explained to us many times that the opinion of Rav Yehudah (Ketubot 110) that said that someone who moves to Eretz Yisrael from Bavel violates a positive commandment, even according to Rav Yehudah, this is only said regarding Bavel and not from the rest of the lands. And also Aliyah from Bavel of Rav Yehudah, it is a opinion of a single authority, and it is rejected from its base in the Gemara there and in the commentaries. This and more: Rav Yehudah bases himself on the verse "To Bavel they will be brought and there thay will be until the day of My rememberance" (Yirmiyahu 27). What is the meaning of "until the day of My rememberance"? Behold during the Aliyah of Ezra and Nechemiah was from Galut Bavel and any rememberance from Heaven needs to have first a rememberance in the Awakening from Below, and as our rabbi said to us in many places that the rememberence in the Footsteps of Moshiach will be first like in the days of Koresh in the days of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash from the Left Side, the side of Din meaning the Awakening from Below.

How great is the pain of the fact that many of our brothers Bnei Yisrael and among them many wealthy Jews in the state of Russia who eagerly prepared to come to Eretz Yisrael by the mitzvah of our rabbi the GR"A, and were cooled off davka by some who keep the Torah that don't know and understand. And this is what our rabbi wrote that during the ingathering, the Other Side will be strengthened, G-d save us, and this is what it says in the midrash that when Israel goes out of the Galut, Amalek is made ready for them on the way. And that is the strength of the impurity about which it says "that cooled you off on the way". And see how strong the power is of the satan that put this deceiving opinion also in those that keep the Torah to delay the Geulah, for behold the Spies themselves were amongst the greatest of Israel and the satan enticed them, G-d save us.

In addition to this, amongst the obstacles in the Diaspora, there are also those that interfere in the sending of financial support for the strengthening of the settlement in Eretz Yisrael. We hear from our emissaries a few such horrible stories. For example: On the day of the GR"A's Yartzheit, one of our emissaries gave the drash in the synagogue in the city in favor of supporting the settlement in Eretz Yisrael. After him, the Gabbai of the community came up to the bimah and said that the Gabbai's of the community in Yerushalayim have created a new business, it is not enough that they request donations for food for the poor but also donations for the building of Yerushalayim to buy fields, etc. in order to expand the settlement, and other dreams like this. And if it were really a time of desire in front of Hashem, said this Gabbai, to bring the Geulah, then there would be no need to buy fields, etc. And behold this Gabbai that has no idea about the ways of the Geulah and doesn't know or doesn't want to know about the words of the prophet "Fields with money will be bought in the land of Binyamin and in the surroundings of Yerushalayim" (Yirmiyahu 32), and the words of the prophet "Expand the place of your tents" that all these were spoken about the Atchalta DiGeulah as I have explained in prior chapters. And also what our sages said that thus is the Geulah of Israel, little by little it comes, like Ayelet HaShachar, etc, and all this was said about the Atchalta DiGeulah like a poor person on a donkey, as long as we have not merited the full Geulah on the clouds of heaven, speedily and in our days. And the GR"A speaks in many places about the first Geulah from the Servitude of the Nations by the first Moshiach, the Moshiach of the Atchalta, Moshiach ben Yosef, who is responsible for Kibbutz Galuyot in the Awakening from Below. And what is the meaning of the First Moshiach and the First Geulah in the words of the GR"A? It is the preparations that come before Moshiach ben Dovid. And what will those people with their deep explanations say regarding the words of our sages"When Yerushalayim is built, ben Dovid comes" and on the verse "And there will come to Tzion a redeemer" (Yeshayahu 59), about which the Midrash and Rashi say "As long as Tzion isn't built, the redeemer doesn't come". And indeed it is (akin to) the hyssop in the wall coming to defeat the (mighty) Cedars of Lebanon, this is nothing but the Klipah of the Spies speaking from within their throats, indeed this is what our sages said that in the Footsteps of Moshiach, the truth is hidden and chutzpah increases, chutzpah also against the holy words of our prophets and visionaries, chutzpah against the earlier Gedolei Yisrael, and against the opinion and holy command of the holy of Israel, our rabbi the GR"A, and we pray that all those that have the spirit of Amalek dwelling within them will repent from their evil ways, and He is merciful and atones sin.

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.

On The End of Galus

In my prior post, The Sprouting of Moshiach, I mentioned the end of Galus, which is rapidly approaching. I also mentioned that the year 5708 is a starting point, and there is symmetry between the birth of Avraham and Churban Bayit Sheini on one hand, and Churban Bayit Sheini and the founding of the State of Israel on the other.

Talmud Yerushalmi Masechet Brachot 2:4 brings a Midrash that on the day that the 2nd Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, Moshiach was born (it gives his name as Menachem ben Chizkiyah). This of course is not meant to be taken literally (we are not expecting a 1900 year old man to be proclaimed as Moshiach). Perhaps this is a hint to what I have written. Every 1880 years, Moshiach is born.

Of all that I wrote, only 1 item calls for immediate physical action from a majority of world Jewry: Aliyah. I stated that the year after the 63rd Yom HaAtzmaut would be a last chance to get out of Galus at our own volition. Let's take a look for parallels with 1879 years prior (i.e. 1880 years prior, but after this cutoff year). What we see is the beginning of the doomed Bar Kokhba Rebellion. The revolt ended such that the culmination of the failure is one of the things we mourn on Tishah B'Av.

Esav pursued Yaakov, and that was the end of Jewish autonomy for about 1800 years. It was a time of danger in the land of Esav, which unfortunately (for other reasons) at that time included Eretz Yisrael.

Such is not the case today. Esav's influence inside Eretz Yisrael is not nearly on the same level as it was. Moshiach ben Yosef of yesteryear was unable to act, only suffer. The chains of Galus were still too much to shake off. That is not the situation today. We are relatively safe from Esav's direct control here, and in about another year, Esav's influence will begin to decrease.

We live in the last generation of the Footsteps of Moshiach, there are no more do-overs. There is simply no space left on the 6000-year Calendar of Jewish history to account for further chances.

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.

Hours of the Day - Source Texts

Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 38b

Rebbi Yochanan ben Chanina says: There were 12 hours to the day.

• 1st Hour: His dust was gathered
• 2nd Hour: He was made into a Golem (a lifeless form)
• 3rd Hour: His limbs were stretched out
• 4th Hour: A Neshamah was thrown into him
• 5th Hour: He stood on his legs
• 6th Hour: He called names (i.e. he named all the animals)
• 7th Hour: Chava was made for him
• 8th Hour: They went up to bed as 2 and came down as 4
• 9th Hour: He was commanded not to eat from the tree
• 10th Hour: He sinned
• 11th Hour: He was judged
• 12th Hour: He was sent off on his way

Vayikra Rabba 29:1

• 1st Hour: Hashem decided to create Man (literally, it came up in thought)
• 2nd Hour: He (Hashem) sought advice of the ministering angels
• 3rd Hour: He brought together the dust
• 4th Hour: He bound it together
• 5th Hour: He wove it
• 6th Hour: He made it into a Golem (a lifeless form)
• 7th Hour: He blew a soul in to him.
• 8th Hour: He brought him to Gan Eden
• 9th Hour: He was commanded
• 10th Hour: He sinned
• 11th Hour: He was judged
• 12th Hour: He went on his way (i.e. out of Gan Eden)

Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer Chapter 11

• 1st Hour: He brought together the dust of Adam
• 2nd Hour: He bound it together
• 3rd Hour: He wove it
• 4th Hour: He threw a Neshamah in to him
• 5th Hour: He stood him up on his legs
• 6th Hour: He called names
• 7th Hour: Chava was made for him
• 8th Hour: They were commanded about the fruits of the tree
• 9th Hour: They went up to the bed 2 and came down 4
• 10th Hour: He brought him to Gan Eden and he went against His command
• 11th Hour: He was judged
• 12th Hour: He was expelled

The Hours of the Sixth Day

According to Chaza"l, there are 6000 years of human history in parallel to the 6 days of Creation. The 6 days in Creation had a purpose, to continue perfection in to the first Shabbat. This did not happen, due to the sin of Adam HaRishon. Therefore, as a tikkun, there are 6000 years of human history as a preparation for the Great Second Chance. See the Ramban on Breishit 2:3 for an in depth explanation of this idea, including parallels for each of the days with each of the different millenia.

As I have said before, Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer says that an hour of Hashem's day is taking 1000 years and dividing it by 12, with the end result being 83.333 years per hour. Kol HaTor brings a different division, taking 1000 years and dividing it by 24, with the end result being 41.666 years per hour. Both are words of the Living G-d. For the 83.333 years, all 1000 years have acts of creation. For the 41.666 years, it is only the second 500 years of the millenium have acts of creation.

There are three places that I am aware of that refer to the events of this first and most fateful Sixth Day.

• Sanhedrin 38B
• Vayikra Rabba 29:1
• Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer chapter 11

Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer and the Bavli Sanhedrin have nearly identical orders (the differences come in the last few hours of the day).

It is worthy to note that the 5th hour, according to both of them, that Adam HaRishon stood up on his legs.

To illustrate:

• First Hour (5500 - 5541.666) - The dust was brought together
• Second Hour (5541.666-5583.333) - It was made into a Golem (a lifeless shape, a shell)
• Third Hour (5583.333 - 5625) - The limbs were stretched out
• Fourth Hour (5625 - 5666.666) - A soul was thrown in to him
• Fifth Hour (5666.666 - 5708.333) - He stood up on his legs.

From this we can see very clearly, Adam HaRishon of the 6th day of Creation is Am Yisrael in the 6th millenium, who, with 600,000 souls, stood up during the fifth hour, culminating in 5708.

Moshiach ben Yosef in the Torah

This is an elaboration of the prior post.

Avraham Avinu became Moshiach ben Yosef from the time of Brit Bein HaBetarim. According to the Seder Olam, this was in 2018, when Avraham was 70 years old. According to the GR"A, it was in the year 2023, when he was 75 years old.

Yitzchak Avinu became Moshiach ben Yosef from the time of the Akeidah. This was in 2085, when he was 37 years old.

Yaakov Avinu became Moshiach ben Yosef from the time he fought with Esav's Angel at Peniel. This was the year 2205, Yaakov was 97 years old.

Yehudah became Moshiach ben Yosef from the day he saved Yosef. According to the Seder Olam, he was born in 2195. That is 4 years older than Yosef, therefore this was when he was 21 years old.

Yosef became Moshiach ben Yosef from the time of his first dream, at age 17, the year 2216.

Moshe Rabbeinu became Moshiach ben Yosef from the time he took Yosef's bones with him in the year 2448, at the age of 80.

Yehoshua Bin Nun fought against Amalek in the year 2448, at the age 42 (Yehoshua was born in 2406).

Moshiach ben Yosef in the Past

The following is a translation from Kol HaTor, chapter 1.

Od Yosef Chai (Yosef Still Lives) - Also many from the Forefathers, and many from the Prophets of Hashem, Kings of Israel, and many of the Tanna'im and Amora'im, and many of the Gedolei Yisrael and Men of Action in all the generations were in the line of Moshiach ben Yosef.

The first was Avraham Avinu in the secret of "How will I know that I will inherit it", and as is known, any language regarding inheritance which is said about Eretz Yisrael is in the line of Moshiach ben Yosef, and thus it is hinted in the word "I will inherit it (irashenah)" which is equal in gematria to "Moshiach ben Yosef". Avraham Avinu started with the first Atchalta DiGeulah, meaning redemption of the Kedushah of below, i.e. the earth of Eretz Yisrael.

Yitzchak Avinu entered into the line of Moshiach ben Yosef from the day of the Akeidah. This is also hinted at in his name Yitzchak which has the letters spelling Keitz Chai.

Yaakov Avinu, from the day he fought with the ministering angel of Esav, and Yaakov came complete. Complete to Sukkot.

Yehudah, from the day he saved Yosef.

Yosef, from the day of his first dream.

Moshe Rabbeinu from the day he took with him the bones of Yosef.

Yehoshua bin Nun, who was the first in Hashem's War with Amalek.

Shaul and David who both worked in the Wars of Hashem, and as is known that every War of Hashem is in the line of Moshiach ben Yosef, etc.

And in the later generations, also the Holy Ariza"l and his special student Rav Chaim Vital, and the Holy Rav the Ohr HaChaim were of the line of Moshiach ben Yosef as is known.

And in the last generation it is our Rabbi the GR"A who is the light of Moshiach ben Yosef, whose light goes before us and lights up the way. And also a few of his students merited, those who follow his command in the Vision of Tzion to receive from his spirit and from his great light in this line (of Moshiach ben Yosef).

Right and Left

Kol HaTor Chapter 2 part 1

151 - ... And our Rabbi already explained the first thought of Yosef's brothers; they knew that when Avraham's soul came down to this world, the Klipah of the Right Side attached to him, and therefore Yishmael came out from him in order to separate him from the Klipah. And when the soul of Yitzchak came to the world, the Klipah of the Left attached to him, and therefore Esav came from him in order to separate him from the Klipah. And they (Yosef's brothers) thought that the Klipah of the Middle had attached itself to Yaakov, who is of the Middle Line, and after they saw Yosef act with traits of arrogance, they thought for sure Yosef was of the Klipah that had left Yaakov, and they didn't know of his holiness and Yosef's great role in the preparation for the Geulah.

---end quote---

We see from this that Avraham Avinu, from the Right Side (the side of Chesed) was essentially perfected by the birth of Yishmael. It removed the Klipah from him. Avraham became personally complete at age 86.

Likewise, Yitzchak, who was from the Left Side (the side of Din) was brought closer to perfection by the birth of Yaakov and Esav at age 60, since Esav was the Klipah that was attached to Yitzchak. This was only completed, however, with the transfer of the Bechorah (firstborn status) to Yaakov 15 years later at the age of 75. As Rashi comments on Breishit 27:36, Yitzchak's conversation with Esav. Yitzchak realizes that it was proper for him to bless Yaakov, as he was the bechor (firstborn), and that he was going to bless Esav because he thought incorrectly that he was the bechor.

The Tikkun that took place through the birth of Yishmael and Esav is what allowed Yaakov to not have any Klipah attached to him. Only when the Left and the Right become perfected, they can then join together to form the Middle.

Daniel 8

The 8th chapter of Daniel discusses the Four Great Kingdoms that were to span history from the time of the fall of Bavel. It includes within it one of the well-known predictions in the book.

At the end, the question is asked: How long will it take for all this to transpire? The answer is terse enough:

He said to me: Until evening morning, two thousand, three hundred, and the holy one will be justified. (Daniel 8:14)

Among the commentators we see the opinion that the 2300 mentioned is 2300 years, see Rav Sa'adiah Gaon, Rashi, etc. The question, however, before looking to see what the end-date is, is to ask: what is the start date?

And the vision of the evening and the morning that was said, it is true; And you - hide the vision, for it is for many days. (Daniel 8:26)

Daniel indeed hid the true meaning of his vision, as he did later on in chapter 12, however in a different manner.

In the third year of the kingdom of Belshatzar the king, a vision appeared to me; me, Daniel, after what appeared to me at the beginning. And I saw in the vision, and it was when I was seeing, I was in Shushan... (Daniel 8:1-2)

The third year of Belshatzar was the last year of Belshatzar, and indeed the 70th year of the kingdom of Bavel, as brought in Megillah 11b. The Ibn Ezra takes note of this and states that it couldn't be that Daniel went to Shushan and came back even the same year. He saw himself in the future in Shushan.

Daniel is hinting to us that the starting point of the vision is in the future during the reign of Paras uMadai. The vision starts at the tachlit of their kingdom, the construction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash, which came to fruition in 3408.

The year 3408 was a beginning that went awry. It would be a full cycle to start over.

And there was evening and there was morning, one day (Breishit 1:5)

It would be 2300 years to restart the cycle.

3408 + 2300 = 5708

Now, unlike then, we achieved the minimum threshold of ingathering, 600,000 souls. The Geulah is proceeding according to Daniel's vision, with the order of tefillah as its guide.

70 Years

For the 10th of Tevet, let us take a short look at one small aspect of Galut Bavel.

The theme of 70 years shows up 3 times regarding Galut Bavel (See Seder Olam Rabba chapter 28, the GR"A there).

(The following years are mainly taken from Seder HaDorot HaKatzar by Rav Shlomo Binizri, which largely follows Seder Olam Rabba)

3319 - Nevuchadnetzar becomes king of Bavel. (Seder HaDorot HaKatzar, based on Seder Olam chapter 24 with the GR"A there, and Yirmiyahu 46).

3320 - Nevuchadnetzar captures Yerushalayim.

3338 - Destruction of the Beit HaMikdash

3389 - The death of Belshatzar, the last king of Bavel, as recorded in Daniel chapter 5. Beginning of the kingdom of Paras uMadai.

3390 - First year of the reign of Koresh, Koresh declares that the Jews can return to Eretz Yisrael and build the Beit HaMikdash.

3408 - Construction Resumes on 2nd Beit HaMikdash, this is considered the year it was built (although construction continued for a few years)

We therefore end up with three periods.

3319 - 3389 - 70 Years of Bavel, from the beginning of the reign of Nevuchadnetzar to the murder of Belshatzar

3320 - 3390 - 70 Years from the initial capture of Yerushalayim until the order for Yerushalayim to be rebuilt

3338 - 3408 - 70 Years from the destruction of the 1st Beit HaMikdash to the construction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash

Symmetry in Jewish History

• 100 Years - From the birth of Avraham to the birth of Yitzchak (1948 - 2048)
• 190 Years - From the birth of Yitzchak to the beginning of the exile in Mitzraim (2048-2238)
• 210 Years - From the beginning of the exile in Mitzraim until Yetziat Mitzraim (2238 - 2448)
• 40 Years - In the desert (2448 - 2488)
• 440 Years - From the entrance to Eretz Yisrael to the beginning of the 1st Beit HaMikdash (2488 - 2928)
• 410 Years - From the construction of the 1st Beit HaMikdash to its destruction (2928 - 3338)
• 70 Years - From the destruction of the 1st Beit HaMikdash to the building of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash (3338 - 3408)
• 420 Years - From the construction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash to its destruction (3408 - 3828)
• 1880 Years - From the destruction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash to the founding of the modern state of Israel (3828 - 5708)

This is the general progression of Jewish history from 1948 to 1948 (i.e. the year 1948 from creation, to 1948 of the secular calendar). And as one would expect from that fact that they are the same year in those 2 different calendars, the difference between the beginning and end is exactly 3760 years, as this is the general margin of difference between the two calendars.

However, what is not so obvious is that this is also 2 equal periods of time hinged around one year, the year of the destruction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash in 3828.

• 1880 Years - From the birth of Avraham to the destruction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash (1948 - 3828)
• 1880 Years - From the destruction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash to the founding of the modern state of Israel (3828 - 5708)

Bavli Megilah on the Order of Prayer

The Yerushalmi in the last post starts out with a general statement which I brought, the order of proper progression of requests. It is then followed by a case by case explanation of why one is before another. The Bavli in Megilah 17b, however, interpolates the quotes with the order:

And why did they see fit to say the Ingathering of the Exiles after the blessing of the years (regarding making a living)? For it is written: "And you, mountains of Israel, your branches will give forth and your fruits you will hold for my nation Israel, for they will be coming soon" (Yehezkel 36:8).

And because the exiles have been gathered, judgement is done on the wicked as it is said: "And I will turn my hand upon you, and I will refine your dross as with lye" (Yeshayahu 1:25), and it is written (in the next verse) "And I will return your judges as at first" (Yeshayahu 1:26)

And because judgement was done on the wicked, sinners are finished, and (we) include with them intentional sinners, as it says "And the breaking of transgressors and sinners is together" (Yeshayahu 1:28)

And because sinners are finished, the horn of the righteous is uplifted, as it says "And all the horns of the wicked I will cut off, and the horns of the righteous I will raise" (Tehillim 75:11) and (we) include righteous converts with the righteous, as it says "In front of age, rise up, and glorify the face of the elderly" (Vayikra 19:32) and adjacted to that is "For a stranger will live with you" (Vayikra 19:33).

And where is this horn raised up? Their horn is in Yerushalayim, as it says "Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim, those who love her will prosper" (Tehillim 122:6)

And because Yerushalayim is built, Dovid comes (i.e. Moshiach ben Dovid) as it says (from here until the end, we continue on page 18a) "And afterwards, B'nei Yisrael will return and request Hashem their G-d and Dovid their king" (Hoshea 3:5)

And because Dovid has come, prayer will come, as it is said "And I will bring them to My Holy Mountain and I will make them happy with My House of Prayer..." (Yeshayahu 56:7)

And because prayer comes, the Service (Avodah) comes, as it says "Their elevation offerings and their sacrifices are for desire on My altar..." (Yeshayahu 56:7)

And because the Service comes, Thanksgiving comes as well, as it is said: "He who offers a thanksgiving offering honors Me" (Tehillim 50:23)

From here we see there is agreement between the Bavli and Yerushalmi on this matter that the order of the Shmoneh Esreh is the same as the order of the Geulah. The only difference of note is that the building of Yerushalayim is included with the coming of Moshiach according to the Yerushalmi.

Yerushalmi Brachot on the Order of Prayer

Brachot 16b (Chapter 2, halachah 4)

Mishnah: One who reads (Kriat Shema) out of order has not fulfilled his obligation.

Gemara: Rebbi Yonah says that Rebbi Nachman bar Adda and Rebbi Yosi says that Rebbi Nachman Sabba taught "V'Hayu" (and they will be, from the text of the Shma) means that (they should be read) like it is (meaning in order). It is taught: thus it is as well with Hallel and the reading of the Megillah. It is easy to understand regarding Megillah (from now to the end is page 17a) as it is written (Esther 9) "like their writing", however for Hallel it is due this verse: "From the east of the sun until the west, praised is the name of Hashem" (Tehillim 113).

Rebbi Abun says also (because) it is written in order:

"When Israel went out of Egypt" (Tehillim 114) - About the past.

"Not for us, Hashem, not for us" (Tehillim 115) - For these generations.

"I love that Hashem should hear my voice" (Tehillim 116) - For the days of Moshiach.

"Order the festival procession with boughs" (Tehillim 118) - For the days of Gog and Magog.

"You are my G-d and I will thank You" (Tehillim 118) - For the future to come (Le'atid Lavo).

Rebbi Acha in the name of Rebbi Yehoshua (says): Even those that set the prayer set it in order. Three first blessings, three closing blessings, praise of Hashem, and the middle (blessings) the needs of the creations.

Bestow upon us knowledge! (Now that) you have bestowed upon us knowledge, desire our repentance! (Now that) you have desired our repentance, forgive us! (Now that) you have forgiven us, redeem us! (Now that) you have redeemed us, heal our sickness! (Now that) you have healed our sickness, bless our years! (Now that) you have blessed our years, gather us in! (Now that) you have gathered us in, judge us with righteousness! (Now that) you have judged us with righteousness, subdue those that rise up against us! (Now that) you have subdued those that rise up against us, in justice make us righteous. (Now that) you have made us righteous in judgement, build Your house and hear our prayers and desire us within it!

Notice how the order of brachot here does not include any mention of Moshiach or the house of Dovid. The Gemara goes on to say later (when quoting the sources that prove that this is the proper order according to the Tanach) that we mention Dovid in the brachah for Yerushalayim. The Yerushalmi, as opposed to the Bavli, has 18 brachot in the daily prayers, not 19 like we say today in line with the Bavli.

The Importance Of Good Leadership

A common theme throughout Jewish history is the ability of the leadership to cause Am Yisrael to follow Torah as well as the opposite.

In the Chumash, the most glaring examples are the Sin of the Golden Calf and the Sin of the Spies.

The Zohar (2:191a) on Ki Tisa brings that the Sin of the Golden Calf was instigated by the 2 leaders of the Erev Rav, who used their avodah zarah to cause the people to stray.

In the Chumash we see that 10 leaders caused the nation to not want to enter Eretz Yisrael, causing the 40 years sentence in the desert.

Melachim II has a recurring theme: whether or not the king caused the people to sin like Yerov'am ben Navat before them, or if they did what was right and made the people do what was right.

The common theme is that one person really can make a difference, specifically a leader. Now we see the necessity in defining Moshiach as someone who causes Israel to follow the Torah (See Rambam Laws of Kings, chapter 11).

However, it is not limited to the Moshiach. This appears to be the intent of the GR"A regarding Anshei Amanah (Men of Faith/Truth). These are people for whom Truth is an ultimate value. There are two leadership roles that must be filled by Anshei Amanah in the final generation: Moshiach ben Yosef, and the Sanhedrin.

Moshiach ben Yosef because Moshiach ben Yosef is from Yesod, as is Truth. Truth will sprout forth from the ground (Tehillim 85:12), meaning that the sprouting will be dependent on human action.

However, not to dwell on what is not in our reach (Moshiach ben Yosef is not yet "here" for us to gather behind, and we cannot at this point make the appointed person in to that role), let us discuss the Sanhedrin.

There are three main aspects to the Geulah before the crowning event when Moshiach ben Dovid arrives:

• Ingathering of the Exiles
• Establishment of the Sanhedrin
• Building of the Beit HaMikdash in Yerushalayim

The Ingathering of the Exiles and the Building of Yerushalayim all began in tiny steps approximately 200 years ago. Every point is a building-block. In order to get the minimum 600,000 Jews, it took time, and indeed we are close to an absolute world majority of Jews in Eretz Yisrael. To build the Beit HaMikdash, there has to be a city around it. What was then fantasy is now reality.

People in the past looked down upon the Aliyah movement in the early 19th century, but patience and persistence have proven that it can be done. Yet people expect differently of the Sanhedrin. Historical perspective shows us patience is necessary.

There is now a stepping stone in place. The utmost was done to make this kosher, however at this stage, it was to be expected that there will be those that look down upon it.

The task of the Sanhedrin at this time is to get ready. Walk with wisdom. For one day soon, we will demand that the Sanhedrin take the lead as the sole authority of Torah for Am Yisrael. Whatever disputes we now have regarding its legitimacy will soon fade.

Truth will yet reign again.

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.

Hidden in Broad Daylight

The Zohar is one of the great mysteries of Jewish history. The secrets contained in it are beyond the imagination of most. The Zohar, aside from other issues, engages in giving down prophecies related to the End of Days. The fascinating thing is how it conceals itself.

One of the more well-known prophecies/predictions relates to 100 years of Galus for each of the 12 tribes, or 1200 years total. This shows up in multiple places in the Zohar.

The Zohar is written in a way to immediately discredit itself. If there are 1200 years of Galus after the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash in the year 3828 (68CE), that brings us to the year 5028 (1268CE). This is approximately the time that the Zohar was revealed. This interpretation of the calculation is brought by many an academic as backing up the claim that the Zohar is of 13th century origin. By itself, it seems like convincing evidence.

However, 1200 is not the only number mentioned in the Zohar.

• The Zohar Chadash on Mechirat Yosef (The Sale of Joseph by his brothers) says that Yosef was away from his father for 22 years, multiply this by 7 per the verse "seven for your sins" (from Bechukotai), and multiply by 10 for the 10 brothers that sold Yosef, and you end up with 1540 years after the destruction by Esav in the year 68CE. We are now in the year 1608CE. This is mentioned in context with Moshiach ben Yosef.
• The Zohar part 1 on Parshat VaYera mentions explicitly the year 5600 (1840CE) in a messianic context of when upper and lower wisdom would be bestowed.
• The Zohar part 1 on Parshat Toldot mentions the year 5408 (1648CE) in a messianic context as well.

It is fairly obvious from adding all these together that the writers of the Zohar did not believe that Moshiach was absolutely going to come in the 13th century, but rather some centuries after that.

Perhaps that is part of the secret of why the Zohar was revealed when it was.

Because He Can

Today, in the USA, the Israeli Prime Minister has announced intentions that mean no less than the division of Eretz Yisrael in general as well as Jerusalem in particular. One item that particularly irked Jews of Galus is brought here:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/124387

Olmert is highlighting what I have said before. The support of the Jews of Galus is needed, but it can only truly make a difference here. Not because of halachah, not because of ideology, but because it is the common rule amongst the Jews: numbers. Even if you show Olmert 5 million Jews in the USA that oppose these concessions, he will not listen to them. Why? Because he doesn't have to. He can do what he wants, because here, "we" are not a clear majority. We are an arguable majority. We have polls showing this that and the other, but when it comes down to election day, we do not have a clear voice. And so it continues.

Hashem Yerachem.

The Tamid

In the Mishnah of Masechet Taanit we have the following:

(4:6) Five things happened to our fathers on the 17th of Tamuz, and 5 on the 9th of Av. On the 17th of Tamuz:

• The tablets were broken
• The Tamid offering was ceased
• The walls of the city were breached
• Apastumus burned the Torah
• And he put up an image in the Heichal

On the 9th of Av:

• Our fathers were sentenced to not enter the Land
• The First Beit HaMikdash was destroyed
• And the Second (Beit HaMikdash was destroyed)
• Beitar was captured
• The city (Yerushalayim) was plowed

I would like to examine just the underlined items in blue shown above, regarding the walls of Yerushalayim and the Tamid offering.

The Zohar Chadash says that from the time of the cessation of the Tamid to the destruction, for both of the Batei Mikdash was 22 days. Note that it is 22 days and not 21 days; this is connected to the drash in Mechirat Yosef where this statement is made, where 22 is related to the 22 years that Yosef didn't see Yaacov.

The Talmud Yerushalmi (4:5) comments on both events separately. Regarding the Tamid, it recounts how during the sieges on Yerushalayim, the Jews used to send money out over the city walls in exchange for animals for the korbanot, and then one time the Romans sent up 2 pigs. It then goes on to say from that time, the sins caused the Tamid to cease and the Beit HaMikdash to be destroyed. See there for the entire account, which is also recounted in Yerushalmi Brachot. The next section of the Gemara is already dealing with the breach of the walls. The section regarding the breaching of the walls has to do with the actual dating of the events, because of the difficulty regarding the dates we go by and the dates which appear in the Tanach. The Yerushalmi states that the dates that are recorded in the Tanach are wrong, and were incorrect due to the troubles occuring at the time. See the mefarshim there on the daf for more.

The Bavli (Tannit 28b) is even more terse regarding the Tamid. It has one word: Gemara. Rashi there says "thus we have received from our fathers". I.e. it is a tradition that it occured on this day. On the breach of the walls, the Bavli says that it is not a problem, 17th of Tamuz is only for the 2nd Beit HaMikdash, the other date, namely the 9th of Tamuz, was for the 1st Beit HaMikdash. The Yerushalmi also brings this as a secondary explanation aside from the one I mentioned above.

As we can see from the two Talmuds, there is no explicit saying that the Tamid offering ceased the same year that the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed. The closest statement is the line from the Yerushalmi that in that hour, the sins caused the cessation of the Tamid and the Beit HaMikdash to be destroyed. However, just as all that was not in "that hour", so too not necessarily in that year.

The Zohar Chadash on Mechirat Yosef, however, is more of a problem. It says 22 days difference, and it links it to the Tamid, not the breach of the walls. However, I think the important item for this drash is that it is 22 days apart on the calendar, not necessarily that it is the same year. I have reason to believe, because of elsewhere in the Zohar, that this is the case, and that there is no contradiction.

From this we see the source of the different traditions regarding when the cessation of the Tamid offering took place. For some the different possibilities, see Mikraot Gedolot on Daniel. I do not believe, however, that the answer is to be found in the Mikraot Gedolot. HaMevin Yavin.

Different Approaches to Daniel

As a continuation of the last post, I would like to show a couple of different approaches among the Rishonim on Daniel.

Ramban (in Sefer HaGeulah) and Rashi both take the 1290 and 1335 to represent years. Both of them take them to be 2 periods of time with the same starting point related to the cessation of the Tamid offering. In other words, at 1290 years, there will be something which can be called the desolate abomination, and happy is one who makes it 45 years after that.

The years offered by Rashi and Ramban have of course passed already. The math shows that 1335 years passed the time of the last Tamid offering hundreds of years ago. If the wording in Daniel is literal, from the time of the cessation of the Tamid offering in the Beit HaMikdash, we cannot assume that it is two overlapping counts with a 45-year difference in length. Assuming the days are years and the Tamid is referring to something in the Beit HaMikdash, we must look for another way.

Ibn Ezra, on the other hand, takes the days to be literally days. He also takes them to be 2 separate periods of time. He says that the 1290 days is in reference to 3 years leading up to the destruction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash. He goes on to say that we do not know the starting point of the 1335 days.

The Ramban argues on this idea. According to the Ramban, Daniel did not know the meaning of Moed, Moadim va'Chetzi (A time, times, and a half), and therefore the angel gave extra information to make him understand, being the 1290 and 1335. The Ramban takes from this that he didn't understand before, but at the end, he did understand. If so, the 1335 cannot have an unknown starting point, which by extension argues against the Ibn Ezra's positioning of the 1290 days to the time of the destruction of the 2nd Beit HaMikdash.

די למבין

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

So What Happened?

So many of the goals stated in Kol HaTor have been fulfilled on some level, yet most all of them are in a way that is not in line with Torah. How did we get to this state of affairs? The early 19th century showed beginnings in the tasks of Moshiach ben Yosef from the side of kedushah, aliyah for the sake of starting Kibbutz Galuyot, planting in order to start the Keitz Meguleh, living in equal footing in order to fulfill the principle of equality mentioned in Sanhedrin and in chapter 5 of Kol HaTor.

What did this turn in to?

Secular Aliyah to defend ourselves from the nations of the world, violating Jewish law in agriculture, and the Kibbutz movement. Each item is on a "non-religious" level parallel to the tasks of Moshiach ben Yosef, yet each is decidedly not in line with Torah in one way or the other. From a Moshiach ben Yosef perspective, it is the right actions, but with the wrong intention or execution.

There are quite a few different ways to approach this question, many different levels of truth.

Here's one:

History has its schedule, dictated by Hashem. In the early 19th century, with the work of Torah-true Jews towards the Keitz Meguleh, Am Yisrael started the path towards the ultimate Tikkun, little by little. These Jews in Eretz Yisrael sent emissaries to Europe to inspire further Aliyah, but alas, they did not come in numbers, and in the end, the secular Jews took over due to the geopolitical situation in Europe at the time. The Land of Israel was inundated with idealistic Jews with socialist backgrounds. They took over a very holy enterprise and purposefully made it mundane on many levels.

The opportunity to take Am Yisrael's destiny and attach it to the Torah was wasted. For the last few generations, the holy Moshiach ben Yosef has been effectively invisible. The path was already chosen, the path of the Keitz Meguleh, but we failed to step up to the task.

Another approach:

Basing himself on heretical ideas and a prediction recorded in the Zohar, Shabbtai Tzvi (ysh"v) inspired Jews to make the very actions that we look for in this generation. Many Jews were tricked in to abandoning their possessions and starting their trek to Eretz Yisrael. For this is what happens, Moshiach arrives; Jews take the very real-life step of moving to Eretz Yisrael. They did not ask him to do anything for them, they did for themselves. This was balance, used for the Other Side. Real action accompanying the bringing of Moshiach, but only this wasn't Moshiach.

Am Yisrael entered in to an era of despair in the aftermath. The split would only become evident in the generations following between Moshiach Now of the Left and Moshiach Now of the Right, but the crack set in to place. The keepers of the center path shrank in numbers and influence. The attempts were made in the early 19th century, but the lead was taken away by the Left (not in the modern political sense) ever since.

Moshiach ben Yosef is from the Left as well. It is not a coincidence, but rather a consequence of the fight being b'akifin, in a round-about, hidden way.

For generations, the tasks of Moshiach ben Yosef were hijacked and fulfilled in not ideal ways. And at a certain point, for a certain reason, the role of Moshiach ben Yosef was declared enemy from without and from within.

May Hashem help us save Moshiach ben Yosef.

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).

Sha'ar Be'er Sheva

The most controversial chapter of Kol HaTor is chapter 5, part 2: Sha'ar Be'er Sheva. It was controversial enough that it was left out (i.e. censored) of the edition printed in HaTekufah HaGedolah. Rav Kasher felt that Kol HaTor was revolutionary enough as is, so he left it out (I'm not sure if he had kavanah to publish it at a later time or not).

The idea is based on our relationship as Jews to the natural sciences, particularly the Seven Wisdoms (translation to be added later).

1. חכמת החשבון התכונה והמדידה
2. חכמת היציריה וההרכבה
3. חכמת הרפואה והצמיחה
4. חכמת ההגיון הדקדוק והמשפט
5. חכמת הנגינה והקדושה
6. חכמת התיקון והשילוב
7. חכמת הביגו"ר (בין גשם ורוח) וכחות הנפש

As was written by the GR"A's students outside of Kol HaTor, the GR"A had completely mastered all of the Seven Wisdoms, save medicine; the GR"A's father commanded him not to learn beyond the base principles, lest he have to spend all his time saving lives. Different works about the GR"A mention how he was able to solve scientific problems of his day with great swiftness in a way that impressed greatly those who inquired of him.

One of the statements attributed to the GR"A there is that whatever one lacks in understanding in the Seven Wisdoms, one will lack one hundred-fold in Torah understanding.

But the plan, so to speak, is a bit more involved. The goal is Kiddush Hashem.

Kiddush Hashem will occur when the nations of the world realize the wisdom lies with Am Yisrael as guardians of the Torah. The problem is a paradox:

• The nations of the world can read the Torah, they don't need us for that, so that doesn't make us special in their eyes by itself.
• We can't teach them the wisdom contained in the Oral Torah, specifically Kabbalah.

The solution starts from an assertion: Kabbalah and Science are intertwined.

What we need, as per Kol HaTor, is Talmidei Chachamim who know Kabbalah to the extent that they are able to achieve great scientific advances based on the unique perspective on the universe that they will have from knowledged of Torah on all levels. It is a give and take relationship: Torah knowledge leads to scientific knowledge and vice versa. Then, when the nations of the world see that our wisdom in physical reality comes from our wisdom in the spiritual realm, they will see that this is a wise and understanding nation.

While what is written in Kol HaTor is mainly an action plan for Talmidei Chachamim who were Mekubalim (and thus it was in a special Beit Midrash for the sciences in the Old Yishuv), it still has halachah l'maaseh for the rest of us in regards to our approach to the modern day Science vs. Torah debates, as if it were one against the other.

This is the GR"A's approach to the desired state of affairs following the year 5600.

Zohar part 1, page 116B:

And in the 600th year of the 6th millenium, the gates of upper wisdom will open, as well as the springs of lower wisdom, and the world will be repaired ahead of the 7th millenium.

The siman for this is from the verse in Breishit 7:11:

In the 600th year of Noach's life, in the second month, on the 17th of the month, on this day, the founds of the great deep broke up, and the windows of heaven opened.

Let us notice that there should be no contradiction between these "waters" in our time. May this harmony soon be evident to all and may Hashem's Name be sanctified in the eyes of all.

Equal to them All

We are rapidly approaching the end of an era: the end of Galus.

Yishuv Haaretz is a mitzvah d'oraita. I think that is fairly clear to anyone who looks at the issue, and weighs the different opinions of the greatest authorities throughout the generations. However, I believe there is a reason that the greatest halachic decisors of our day have not called for all Jews to return home: preservation of free-will.

The fact that the rabbis of today have not told Jews of the Diaspora to come to Israel gives the Jews who have not yet come to Israel a choice which side of the halachic debate to choose. Afterall, there are differing piskei halachah regarding the mitzvah of Yishuv HaAretz. This (what can be perceived as a) lack of halachic clarity gives room for people to choose which way to go on the issue. Allow me to offer my take.

There are 7 mitzvot that are counted as equal to them all:

1. Abstaining from Avodah Zarah (Idolatry)
2. Milah (Circumcision)
3. Tzitzit ("Fringes" on garments)
4. Talmud Torah (Learning Torah)
5. Shabbat (Keeping the Shabbat)
6. Yishuv HaAretz (Settling in the Land of Israel)
7. Tsedakah (Charity)

As an aside, I saw on Meah Shearim street a few months ago a book dedicated just to these mitzvot. I believe I saw it at Sifrei Meah Shearim. The source for the saying that the mitzvah of Yishuv HaAretz is equal to the others is Sifrei on parshat Re'eh.

For our discussion, let us compare Yishuv HaAretz to the mitzvah of Tzitzit. The mitzvah of tzitzit is only in effect on garments with 4 corners. This basically excludes the vast majority of garments worn in Western societies. However, this mitzvah is considered to be as important as the other mitzvot combined, therefore it is written that G-d fearing Jews should go out of their way to wear a 4-cornered garment at all times. Now obviously the intent of Chazal telling us the importance of these mitzvot is not so that we will say "ok, I've done these mitzvot, I'm covered now for all other mitzvot", but rather that the importance of these is all encompassing. Tzitzit is a mitzvah that reminds us of the rest. Yishuv HaAretz, which is one of the base ideas permeating the entire Torah, how much more so?

Keeping Yishuv HaAretz on the side, there are no mitzvot here that require action where it is considered acceptable for a G-d fearing Jew to just do the mitzvah a little. Shabbat requires us to spend money on getting more desirable food, clothing, etc. Talmud Torah, which we fulfill our obligation just by our morning order of prayer (including Korbanot, etc), we still try to learn more every day, the more (both in quality and quantity), the better! Want to give more than 10% to charity? So long as it is below 20%, that is also praiseworthy.

And alas, here is the elevated mitzvah of Yishuv HaAretz, with its own levels of fulfillment, which so many not considering it a mitzvah even to be "yotzei y'dei chovah". There are those that make Eretz Yisrael their home a majority of their year, and go back to Galus, those that never leave Eretz Yisrael, there are those that live in Yerushalayim, those that live in cities where they are surrounded by a hostile nation. See the Ramban on the mitzvah of Yishuv HaAretz (in his hasagot on the Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot) to fully understand what I mean.

May Hashem speedily and painlessly bring us to a situation where all Am Yisrael can fulfill this mitzvah in the best way possible.

Birkat HaChamah - Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer

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

I do not believe that one can really begin to understand the sod of Birkat HaChamah without learning Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer about the solar cycle.

Particularly chapter 6 discusses, in a rather cryptic way, the correlation of the sun and the moon. The internal contradictions point to something very deep. (Please note in some printings it is chapter 6, others it is chapter 7. The chapter starts with the words Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai)

On the one hand, the exact halachic length of the lunar cycle is mentioned. However, there is a cycle concept introduced for the Molad progression. Namely, if we take the Molad to occur at the hour of a certain planet, like Shabbtai, for example, which one will it land in in the next month, and twelve months later?

In order to give over this answer, we must assume round numbers of hours. This is in the exact same chapter where we are told the length of the month down to the number of chalakim.

We are shown that if we assume no leap years (i.e. every year is always 12 months, no Adar II), that the Moon has a cycle of 21 years.

Now, as an aside, we see here that the first Molad is taken as the same moment that the Sun was created, i.e. Tuesday night 6pm, the day of the Spring Equinox, not in line with our system of calculating the Molad, based on the first Molad to have occurred by the end of Elul, BaHaRaD.

So the beginning of the 21 year cycle and the beginning of the 28 year cycle start at the same moment, what is the logical thing to do? That would be to determine the point how often the two cycles start at the same time. The earliest amount of time for this is 84 years, because 21 * 4 = 28 * 3.

We have now introduced an 84 year cycle to the mix. But what is it based on?

84 years * 365.25 days, we get 30681 days.

84 years * 354 days (approximate lunar year length), we get 29736 days.

Subtract one from the other and get 945 days differential. So the significance is not that the events occur at the same time at all (or in the same calendar year).

That all being said, it is further asserted that 84 years is the time it takes for one hour to pass for Hashem. If we take 1000 years and divide by 12 hours, we get 83 and a 1/3 years per hour, a value stated explicitly in chapter 48.

That, however, doesn't necessarily explain 84 years. The math presented is contradictory. Every 84 years they line up. Is that 84 lunar or solar years? I would theorize that we are directed to make a brachah on the solar, and not the lunar. The solar takes precedence. The number 84 is 12 times 7, the 7 leap years and the 12 simple years, the 19 year cycle.

That is part of the sod.

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.

Geulah - Miraculous or Natural

The Rambam states in chapter 11 of the Laws of Kings and Their Wars

Do not think that the King Moshiach needs to do signs or wonders, or make something new in the world, or revive the dead, or other such things like the stupid people say; it is not so. For we see that Rabbi Akiva was a great sage from the Sages of the Mishnah, and he was a supporter of Ben Koziba (Bar Kokhba) the king, and he would say about him that he was the King Moshiach And he, and all the Sages of his generation, thought that he was the King Moshiach, until he was killed (for) sins; and because he was killed, it was made known that he wasn't Moshiach, and the Sages did not ask of him a sign or a wonder.

The Raavad says on that halachah the exact opposite. He states the the opposite of the Rambam; Bar Kokhba was required to perform a miracle in front of the Sages, and because he couldn't, the Sages killed him.

Obvious contradiction. Seems straight forward, let's check to see the source for each.

Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 93b has the Raavad's version.

Talmud Yerushalmi Taanit 24a has the Rambam's version.

While the source of each story here tells us something, it is not exactly what we are looking for. What is necessary, however, is a basic analysis of the concepts in the Tanach. The Sin of the Spies and its aftermath show the situation clearly. Am Yisrael was commanded to take action - capture the Land, but due to the Lashon HaRa of the spies, decided not to. Then the next morning, the Ma'apilim decided to go in to Eretz Yisrael on their own initiative and capture the Land. They were told not to by Moshe, and decided to ignore that command.

One second they are advised action is needed to achieve the perfection of Geulah, the next they are told that it won't work; action is forbidden.

Yeshayahu told the people to stand firm, Yehudah would not fall to the kingdom of Ashur.

Yirmiyahu told the people to surrender, rebellion would cause the downfall of Yehudah and the destruction of Yerushalayim.

On Shabbat Chol HaMoed Succot we read Kohelet. In chapter 3, verse 1, we read:

For all there is a time, and a season for every desire under the heavens.

In the Tanach, there is a time to act, and a time to pray. And then Galut Bavel came. How did we know how to act before then? Hashem let us know. But now, the time of prophecy was over. Hashem would no longer direct us how to balance action and reliance on above.

• There are two approaches that we see through the course of Jewish history: Act towards the goals of the Geulah, and if it doesn't work out, then the failure indicates that it isn't Hashem's will
• No need for action, everything will come in a miraculous manner from above

And thus we see in the same Rambam a quote from Shmuel:

There is no difference between this world and the Days of Moshiach except the servitude of the nations (i.e. in the future, we will no longer be subservient to the other nations)

The Raavad again disagrees and says that the Geulah will come in a miraculous manner on the clouds of heaven (quoted from Daniel).

The GR"A says there that both are true:

• The Rambam refers to the Days of Moshiach ben Yosef.
• The Raavad refers to the Days of Moshiach ben David.

The GR"A there is making a big Chiddush. It would seem from a reading of the Rambam and the Raavad there that the Rambam refers to the manner of a "poor man riding on a donkey", meaning the poor-man's Geulah, natural in essence. The Raavad, on the other side of the coin, refers to on "the clouds of heaven", or miraculous Geulah. In Sanhedrin 98a it says if we are Zocheh, it will be on the clouds of heaven, and if not, like a poor man riding a donkey.

The GR"A's chiddush here is that both of them will occur. Zachu and Lo Zachu are not talking about two different scenarios but two different stages of the same scenario. That is our center line, balance between natural and miraculous.

This topic somewhat includes the topic of the Sanhedrin, but I will leave that for another time.

Torah and Science

It is a fact plain to the eye. According to a simple reading of many classic Jewish texts, our tradition is incorrect about science in more than a few instances. The religious Jew generally sees two ways to (actively) approach this problem (as opposed to just saying it doesn't matter).

1. The Torah was given to Chazal, but not science. Modern science can be trusted as being authoritative, as Chazal were simply using the tools of their time. If they would be alive today, they would have adjusted their rulings and statements to be in line with modern science. (Generally, this brings many quotes from the Rambam)
2. All of the words of Chazal are necessarily true and beyond dispute. If there is a conflict between modern science at what we see in Chazal, science is wrong. (Some add to this that science has a dishonest agenda of proving Torah to be false)

I do not want to get in to the details of this dispute, as there are volumes online about it already due to the debate of the ban on Rabbi Slifkin's books. The point here is that these two points of view seem to take themselves as exclusive. Either the findings of science are true, or the statements of Chazal are true. There is no in between.

But there is a center line in Kabbalah. In the book Pitchei Shearim, by Rav Yitzhak Isaac Chaver (a student of Rav Menachem Mendel of Shklov, who was a student of the GR"A), in the last section on Iggulim v'Yosher, Rav Chaver explains the following:

This world can be understood through two points of view, one of Iggulim, of General Providence, Nature, or alternatively of Yosher, Personal/Particular Providence, Miracles.

As an example, we see a statement in the Gemara that the sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and then goes above the Rakia (the firmament, or sky, if you would) in order to make the trip back to the east side of the sky. Whereas the science shows us that the sun is really underneath us during the night.

The Truth, according to what is brought there, is that both are right. Chazal were talking about one thing, the Gentiles were talking about another. Two different perspectives, both correct. The entire idea from Chazal is spiritual in nature and not talking about the physical world. We see this play through to the first blessing before Shma during Maariv, many ideas which have no basis in observable physical reality.

Now this obviously does not directly resolve all of the problems mentioned in this debate, however it is an approach. We do not write off Chazal, nor do we write off science. It is difficult for the laymen who has access to secular education but not the secrets of Kabbalah, and therefore this might seem hard to accept. We must approach these seeming contradictions with the understanding that not everything we see in Chazal is meant to be understood literally, and we cannot always assume that we understand what we read to its fullest extent.

For application of this idea:

The Earth does revolve around the sun, and the sun does revolve around the center of the galaxy, and we are moving away from the center of the universe. However, the place of the Holy of Holies is most definitely the center of the universe. The former statement refers to the physical, whereas the latter to the spiritual. The spot of Kodesh HaKodashim on Har HaBayit is the central physical reference point for spiritual physics.

Birkat HaChamah - More on the Cycle

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

Birkat HaChamah occurs once every 28 years as discussed before. Let me review some of the math.

For these calculations we are assuming a year length of 365.25 days derived from Tekufat Shmuel (That each year is made of 4 equal seasons of 91 days and 7.5 hours. Not scientifically accurate, but remember that physical reality is not the entirety of the existence).

If event X occurs Tuesday night at 6pm (or any time for that matter), the following year, it will occur 30 hours later in the week (7 days * 52 weeks = 364, leaving 1.25 days remainder per year). After 28 years, it will cycle through week to make it back to the starting point. For further illustration, you can create an Excel spreadsheet to show the cycle, Column A being the year #, Column B being the hour of the week (7*24=168 hours per week).

Leave that on the side. We've established a 28 year cycle for the Jewish calendar due to the year length being 365.25 days, aside from the 19 year cycle linking the solar and the lunar years.

However, that is not the way the Gemara and Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer present the creation of the Sun. It is not just that it is the beginning of the Fourth Night, but also at the hour of Shabbtai.

Chazal bring down a cycle of 7 different bodies in our solar system, and tell us that they cycle through in a 7-hour cycle, each one having its own hour of influence. Interestingly enough is that this necessitates another independent cycle within the 28 year cycle. It does not matter what the yearly remainder is in hours (i.e. 365.25 days per year gives us 30 hour remainder, but it doesn't matter if this is 31 hours or 29 hours), the result is a 7-year cycle.

For example: In year 1, Tekufat Nissan fell in Shabbtai. That means that it also fell in Shabbtai in year 8. Shmitah years are (in our time) always in a year that Tekufat Nissan falls in Kokhav.

The difference between the two cycles:

In the 7-year cycle, we mark the 7th year (the end of the cycle), just like the 7th day.

In the 28-year cycle, we mark the 1st year (the beginning of a new cycle).

That is why this year is Shmitah and next year is Birkat HaChamah.

They seem so related, 4 cycles of 7 takes us to the beginning of the next 28 year cycle, yet they are mathematically independent, one based on the year-length, the other based on the hourly-cycle.

Neither is based on anything which is astronomically observable (the actual physical solar year is not 365.25 days long, and there is no observable 7 hour cycle among the planets), yet both are based on objects in our solar system.

The significance of these cycles is great, each cycle's significance is a secret of Torah which I am not here today to reveal. Also note that everything mentioned here is based on the year length and the cycle being based on an integer number of hours. This becomes more glaring in another cycle in Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer.

For further reading:

• Bavli Brachot 59b
• Bavli Eiruvin 56a
• Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer chapter 6-8