Showing posts with label The Great Redemption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Great Redemption. Show all posts

Sunday, May 5, 2013

To Go Home or Stay Put Outside of Israel


The Talmud determines that the Shechinah does not rest outside of the Land (Mo’ed Kattan 25a) – Similarly, it is clear and true that the spirit of purity from above is unable to descend upon us in Chutz LaAretz (Harav Yisachar Shlomo Teichtal zt’l)

The author of Ya’arot Devash writes that all the hardships that befall Israel are due to improper leaders. Ya’arot Devash, vol.1, on the blessing “Return Our Judges”.
The prophet Chaggai cries out: And now, thus says the Lord of Hosts, “Consider your ways (RASHI: meaning, your business). You have sown much, but bring in little; you eat without being satiated….; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and whoever earns wages earns for a bag with a hole. (RASHI: Any profit you make perishes, just like one who places money in a pocket with a hole.” (Chaggai 1:5-7) THE MIDRASH INDICATES that this entire verse refers to those who refuse to ascend to Eretz Yisrael! Midrash Tanchuma, Tetzaveh 13)

The holy R. Eliyahu of Greiditz (whom the author of Nefesh Chayah calls, “the holy rabbi who resembles an angle of the Lord of Hosts,) states… “Furthermore, human intellect dictates that we initiate the process of redeeming the Land, and then HaShem will complete it. One must understand the great importance of this matter, for the evil forces (kelipah) gain strength even among the most righteous individuals in order to nullify this good. The reason there are tzaddikim who oppose this is because the kelipah has become strong within them. It entices them to nullify this great matter for which the Holy One Blessed be He, constantly longs. He longs for us to yearn to return to our forefather’s’ inheritance, for every Jew has an obligation to strive to return to our Holy Land……

Tractate Niddah 70b Tefillia without action – One without the other is insufficient. Prayers must be accompanied by action.
Hidden Motives: Just as the spies had hidden motives the same holds true in our times, even among rabbis, rebbes, and Chassidim. This one has a good rabbinical position; this one is an established Admor, and this one has a profitable business or factory, or a prestigious job which provides great satisfaction. They are afraid that their status will decline if they go to Eretz Yisrael (The author of Sefer HaBrit (Vol. 1, 9:16) writes in a similar vein as he bemoans the lengthiness of our exile.) – page 50 EIM HABANIM SEMEICHAH

RAMBAM’S statement “Israel will only be redeemed through repentance, and the Torah has already promised that Israel will repent at the end of their exile and immediately be redeemed. (Hilchot Teshuva 7:5)

The Rambam …. Before Mashiach comes, HaShem will direct the hearts of Israel and bestow upon them a spirit of purity, and they will ordain the elders…(Commentary to the Mishnah, Sanhedrin 1:3) – [Chatam Sofer states this will occur in Eretz Yisrael; that Rambam implies that the people of Israel will gather together IN Eretz Yisrael (without the Beit HaMikdash) even before Moshiach comes. Mashiach will then inevitably arrive, since the Jews will have already repented. (Derashot Catam Sofer, Sermon of the 27th Elul, 5580 (1820)]
The Yerushalmi which quotes R. Acha as saying, “The Beit HaMikdash will be rebuilt before the reestablishment of the Davidic Dynasty” (Ma’aser Sheini 5:2 [21b].
The Bavli concurs. The Talmud comments on the order of the Shemoneh Esrei (which was authored by the Men of the Great Assembly): “Once Jerusalem is rebuilt, David will arrive, as it says, Afterward, the Children of Israel will return and seek out the Lord their God and David their King. (Megillah 17b-18a).
The holy Zohar says, “When the Congregation of Israel returns to its place, the Holy King will return to His place, to Zion (2:55b) (THUS, FIRST the Congregation of Israel must return to its place, and only then the Holy King will return to Zion.)
RASHI on Hoshea (3:5) cites the following: R. Shimon ben Menassiya said: “The Jewish people will not be shown a good sign until they once again request the kingdom of the House of David, and the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. It is thus written, Afterwards, the Children of Israel will return and seek out the Lord their God and David their king…(Hoshea 3:5)
The rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash will occur (with God’s help) when we assemble in Eretz Yisrael, as explained in Megillah (17b-18a). Afterwards, Mashiach, who represent the kingdom of the House of David, will arrive
The Radak wries: Salvation is solely in the hands of HaShem, and He brings it about through mortals, as He did with Cyrus during the Babylonian exile. In the future, as well, HaShem will bring Isael’s redemption through gentile kings, by inspiriting them to set the Jews free (Radak, Theillim 146:3)
In Sa’adya Gaon’s work, Emunot VeDe’ot. He writes that the Beit HaMikdash will first be built with the permission of the kings of Edom. This will serve as a preparation for the heavenly Beit HaMikdash (Emunot VeDe’ot 8:5)
The Abarbanel concurs: It is possible that the redemption will occur when the kings decide that the Holy Land should return to the people of Israel. He who desires to go up to Eretz Yisrael will do so, like the Jews did after the Babylonian exile. Afterwards, when the Holy City of Jerusalem is rebuilt, all the Jews will ascend together. Abarbanel, Tehillim 147:2.

Rashi comments on the counting of the Levi’im: “The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moshe, “You do your part and I will do Mine.” RASHI, Bemidbar 3:16 This is a fundamental principle IN ALL MATTERS; we must first do our share and then the Holy One Blessed be He will do His.
The Chaver in Sefer HaKuzari states (Kuzari 2:24):…. Divine Providence only appears to a person in proportion to his preparedness for it. If he prepares a little, he will receive a little, if a lot, a lot. If we would be prepared to willingly and wholeheartedly draw near to the G-d of our forefathers, He would save us as He saved our ancestors from Egypt (But since this is not the case), our utterances of “Who restores His presence to Zion” and Bow down at His holy mountain are like the chirping of the birds, for we say these things without proper intent.
Chazal assert that the 2nd redemption should have been everlasting but sin prevented it (Sanhedrin 98b) The Maharsha explains that the sin was that the Jews did not all return to Eretz Yisrael (Maharsha, Yoma 9b, s.v. ke’chomah)

AN UNCLEAN BIRD WILL SIGNAL REDEMPTION – To understand this, the Talmud discusses the unclean/unkosher birds: Racham (VaYikra 11:18) is the sherakrak bird. R. Yochanan said, Why is it calle drachma? Because when the racham comes, mercy (rachamim) comes into the world” (Rashi explains that mercy refers to rain). R. Bibi bar Abaye said, “This only occurs when it perches on something and makes a sherakrak sound” (Rashi explains, “When it chirps, it sounds as if it is saying, ‘sherakrak’”). And, we have a tradition that if it sits on the ground and whistles, Mashiach will come, as it says, I will whistle to them and gather them (Zecharyah 10:8). (Chullin 63a) –
Rashi, on this verse in Zecharyah, explains, “I will whistle to them like one who whistles to those who have lost their way as a signal for them to come towards him. And I will gather them at the time of the future redemption.

What do you say about this, my son?.....why would HaShem bring the tidings of this most awaited event through the likes of an unkosher bird? Why unkosher? Would it not have been more appropriate to do so through kosher birds? – through meritorious and pure individuals? Iyov 11:7 Can you fathom the searching of God? THESE PIONEERS, these nonreligious sinners (God forbid), are God’s messengers! They are in fact the harbingers of redemption. Our holy mentor, the Noam Elimelech calls the sinners of Israel “unclean birds,” and he explains, based on Kabbalah, that they are the unclean birds mentioned in the Torah (Noam Elimelech, VaYikra, p.54 col. 4 (Mossad HaRav Kook, vold.2, p. 291) Therefore IT IS CLEAR that the Sages of the Talmud revealed to us that unclean birds, meaning the sinners of Israel, will bring the sign of redemption.

The Admor of Vizhnitz, the honorable and holy R. Yisrael ztvk’l, who lived in Gorssvardine, did NOT wish to join in the ostracism of the Zionists. He felt that God purposely wanted them to rebuild the Land, because the ruffians (biryonim) destroyed our Land and the Second Temple (See Gittin 56a) Therefore, they must rectify their wrongdoing and rebuild our Land now.  Pg 207 Eim Habanim Semeichah





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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

God Shows His Strength-Wrath - WATCH THIS!

Our Rav Yehuda has brought us another jewel from the Ma'ayanei Hayeshuah of Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap, ztz"l, who says that Hashem built the Creation in such a way that His hand in it would be hidden in the form of nature and that this was to last for six thousand years. That He set the world up so that it would run by a process which begins in a hidden way and concludes with revelation. The example is given of a seed which goes into the ground and when the process of germination is complete, it sprouts out of the ground and reveals itself. So, too, at the end of the six thousand years, as the Redemption draws closer, nature will more and more reveal the Hand of Hashem behind it.
Following is an amazing video of the "natural" events, bordering on the "SUPERnatural", which have occurred during the preceding year. (Just please disregard the three or so NT references since they don't say anything that the Hebrew prophets didn't already say.)




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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

"Where is the Agreement?"

Rabbi Yehoshua Ben-Meir related the following story:

During the Yom Kippur War, I served as an army chaplain in an IDF division in the Golan Heights. It was a terrible war. The battles and the conditions were extraordinarily difficult. Every day we witnessed death before our eyes.

We had been taught in the Mercaz HaRav yeshivah that the redemption is a process, one that grows and advances, progressing from strength to strength. But in this war there was a feeling of retreat. The blow was terrible, the pain was searing. In those trying times, I felt a tremendous need to examine and clarify my beliefs. I needed to understand how this bitter war fit in the process of Israel's redemption.

After two months of fighting at the front, with no showers, in extremely harsh conditions, I received a short leave.

I went straight to Jerusalem. The hour was late, two o'clock in the morning. But I felt an urgent need to speak with the rosh yeshivah, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook. I decided that I would first go to his house. Hesitantly, I knocked on the door of his apartment on Ovadiah Street. The rabbi peeked through the peephole. He immediately opened the door and said, "Give me the document."

Apparently the rabbi was expecting some document from the army. I was so grimy and dirty, I figured he didn't recognize me.

"Rabbi, it's me, Yehoshua Ben-Meir."

"Yes, yes," Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah responded. "Bring the document."

I had no idea what the rabbi was talking about. He took my hand, led me into his room, and sat me down on a chair. Again he insisted, "Show me the paper."

"Rabbi, it's me, Yehoshua Ben-Meir from the yeshiva."

"Yes, I know. The document. Bring me the document."

I was completely baffled. I still figured that the rabbi did not recognize me because of all the grease and dirt.

"'Rabbi, what document are you talking about?"

"You have an agreement with God how the redemption is supposed to take place. And God changed the agreement. So show me the document. Let us examine what is written there, and we will decide."

I heard the rabbi's words, and then - for the first time since the war broke out - I burst out in tears. Tears that released the pain and tension that had accumulated within me, from the horrible events that I had witnessed.

I was amazed how quickly the rabbi had understood me. In those few seconds, from when he saw me through the peephole until I entered the room, he had identified my problem and known the solution.

'Did We Not Learn?'

The rabbi sat with me for a long time, maybe two hours. He took down books from the shelves. Before starting to study, he said, "Perhaps you have not learned this. And if you have, perhaps you did not review it. And if you reviewed, perhaps you forgot. Did we not learn..."

The first book he opened was the commentary of thirteenth-century scholar Rabbeinu Bechaye. After God sent Moses to Egypt to redeem the people, matters only got worse. Moses complained to God, "Why have You made it worse for Your people?" (Ex. 5:22)

On this verse, Rabbeinu Bechaye noted that this situation is not unique to the redemption from Egypt. The future redemption will also be accompanied by many difficulties, by times of darkness that will conceal the light of redemption.

The rabbi opened the Maharal and the Kuzari and the Midrash, reviewing with me various sources. After two hours of study, I came out strengthened. I was armed with the spiritual strength to continue.

Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah had the genius to sense the needs of each student. He could plumb the depths of one's soul and provide the response one needed...

[From Mashmiya Yeshu'ah ('Harbinger of Redemption'), on the life of Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook (1891-1982), the son of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, pp. 357-358]


Comments and inquiries may be sent to: mailto:RavKookList@gmail.com
http://ravkooktorah.org - Rav A.I. Kook on the Weekly Parasha

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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Soon and Very Soon - Moshiach!


It's not as if we're completely in the dark. The Jewish nation actually knows quite a bit about what's coming up. That's why the Jews are always optimistic in spite of our challenges.The 14 Essential
Elements of
Future Days

Don Isaac Ben Judah Abarbanel (1437-1508) was a Jewish statesmen and scholar. He lived during the idyllic age of Spanish Jewry before the exile of 1492 (Spanish Inquisition). By his late twenties, The Abarbanel — a descenant of King David — was recognized as a learned and prominent member of Lisbon's Jewish community, having written books on various facets of Jewish philosophy. He also wrote a commentary on the Haggadah and three books on the subject of the Messiah.

One of his works, Mashmia Yeshuah contains a list of 14 "essential elements" of the future "redemption" (see sidebar --> ) of the Jewish nation gleaned from the Prophets..

And now, here are the 14 Essential Elements that will happen as we move closer to the days when God and the Jewish people become one again.

The 14 Essential Elements of the Jewish Redemption

WHAT WAS SAID?BY WHOM?

1
GOD WILL TAKE REVENGE UPON THE IDOLATERS. What is an "Idolator"? Back in Bible-days there were people who used statues of wood or metal as the focus for occult practices. They were not stupid people — they were evil people. They were learned in methods of using forces of Touma (impurity). God put forces of Touma in the world as tests/temptations for people to reject them. So, these idolaters decided it was more beneficial for them to use these forces for whatever pleasure or protection the forces of Touma provided. But this is forbidden to the Jews. We look to God only for all of our needs. And God instructs us to be ever-mindful that He alone determines every aspect of existence. Does idol worship exist today? It has been suggested that money and materialism is almost like idol worship, when a person stops praying to God for his life's needs and instead puts his efforts in acquiring wealth and possesions to solidify his standing. God wants us to depend on Him for our security and to amplify our God connection through prayer, Jewish studies, acts of kindness and all the mitzvot we can do.So prophesied almost all of the prophets — there were 48 of them!



2
THE REVENGE AGAINST EDOM WILL BE GREATER THAN THE OTHER NATIONS and there will be no remnant of the house of Esau (Edom): Ovadyah 1:18. There are (were) 4 great empires or world cultures; Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. Babylon was destroyed, Persia was taken over and vanished, and Greece was assimilated into Rome. That leaves us today with many world cultures of Roman origin and with Roman "values" that place 'outer-form' over 'inner-content' But the Torah commands Jews to place special emphasis on developing rich inner-lives and deep connections to God. So now we can understand why the idealism of the Jewish people conflicts with "Western Culture". These cultures are destined for an attitude change when God reveals his desires to the world.Prophesied Yeshayah, Yoel, Amos, Ovadyah, Michah & Chavkkuk



3
THE JEWISH PEOPLE WILL BE REDEEMED and return from their exile. From the time of the destruction of the 2nd Temple, around the year 70 CE (3828 years from Creation) the Jewish people were scattered ("exiled") to the four corners of the globe, settling in widely dispersed places. This was all in God's plan, in part so that His people could be a positive influence on all of humanity. When the time arrives we'll all be gathered back to Jerusalem for the next era in world history.Prophesied Yeshayah, Yirmiah, Yechezkel, Hoshea, Yoel, Amos, Ovadyah, Michah, Chavkkuk, Tzefanyah, Chaggai, Zecharyah, & Malachi



4
THE TEN LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL WILL BE RETURNED from their exile. After the death of King Solomon, Israel is split into two countries Israel in the north, and Judea in the south. The 10 tribes that lived in the north countries are eventually carried into exile by the Assyrians (more than 2,700 years, 8th century B.C.E.), and scattered into Irag, Persia and Afganastan. They assimilated into other cultures and were lost. At the end of days they will return.Prophesied Yeshayah, Yirmiah, Yechezkel, Hoshea, Ovadyah, Michah & Tzefanyah



5
THE FINAL REDEMPTION WILL BE SIMILAR TO OUR EXODUS FROM EGYPT
  • No Jew will be left in exile
  • Our oppressors will be destroyed
  • The redemption will be with miracles and through a great prophet (like Moshe in Egypt)
  • God will do a miracle similar to the splitting of the sea
  • Prophesied Yeshayah, Hoshea, Zecharyah & Michah



    6
    THE REDEMPTION WILL OCCUR AT THE APPOINTED TIME despite the fact that there may be Jews who do not deserve to be redeemed. This means that no matter how many mistakes or "sins" the Jews make in their lives it won't affect God's timetable. He has a plan for the world, and that plan (story) will be played out no matter what. Understand it this way; This world is a story. From God's point of view, since he is outside the "system of time", He sees all history as a complete entity — a complete story. But for us, who are living within the system of time we just experience this story day by day. At Creation God made a "schedule", and nothing will alter it. At the appropriate time, evil doers will be destroyed and the righteous will come to the Land of Israel and inherit its greatness.Prophesied Yeshayah, Yoel, Michah, Chavkkuk, Tzefanyah & Zecharyah



    7
    THE REDEMPTION WILL FOLLOW PROLONGED SUFFERING in the exile. We were scattered amongst the other nations after the destruction of the 2nd Temple, and it's been a long, hard exile under the tyranny of powerful and oppressive world forces. Our sages explain the purpose in our suffering is the development of character traits and refinements that our challenges bring to us. The war of Gog and Magog is a part of the end of days, and may be one of the sources for the suffering mentioned here.Prophesied Yeshayah, Yirmiah, Chavkkuk & Tzefanyah



    8
    THE DIVINE PRESENCE (SHECHINAH) WILL RETURN TO DWELL AMONG THE JEWS EVEN MORE FULLY THAN AT MOUNT SINAI. To put it another way, the Jewish people, who during the era of the Two Temples (offsite info. on the Beit HaMikdash) had an open and visible spiritual role in world affairs will once again regain their favored nation status and a new world era will have begun. Included in this is the age of the Messiah (Moshiach) who will arrive on the world scene to set things straight, and eliminate the conflict between people's good nature and their lower "animal" nature. That means no more wars, no more conflict between people. And this was promised to the world community by God, and given over to us through the words of the Jewish Prophets — who else? The spirit of Prophecy will return to those who are prepared for it and the entire Jewish people will have limitless wisdom and knowledge. Therefore teaching will cease, because the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God (Yeshayah 11:9)Prophesied Yeshayah, Yirmiah, Hoshea, Yoel, Ovadyah, Michah, Chavkkuk, Tzefanyah, Chaggai & Zecharyah



    9
    THE JEWS WHO ASSIMILATED WILL RETURN TO GOD. Whether because of compulsion, coercion, persuasion, etc. everyone on the planet will get a big wake-up, adjust their lives and return to God with all their heart. It's really good news and we're all praying it happens soon and peacefully — but the world's present situation is troubling. This website was created to educate people and tip the scales in favor of a wonderful, peaceful transition. The more people know about the Jewish future the more they can create a grassroots effort to make this world work smoothly and peacefully.Prophesied Yeshayah



    10
    A KING WILL REIGN FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WILL REST UPON HIM. And this is the Earthly leader of it all — the Messiah (Moshiach). And we've been waiting for him for thousands of years. The Messiah will administer justice and his laws will be obeyed throughout the world. Did you know Messianic beliefs were a Jewish concept before anyone else got a hold of them?Prophesied Yeshayah, Yirmiah, Yechezkel, Hoshea, Amos & Zecharyah



    11
    THE REDEMPTION WILL BE PERMANENT.World history has been winding up to this point in time, all world events have been organized for this purpose. God will purify the hearts of the Jews and they will never return to foolishness or sin. That means that at this time our hearts are very much influenced and swayed by factors of this physical world. At this point it can't be any other way. But as the world transforms to a more spiritual place, God will actually remove from our human heart and psyche the tendency for evil. Eternally righteous, the Jewish people will inherit the land forever (Yeshayah 60:21).Prophesied Yeshayah, Yirmiah, Yoel, Amos, Michah, Tzefanyah & Zecharyah



    12
    THE MAJORITY OF THE REMAINING NATIONS WILL ACCEPT AND SERVE GOD AND TURN TO HIS TORAH. When God makes "big noises" in the world some folks get the message and some don't. On 9/11 when the Twin Towers fell some people understood God did that for a reason, and some people are still in denial that God is even around. But as we move closer to the end of this stage of history our Prophets and Sages tell us there will be more big noises and the world leaders will be forced to finally accept the whole package, God, Torah and the Jews.Prophesied Yeshayah, Hoshea, Yoel, Tzefanyah, Zecharyah & Malachi



    13
    THERE WILL BE PEACE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. "And they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears; no nation will raise up a sword to another and none will learn the art of war anymore" (Yeshayah 2:4). It's the promise of a world without war that we've all been waiting for. But in order to have it, you've got to have God along with it to persuade us all that life is serious enough to save and cherish. Before, all the anti-war movements wanted a peaceful world but without a moral imperitive. That means people wanted freedom to do whatever they wanted to, without the admission that there is God, and He expects humans to be aware of Him and yes, to pray.Prophesied Yeshayah & Chaggai



    14
    THE WORTHY DEAD WILL BE RESURRECTED. Would you have thought it's a Jewish concept? When God sees fit, those people who developed themselves sufficiently will come back to live in the perfected world community — the world free of lower, evil influences. We don't know too much about this — we can't — yet. But it was promised to us by the Prophets and this concept is woven throughout all Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah.

    SOURCE
    Prophesied Yeshayah, Yechezkel & Malachi



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