Preparing for Geula

A few years before making aliyah, I belonged to a group of women who met regularly to discuss the impending geula. These were women who, like me, followed the blogs and the dvrei Torah and the rumblings in our own souls that told us something big was happening in the world.

Back then, I truly felt something was imminent. But, of course, three years later, daily life is pretty much still unredeemed.

The Rambam reminds us that belief in the coming redemption is one of the 13 principles of the faithful Jew: "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah. Even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come." 

At the same time, I totally get why some people have the attitude of, "I'll believe it when I see it." Because how many times in Jewish history have we been assured that Moshiach, and thus the final redemption of the Jewish people, is imminent? And how many times have our hopes been dashed?

For awhile after this intense period a few years ago, things got quieter in the world of geula watchers. The Geula Watch listserv that I moderate slowed way down, from a high of 130 messages a month to a low of 2 messages a month. Like many others, I turned my attention to other things.

Ah, but today, things are heating up again. Iran (previously known as Persia) makes no secret of their threat to wipe the "Zionist regime" off the map. Today, we are just a week away from the holiday of Purim when, in the time of the Persian empire, the Jews were saved from Haman's threat to annihilate us all. How extraordinarily coincidental eerie significant it seems that the Jewish people are threatened again from the very same place. Indeed, there are voices predicting something very big coming very soon, even that Israel is facing war with Iran in the very near future, a war that could be the catalyst for the war of Gog u'Magog.

There are Torah lectures that bring example after example of sources predicting that this year, the Jewish year 5772, will be the year we meet Moshiach.

There are projects designed to help us bring the geula with compassion.

There are increasingly urgent calls for the Jews in the diaspora to make aliyah or at least to prepare spiritually for what's coming.

In short, there's a lot of talk, a lot of predictions, a lot of energy in certain circles of the Jewish world focused on the impending geula.

I'm just a simple Jew. How can I know whether we are really living in the last days of the world as we have always known it? Perhaps we really, truly are on the precipice of a time when, in the wake of the revelation of Moshiach and the complete redemption of the Jewish people, the whole world will come to believe in the God of the Jewish people, as we pray, "Before You Hashem our God, they will bend every knee and cast themselves down and to the glory of Your Name they will render homage, and they will all accept upon themselves the yoke of Your kingship that You may reign over them soon and eternally."

But maybe it's all just a lot of hype and the world will continue as it has for a long time to come.

Rabbi Dr Abraham Twerski teaches that there is, ultimately, nothing bad in the world. There may be things that are bitter, just as medicine that heals us is sometimes bitter, but bitter is not the same as bad. So if Moshiach doesn't reveal himself by the end of this summer, and if I sit in shul on Rosh Hashana in an as-yet unredeemed world, it will be bitter, but I must believe it will not be bad.

On the other hand, we are promised in the Torah that eventually, we will greet Moshiach. Nu, maybe "eventually" really is going to be very soon.

So, to prepare, I'm nudging myself along the path of spiritual growth. I took on an additional daily prayer. I'm deleting the daily emails that offer free, and often cheesy, novels to read on my Kindle. In general, I'm trying to cut down on the vacuous things in my life and replace them with more substance. I'm learning more Torah. I'm thinking about God more. Trying to be nicer to the people in my life. Trying to talk to God more, praying for the safety of my family in turbulent times and for the opportunity to live in holiness. Strengthening emuna.

So even if, God forbid a bajillion times, the entire rest of my life, I will live with the unceasing undercurrent of messianic anticipation, at least I will have spent my time growing toward God.

Rabbi Nir ben Artzi - Parshat Terumah 5772

Rabbi Nir ben Artzi  Parshat Terumah

A Message to Am Yisrael in the Land and throughout the world

The Master of the world is a good Father and the most compassionate Being in the entire world! All the disturbances experienced by Am Yisrael – the pressures, the concerns, the worries: “what will the day bring?” “what will be?” “where will we go?” – the Holy One has gathered together and on the great day of Purim, all will be transformed for the good! Am Yisrael will see great miracles! All things that were thought of as impossible – things that a person cannot believe will happen – the Holy One will transform all of it into happiness and great joy for Am Yisrael this coming Purim! Like the miracle performed for the Jews on Purim, the miracle of “and everything turned around” that we recall every year, all will see with their own eyes “that everything turned around” for the benefit of Am Yisrael! For good and for benefit! Every year at Purim time, the miracle of “and everything turned around” recurs like during the first Purim, so that we should all recall the strength and might of the Creator, and what He does, and how much he does good and only good for the Holy Am Yisrael!

When Jewish people speak with truth and righteousness, they gain the upper hand! They stand squarely with the Holy One below on earth as well as in the heavens above! When a person doesn’t commit forgery, or lie or misrepresent and speaks only the truth – this is the greatest happiness for the Creator of the world! Telling the truth is often hard but it solves all the problems in heaven and on earth and for the individual himself!

The Holy One taunts around the world and reveals – and will continue to reveal – all the “designs” of every person in the entire world. If they are Jews – they must repent immediately! Every one of Bnei Yisrael should have full faith in the Holy One and not in other nations! We must not rely on any other nation in the world – only on our Father in heaven – there is none other than Him!

The Holy One shows the entire world – and most importantly – to Jews, open miracles in every place, in order that Jews should understand that the hand of God is in everything – nothing is coincidence!

Iran and Hamas are planning acts among themselves. Their desire is to tease, in their own ways, the State of Israel, in order to make, God forbid, difficult troubles for Am Yisrael, so that Am Yisrael will involve itself in small things and thereby forget the big things!

The world finds itself in great fear constantly! Earthquakes, floods, storms, extreme heat and cold – and in Eretz Yisrael there is blessed rain, healing rain! The Holy One has released and continues to release powers in the world in stages, striking in place after place, with the purpose of dismantling an evil world, and so that the Jews should come to Eretz Yisrael immediately! The world economy is not working, is in disarray, and will remain so everywhere in the world except that of holy Eretz Yisrael! It will be written in the papers and publicized throughout the media, that the world economy is falling apart and sinking -  and in Eretz Yisrael the economy is rising and abundant! It’s a shame that workers in Eretz Yisrael go one strike! They bring only embarrassment and damage to Am Yisrael! Striking is the method of the goyim! We should not learn from them! They have nothing to lose! Jews are the children of the Master of the world! There are laws in the holy Eretz Yisrael! In the holy Eretz Yisrael there are experts for these matters, experts who labor on behalf of Am Yisrael! There is a leader for the State of Israel! We must be able to discuss and debate without strikes and protests. With dialogue there are listening ears wanting to find the best solutions! Force does not work in this world – only absolute truth prevails! There are ways to accomplish things pleasantly and nicely without the ways of the goyim who strike and protest! The bottom line is – we are all Jews and brothers and we have nowhere else to go! We cannot rely on any other nation in the world – only on our Father in heaven and Am Yisrael – the Jews!

A month ago we said that hatred of Jews will increase, and now we can say – the hatred of Jews will never cease until the last Jew comes to live in the holy Eretz Yisrael! It is sealed and closed in heaven – there will be a flash of hatred against the Jews and antisemitism all around the world! There is no alternative – only in this manner will the real Jews come to understand that they must come immediately and without delay to the holy Eretz Yisrael! With desire, without desire – in the end it will be for their good! So it is sealed in Heaven and so it will be! Increasing antisemitism will not cease until the last Jew comes to live in the holy Eretz Yisrael!

Translation provided by Rabbi Elan Adler.

 

 

 

Delights

Walking home from work tonight, I was tempted to take off my jacket. It was that warm. I felt thankful for the hint, even if it's more of a tease, that spring is certainly coming. It got me thinking about the things I see every day that delight me and make me feel thankful to live in Israel.

On the train yesterday, I stood across from a young Arab woman wearing skinny jeans and a pale blue hijaab headscarf that wound all around her head and neck. She had a beautiful young face with an extremely heavy application of makeup, more like stage makeup or face paint. I'm no expert, but I understand it's a custom in certain Arab women's circles. There's even a YouTube channel called MakeUpAdikt with videos made by an English-speaking Arab woman on how to apply heavy makeup in this style.




In 2005, during the time of the disengagement from Gush Katif, it was common to see orange ribbons on cars, knapsacks and windows. 

We still have one on our rear view mirror. There are rare today, but not wholly absent. On the bus on Tuesday, there was a man in his late-50s. Clearly a hard-working man with a physical job, wearing blue cotton pants, dusty with soot, and a torn blue work shirt. As he stepped off the bus, I noticed that, tied to the handle of his lunchbox, was an orange ribbon. Made me smile to see it in such an incongruous place.

Riding the bus into Jerusalem another morning this week, I looked up from my Tehillim, saw a lone camel on a hill in the distance and marveled at how camels are something of an ordinary site when you live in the Middle East.

Not the exact camel I saw, but you get the idea.

Some other small things that delight me about living in Israel:

Medjool dates grown in Israel. They may look homely, but they taste like something magical from Gan Eden. And the bracha after eating them refers specifically to the fruits of Israel.

Hand-delivered simcha invitations. A uniquely-Israeli custom.

Taking the light rail from the bus station to the shuk, shopping at the shuk, taking the light rail back to the bus station and onto a bus home for the same NIS 6.60 fare (about $1.75)

The colors, sounds and smells of shopping at the shuk, an experience that never, never, never gets old.

My husband faithfully mops the floors every Friday afternoon for Shabbat.

The way Israelis encourage one another during tough times.

The view into Jerusalem from our mirpeset.

I only need open my eyes and look up. There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

Guest Post: The Courage to Tell the Truth

Rabbi Nachman Kahana has long been one of my rabbinic heroes. In his parsha commentary this week, he responded to a certain rav's comments last week about the seriousness of the Iranian threat.

What I always appreciate about Rabbi Kahana is how unhesitatingly clear he is about his perspective. In this dvar Torah, he critiques the comments made last week in Boro Park.

GUEST POST by Rabbi Nachman Kahana

BS”D Parashat Terumah Rosh Chodesh Adar 5772

We find in our holy sources a much quoted principle:

יש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת

One may acquire his place in the next world through one dramatic act (of kiddush HaShem, sanctification of the Holy Name).

And its reverse:

ויש מאבד את עולמו בשעה אחת

One can lose his place in the next world through one dramatic act (of chillul HaShem,desecration of the Holy Name).

The following is an incident in the life of one man who had in his hands the opportunity to acquire a huge portion in the world to come with one single act, but faltered at the last leap of faith.

I was informed by e-mail of a prominent rav in the galut of America who called his congregation to a “non-scheduled” mid-week meeting to discuss the silence of American orthodox Jews in the face of a potential war with Iran.

I was told that the rabbi is a good man, frum and dedicated to his calling. But after reading his message, I believe that he and many other religious leaders there have, unfortunately, “missed the boat”.

The indentations the rabbi’s words, the wider lines are my comments.

The good rabbi said:

"Why are we quiet? Where is the awakening? Why is everyone so apathetic?... Everyone is busy with narishkeiten, we don't hear the alarm? We don't know that we have to pierce the heavens for rachamim from the Ribbono Shel Olam?"

"Everyone knows that there is currently a growing danger from Iran - and it is a great error for whoever does not know this. "Why should a Yid not know what is happening to [other] Yidden? Everyone must know what is happening in regard to other Yidden. Everyone must know what is happening in Eretz Yisrael."

Indeed, we must pray to HaShem. But can any thinking, learned Jew take seriously the idea that the tefilos coming out of 13th Avenue in Boro Park, or President Street in Crown Heights or even Forest Ave. in Lakewood N.J. have an iota of influence in the Shamayim on the fate of the holy Jews in Yerushalayim and Eretz Yisrael?

The person who sent me the speech added that the rabbi, “began talking this past Shabbos about the dangers from the Iran crisis, when he stopped and said that it was not a subject to discuss on Shabbos. He said he would continue the topic during the week.”

That postponement certainly contributed to emphasizing before the congregation the “clear and present danger” to Am Yisrael.

The letter writer continued, “The last time he (the rabbi) called for a special asifah (gathering) during the week to discuss current events was in 1991, prior to the Gulf War. Rav... started his address, which was carried live by Kol Halashon, with the famous Rambam, who writes that it is a mitzvah to daven during troubled times. "If you don't daven," the Rambam says, "then it is a cruelty, since it will get worse."

I am happy to learn that from 1991 until the present there was peace and serenity in the Holy Land, with no major issues, in the rabbi’s view, to bring before the community consciousness.

"The leader in Iran says clearly - he repeated it this week - that he wants to kill, Rachmana litzlan, every Yid in the world, just like Haman... If he will be successful, chas v'shalom, in getting the nuclear bomb - and experts say he will have it by the summer - it will be a great danger for Klal Yisrael."

"A good part of the world's Jews live in Israel, and the government there says that they will attack Iran first, before they could get the nuclear bomb. If that happens, everyone knows that that will cause a world war." The rabbi quoted Harav Yosef Rosenblum, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivah Shaarei Yosher who said, “... that during this eis tzarah, Hashem is judging us on every klal and on every prat (every principle and every detail)”.

The rabbi continues:

"We don't have to be in a panic... Hashem will perform miracles for us. But efsher takeh. Maybe the time for the Geulah (redemption) has arrived. We must prepare for the Geulah. Hashem has performed great miracles for the Yidden. Eretz Yisrael, which today hosts most of the world's Yidden and most of the Torah world, merited supernatural siyatta diShmaya during its wars. When the Palestinians shoot missiles from Gaza, they land mostly in empty areas and cause little damage. When then-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein shot 39 Scud missiles during the Gulf War, only one Yid was killed - that man had previously received a klalah (curse) from the Chazon Ish.”

I can’t verify that the man who was killed was cursed by the Chazon Ish; I believe that he was born after the Chazon Ish passed away. But the rabbi is correct that it was a time of great miracles for the holy Jews in Eretz Yisrael. I know.  I, my wife, children and grandchildren lived through it, as we have done with all the wars here in the past 50 years.

The rabbi continues:

"This a hashgachah niflaah that is reserved only for Yidden who learn Torah, who keep the mitzvos and who will ultimately do teshuvah,"

Correct. HaShem blessed the Yidden who “learn Torah, who keep the mitzvos," etc., so much so, that the nearest missile to the yeshivos in the USA was 10,000 kilometers away.   

The rabbi said,

 "Hashem wants to do nissim for us. Israel is surrounded by 300 million Arabs and WE are still there; that means Hashem wants to do yeshuos. We must prepare for yeshuos."

“Israel is surrounded by 300 million Arabs and WE are still there”.

Interesting that the rabbi is capable of being in two places at one time.

But just like Eliyahu had to daven on Har Hacarmel even though Hashem had already promised to bring rain, Hashem still wants the tefillos of Klal Yisrael today, even though He had promised to bring yeshuos. In order to qualify for these miracles, the Rav... said,

“We must strengthen in Torah, tefillah and chessed. He specifically suggested saying Tehillim 46 every day, adding that he is asking his own kehillah to have the kapitel printed out and stuck to the back of every siddur. During the Suez campaign in 1956, the Belzer Rebbe asked that people say that particular kapitel, since it is a segulah to prevent warfare. “

I wonder. In the year leading up to the military miracle of the Megila, when the Jews had to defend themselves on the 13th and 14th of Adar, did they just say Tehillim 46 or did they also train for warfare?

"Everyone has to be mispallel (pray) that Klal Yisrael should be saved from chevlei Moshiach, that he and his family should be saved".

Here lies the great divide. I also pray for my family. But my family includes not only our son who is a senior officer in Tzahal and our grandchildren who are soldiers. It also includes Shimon, the son of a good friend who is in a tank battalion, and Yankele, the grandson of another friend who pilots an F-15I, and all the other holy soldiers defending our Jewish homeland in the air, on the land, on the sea and below.

The rabbi continued,

“Yidden should keep in mind that we live in momentous times, and we should prepare for the upcoming era with emunah and bitachon. In the next couple of weeks there will be news," Rav... said, "and with the help of Hashem, it will be good news for Yidden”.

In these tumultuous times of danger to world Jewry, can any erudite and sincere Torah person believe that HaShem will bring about huge miracles in order to permit the Jewish communities in the galos to continue in their ignorant bliss? The miracles will be directed to bringing the confused people of the galos back to Eretz Yisrael.

As the prophet Yecheskel states (36:22-24):

לכן אמר לבית ישראל כה אמר ה' ה' לא למענכם אני עשה בית ישראל כי אם לשם קדשי אשר חללתם בגוים אשר באתם שם:

וקדשתי את שמי הגדול המחלל בגוים אשר חללתם בתוכם וידעו הגוים כי אני ה' נאם ה' ה' בהקדשי בכם לעיניהם:

ולקחתי אתכם מן הגוים וקבצתי אתכם מכל הארצות והבאתי אתכם אל אדמתכם:

“Therefore say to the House of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.

I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I sanctify through you before their eyes.

For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

Now, had the rabbi concluded his address by stating, “Our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael are facing enormous dangers on the scale of a modern day Purim. Therefore, dear students and congregants, I and my family are leaving this week to join the Yidden in Eretz Yisrael. As Moshe Rabbeinu when he said to the tribes of Reuven and Gad (Bamidbar 32:6)

... האחיכם יבאו למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה:

Will your brothers come out to war while you remain here?”

Had the good rabbi taken that leap of faith, he and his family would have been among the heroes of our people whom our rabbis qualified as:

יש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת

One may acquire his place in the next world through one dramatic act (of kiddush HaShem, sanctification of the Holy Name).

משנכנס אדר מרבים בזשמחה

With the advent of the month of Adar we increase the joy in our lives

May we merit to see the destruction of our enemies, who are also the enemies of people of good will the world over.

And just as the miracles at the time of Mordechai and Esther paved the way for the Second Bet Hamikdash, so too may the present events in our lives result in the building of the Bet Hamikdash on the Temple Mount, the restoration of the Davidic Monarchy, the reconvention of the Sanhedrin, the return of all Jews to Eretz Yisrael and the possession of all Eretz Yisrael according to the Biblical boundaries.

Shabbat Shalom ve’Chodesh Tov ve’Samaiach

Nachman Kahana

On The Cusp of Geula

After Shabbat, my husband wanted to go to Kever Rachel to pray for success on an upcoming business venture. It still leaves me breathless that we can hop into the car and, in less time than it takes me to commute to work, we can pull into the free parking lot and step into the recent, lavishly renovated building that surrounds Kever Rachel.

By comparison, getting to the Kotel is much more complicated. Parking in the Old City can be very difficult. The distant walk from the parking to the Kotel plaza in cold and rainy weather can be uncomfortable. For all these reasons, praying indoors at Kever Rachel seemed much more appealing.

This is the classic image of Kever Rachel, located on the outskirts of Beit Lechem, the Arab controlled city that non-Jews call Bethlehem just outside of Jerusalem. Kever Rachel doesn't look anything like this today.

We have visited Kever Rachel several times over the years. Each time, the entrance is somewhat reconfigured.

Today, the entrance is fortified by huge concrete walls. To enter the area of the kever from the main road, one must drive down a long, womb-like path with high walls on either side. It feels like entering a prison or a well-guarded military base. This is the sad downside to visiting Mama Rachel. Nevertheless, I am able to imagine the joy we will feel when the day comes that God will save us from our enemies and we will be free to tear down these walls.

For now, it's a reality of life in Israel, just like being stopped outside the mall while the police check on a report of a hefetz chashood - an abandoned package that may contain a bomb. This actually happened to us after we left Kever Rachel and went to make a few purchases at Office Depot. From the highly spiritual to the mundane...

Sitting in the kever, I spoke to no one except God, reciting the eight chapters of Tehillim that I say every day. I requested blessings for those I love. And then I began to speak to God about geula.

For years, I've been moderating a yahoo group called Geula Watch which posts articles that relate to the themes of redemption, Moshiach and kibbutz galuyot. I am a kli - a welcoming receptacle for every tiny hint, every bit of news and every Torah source that points to the possibility that we may be on the cusp of Redemption. I have felt something shifting for the past three or four years and the feeling has only increased in recent weeks and months.

Everything today seems to hinge on Iran (Persia/Paras), the location of the Purim redemption that occurred 2400 years ago. The exquisite irony of the Jewish calendar rapidly approaching Purim does not escape notice.

So there I am, among prayerful Jewish women who came out on a cold, windy, rainy Saturday night to pray at the tomb of Mother Rachel, considering that maybe, maybe this really is IT and asking God to help me grapple with what this might mean on a practical level.

How should I prepare my kids?

What will happen to the people I love who don't yet live in Israel?

Will we have to go to work anymore?

Should we keep making future plans?

Will this be the last Pesach in Jewish history?

What will life feel like when the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, is vanquished?

Will we spend all our time learning Torah?

Will Moshiach communicate with us through email (moshiach@moshiach.org) and Facebook?

Will all the sick and injured be healed?

Will I see my father and my grandparents again?

How should I set things straight in our economic life?

Will the bill I pay in tashlumim (monthly payments) be cancelled?

Will I even have to worry about money anymore?

Am I, and all Jews alive today, really and truly the reincarnated souls of those who were alive at the time of the Exodus from Egypt?

What will happen to all our enemies?

Is the world going to change so much in the the next six months that life as we know it will eventually become a distant memory?

What will we have to lose before we reach the stage of eternal peace?

If you stop for just a moment to ponder it, the implications of actually being on the cusp of geula boggle the mind.

Time To Say Tehillim Chapter 46

I saw this article a few times yesterday, on different blogs and in several emails forwarded to me. I have to admit, I'm not familiar with HaRav Moshe Wolfson, but his affiliation with Torah Vodaas means that he is a Torah leader that many people take very, very seriously. It isn't that he's saying anything that others haven't been saying for weeks, months and years before. But he is a new voice in the geula conversation, representing a different segment of world Jewry being awakened. I wish he would have said something about the urgency of making aliyah, but even without that, it's refreshing to hear this message come from the yeshiva world.

'WHY ARE WE SILENT?' HARAV MOSHE WOLFSON ASKS

By Yochonon Donn  BROOKLYN - Harav Moshe Wolfson, shlita, spoke Tuesday night in a rare mid-week assembly for his kehillah, Emunas Yisroel in Boro Park, asking bluntly why there is no greater uproar within the community over the potential for war over Iran's nuclear ambitions. "Why are we quiet? Where is the awakening? Why is everyone so apathetic?" asked Rav Wolfson, who is also mashgiach of Yeshivah Torah Vodaath. "Everyone is busy with narishkeiten, we don't hear the alarm? We don't know that we have to pierce the heavens for rachamim from the Ribbono Shel Olam?" Rav Wolfson told the packed beis medrash of nearly 1,000 people that the potential for a war encompassing Iran, Israel, Europe and the United States over the next few weeks is a real one, and Klal Yisrael must prepare itself spiritually. "Everyone knows that there is currently a growing danger from Iran - and it is a great error for whoever does not know this," Rav Wolfson said. "Why should a Yid not know what is happening to [other] Yidden? Everyone must know what is happening in regard to other Yidden. Everyone must know what is happening in Eretz Yisrael." Rav Wolfson began talking this past Shabbos about the dangers from the Iran crisis, when he stopped and said that it was not a subject to discuss on Shabbos. He said he would continue the topic during the week. The last time he called for a special asifah during the week to discuss current events was in 1991, prior to the Gulf War. Rav Wolfson started his address, which was carried live by Kol Halashon, with the famous Rambam, who writes that it is a mitzvah to daven during troubled times. "If you don't daven," the Rambam says, "then it is a cruelty, since it will get worse." "The leader in Iran says clearly - he repeated it this week - that he wants to kill, Rachmana litzlan, every Yid in the world, just like Haman," Rav Wolfson said. "If he will be successful, chas v'shalom, in getting the nuclear bomb - and experts says he will have it by the summer - it will be a great danger for Klal Yisrael." "A good part of the world's Jews live in Israel, and the government there says that they will attack Iran first, before they could get the nuclear bomb. If that happens, everyone knows that that will cause a world war." Rav Wolfson said that he heard that Harav Yosef Rosenblum, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivah Shaarei Yosher, spoke recently about the crisis with Iran - he said that during this eis tzarah, "Hashem is judging us on every klal and on every prat." Rav Wolfson quoted the Pesikta, who says that the year when Moshiach will come all nations will battle each other. The spark that will set it off, according to the Medrash, will be when the king of Paras - which is modern-day Iran - will threaten "Arabia," presumably Saudi Arabia, such as is happening today. Arabia will go for an alliance with Edom - the culture of Edom is today's Western world, Europe and United States. Paras will then destroy the world and the Yidden will be thrown into turmoil. Hashem will then say: "Do not fear, the time for your Geulah has come." Rav Wolfson noted how eerily similar this Medrash is to what is occurring today. "We don't have to be in a panic," Rav Wolfson said, "Hashem will perform miracles for us. But efsher takeh. Maybe the time for the Geulah has arrived. We must prepare for the Geulah." Rav Wolfson said that since the Holocaust, Hashem has performed great miracles for the Yidden. Eretz Yisrael, which today hosts most of the world's Yidden and most of the Torah world, merited supernatural siyatta diShmaya during its wars. When the Palestinians shoot missiles from Gaza, they land mostly in empty areas and cause little damage. When then-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein shot 39 Scud missiles during the Gulf War, only one Yid was killed - that man had previously received a klalah from the Chazon Ish. "This a hashgachah niflaah that is reserved only for Yidden who learn Torah, who keep the mitzvos and who will ultimately do teshuvah," Rav Wolfson said. "Hashem wants to do nissim for us. Israel is surrounded by 300 million Arabs and we are still there; that means Hashem wants to do yeshuos. We must prepare for yeshuos." But just like Eliyahu had to daven on Har Hacarmel even though Hashem had already promised to bring rain, Hashem still wants the tefillos of Klal Yisrael today, even though He had promised to bring yeshuos. In order to qualify for these miracles, Rav Wolfson said, we must strengthen in Torah, tefillah and chessed. He specifically suggested saying Tehillim 46 every day, adding that he is asking his own kehillah to have the kapitel printed out and stuck to the back of every siddur. During the Suez campaign in 1956, the Belzer Rebbe asked that people say that particular kapitel, since it is a segulah to prevent warfare. "Everyone has to be mispallel that Klal Yisrael should be saved from chevlei Moshiach, that he and his family should be saved," he said. Rav Wolfson also spoke about kevias ittim for Torah, not interrupting even "if the cell phone rings." "I heard from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zt"l, that when a Yid sits down to learn it should be like Shabbos," Rav Wolfson said. "That is the only time that one is pattur from work." "In a beis medrash it is Shabbos. ... If someone interrupts his learning and he picks up the phone, he brings the marketplace, he brings the office into Shabbos. He is mechallel the Shabbos." But above all, Rav Wolfson said, Yidden should keep in mind that we live in momentous times, and we should prepare for the upcoming era with emunah and bitachon. "In the next couple of weeks there will be news," Rav Wolfson said, "and with the help of Hashem, it will be good news for Yidden."

 

Rabbi Nir ben Artzi - Parshat Mishpatim 5772

Rabbi Nir ben Artzi Parshat Mishpatim

A Message to Am Yisrael in the land and throughout the world

The Master of the world is stirring up the entire world, and the world is shaking off all of its evil outer layers. The world maximized its obsession with materialism, and finds itself ready to explode! To cleave to the Creator of the world and to spiritual matters – benefits are endless, to cleave to material things – benefits are limited! The world finds itself now as it did in the time of Noach, before the time of the flood! The world has reached its limit! The end of evil and hatred!

In Noach’s time, the Holy One waited 120 years for the people in it to repent, brought the flood upon the earth and destroyed it! In our time, the Holy One has waited 2,000 years!

The Creator of the world moves among the nations and creates disharmony in order to purify the world and prepare a new one in which will remain only the clean and pure ones who have polished their character. In Noach’s time only he remained along with his [wife- ed.], children and the animals – in our time, there will be millions of Jews in this new world!

The Creator of the world is striking plague after plague, hardship after hardship! One is forgotten and the next one comes! The world finds itself in fear, chaos and great upheaval. Extreme forces of nature are found everywhere! The world “appears” to have no controller.

Throughout this process, Father in heaven is building a new world and blossoming very strongly and speeding up very quickly the time of King Mashiach ben David! The revelation of Mashiach together with the breakdown of the entire world, the collapse of evil, hatred and arrogance!

Assad King of Syria is a Godly gift – a trustworthy messenger! The Russians and the Chinese support him because in Syria there are extremely dangerous weapons, chemical explosives and other destructive missiles, and they are afraid they will reveal them! The Creator of the world also resides in the minds of the Russians and the Chinese, in the beginning they sided with the Americans and the Europeans – they “changed” and now they defend Assad, for if they don’t defend him – everything will be revealed! All is from the Holy One! He motivates their thinking and confuses them so that their swords will enter their own hearts! Assad continues to destroy his people! Lebanon is dependent on Syria and Assad! Gaza and Hamas are dependent on Assad! They’re all on one chain! Eretz Yisrael is compared to being in a ring surrounded by Arab countries. The Creator of the world protects Am Yisrael! He goes each time to yet another Arab country to “harass” it and create confusion within it! The bedlam will continue in Egypt, and in Europe – Greece is only the beginning! The chaos will spread to all of Europe! This week they also blew up the gas line leading to Jordan – to let the King of Jordan know that he is “in line” like Syria, Egypt and Libya!

In the State of Israel we must be careful and be unified and not argue about nonsense! Members of Knesset: you are being taped! You are the banner of Am Yisrael! Give honor to the state of Israel! In the State of Israel it is forbidden to have demonstrations and strikes! It is unbecoming for a wise and discerning people that has a soul from the Master of the world! We must quickly have dialogue with each other in order to help one another! Am Yisrael must not learn from the goyim! We are all Jews and it is incumbent upon us to help one another! When Am Yisrael is together and unified – the state of Israel will be strong, healthy in soul and spirit, and no nation will be able to harm her! When we go “head to head” – there is no stability, only great confusion, fear and trembling!

Those who take bribes and pursue personal gain will get caught!

We must pray for the soldiers of Tzahal every moment! In every synagogue in the Land we need to pray for and bless the soldiers of Tzahal and honor them! They are our children, they are the protection of Am Yisrael!

The government of Israel: We must continue to rid Am Yisrael from abuse of alcohol and drugs – this is destroying the youth – the next generation of Am Yisrael!

All Jews who are in the diaspora, are there only for the sake of money! In the 1940’s and 1950’s, when Jews arrived in Eretz Yisrael – they kissed the holy ground and were happy to sleep on it! When we love Eretz Yisrael and its holy Land – this is the strongest and most unique sign that we love the Holy One! When one lives in the diaspora – you don’t love the Holy One! And when we don’t love the Holy One – woe unto us! Danger exists for all Jews in the world – except in the holy Eretz Yisrael! Do not deceive the Master of the world and “play hide and seek with Him”! The Holy One can reach you anywhere you are! Let there not be one Jew who says the Holy One didn’t call him! Every Jew should understand that the Holy One has called him to Eretz Yisrael! Let him not argue that he didn’t understand!

We must expand jobs, create more establishments, and increase real estate in Eretz Yisrael! In short time there will be a huge aliyah of Jews and all houses will become occupied in the blink of an eye! It sounds like a hallucination – but it’s not! The Negev will fill with millions of Jews coming to Israel! The North and Shomrom will also fill up! The Negev is relatively empty but it will all need to expand and the Holy One will revive it in every respect!

Hatred against Jews – anti-Semitism will increase, until there will come a time that no law in the world will be able to stop the hatred! Superior is bread dipped in water, in the holy Eretz Yisrael – that being in the diaspora at the threat of your life! There is a livelihood available for all Jews in the Land! The economy in the Land will grow and strengthen and become the strongest in the world! Eretz Yisrael will be the richest in the world!

The Creator of the world is working to ultimately cleanse the world and reveal King Mashiach ben David!

Translation provided by Rabbi Elan Adler.