Redemption of the Truth

In essence, the redemption of Israel is the redemption of the truth. The Shechina, the Divine Presence, is in exile with Israel. Until the redemption, the truth can express itself only with extreme difficulty, and whenever it expresses itself, it is almost necessarily denounced. Also by Israel. We can learn this from Parshat VaYeshev. Though he recognized the truth in his heart, even Yaakov denounced the dreams of Yosef. Fueled by hatred, the ten brothers decided to get rid of the dreamer. The Sages teach us that they used halachic reasoning to defend their decision, to conceal the ugliness in their hearts. In effect, they fought the truth in the name of Torah.

I submit that events like the removal of Jews from their houses in the name of the rule of law, or in the name of Pikuach Nefesh, are reflections of the sale of Yosef. At some point the consequences of these actions will become so glaring that the sin can no longer be denied. The suffering of the righteous serves the redemption of the truth.

One could wonder why there is no shorter and easier way to redemption. Rashi brings in Bereshit 37:35 that Yitzchak knew that Yosef had not died. If so, why did he not tell Ya'akov? Similarly, why did Yosef not notify his father after he had risen to power in Egypt? The answer must be that short of Teshuva, until a certain time, sin can and must express itself to reach its conclusion.

This leads us to the question why the punishment for the sin, the exile in Egypt, was 210 years. The punishment is tenfold, 10 times 21, because ten brothers were involved. The 21 is the gematria of אהיה, the name of HaShem revealed to Moshe after the exile. It is a hint at a heinous aspect of the sin of the brothers: They made a halachic decision, as it were involving HaShem into their deed.

The punishment of 21 years is sevenfold (see VaYikra 26:18), 7 times the 3 years that Yosef was in jail. A hint at the three years is the three-day period the brothers spent in jail (Bereshit 42:17). Why did Yosef have to spend three years in jail? The three years constitute a tenth of Yosef's life. He was in jail from age 27 until age 30. Yosef had to sacrifice a tenth because his brothers had counted the Shechina as a tenth member of their Beit Din after Reuven had left. In other words, Yosef's emprisonment was because of the falsehood that was uttered in the name of HaShem, and Am Yisrael suffered accordingly.

This leads us to the question why the current exile is so long. The main reason for the current exile is the re-emergence of the monster of hatred sanctioned by religion. This time, as explained in the Zohar, the punishment for the hatred was not 70 times the three years of Yosef's jail term, but 70 times the 22 years that Yosef did not see his father.

May those who rule against faithful Jews in the name of Torah take heed.

לז

Suffering of the Righteous

Ya'akov's fleeing from Esav is the start of many years of trouble and suffering for him and for his family, especially Yosef. Why must the righteous suffer?

Talmud Bavli, Bava Metzia 85a, brings examples of great suffering that visited several great Sages - Rebbi, Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Shimon. The Gemara states that the suffering of the righteous is desirable and brings blessings to the world.

Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 98b, discusses the nature of Moshiach. Searching for the proper identification of Moshiach, the Gemara discusses a series of names of Moshiach, ending with Moshiach's identification as being a Me'uneh, an afflicted. The Gemara here points to Yeshaya 53, which describes Moshiach ben Yosef, the suffering Moshiach. After saying that Moshiach is typified by suffering, Rebbi and Daniel are mentioned as prototypical examples, because they were righteous and suffered. The discussion supports the idea that until the redemption Moshiach ben Yosef must suffer in every generation.

The concept of Moshiach ben Yosef has collective dimensions. This might be why most commentators take Yeshaya 53 as describing the suffering of Am Yisrael. However, Chazal applied Yeshaya 53 to Moshiach in a narrow sense. In the collective approach, Am Yisrael is suffering because of the nations. In particular, the phrase

כֻּלָּנוּ כַּצֹּאן תָּעִינוּ, אִישׁ לְדַרְכּוֹ פָּנִינוּ

We all went astray as a herd of sheep, and we turned each to his own way

of Yeshaya 53:6 would describe the nations of the world, and Jews would be the exception. However, if we take the above approach of Chazal, it is Israel that went collectively astray, and Moshiach must suffer as a result. Both interpretations are true. Israel must suffer to heal the world and the faithful of Israel must suffer to heal Israel (Yeshaya 53:5).

May this be a comfort for the faithful who suffer at the hands of the current Israeli government.

לו

Fortunate is He Who Waits

Near the end of the book Daniel, we read a secretive passage that tells us when will be the redemption:

From the time that the continual burnt offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days. Fortunate is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days. (Daniel 12:11-12)

Earlier, I mentioned the following two interpretations of the numbers mentioned in this passage.

Firstly, the Zohar takes the numbers 1290 and 1335 as composed of 1200 plus 90 and 135, respectively, and the numbers 90 and 135 refer to the sephira of Da'at. This sephira reached 66 in 5309 but continues as the sephira of Chochma. Ergo, when the sephira of Cochma is X, the sephira of Da'at is 65+X. Hence, 90 was reached for Da'at when Chochma reached 25. This was in the year 5480, the year of birth of the GR"A. Da'at will reach 135 when Chochma reaches 70, in year 5801. In other words, in this view 1335 is reached in 5801.

Secondly, 1290 and 1335 can be identified as the length of a "time", as the word appears in the verse:

I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. (Daniel 12:7)

In this view, 1335 is reached in year 5786.

I wish to suggest a third interpretation, which in my view is deeper than both preceding ones. It derives from a question. The sephira of Chochma starts as the latter part - from 5309 onwards - of the sephira of Da'at - which started at 1200, in year 4529. Why then does the Zohar in several places suggest that it was the sephira of Chochma that started at 1200? For example, the count 56 is referred to as 256, and 72 is at times referred to as 272, which suggests that it is that many counts after 1000.

The answer is that this hides another relationship between the sephira of Chochma and the 1290/1335 days. If X is a count of Chochma, this is sometimes referred to as 200+X because of its correspondence to Daniel's day 5*(200+X). The Remez is in Bamidbar 3:46-47:

For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who exceed the number of the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them.

The number 273 hints at the completion of the redemption. It corresponds to day 1365, the number of shekels the 273 first born were redeemed with. Dividing the numbers by five, we see that 1290 and 1335 correspond to 258 and 267, and therefore to the counts 58 and 67 of Chochma. The first occurred in 5727, the miraculous Yovel year in which the redemption was heralded by a Pekidah in the Heavens. The second will occur 50 years later, in year 5777.

I suggest to interpret this as follows. In 5727, we merited liberating the Temple Mount, but we must wait until 5777 to make progress towards building Beit HaMikdash, until 5786 to dedicate Beit HaMikdash, and until 5801 to start counting towards the first Yovel year of the new era, fifty years later.

What is the nature of the redemption symbolized by (2)73? The Sin of the Golden Calf, which led to the need to redeem the firstborn, will be fully repaired. Subsequent to the Geula, HaShem's firstborn, Israel, will become Padui, free of Sin, and an offering to HaShem, as it says in the Zohar VaYera 119a (translated here):

בשבעין ותלת כל מלכי עלמא יתכנשון לגו קרתא רבתא דרומי וקודשא בריך הוא יתער עלייהו אשא וברדא ואבני אלגביש ויתאבדון מעלמא בר אינון מלכין דלא ימטון לתמן ויהדרון לאגחא קרבין אחרנין, ומההוא זמנא מלכא משיחא יתער בכל עלמא ויתכנשון עמיה כמה עמין וכמה חיילין מכל סייפי עלמא וכל בני ישראל יתכנשון בכל אינון אתרי עד דאשתלימו אינון שנין למאה כדין וא"ו יתחבר בה"א וכדין (ישעיה ס"ו) והביאו את כל אחיכם מכל הגוים מנחה ליי'

There is a technical uncertainty regarding the year in which 73 will occur, as it depends on the determination of leap years by Sanhedrin. The earliest possibility is 5820. There may be providence in the uncertainty. As this is the final Keitz, the principle B'Ita Achishena - in its time I will hasten it - (Yeshaya 60:22) must apply. May Am Yisrael be blessed to not have to wait until 5820 for the tikkun of 73.

The footsteps of Moshiach continue after 73. Moshiach is parallel to Adam HaRishon. Every step is one Amah. Adam HaRishon was 100 Amot, and he reached from Earth to Heaven. The knowledge of HaShem will grow until Chochma reaches 100, which is until the year 6000.

לה

Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya'akov

Jewish tradition presents the ancient history of Israel as two eras of 480 years: From Yetziat Mitzrayim to Bayit Rishon were 480 years, and from Bayit Rishon to Bayit Sheni were 480 years. The period of 480 years is called an Idan, Idanim in plural. The next paragraph is a representation of what I wrote before.

From Adam, the rise of Homo Sapiens, to Avraham were 150 historical Idanim. From Avraham to Yetziat Mitzrayim were three historical Idanim, corresponding to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov. From Yetziat Mitzrayim to Bayit Rishon was one historical Idan. From Bayit Rishon to Bayit Sheni were 10/3 historical Idanim, three and a third, a fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel 7:25 that the repression of Israel is to be "until an Idan, Idanim, and a fraction of an Idan". At a deeper level, then, the book of Daniel hints that ten historical Idanim are from Yetziat Mitzrayim until death will completely loose its power.

Three Idanim is 1440 years, close to the Bond cycle length of plagues of climatic change and massive migrations of human populations. Yetziat Mitzrayim fits the scheme. Following Yetziat Mitzrayim was the Idan of the first prophets in the Land of Israel. Three Idanim later was the Idan of the later prophets in the Land of Israel. Yet three Idanim later, the exile would have ended (see Sanhedrin 97b), but the rise of Islam granted Ishmael his 1300 years of rule over the Land, according to the years of his Milah. Yet three Idanim later is now.

The Idan of Chochma was from the year -111 until the year 389, 500 years from the historical event that corresponds to Noach's flood, until the historical event that corresponds to the dispersion from Shinar. The historical flood was likely in the same area. Year -111 is 5880 years ago, the time of the 5.9 kiloyear event. There is scientific evidence for a great flood in Mesopotamia around this time which brought an abrupt end to the Ubaid period in Ur. The Middle East became an area of much drought.

Avraham came from Ur Kasdim, likely in Shinar, the center of idol worship. Avraham's soul is rooted in the Idan of Chochma, the Idan of Shinar - the sephira of Chesed is related to the sephira of Chochma. Note that Avraham, fleeing drought, moves to Mitzrayim, the second center of idol worship, and that he had to leave for the Land of Israel just like his father had to leave Ur Kasdim for Charan. Note that there were 500 years from the birth of Avraham to Yetziat Mitzrayim.

The Idan of Bina was from year 389 until year 789, 400 years from the dispersion from Shinar until when Terach took his family from Charan, the free land of shephards, across the river Prat, to Ur Kasdim, the city of oppression.

In Ur Kasdim, Charanites were called Ivri'im, the settlers across the river Prat. They were the Mitnachalim of their time. Yitzchak is the purest Ivri. He never left the Land of Israel, not even for Charan. The sephira of Gevura is related to Bina. Note that there were 400 years from the birth of Yitzchak to Yetziat Mitzrayim.

The Idan of Da'at was from year 789 until year 1329, 540 years from Terach's move to Ur Kasdim until Yisrael's leaving Mitzrayim as a nation. Tif'eret is related to Da'at, Ya'akov lived in a period that fitted his soul. From his birth until Yetziat Mitzrayim is 340 years - add twice 100 years for Avraham and Yitzchak. Ya'akov combines Yitzchak and Avraham. He took his family to Mitzrayim in year 1119, to return as a nation of Ivri'im. In Mitzrayim, the Old Kingdom arose in the wake of Yosef's reforms.

From 1329 until 1809 is 480 years, the Idan of the early prophets, from leaving Mitzrayim as a nation until Bayit Rishon and great worldly power.

From 1809 until 2929 is from Bayit Rishon to Eliyahu HaNavi, two Idanim and a third for the rise and the fall of the Hyksos - the return to Mitzrayim, as a nation. After all, it must be that Bnei Yisrael were 430 years in Egypt (Shemot 12:40).

From 2929 until 3409 is from Eliyahu HaNavi to Bayit Sheni, the Idan of the later prophets. The Ivri'im return, powerless, but vowing to stay a nation of Ivri'im forever.

What followed is history, the long and final exile, and Israel's definitive return from that exile.

לד

A Thought for Shemini Atzeret

On Shemini Atzeret we start asking for rain. We do this in the Beracha "Mechayeh HaMetim". Talmud Bavli (Berachot 33a) states that this is because rain is similar to Techiat HaMetim, resurrection of the dead: Rain brings life. Talmud Yerushalmi (Taanit Perek 1, Halacha 1) brings a more prophetic explanation and notes that the verse in Hoshea that announces Techiat HaMetim:

Hoshea 6:2

יחינו מימים ביום השלישי יקמנו ונחיה לפניו

After two days will He revive us, on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.

is followed by a verse that mentions rain:

Hoshea 6:3

ונדעה נרדפה לדעת את יהוה כשחר נכון מוצאו ויבוא כגשם לנו כמלקוש יורה ארץ

And let us know, eagerly strive to know the Lord, His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.

The morning of the redemption will surely come. The knowledge of HaShem will certainly come to us, from above, as does rain. This is a blessed thing to have in mind when saying the Beracha "Mechayeh HaMetim". When we ask for physical rain, we should eagerly be asking for spiritual rain also. May this year bring us lots of both types of rain.

לג

Crusades and Pogroms

The Crusades started in the beginning of the 56th 64-year "day" since 1329 until the end of the 58th day. According to the mapping of these days to years of Keter Yosef, the Crusades period corresponds to years 5772-5774. These are years 45-47 of Keter Yehuda. According to the mapping of the years of Keter Yehuda to the count of Chochma, 45-47 corresponds to 5632-5645, the period of the Pogroms in Russia.

The Pogroms and the Crusades are from the same root. The nature of the exposed evil is the same, and the results of the events were similar. Both the Crusades and the Pogroms catalysed the return of Am Yisrael to Eretz Yisrael.

From this we learn what to expect in the years 5772-5774. The same evil will rise its head, against the Jews of the Galut. It will be history's purest expression of this evil, and it will be its last expression of this kind. After this, the Galut will no longer be.

Note that 5772 is a year of Din, and note that from the rise of the State of Israel in 5708 until 5772 are 64 years, one day of tranquility for Ya'akov in the shadow of Esav (Bereshit Rabba 63:13):

ויאמר יעקב מכרה כיום אמר לו זבין לי חד יום מן דידך אמר רבי אחא כל מי שהוא יודע לחשב ימי הגלות ימצא שיום אחד ישב יעקב בשלוה בצלו של עשו

And Ya'akov said, "Sell, as this day [your birthright to me]" - He said to him, "Sell me one day of yours." Rabbi Acha said, "Anyone who knows to calculate the days of Galut will find that Ya'akov will sit one day in tranquility in the shadow of Esav."

I write this during Sukkot 5769. Only three years to go. Financial problems are inundating the USA and Europe. Obama is about to be elected president. The writing is on the wall.

לב

A Thought for Sukkot

If Am Yisrael would do Teshuva, the redemption would come swiftly. This statement expresses "common knowledge," yet begs a question that lacks an obvious answer. What is the nature of the Teshuva that HaShem requires from us? Most will tend to answer the question in terms of performance of Mitzvot. Such answers are not wrong, but neither are they sharply correct.

A great lesson can be learned from the calendar of the month of Tishrei. After Yom Kippur, the climax of the days of Teshuva, comes Sukkot. Life after Teshuva starts with a display of faith in HaShem. We move from our safe houses to live in a temporary residence, under the sky, subject to the forces of Nature. We may indeed conceive of life after Teshuva as a life of exemplary performance of Mitzvot. However, there is a caveat. Our sages teach (Makkot 24a) in the name of Chavakuk (2:4) that in the final analysis all Mitzvot stand on one pillar - faith: "The righteous shall live by his faith."

Here is the message of Sukkot. We are destined to be a Nation dwelling alone, under the Heavens. We are destined to be a nation that trusts in HaShem rather than in money or gold. We are destined to be a nation that fearlessly follows HaShem in all the Mitzvot, no matter what the gentiles will say. This is the Teshuva that HaShem is waiting for.

לא

A Thought for the Days of Teshuva

Parshat VaYelech and Parshat Ha'azinu relate how Moshe Rabbeinu transfers the scepter to Yehoshua. The transition involves the death of Moshe. Yehoshua receives not only the rulership, he also becomes the highest Torah authority. Moreover, he receives a unique task, one that Moshe had wanted so much: Yehoshua is to conquer the Land and give Israel its inheritance.

The final redemption follows this pattern, but in the reverse direction. Yehoshua, of the tribe Ephraim, represents Moshiach ben Yosef. Moshe represents Moshiach ben David. (As Moshe was from the tribe of Levi, we learn from this that Moshiach ben David need not davka be a "Ben-Acher-Ben" descendent of David and need not even be of the tribe of Yehuda.) Moshiach ben Yosef will conquer the Land and will then transfer the scepter to Moshiach ben David. The transition may involve the death of Moshiach ben Yosef, but it need not be. The secret is that Yehuda unites the nation by coming from the left and cleaving to the right. Ben Yosef and ben David can be as Aharon and Moshe, as Moshe and Aharon, one.

The death of Moshe was caused by the sins of Israel, which brought much suffering that could have been avoided. Likewise, the death of Moshiach ben Yosef will not need to be if Israel will do Teshuva. The transition from Moshiach ben Yosef to Moshiach ben David will then be graceful, and very much suffering will be avoided.

ל

A Verse Per Year

The Torah's verses seem to be aligned with the years of history. In addition to the years mentioned here, I suggest the significance of the following verses.

Verse 5751: For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and you will stray from the path that I have commanded you, and evil will befall you at the end of days, if you do what is evil in the eyes of HaShem, to anger Him through your handiwork. (Devarim 31:29)

Firstly, this resonates with the death of rabbi Meir Kahane in 5751. Secondly, the mention of the end of days strenghens the view that 5751 is the start of the last generation, as well as the relevance of chapter 32 to our times. See here for an extremely serious aspect of this.

Verse 5786: Is it not revealed with Me, sealed in My treasuries? (Devarim 32:34)

This confirms the pivotal nature of year 5786. See here, here, here, and here. It is also 420 years after 5366, which was 22*10 years of Din after 3826.

Verse 5791: See, now, that I, I am He - and no god is with Me. I put to death and I bring life, I struck down and I will heal, and there is no rescuer from My hand. (Devarim 32:39)

This confirms what I wrote regarding the year 5791. Our sages (Sanhedrin 91) explain that this verse is the Torah's clearest reference to Techiat HaMetim. HaShem can revive those who died, just like He can heal who was struck down.

כט

Higgs and the Big Bang

Today was the first time that the ATLAS device was operated at CERN. After having seen a lot of misinformaton about this event, I feel enticed to join the chorus of commenters.

1. The Big Bang is not being reproduced at CERN. The Big Bang was first and foremost the creation of space and time. It cannot be reproduced within space and time. Even so, in a very indirect way, the ATLAS experiments may teach us something about the Big Bang. See below.

2. The experiments at CERN will create conditions under which the so-called Standard Model, the theory which describes Electro-Magnetism and the force called "Weak Interaction", should cease to be valid. The Standard Model has a built-in validity limit. At energies above the so-called Higgs mass there is not much reason to believe the theory can hold. In the propaganda, it is said that physicists want to show that the Higgs boson exists. I cannot understand how someone who understands the Standard Model can honestly expect the Higgs boson to exist. A few months from now the headlines will say that the search for the Higgs boson has brought surprises.

3. I have seen hugely distorted claims about "Higgs". It is claimed that the Higgs boson explains how elementary particles get mass, or even how anything gets mass. In reality, the Higgs boson explored by ATLAS has nothing to do with the masses of protons and neutrons. A macroscopic body derives almost all of its mass from its constituent protons and neutrons. The massiveness of protons and neutrons is not coming from the Higgs mechanism. They are composite particles, and their mass equals their energy content, which is predominantly due to the Strong Interaction.

4. The Higgs mechanism in the Standard Model is a sophisticated but artificial mathematical device, used to "give mass" to the W and Z bosons, the particles that intermediate the Weak Interaction like the photon intermediates Electro-Magnetism, and to elementary fermions that carry both electric and weak charge - electrons and quarks. The massiveness of the W and Z bosons and the short-range nature of the Weak Interaction are almost synonymous notions. One could more modestly say that the Higgs boson was introduced to explain why the Weak Interaction works only at very short distances despite its kinship to the Electro-Magnetic force, which works over long distances.

5. The last statement illustrates the nature of the Higgs mechanism. It is an attempt to describe what is called symmetry breaking. Though symmetry breaking is a fact of Nature, and thus must be an essential ingredient of the theory, its expression in terms of the Standard Model's Higgs boson is not.

6. Despite the artificial nature of the Higgs sector of the Standard Model, theorists have used it to audaciously explore aspects of symmetry breaking in the very early Universe, its so-called inflationary phase, and to explain how a once very uniform Universe could have generated its current level of inhomogeneity. It is because of this that the upcoming experiments will have impact on our understanding of the Big Bang. I estimate that a lot of the Higgs-based stuff will turn out to be wrong.

7. The realistic expectation is that the experiments will reveal new physics - aspects of reality that are really different from what we know and that we have not been able to guess. I estimate that the new physics will spur great progress towards understanding all forces of Nature in a unified way - a sine qua non for understanding the primordial evolution of the Universe, and key to understanding how everything came from One.

כח

Parallels

The counts of Keter Yosef (Keter Yesod) and Keter Yehuda (Keter Malchut) each have a parallel. As mentioned in the previous post, the parallel of Keter Yosef counts "days" of 64 years since Yetziat Mitzrayim in the year 1329. The following is a summary of these days:

Day 41 (3889-3953) brought the rebellion of Bar Kochba and the teachings of rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Day 59 (5041-5105) brought the appearance of the Zohar. Day 63 (5297-5361) brought the work and teachings of the Arizal. Day 66 (5489-5553) brought the work and teachings of Ramchal and the Vilna Gaon. The land of Israel came into Jewish control in day 69 (5681-5745). We live in day 70 (5745-5809), the generation of Moshiach's coming. Day 72 (5873-5937) will see Techiat HaMetim of the Tzadikim.

Keter Yosef has parallel climaxes at 41, 59, 66, 69, 70, and 72.

The parallel of Keter Yehuda is the count of Chochma. When Chochma reached 56, the state of Israel arose. When Chochma reached 59, Yerushalayim was liberated. Chochma will have further climaxes at counts 66 and 66.5 (the definition of a half was given here in the context of the count of Chesed). Keter Yehuda has parallel climaxes at 56, 59, 66, and 66.5.

Keter Yosef will reach 66 in year 5782, when the count of Chochma will reach 66.5. This confluence is highly significant in view this quote of Zohar VaYera 119a:

Rebbi Shimon opened up and said: "And I will remember My covenant with Yaakov" (Vayikra 26:42) . (Yaakov is written) full with a Vav, why? But in 2 sides is the secret of Chochmah, one which is a secret on the level of Chochmah, the place where Yaakov dwells, but this verse is said about the Galut of Israel, for when they are in Galus, the time that they are remembered (the House of Yaakov), they are remembered via the secret of Vav. And that is that in the 6th millenium, and the Rememberance (Pekidah) is in the secret of Vav, 6 moments and a half time and in the time of the 60th year to the bar on the door in the 6th millenium, the G-d of Heaven will raise a rememberance for the Daughter of Yaakov, and from that time until the Full Rememberance (Zechirah) will be 6 years and a half, and from that time another 6 years, and these are 72 and a half. In 66, the King Moshiach will be revealed in the Land of Galilee.

In 5783, Keter Yehuda will reach 56, a new Yom HaAtzma'ut. A short time after the appearance of Moshiach ben Yosef, Israel will have emerged victorious. As Israel rises, Edom falls.

In 5786, Keter Yehuda reaches 59, a new Yom Yerushalayim. This same year, I suggested, has the third Pekida. It is 1335 years after the construction of the Dome of the Rock. Moreover, Keter Yosef reaches 70 in 5786.

At the downside, as mentioned in the previous post, Moshiach ben Yosef may die at 73 of Keter Yosef. This is at 62 of Keter Yehuda, and in the parallel, rabbi Meir Kahane was killed in a year of Din when Chochma stood at 62. We read: "And after 62 weeks a Moshiach will be cut off (Daniel 9:26)." May we merit that Moshiach ben Yosef will not die.

כז

Midrash Ne'elam and the Vav Principle

I have explained how the count to 144 towards Techiat HaMetim mentioned in Zohar Shemot 10 ends in the year 6129. Midrash Ne'elam Toldot also mentions a count to Techiat HaMetim, stating that it occurs after 408 years of the sixth millenium. What is the connection? This matter refers to the principle of Vav and is quite complicated. The word Vav contains two Vav's. This is reflected in a ubiquitous doubling of things, in couplings of overt things to hidden things.

Before it reveals the count to 144, Zohar Shemot mentions two counts to 132. The number 408 mentioned in Midrash Ne'elam does not denote a period of 408 consecutive years until Techiat HaMetim. Rather, the number is the sum of the counts appearing in Zohar Shemot: 132 + 132 + 144 = 408. In other words, Midrash Ne'elam does not describe an independent scenario of events. Rather, its statements are made in reference to the counts of Zohar Shemot. The double count to 132 is an instance of the doubling principle: The first count to 132 is overt, while the second is hidden.

The Zohar specifies that the first count of 132 starts off with a count to 66 (twice Vav), complemented by another count to 66. The first 66 is said to be after the 1200 years of Galut. Therefore, this is the count of Da'at. The count of Da'at is of a hidden nature. The associated overt count occurs after that. In accordance with the Vav principle, there are two ways to count to 66 after the count of Da'at. They are the counts of Chochma and Bina, two instantiations of the same principle - the first count to 132 - one (Chochma) overt and the other (Bina) hidden.

The second count of 132 mentioned by the Zohar hints at a count we did not mention yet in its prophetic context: Keter. This count signifies the return in stages of the Hanhaga of Arich Anpin. Again, there are two instantiations, one overt and one hidden.

The overt instantation of the second 132 years is associated to Moshiach ben David and starts with the count of Chochma, which started in the year 5309. The count reached 59 in the year 5727. In that year, a count "Keter Yehuda" of 73 literal years started towards the end of the task of Moshiach ben David, which thus will be in the year 5800, 24 years after Chochma reached 66 in 5776.

The hidden instantiation of the second 132 years is associated to Moshiach ben Yosef and starts with the count of Bina, which started in the year 5310. The count reached 59 in the year 5716. In that year, a count "Keter Yosef" of 73 literal years started towards the end of the task of Moshiach ben Yosef, which thus will be in the year 5789, 24 years after Bina reached 66 in 5765.

After the second 132 years, the Zohar states that there will be a revival of the dead. This refers to Moshiach ben Yosef and Techiat HaMetim of the Tzadikim, as follows.

It appears that Keter Yosef is parallel to 73 generations of 64 years of Zeir Anpin, from Yetziat Mitzrayim in year 1329 to year 6001. Thereafter, HaShem will be Supreme alone and revive us after two "days" (Hoshea 6:2), in 6129. Likewise, Moshiach ben Yosef will disappear at 73, possibly through death, to return at 75, 210 years before year 6001, 40 years into the last generation. (When Keter Yosef reaches 75, Keter Yehuda reaches 64. One could deduce that at 64 of Chochma, in the year 5765, some shadow event should have happened. It think this deduction is correct. See next post.) As an aside, we learn from Hoshea 6:2 that a 64-year generation is a day for who knows how to calculate the days of exile (Bereshit Rabba 63:13).

The count of Keter Yehuda reaches 59 in the year 5786, the start of a count of 40 years that indicates the return in stages of the Hanhaga of Atik Yamim, and is mentioned in Midrash Ne'elam Toldot as the forty years from Kibbutz Galuyot to Techiat HaMetim of the Tzadikim. These (hidden) 40 years are counted in the same fashion as the (overt) 40 years of Atik Yamim towards the general Techiat HaMetim after the 100 of Chochma. That is, we count 40 years of Chesed and Din starting with the year of Din 5786, and so reach forty in the year 5919. Hence, with general Techiat HaMetim in 6129, there are 210 years between the two instances of Techiat HaMetim, in accordance with the words of rabbi Yehuda in Midrash Ne'elam Toldot.

The alternative length of this period, 214 years, the opinion of Rabbi Yitzchak, will be if the general Techiat HaMetim will be in the year 6133. As I have hinted before this is a distinct possibility and the timing is in the hands of Israel. The years of Chesed are the years of the 12-year cycle plus in every calendar cycle of 19 years, the year in which Pesach occurs later than in all other years with respect to the Solar year. In the current calendar (leap years 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19 of the cycle) the latest Pesach is in year 8. When Sanhedrin will be restored, the leap years will almost certainly be changed to be years 1, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17 of the cycle, and that will make year 6 into the year of the latest Pesach. With this assumption, the count to 144 ends in year 6129. However, by 6129, it could be that the leap years will be 1, 4, 7, 9, 12, 15, 17. If so, the latest Pesach will be in year 17. With this assumption, the count to 144 will end in 6133. The prophecy יש תקוה לאחריתך (Yirmyahu 31) may hint at year 6133, which is 511 (תקו"ה) times 12 years after year 1.

Midrash Ne'elam associates the sixth millenium to the 408 "years". In accordance with the above, the explanation is that the end of the sixth day of history coincides with the end of the count to 144 (going with rabbi Yehuda) and therefore with the end of the 408 years. Interestingly, the beginning of the first count to 132 coincides with the beginning of the fifth day, so that the 408 "years" exactly cover all of the last two days of history, the period of Moshiach.

כו

Count to The Last Generation

I have explained the perush that year 5751 is the end of the 62 weeks mentioned in chapter 9 of the book of Daniel, every week being in between two years of Din.

From what was brought down by his students, it appears that the GR"A understood by a similar calculation that the end of the third quarter of the sixth millenium would be the end spoken of in Daniel 9. This is the secret of תספרו לדור אחרון (count to the last generation, Tehilim 48:14), and of ארבעים שנה אקוט בדור (forty years I quarrel with a generation, Tehilim 95:10).

This refers to the return of the spiritual inclinations of the generation of the Midbar. This return started in 5751 (תספרו לדור, count TO the generation). I submit that the three major national sins of the generation of the Midbar have since been repeated. The worship of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe is a repetition of Chet HaEgel. Despising the Land of Israel, culminating in the expulsion of Jews from the Gaza strip, is a repetition of Chet HaMeraglim. The personal corruption of the elite is a return to the rebellion of Korach.

The GR"A taught that there would be 7 Pekidot of 36 years in the third quarter of the sixth millenium. This is the secret of עת הזמיר הגיע (the time of the song has arrived, Shir HaShirim 2:12). The historical realization of these Pekidot is less than clear to me. I humbly suggest that they are to be actualized in the third quarter of the sixth day as I have defined it. This would mean that the first Pekida started in 5729. With every Pekida lasting about 28.5 years, the beginning of the next, third, Pekida would be in the year 5786.

This would be in accordance with Zohar VaYera 119a, which addresses the process of the redemption and the Pekida that heralds its beginning, and states that this Pekida will be at the time of a count reaching 60. This count then, whould be the count of Chochma, which reached 60 in the year 5729.

כה

Worship of Man

Something very painful is the case. A great Birur has occurred in the Land of Israel. The matter cannot be hidden and will not go away, as some seem to hope. It is recorded in Shamayim. It was recorded in thousands and thousands of instances of human documentation. The goyim rejoiced - they will not forget the victory. The faithful of Israel mourned - they will never forget the loss.

Pursue peace, the Rav proclaimed, return the Land, Pikuach Nefesh overrides all. Such was his Da'as Torah. The Oslo disaster ensued. The government gave autonomy to the PLO, gave them weapons, and called it peace. The Arabs called it war and used the acquired freedom and the received weapons to shoot Jews and explode busses. Who would believe it? Pikuach Nefesh! Go tell the victims, the families and friends of the 1500 murdered Jews, the myriads of wounded.

Astonishingly, the rebellion continued. Da'as Torah brought us another disaster. We shall not forget the dates: 10 Tevet 5765 and 9 Av 5765.

Da'as Torah brought us the Disengagement. The absurd, senseless, and wanton destruction of the life's work of thousands of productive Jews, the destruction of Jewish villages, Jewish industry, Jewish agriculture, Jewish learning institutes, synagogues, graves, without any reason, without any purpose.

Once more "Pikuach Nefesh" was claimed. Who can still bear hearing these words, uttered by "gedolim?" Too much they sound like "Sinat Chinam."

Pikuach Nefesh - Who would believe it? Only fools do not shiver at what is happening today. Very very dangerous rockets are transported from Egypt to the northern border of Gaza. Israel's major cities are becoming shooting targets.

The worship of man has evolved into outright rebellion. The Chabad heresy is challenging the first commandment. It seeks to replace the proper longing for Moshiach, and to demolish the proper perception of the Divine. Myriads of souls it has caught. A complementary mirror image is found in the world of Da'as Torah. Having enslaved the many souls of their insulated communities, the "gedolim" have come to use their power to challenge the commandment to settle the Land of Israel, and to fight the miraculous settling that has already occurred.

When rockets are fired from Gaza, all understand that the Arabs did it. Most will acknowledge that the Left enabled the Arabs to fire. The standing challenge is to clearly and loudly identify the enablers of the Left, and to fight them with the sword of the truth.

יכבשו רחמיך את כעסך

כד

Anshei Amana

We live in the three weeks towards Tisha B'Av, the commemoration date of the destruction of Beit HaMikdash. Daniel 8:12 states that with the ceasing of the Tamid, the truth was thrown onto the ground. The meaning of this statement reaches very far. The Tamid is not only the daily sacrifice that was once brought in Beit HaMikdash. It is also the continuous dwelling of the Shechina among Israel. It is the presence of men of truth, prophets. After the destruction of Beit HaMikdash, all this truth was thrown onto the ground. Prophecy stopped. At a lower level, the Chachamim of Sanhedrin became the embodiment of truth, and continued the heritage of the prophets. (Though we learn that a Chacham is at a higher level than a prophet, this is restricted to matters in which both reach the truth.) When also Sanhedrin disappeared, the last Tamid ceased. What remains is the Talmud.

Am Yisrael took the Talmud as its absolute guideline. Until prophecy returns, nothing will supersede it, because its teachings, though formulated by the sages, are based on the heritage that came from prophets. This sounds heroic, but we must internalize: The truth was thrown onto the ground. The sages of Sanhedrin did not always understand the prophets, because they were not at the same level. And for the same reason, later sages did not always understand earlier sages. And we do not always understand the sages. A desolating Shikutz appeared in our midst. With the truth on the ground, dogma took over. We became increasingly liable to reject truth in the name of Torah.

This is explicit in the ban of rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanos because of a halachic matter in which he was right. Although Heaven attested that rabbi Eliezer was right, his opinion was rejected by Sanhedrin, and he was banned. The message of our sages is very honest and sobering. Because we are not at the level of prophets, we cannot attain truth in their way. Therefore, we can only decide Halacha by majority. There are many ways to make believe that this was progress in disguise. Lo B'Shamayim Hi - Torah is not in the Heavens; it is in the hands of man. However, by logic, truth is not in the hands of man. Truth is. Therefore, in truth, the matter is a deeply saddening aspect of the exile. While the men of dogma claim the truth, the truth is that in essence the truth is in exile from us.

Woe to those who insist to remain in the exile of dogma. The redemption depends on the return of men of truth, Anshei Amana. This refers to the return of Sanhedrin, and to the return of prophecy. It refers to renewed understanding of Torah, the words of the ancient prophets. The men of dogma will not forever be able to repress the emergence of the men of truth. The hearts of the fathers must return to the children. The hearts of the children will return to the fathers.

כג

Regarding 5769

We are approaching the year 5769. I promised earlier to elaborate on its significance. In the light of preceding posts the following two statements seem in place.

1. Parallel to the count of Chochma, the count of Bina is the final leg of the Din count. Bina starts in 5310, one year after the start of Chochma. The count of Bina reaches 60 in 5723, 66 in 5765, and 72 in 5807. In 5769 it will reach 66.5. The Zohar VaYera 119a promises great things in the year 66 and a half. Though Bina is not the main clock of history, and this Zohar does not directly refer to it, a relationship does exist. May we see the beginning of good things.

2. The year 5769 is 40 years after the auspicious year 5729. In line with what I explained before, tbis is 40 years into the second half of the sixth day of history. If the 800 years of this day are divided into 24 hours of 60 minutes, 40 years is 72 minutes. Both 40 and 72 are numbers that indicate completion.

There are two methods to define the Halachic day and divide it into hours. In the first method, the day is divided into 12 hours of 60 minutes from sunrise to sunset. The second method takes the first method to define minutes rather than hours, and defines an hour as 72 of these minutes. The Halachic day, then, is defined to last 12 hours of 72 minutes, starting one hour of 72 minutes before sunrise, with the appearance of the earliest daylight, and ending one hour of 72 minues after sunset, with the appearance of the first stars.

The second definition of the Halachic day is most commonly used to determine until when we can recite Sh'ma Yisrael in the morning. We can fulfill this Mitzva until two hours of 72 minutes after sunrise. If we apply this to the sixth day of history, year 5769 is 400 years before the stars come out. At one hour after sunrise in 5729, the appointed time for accepting the Yoke of Heaven - Sh'ma Yisrael - is forty more years.

כב

חוזה ישראל

לעניות דעתי הגיע הזמן ליוזמה חדשה ומפלגה פוליטית חדשה. נציע לעם ישראל את ההוזה הבא:

למען השלמת כיבוש ארץ ישראל: נעודד הגירתם של לא-יהודים המתגוררים בארץ ישראל אבל גם גיורם ליהדות. נספח את יהודה ושומרון למדינת ישראל. אזרחים ערביים של אזורים אלה יקבלו מסמכי נסיעה וזכויות התגוררות. זכויות לאומיות לא יקבלו לעולם. מי שלא יקבל ריבונות יהודית על ארץ ישראל יגורש ממנה.

למען אחדות עם ישראל: נאפשר נישואין אזרחיים ככה שחתונה אזרחית בין שני יהודים תהיה תקפה על פי ההלכה. המדינה תתנתק באופן רשמי מכל מוסדי הדת עד שיקום בית דין הגדול בישראל. עד אז, נסתדר בלי רבנות מוכרת על ידי המדינה. ההפיכה תהיה כאשר בית דין הגדול יכריז שהוא התקבל כפוסק הלכה לכל ישראל .בעקבות אימות יסודי של הכרזה כזו, הכנסת תיתן לבית דין הגדול שלוש זכויות כדי לממש יסוד שייקרא מוסר מעל החוק:

א': כל חוק מאושר על ידי הכנסת יכנס לתקפו רק דרך אישורו של בית דין הגדול.
ב': בית דין הגדול יוכל לבטל כל החלטה של בג''ץ.
ג': המדינה תכיר בבתי דין שיוקמו על ידי בית דין הגדול. אזרחים יוכלו לפנות לבתי דין אלה ללא הגבלות, ויוכלו לתבוע את מוסדי השלטון הנוגעים בהם, כגון מועצות אזוריות והמשטרה.

כל המועמדים ברשימת המפלגה הם בעלי מידות מעל כל חשש והם תרמו באופן משמעותי וחיובי לחברה בתחומים מחוץ לתחום הפוליטי.

בעזרת ה' נעשה ונצליח.

In my humble opinion, it is time for a new initiative and new political party. Let us propose to the Nation of Israel the following contract:

Complete settling the Land of Israel: We stimulate emigration of the non-Jewish population of Israel, but also their conversion to Judaism. We annex Yehuda and Shomron to the State of Israel. The Arab citizens of the annexed areas will receive green cards and travel documents, but they will never receive national rights. Who does not accept Jewish sovereignty over the Land of Israel will be deported from it.

Create Unity in the Nation of Israel: We institute Civil Marriage, such that the Civil Marriage of two Jews will be halachically binding. The state will disengage officially from all religious institutions, until Sanhedrin will arise. Until this time, we will do without rabbinical authority that is officially recognized by the State.
The turning point will be when Sanhedrin announces that it has gained acceptance as the decisor of Halacha for all of Israel. After thorough validation of this announcement, the Knesset will grant three rights to the Sanhedrin, thereby implementing the principle "ethics overrules civil law":

1. Every law passed by the Knesset will only attain its validity though approval of Sanhedrin.
2. Every decision of the High court of Justice can be overruled by Sanhedrin.
3. Judicial courts established by Sanhedrin will be recognized by the State. Civilians will be able to turn to religious courts in all matters, and may challenge there government institutions that affect them, like local government and the police.

All candidates on the party's election list are of impeccable character and contributed significantly and positively to society in fields outside of politics.

May HaShem help us to succeed.

כא

In the Honor of Yom Yerushalayim

The count of Chesed (or Malchut) reaches 499 in year 5727, the year in which Yerushalayim was reunited. The Zohar Chadash refers to the year 5727. A translation of the relevant section is here. The bold section reads:

"At the time of the End of Days, according to the hour of the day, at the time that the sun shines, from the 6th Day, at the time that is ready according to the count of years, of Yovel and Shmitah together, which is רע"ד (Raa'd, 274 in Gematria) from the 6th Day. At that time a single voice is prepared to awaken at the heights of the upper heavens, a sad and bitter voice, such that hasn't been since the day that the world was created."

The year 5727 is 274 years from the end of the conventional sixth "day", year 6001. The text speaks about Yovel and Shmita being together. This seems impossible, because a Yovel year is always one year after a Shmita year. However, the count of Chesed presents an explanation of the phrase "at the time that is ready according to the count of years, of Yovel and Shmitah together".

The phrase "according to the hour of the day, at the time that the sun shines" refers to the sunrise of the sixth day of history as defined in the previous post, which is the year 5729. The year 5727 is at the very brink of this sunrise. "The time that is ready according to the count of years" refers to the Chesed count reaching 499. After the year 5309, the Chesed count is every 12 and every 19 years. On average, this is close to every seven years. Thus, the years of Chesed are akin to Shmita years, and year 5727 is such a year. Moreover, year 5727 was also a Yovel year. See this post to learn about the Yovel years from the time of Bayit Sheni.

The hint is that the Chesed count to 499 is a long count towards the Yovel year 5727. From this year onwards, Yovel years are included in the Chesed count. The first such year was 5727. Hence, the year 5727 counts 499 of Chesed, but also 500. The next Yovel will be 5776, and after that it will be according to what Sanhedrin will decide. The addition of Yovel years to the count of the right is an instance of the principle B'Ita Achishena - in its time I will hasten it - (Yeshaya 60:22): When Chesed nears the end, when it is 499, I will hasten it to reach 500 in the same year, and I will hasten the count of Chochma, and so hasten the redemption. Yovel counting as Chesed (Tzekek) is the very hidden Sod תו מ''י of Zohar Teruma 140.

Summarizing, the count of Chesed is a sum of three cycles. It started as a 12 year cycle. In the year 5309, the 19-year cycle was added, the years of the latest Pesach. In the year 5727, the Yovel cycle was added.

The count of Chochma is the final leg of the Chesed count. It starts with the double count in 5309, reaches 72 in 5813, and 100 just before the end of the sixth millenium, in 5993 (cf. Zohar VaYera 119). This assumes that Sanhedrin will decide that three Yovel years will be between 5776 and 5993, e.g. years 5851, 5901, 5951. Sanhedrin will surely decide to shift the year of the latest Pesach, and that will affect the years of Chesed in the 19-year cycle. It is in the hands of man.

Until it expired when it reached 500, the count of Chesed was the principal clock of history. Without the inclusion of the Yovel years from year 5727 onwards, 500 would have been reached in year 5729, exactly 1200 years after the 1200 years of Galut had ended. The year 5729 was uniquely the year in which universal aspirations were reached - the year in which man set foot on the Moon, the year of the Woodstock "liberation." Due to its being a Yovel year, 500 was reached in 5727, uniquely the year in which Jewish aspirations were reached - the year of the liberation of the Land of Israel from the sea until the Jordan, the year of the liberation of Yerushalayim. As 5727 became 500 in the count of Chesed, 5729 became 60 in the count of Chochma. At this value, the count of Chochma became the principal clock of history, replacing the expired count of Chesed (cf. Zohar Parshat VaYera 119a, Zohar Parshat Shemot 9,10).

The Zohar in Shemot 10 says that Techiat HaMetim will be after a count of 144 years, 100 plus 40 plus 4. After Chochma reaches 100, a new Hanhaga starts, associated to a different count. After 5993, we count years of Chesed and years of Din, until their sum is 40. Assuming the most likely decisions of Sanhedrin, this will be in year 6125. Four years later is year 6129. Forty hints at the return of the Hanhaga of Atik Yamim. Four hints at the return of the Hanhaga of Yesod Adam Kadmon, under which the laws of Nature are subject to change.

ומקים אמונתו לישני עפר

I have hereby fulfilled my promise to explain my claim about the year 6129. I have restricted myself in the process. To the serious student, the above can be strenghtened. In particular, the preceding can be accommodated with what is written regarding Techiat HaMetim in Midrash Ne'elam Toldot. That is, it can be shown how Techiat HaMetim of the Tsadikim is 210 years before 6129, and 40 "years" after Kibbutz Galuyot, in year חי of the third Yovel period, if the Yovel years will be as assumed above. It can also be shown under which circumstance the time distance between the two instances of Techiat HaMetim is 214 years. This understanding is in fact key to my confidence. Without it, I would not have dared to write the last five posts, but I cannot elaborate.

כ

About Hanhagot and Sephirot

Most of the history of Homo Sapiens was under the Hanhaga (rule) of Partzuf Keter, or Arich Anpin, associated to the 72-letter Name. After the end of 72*1000 years of this Hanhaga, until the beginning of the Hanhaga of Zeir Anpin in year 1329, were 1440 years. They were ruled by the Parzufim under Keter and above Zeir Anpin. In decreasing order of elevation, these are Chochma, Bina, and Da'at. In between the length of Keter (72), and that of Da'at (135), Bina and Chochma have length 100. Chochma ruled over the first 5*100 of the 1440 intermediate years, Bina over the subsequent 4*100, and Da'at over the final 4*135 years.

From the rule of Chochma in year -111 until 6129 are 6240 years, by Hashgacha a number close to 6000. These are the years that saw the rise and the evolution of human culture. The word B'Reshit hints, via the letter Bet, at two beginnings, the first through Keter and beyond, and the second through Chochma. During the ages, until modern times, the beginning through Keter was not known. Only the beginning through Chochma was revealed. Correspondingly, the world was held to be young. Correspondingly, the final redemption could not come until our times.

The rule of Zeir Anpin reaches from 1329, when the Shechina came down at Mount Sinai, until 6129. These 4800 years are naturally divided in six periods of 800 years, with each period associated to one Sephira of Zeir Anpin: Chesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod.

This is at variance with the traditional attribution of 1000 years to every Sephira, but this is not a real problem. The 800-years attribution cannot be stated without revealing the non-physical nature of the years of Malchut. Secrets are secrets (Raya Mehemana Tzav 28a). The wise will understand and the practical difference is not big. The Arizal started teaching in the very beginning of the period of Yesod. In the same vein, notice that the beginning of the Hanhaga of Da'at and the beginning of the period of Hod coincide.

Chazal divide human history into three equal parts - the period of Tohu, the period of Torah, and the period of Moshiach. We can now understand this teaching in a new light. The period of Tohu was from Yetziat Mitzrayim until Eliyahu (physical year 2929). The period of Torah was from the secret work of Eliyahu and other prophets until the secret work of the Stammaim, the editors of the Talmud. After 4529, the end of the 1200 years of Galut, is the period of Moshiach.

Ergo, mentions of 1000 years in our sources may refer to 800 physical years. Scaling 1000 to 800, 600 becomes 480. The Zohar in Vayera 117 announces the revelation of upper and lower Chochma 600 years into the last "day" of history. This may therefore be taken to refer to 480 years after 5329, a parallel to the 480 years of the first day until Bayit Rishon and Shlomo HaMelech.

The first half of every day of 800 years is to be considered its night, followed by sunrise, followed by daylight. With this, history is naturally divided into units of 400 years. Since Bayit Sheni, the 400 year periods start with years 3729 (day four, start of Roman hegomony over the land of Israel), 4129 (sunrise day four, end of Sanhedrin), 4529 (day five, closing of the Talmud), 4929 (sunrise day five, Rambam), 5329 (day six, Arizal), 5729 (sunrise day six, Jewish control over the Land of Israel).

יט

The Hanhaga of Da'at and the 1200 Years of Galut

In the previous post, I explained the counts of Malchut and Zeir Anpin, Partzufim of the world of Atzilut. The higher Partzufim of this world, Da'at, Bina, Chochma, and Keter, also have associated counts, bringing the total to six counts (cf. Zohar VaYera 117).

Partzuf Da'at has a hidden nature, and is usually not counted among the Partzufim. Likewise, its count has a hidden nature and the Zohar more or less hides it when mentioning year counts related to the process of redemption. However, in the translation of Zohar numbers to historical years, the count of Da'at is to be inserted.

Insertion of the count of Da'at makes the Galut longer than would seem from the Pshat of the Zohar. In particular, the Zohar mentions in several places that the Galut is 1200 years, 100 years for every tribe, and promises that the redemption will occur a relatively short time after these 1200 years. Obviously, the years of Galut are much more than 1200. The Zohar is not mistaken. It is hiding its secrets. The numbers of the Zohar are closed to who does not know this.

In the system of the Zohar, the 100*12 years of Galut are the first 1200 years of the 1290 "days" mentioned in the book of Daniel, which started when Korban HaTamid ceased to be offered (Husar HaTamid). This refers to the destruction of Bayit Rishon. The Zohar indicates that the Tamid was stopped before the actual Churban in year 3339 of Malchut. The Galut years being 100*12 suggests that the Galut years are synchronized with the 12-year cycle of Malchut. The last year in this cycle before the Churban was year 3329. Counting 1200 years of Galut from there leads to 4529.

Counting Chesed years from 4529 (4529 is "one", 4541 is "two", etc.), 66 is reached in 5309. The Zohar brings the number 66 in several places as the time of great events. Notice that year 5309, is approximately 1200 years after the true dark ages started with the disappearance of Sanhedrin, surely a fulfillment of the prophecy regarding Husar HaTamid (Raya Mehemana Tzav 28b).

The count starting at 4529, after the 1200 years of Galut, is the count of Da'at. It is to be seen as counting towards the completion of Daniel's 1290 "days". Hence, 1266 "days" are reached when the count reaches 66, in year 5309. Staying in sync with the count of Malchut, 1290 "days" are reached in year 5480, the year in which the GR"A was born. Da'at reached 72 in 5347, the year in which Chaim Vital received official recognition in Yerushalayim. The total length of Da'at is 135, reaching until the end of Daniel's 1335 "days", but what will happen at that point, and when it will be, is still beyond our scope.

[many thanks to Gedaliah]

יח

Din and Chesed until a Thousand minus One

In a number of posts, I will B'Ezrat HaShem state a number of principles and definitions. I will not give a rationale or source for every statement. The best rationale is the emergence of the whole picture. Therefore, be patient.

During most of human history, a heavenly hindrance existed that prevented Malchut to reach maturity. I will not go into the mechanics of the hindrance. The Zohar in Parshat VaEra tells us about a thousand minus one streams (Yeorin) that have to be passed. The GR"A teaches that Isaiah 60:22 ("the least shall become a thousand") refers to this 999. The principle is often called תצ''ט, the number 499, because, according to the teachings of the Arizal and the GR"A, the 999 streams split up into 499.5 on the left and 499.5 on the right. The left count is called the count of Din, and the right count is called the count of Chesed (see Kol HaTor, chapter 2:60).

The background of the Din and Chesed counts and their convergence, is what would have been if Am Yisrael would not have drawn Din onto itself in an early stage of its existence. In this scenario, the count to 999 would have been what I will call "a priori", as follows.

A priori, the count on the right is obtained by viewing the 6,000 years of Malchut as 500 times 12. The number 12 denotes Chesed. The planet of Chesed is Tsedek (Jupiter), which revolves around the Sun every 12 years. Every 12 years, in what is called a year of Chesed, Chesed flows to the world. Point zero of the count of Chesed is year 5 of the years of Malchut. That is, at year 17 we count "one", at year 29 we count "two", until year 5993, which is 499. Half a count of Chesed is 6 years, so that 499.5 would be reached in the year 5999.

A priori, the count on the left started when 14 years after entering the Land, Am Yisrael started counting Shmita years. The Land was entered in the year 2489, and the first Shmita period therefore started in 2503. Counting every seven years, 2510 is "one", 2517 is "two", et cetera, one arrives at 499 in year 5996. Half a count of Din is 3.5 years, so that 499.5 would be reached within months from when the 499.5 count of Chesed would be reached.

This would have been, but Am Yisrael sinned. The first collective Sin, to be repaired fully only in the course of history, was the selling of Yosef by his brothers. The Din and Chesed counts both changed in the wake of this Sin. The Din count changed because of the Sin, the Chesed count changed in the merit of its repair.

The Sin of Yosef's brothers shifted point zero of the count of Din to the year 2237, the beginning of the seven years of drought that were to bring the brothers to Yosef. And so, 2244 is "one", 2251 is "two", and 499 is in 5730. In other words, the count of Din became 38 (38 times 7 years) ahead of what it would have been "a priori" and instead of reaching the end of 6,000 years together at 499.5, the two counts cross each other at value 446.5, reached in both counts by the year 5363, with 5366 being the first year of Din surpassing the Chesed count, 22*10 years of Din after 3826 (see Zohar Chadash, Parshat VaYeshev, page 29), the onset of the destruction of Bayit Sheni because of Sin'at Chinam among Yisrael.

Din crossing Chesed before reaching 499.5 would have destroyed the world. However, the holy Arizal achieved the full repair for the Sin of the sale of Yosef through his studies of the secrets of Torah, and the destruction was prevented. The Chesed count was changed such so that the convergence at 499.5 was restored. In addition to every 12 years, also every 19 years became a year of Chesed, starting with year 5309. The combined Chesed count arrives at 499 in the year 5727. Value 499.5 is reached half a count of Chesed later in 5733, whereas the count of Din reaches this value 3.5 years after 5730. The addition of the 19-year cycle to the count of Chesed is an instance of the principle B'Ita Achishena - in its time I will hasten it - (Yeshaya 60:22): When a premature end nears, I will hasten the count of the right.

[It is sometimes thought that the death of Aseret Harugei HaMalchut atoned for the sin of the sale of Yosef. However, this death was in part punishment for a repetition of this sin - the ban of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanos. As a sign of the Tikun of the Arizal, the banning of Rav Azaryah Di Rossi's magnum opus Me'or Einayim was prevented by Heaven. However, rejection of truth in the name of Torah is a desolating Shikutz. The attempted ban clarifies why redemption could not come at the time.]

That is, the two counts meet at the Yom Kippur war, the turning point of history. As for preceding historical turning points, Israeli independence was declared in the year 5708, which was a year of Chesed due to the 19-year cycle, and Yerushalayim was reunited and Makom HaMikdash regained in the year 5727, likewise a year of Chesed.

Note that the above cycle lengths are known numbers: 19 is the length of the calendar cycle, which has 7 leap years and 12 normal years. The Chesed count added at the time of the Arizal takes place in the 8th year of the calendar cycle, the year in which the solar date of Pesach is later than in all other years.

In terms of Partzufim, the Chesed count is called the count of Malchut, because originally it covers all of Malchut, and the count of Din is called the count of Zeir Anpin, because it started with the advent of Yisrael. The counts to 500 can be viewed as counts to 500/7, close to 72. Four other "72" counts exist, corresponding to four other Partzufim, as we shall see.

[thanks to Gedaliah]

[A reader of this post made this spreadsheet with three tables. The first features the "a priori" counts of Zeir Anpin and Malchut. The second features the change at Mechirat Yosef and the resulting would-be crossing of Din and Chesed at 446.5. The third table features the counts of Zeir Anpin and Malchut taking account both Mechirat Yosef and the Repair.]

יז

In the Honor of Lag B'Omer and Rabbi Shimon

In terms of the secrets of Torah, we live in the period of the Partzuf "Malchut", which represents all human souls on one side, and is the gate of Divine influence on the physical world, on the other. In the course of history, Partzufim of higher elevation than Malchut exert their influence to make Malchut grow to completeness, so that mankind may perfect and elevate the world.

The period of Malchut is limited. It lasts 6,000 years, and these are the years that are counted by the Jewish counting of the years. Hence, the Jewish year count starts with the appearance of human souls, and not with the creation of the physical world, as is often thought. In fact, before the emergence of mankind there were six periods of 7,000 years, corresponding to the six Sephirot that precede Malchut in the system of Kabbala: Chesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. The six periods total 42,000 years, which are called the years of Atik Yamim, the carrier of the 42-letter name of HaShem. The years of Atik Yamim are not physical years. Each year at this level corresponds to 3*100*1000 physical years. That makes 12.6 billion years, the age of the oldest stars. The six days of creation of the Torah correspond to these six Sephirot. Hence, the "Let there be light" of the first day corresponds to the creation of the first stars. Likewise, the creation of the Sun on the fourth day, corresponds to the creation of the Sun in the 2.1 billion years of the fourth Sephira, Netzach. The fifth Sephira, Hod, corresponds to the biological evolution towards the type of cells we are made off, eukaryotes. The sixth Sephira, Yesod, corresponds to the evolution from single cells to man. The number 42 is not only 6 times 7. It is also 40 plus 2, where the 2 corresponds to the 600 million years of the evolution of animal life.

Before the period of Atik Yamim was the rule of the Sephira preceding the seven Sephirot from Chesed to Malchut, i.e. the rule of the Sephira of Da'at, and of the Partzuf Yesod Adam Kadmon, corresponding to the 4-letter name of HaShem. This Partzuf is the most elevated spiritual concept we may conceive of. The above formula also applies to the translation of the rule of Yesod Adam Kadmon to physical years. Hence, here are another 4,000*3*100*1000 physical years, 1.2 billion. The years of Yesod Adam Kadmon saw the creation of time and space, the creation of the laws of Nature, a fast expansion of the Universe, and the breaking of the homogeneity of the spatial distribution of matter and energy, setting the stage for the stellar evolution.

Adding the years of Yesod Adam Kadmon to the years of Atik Yamim, we get 13.8 billion physical years. The latest scientific measurements for the age of the Universe give a value of 13.73 ± 0.12 years.

If the 42,000 years of the six Sephirot that preceded Malchut do not correspond to physical years, why would the subsequent period of 6,000 years of Malchut correspond to physical years? They do not. In order to explain how it really is, let me review the key years of the history of Malchut (Note the symmetry involving the number 480):

Year 1: Creation of Adam HaRishon
Year 2449: Yetziat Mitzrayim
Year 2929 (2449+480): Bayit Rishon
Year 3339: Churban Bayit Rishon
Year 3409 (2929+480): Bayit Sheni
Year 3829: Churban Bayit Sheni

Mankind exists already for a very long time, much longer than 6,000 years. To derive the physical years of the events of Malchut, we scale Malchut's years with similar yet smaller factors as above. Homo Sapiens arose not 2448 years but 2448*3*10 (73,440) years before Yetziat Mitzrayim. The 73,440 years hint at HaShem's name of 72, which corresponds to the Partzuf Arich Anpin or Keter, who ruled for 72,000 years. The remaining 1440 years were under the Partzufim Chochma, Bina and Da'at. (I will elaborate Bli Neder in later posts.)

As I explained before, the 480 Malchut years of Bayit Rishon until Bayit Sheni must be multiplied with a factor 10/3, so that they come out to be 1600 physical years. From Yetziat Mitzrayim until Bayit Rishon, and after Churban Bayit Sheni until the end of days, there is no scaling: physical years equal years of Malchut. The scaling of the period of Bayit Rishon until Bayit Sheni pushes back the date of Yetziat Mitzrayim to the year 1329.

Now, notice a remarkable numerical coincidence. If we add the 2300 years of Daniels prophecy (8:14) to the year of Churban Bayit Sheni, we get 6129, which year is exactly 10*480 years after Yetziat Mitzrayim in 1329 - another instance of scaling of 480 years.

I invented the proposal described here to harmonize historical and scientific findings with principles of Torah, combining knowledge with knowledge. As such it has merits, but its solution is not unique. However, after discovering the number 6129, a whole new dimension opened up, which gives the proposal a strong flavor of unique truth.

There is much more to the above proposal than meets the unaided eye, and more than I can expound now. I have an astounding Perush of Zohar Shemot 10 and Midrash Ne'elam Toldot regarding the dates of Techiat HaMetim, which confirms that the year 6129 will see the revival of the dead. [For completeness, Techiat HaMetim of the Tzadikim will take before this time, and the 6129 corresponds to the opinion of rabbi Yehuda in Midrash Ne'elam. Going with rabbi Yitzchak, it would be 6133.]

In upcoming posts, Bli Neder and B'Ezrat HaShem, I will try to explain the Perush. Step by step, slowly, because it is a lot of material, and because I must be careful. The Perush has strong implications regarding the timing of Biat HaMoshiach.

Let me conclude with some insights gleaned from the Perush: The six Sephirot before Malchut were elevated very much above the lower worlds. Hence the big scaling factor, 3*100*1000. With the advent of man, they formed together the Partzuf Zeir Anpin, which came down to the lower worlds together with Malchut.

Malchut came down gradually, and with ups and downs. This is the background of the various scaling factors. If the scaling factor is 1, Malchut is at the final destination, close to the lower worlds. If the scaling factor is higher, Malchut is elevated above the lower worlds. Until Yetziat Mitzrayim, Malchut was still quite removed from the lower worlds. Hence the scaling factor 10*3. After having come down all the way at Yetziat Mitzryaim, Malchut rose towards Zeir Anpin at Bayit Rishon, but lacking completeness, Malchut could not elevate the lower worlds, and became elevated from them. Hence the factor 10/3. At Bayit Sheni, Malchut made the final descent in order to go up forever at the time of Moshiach, together with the lower worlds.

Although the Partzufim Yesod Adam Kadmon and Atik Yamim withdrew when Malchut came down, and exerted only very little influence on the lower Partzufim in a direct way, this will change from the time of Moshiach onwards. From this we may understand the awesome nature of what is to come.

טז