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
