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