The Time for Redemption

The Reunification of Jerusalem

28 Iyar  -  May 22

The following is from Time for Redemption, by Matityahu Glazerson (Jerusalem 1994)

The Passover song Chad Gadya/1 contains a clear allusion to the process by which Jerusalem will fall into the hands of various conquerers, until being restored to her rightful position as seat of the Holy of Holies.

The song tells of the slaughterer, who slew the ox, which drank the water, that put out the fire, etc. 

In Kabbalistic thought, water often represents the Roman Empire, destroyers of the Beit HaMikdash. The ox similarly symbolizes Yishmael (the Moslems who were in control of Yerushalayim for many centuries. Ultimately, Moshiach ben Yosef will arrive, slay the ox, and prepare the way for Moshiach ben David to complete the Geula.

It is important to recognize that Moshiach ben Yosef's impact on the Geula process is based on the precedent set by his namesake, Yaakov Avinu's son, Yosef the Tzaddik. He was the one to set the stage for his brothers, the forebearers of the National of Israel, to come to Egypt in the fact of the famine then raging, and it was he who supported them in various ways. Thus it is stated, "Yosef settled his father and brothers [in the land] and gave them a possession in the best of the land of Egypt... and nourished them with bread."

According to the Arizal, this story provides us also with an allusion to our times as a potential milestone in the progression of the Geula.

Pharoah's dream, which predicted the famine, happened "two years after" [Yosef's interpretation of his fellow prisoners' dreams]. Two years equal 730 days. which when added to the six letters of the Hebrew word for 'two years', give a total of 736, or the year 1976. This is related to that which is quoted in the name of the Arizal, that the year 1968 is to begin an important period in the Redemption process.

As noted, the end of our long, troubled Golus is alluded to by the Zohar on the verse, "And it came to pass after two years". The Zohar brings a supplementary verse from Iyov, "He put an end to the darkness." the Hebrew word for darkness, is an acronym for three words which stand for some of the main agents of our suffering in the Golus, ches, stands for chamor (donkey), symbol of Yishmael and his descendants; shin stands for shur (ox), the X-tian Roman Empire; and kuf is for kelev (dog), which represents Amalek.

[...T]he year 5728 (1968) was earmarked to herald the dawning of the Era of Redemption. The number 5728 is to be found in the name Yitzchak, whose binding and near-sacrifice by Avraham has come to symbolize Jewish history almost more than anything else. The milui values of the letters of Yitzchak's name totals 728, equal to the year 5728. The thousands of Jews who returned to the Light of Torah following the miracles of 1967 are living examples that this prediction of the Arizal came true.

Yaakov, whose life symbolized in so many ways the route to be taken by his descendants in Golus, and whose return to Eretz Yisrael similarly foretold our own return, also has an important date concealed in the milui value of his name. The total is 748, which is the year 5748 (1988). In addition to its ending with the digits 48, which we have seen is significant in itself, it is also specified as a year of Geula in the contemporary work Aseh Lecha Rav, by the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, Rav Chaim David HaLevi. He quotes the following passage from the Talmud:

Rabbi Eliezer said:

"The days of the Messiah are to be 40 years,

as is stated, 'Forty years did I loathe this generation.'"

Rabbi Eleazar ben Azarya said:

"70 years, as is stated, 'It shall come to pass

on that day, that Zor shall be forgotten

for seventy years, as the days of one

king.' Who is the 'one' king? Say,

then, that it is the Moshiach."

Rebi [Rav Yehudah HaNasi] said:

"Three generations, for the verse states,

'May they fear thee as long as the sun

and the moon endure, for a generation

and generations

 [i.e., a minimum of three].'"

The phrase "days of the Moshiach" clearly refers to the period of Moshiach ben Yosef, preceding the arrival of the actual Geula; for the Davidic Moshiach is certainly not limited to forty years or even three generations.

This preliminary period, then, may be viewed in three ways. Considering each generation as 30 years, three generations before the year 1987 leads us to 1897, the year in which began concrete actions toward bringing Am Yisrael back to Eretz Yisrael. Unfortunately, this also saw an increase in woldwide anti-semitism. A more advanced stage in the Geula process was attained 20 years later, in 1917, with the Balfour Declaration "viewing with favor the establishment of a national Jewish home in Palestine"; this was 70 years before 1987, in accordance with Rav Eleazar ben Azaryah's opinion. The culmination was reached 30 years later when the UN voted to establish the Jewish State and the Jewish People regained their independence in their Land after 1880 years. This of course was some 40 years before the indicated 1987 as Rabi Eliezer said.

All opinions [of the Sages] are the words of the Living G-d; all three views point to the same year. One counts from the spiritual arousal in 1897, one from the permission granted by the caretaker government of Great Britain, and the final opinion considers the worldwide consensus to be the determining factor./2

We see that the year 5748 (1987-88) is a central year in terms of Redemption. 5748 may yet be proven to have harboured the seeds of the coming of Moshiach, leading to eternal joy in the merit of Yaakov, about whom is written "Yaakov shall rejoie, Israel shall be ever happy."

Let us note that this year is only two years removed from the date that the Vilna Gaon indicated, 5750 (1990). Similarly, there is a difference of two years between two Zohar specified dates regarding the beginning of the Geula period: 5726 and 5728 (1966-1968).

The Six Day War, 

with its abundant blessings, 

occurred exactly during that time, in 1967.

1/ a song at the end of the Haggada
2/ "During our recent history, Klal Yisroel had a chance to be mekabel Moshiach four times which were each considered ashaas hakosher:

At the time of the Balfour Declaration in 1917;
During the Israeli War of Independence in 1948;
During the Six-Day War in 1967; and
During the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

Had Klal Yisroel done teshuva during any of those times, Moshiach would be here. The dates were mesugal. Unfortunately, we blew it all by not doing teshuva."

Attributed to Rav Elya Svei zt"l