The truth is, Devash, Hashem can cut the process short at any time.
In fact, we know that the prophecy of Achishena (Moshiach being sent earlier than he was originally scheduled to appear) must be fulfilled.
I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but according to chazal, the "achisheinah" scenario is only fulfilled if we repent fully on our own. If we don't merit geulah achisheinah, then we are left with geulah b'ita---in its time. If we don't deserve it (which, quite obviously we don't or it would have already arrived), then it will come anyway, but only in its time, like a lowly donkey, plodding along and bringing sorrow, suffering and disaster in its wake. Many rabbis have already said that all opportunities for a geulah achisheinah have passed and we are now locked into the geulah b'ita scenario.
What's more, Hashem is the Rachum v'Chanun, the Compassionate and Gracious One, Who loves his people. I just don't see how, after the Exile extended to just about the last possible moment, that Our Father would let it conclude with catastrophe.
I just don't see it.
Hashem is also Just. He created us with free will and admonished us to choose life. If, after all the help He has given us and all the messages He has sent, we choose the path of death, His justice requires Him to honor that free will choice. He will not force anyone.
I've said this before and it bears repeating...
Judgment is coming to Eisav/Edom. All the prophets tell of it. This judgment is not intended for Jews, but if Hashem cannot convince you within the bounds of free-will to flee from there, what else can you expect? This is like Lot. If he had refused, along with his married daughters and sons-in-law to leave, he would not have survived because Sodom and Amora had been judged and the angels had arrived to carry out their destruction.
And if the Exile concludes, chos v'shalom, as you and others envision, so be it. We in America will try to help and protect each other and accept our fate with love.
But how sad that you prefer to perish rather than submit your will to your Creator and be obedient to the commandment to enter and settle the Land of Israel which Hashem lovingly prepared for us.
But I must ask a question:
Why does it ALWAYS come out that the English-speaking writers living in Eretz Yisrael who write about "The End" ALWAYS include very, very harsh outcomes for their brethren who have not yet come to live in Eretz Yisrael?
Why is this?
For the reasons cited above and because these are the words of our holy prophets. I'll remind again; see Yechezkel, chapter 20: "...I shall separate from you those who rebel and those who transgress against Me; from the land of their sojournings I shall take them, but to the land of Israel they shall not come, and you will know that I am the Lord."
It has nothing to do with being English-speakers (are you reading Hebrew also?), but it could have something to do with having won the battle over the yetzer hara when it comes to taking the actual steps of making aliyah to the Land of Israel.
The Ramchal writes in Mesillat Yesharim about one who has successfully navigated a maze and now takes a seat above it from where he can advise those following him to make the necessary moves so that they, too, can succeed.
That's what this is all about. It's not about one-upmanship. It's about saving as many Jewish lives as possible. I'll close with some words from a prophet in our time, my Rav, Rabbi Meir David Kahane, zt"l, Hy"d.:
(From his last speech in NYC, 18 Cheshvan 5751, minutes before an assassin's bullet darkened our world)
"...This is a country which is on the verge of economic horror, horror. ...The banks here are shaking, they're tottering. In their greed, in the 1960's and 70's, they gave loans to anybody.
...So hundreds of millions [in actuality, it turned into billions and trillions] of bad loans are being held by major banks: Chase Manhattan, Citicorp --- and they are in deep, deep trouble today. And on top of that the real estate market has collapsed and they are now holding several hundred milion dollars of bad mortgages. That's the tragedy.
...So America has lived beyond its means --- extra credit, credit cards --- and give anybody credit, give kids credit cards--- anybody. Now it's time to pay the piper, there is no money, there is no money. And should the economic collapse come, it is the Jew who will be blamed. it is the Jew. You can hear it already, you can smell it in the air. [And he could. That's how he knew.]
We have a serious problem---the economic crisis cannot be averted. There is no way. This country is in for terrible, terrible times. People tell me that in the Depression it was also bad. It's true, but...it was a different era back then. The American people at that time were a much stronger people in character. Today, after 40-50 year of the good life and the soft life, and the materialistic life, people are into themslves. Unbelievable ego. Everything is me, me... People are incapable today of making sacrifices and that's the great difference between today and what happened in the Depression. The person who is poor and gets poorer---not so terrible. The person who had it and lost it becomes a wild animal, a raging animal. He'll not accept it and will look for a scapegoat. He'll look for some target to blame. We Jews are the most visible, the most highly visible in terms of power, in terms of money.
...The Almighty always gives the "trufa" before the "maka." He always gives the healing before the sickness. We have a Jewish state today... Geula and galut cannot coexist. When there was no Jewish state, it was the era of exile...Now that there is a Jewish state, the exile is going to end whether we like it or not, and the time is now to come home."
What's happening today was poised to explode then, but I'll tell you what happened. O-S-L-O. When the Erev Rav regime banned Kach and the people did not protest the loss of their democratic rights, Rav Kahane's mission was interrupted and had to be passed to another. During the interruption, Israel has suffered through the "Piece" Process.
An extension of the galut was bought with the blood of Jews blown to mangled bits on the streets of Israel's cities. But, you know what? It was only a delay and now we see that this delay has now ended and geula is once again on the march. But the trouble is, interest was accumulating for the galut during the delay and now payday has arrived and the cost is much greater now than it would have been then. G-d help us. The cost is already astronomically greater.
Rabbi Kahane said: "Say the bitter truth, even though they won't like you. They won't like you, they'll attack you, but tell the Jews the truth if you love them. If you love Jews, tell them the things which will make them angry, but which can save their lives.
...It's hard to live in Israel, but it will be impossible to live here...."
Watch the video below and ponder these words: "He'll look for some target to blame. We Jews are the most visible, the most highly visible in terms of power, in terms of money."
Bracha v'Shalom, Devash.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to respond to you piecemeal because I don't have time to do so in one shot.
Achishena, as you state, is long past as the primary mode of our Redemption. You are correct that we are well into the period of B'Ita because of our failure to do proper teshuva.
However, states the Gra, we will see this positive prophecy fulfilled before B'Ita concludes; the verse . . . עת צרה היא ליעקב totals 999, one less than 1,000, the number of completeness. Our avodah will bring us only to this level and must be finished by Hashem Himself: הוא יעשה שלום עלינו
There are two possible paths to the final redemption, and they remain possible to the very end. One is din, and one is rachamim. I don't think that there is any proof from the fact that moshiach has not yet come to the fact that Moshiach will not come with rachamim!
ReplyDeleteAlso, vastly important to understand is that Hashem judges us the way we judge ourselves. If we judge ourselves with din, Hashem will do so too (see the Gemara in Rosh Hashana 17a at the bottom, as well as numerous places in the chofetz Chaim's works).
"One is din, and one is rachamim."
ReplyDeleteDo you have a source for that? I've only ever been taught about the difference between achisheinah and b'ita. B'ita in any case will have some aspect of achisheinah, that's undeniable.
It seems to me that it should in any case be a mixture, but our actions (or inaction) will cause it to be weighted to one side or the other.
Why do you not understand that it is the Jews in chu"l who have the power to bring the geulah with rachamim? I've quoted the prophet saying that Hashem considers the failure to come to Eretz Yisrael as rebellion and He intends to take us out from the Diaspora one way or the other, G-d forbid.
What do you have to say about the sources which discuss the loss of 4/5's again, just like in Egypt?
How can you even consider asking Hashem for mercy when He has poured out His mercy for years and years and years, waiting in vain for children who spurn His gifts and prefer the exile to redemption if it means living in Eretz Yisrael?