The Exile Is Ending - Redemption is Dawning

10 Marcheshvan 5784

Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call to her, ...for her iniquity has been appeased, for she has taken from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. (Yeshayahu 40:2)

So said your Master, the Lord, and your God Who shall judge His people, "Behold, I took from you the cup of weakness; the dregs of the cup of My wrath - you shall no longer continue to drink it.   And I will place it into the hand of those who cause you to wander, who said to your soul, 'Bend down and let us cross,' and you made your body like the earth and like the street for those who cross." (Yeshayahu 51:22-23)

I feel like most people are afraid to think the redemption has finally arrived and so they continue to judge our situation, and how to react to it, by the old rules imposed by the exile. 

Hearken to Me, you who know righteousness, a people that has My Torah in their heart, fear not reproach of man, and from their revilings be not dismayed. (Yeshayahu 51:7)

[My commentary on "...reproach of man, and ...their revilings....":  This means people like António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.]

The Simchat Torah War has introduced a new reality where the nations are standing in judgment, not Israel.  It requires a different approach with HKB"H.

The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me? (Shemot 14:15)

Commentary: Why do you cry out to Me: [This verse] teaches us that Moses was standing and praying. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “This is no time to pray at length, when Israel is in distress.” Another explanation [of God’s question (Why do you cry out to me?) implies]: “The matter depends on Me and not on you,” as it is said further [in Scripture]: “Concerning My children and the work of My hands do you command Me?” (Isa. 45:11). — [from Mechilta, Exod. Rabbah 21:8]

We are being told by some today that what is happening is like an evil decree that has descended upon us from Shamayim, and most are attributing it to the "divisions" among the people of Israel of late, but the righteous, those who fear only HKB"H, have nothing to fear from the events happening around us.

These "divisions" were brought about by HKB"H's birur process which is meant to separate good from evil so evil can be destroyed forever.  There are evildoers among the nations as well as evildoers among Israel.

The evildoers among Israel (many or most of whom are Erev Rav) cause the separation when they wander outside the sheepfold.  It is up to them to return.  When they do, the faithful sheep who remain inside the Torah fence welcome them back.  But there can never be unity with those who break down the fence and trample it under foot and destroy the protection the fence affords to the flock.  The faithful sheep can't be expected to abandon the sheepfold and join the wayward sheep for the sake of "unity".  As long as they continue to trample the fence, the errant sheep are a real danger to the viability of the entire flock and the Shepherd will have to take measures to correct the situation.  

Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments, all the days.  And you shall know this day; that I speak not with your children, who did not know and who did not see the chastisement of the Lord, your God, His greatness, His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm, His signs, and His deeds, which He performed in the midst of Egypt, to Pharaoh, king of Egypt and to his entire land, and what He did to the army of Egypt, to its steeds, and to its chariots, that He caused the waters of the Red Sea to inundate them when they pursued you, and the Lord destroyed them, to this day, and what He did for you in the desert, until you arrived at this place, and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, that the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up and their households and their tents, and all the possessions at their feet, in the midst of all Israel.  (Devarim 11:1-6) 

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron saying, "Dissociate yourselves from this congregation, and I will consume them in an instant.  They fell on their faces and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, if one man sins, shall You be angry with the whole congregation?" 

The Lord spoke to Moses saying,  "Speak to the congregation saying, 'Withdraw from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.'"  

Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.  He spoke to the congregation saying, "Please get away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything of theirs, lest you perish because of all their sins.  So they withdrew from around the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and Dathan and Abiram went out standing upright at the entrance of their tents together with their wives, their children, and their infants.  (Bamidbar 16:20-27)

People who want to blame "the religious" for the anger of the anti-religious and leave the responsibility to them to be the appeasers are just wrong.  The media is now praising the handful of chareidim for coming to join the army and speculating how the number is sure to increase, as if the "unity" that will "save" us is up to the religious.  All will be well once we have all joined together to abandon the Torah.  Even though we just read about the unity of the Generation of the Tower of Bavel and how HKB"H destroyed that unity which was meant to unseat Him from His throne.

Then the God-fearing men spoke to one another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it.  And a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared the Lord and for those who valued His name highly.  And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of Hosts, for that day when I make a treasure. And I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.

And you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who has not served Him.

For lo, the sun comes, glowing like a furnace, and all the audacious sinners and all the perpetrators of wickedness will be stubble. And the sun that comes shall burn them up so that it will leave them neither root nor branch, says the Lord of Hosts.  And the sun of mercy shall rise with healing in its wings for you who fear My Name. 

Then will you go forth and be fat as fatted calves.  And you shall crush the wicked, for they will be as ash under the soles of your feet on the day that I will prepare, says the Lord of Hosts.  (Malachi 3:16-21)

If you believe in reward, then you must also believe in punishment.  

Rambam's Thirteen Principles of Faith #11:  Reward and Punishment

“I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name, rewards those who observe His Commandments, and punishes those who violate His Commandments.”

As so often repeated throughout the history of the world, mankind mistakes HKB"H's long-suffering mercy for abandonment and a license to run amok over His laws.  We can't say any longer that Judgment Day is coming.  Judgment Day arrived on Shemini Atzert/Simchat Torah of 5784.  

The message for the nations is that "the party is over!"  (Many nations were represented at the party in the South of Israel: "[The Supernova Festival] is an international gathering of people from different styles and cultures, all together to celebrate Peace, Love, Union, and Respect.)  

The message for the Jews is "My children, do not fear, because everything I did, I did for you. Why are you afraid? Don’t be afraid. The time has come for your redemption.”

And now fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; and remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.  

And if it displeases you to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell, but as for me and my household, we shall serve the Lord."  (Yehoshua 24:14-15)

AMEN!!!!!!!!