The Inconvenient Truth: America Will Never Be Great Again

21 Tammuz 5786 

Before getting into today's post, here is a follow-up video to yesterday's report and a not-to-be-missed article from Matzav.

America 250 - The Message in the Day After

Yeshiva Bochur’s Response to Soldier’s Mother Sparks Widespread Discussion Online

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Regarding the picture of the double-rainbow accompanied by lightning over the Statue of LIberty, the Gentiles are missing the message because they view the rainbow as a positive sign - a sign of blessing - as attested to by the comments accompanying this picture of the event.

It is also clear that the frightening lightning bolt - imagery which universally connotes Divine anger - has conveniently been edited out.  This is typical.  By them, unconvenient truths are mostly ignored or wished away.

For the Jews, however, whose very foundation and eternal mission are established on the ultimate and unadulterated Torah Truth, there is no ambiguity or lack of clarity on these points.

In Jewish sources, the symbolism of the rainbow is complex and explicitly both positive and negative simultaneously. While it visually stands as a beautiful reminder of divine mercy and peace, it contextually serves as a spiritual warning sign that humanity is misbehaving.

The primary Jewish texts break down this duality through several distinct layers:

The Negative Aspect: A Sign of Guilt and Judgment

A Reminder of Deserved Destruction:  According to the Torah text ..., the rainbow appears when the world has sinned enough to justify destruction. Its presence indicates that an "accusation" is pending against humanity in heaven.

The "Bad News" Law: Because it is an indicator of collective guilt, traditional Jewish law listed in the Mishna Berurah states that if you see a rainbow, you should not tell others. Sharing the news is viewed as spreading a bad report or a spiritual warning.

The Righteous Generations: The Midrash teaches that during the lifespans of exceptionally holy individuals—such as the great mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai—a rainbow never appeared. Their merit alone protected the world, meaning the cloud never required the rainbow's secondary defensive covenant.

The Positive Aspect: A Weapon Inverted for Peace

The Inverted War Bow: In biblical Hebrew, the word for rainbow (Keshet) is the exact same word used for a soldier’s war bow. The 13th-century commentator Nachmanides (Ramban) pointed out that the rainbow is aimed away from the Earth. By pointing the firing arc upward toward heaven, God symbolizes that His "arrows" of wrath are drawn back and He is choosing peace.

Divine Faithfulness and Grace: It serves as the physical proof of the Noahic Covenant. It proves that no matter how severely humanity falters, God promises to never wipe out life via a global flood again.

Harmonious Diversity: Chassidic philosophy observes that a rainbow requires both sunlight (fire) and rain (water) to exist. This blending of opposing elements symbolizes unity, harmony, and peace out of diverse forces.

The Mystical Aspect: The Light of Redemption

In Jewish mysticism, the Zohar flips the rainbow into a deeply positive, messianic symbol:

The Garment of Glory: Kabbalistic texts associate the rainbow with the Shechinah (the indwelling Divine Presence). The multi-colored bands mirror the lower spiritual emanations (Sefirot) reflecting divine light into our physical world.

A Harbinger of the Messiah: The Zohar explicitly states that a uniquely brilliant, radiant rainbow will paint the sky just before the arrival of the Messiah (Moshiach). It represents the final spiritual refinement and purification of the universe.        (Source:  Gemini via Chabad.org and Aish.com)

Of all the famous landmarks representing America, it is the Statue of Liberty - an Ashtoreth image - which appears to be the focus point.  "Lady Liberty" she is called.  She stands for freedom.  In America today, that means freedom from all constraints, primarily freedom to satisfy any lust or craving.

The forces of nature (See Tehillim 29) have been marshaled to declare the Creator's displeasure, but does it cause them to look to the Source and ask why? what does it mean? how are we to understand this?  No. They feel no need to ask and there is no remorse because they feel no guilt.  They are so righteous in their own eyes, all they can imagine is the fulfillment of all their dreams.

The Coming of Mashiach will be a dark day for Edom...

(Ovadia 1.18)  "And the house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become stubble, and they shall ignite them and consume them, and the house of Esau shall have no survivors, for the Lord has spoken."

Rashi asks, from where has "the Lord spoken"?  And he cites Bamidbar 24.19:  "A ruler shall come out of Jacob, and destroy the remnant of the city."  (Bila'am's Prophecy about Kochav Ya'akov)

Rashi explains:  "...this is the most prominent [city] of Edom, that is, Rome.  He says this regarding the King Messiah, of whom it says, 'and may he reign from sea to sea,' (Ps. 72:8),“ and the house of Esau shall have no survivors” (Obad. 1:18). - [Mid. Aggadah]