21.5 Days

Warning: This post contains a prediction.  This prediction may or may not come to pass.  Those whose Emuna will be negatively affected by predictions not coming true should not read this post.

During the "3 weeks", or בין המצרים, we are in a state of mourning for 21.5 days.  This is because we start fasting basically at midnight on the 17th of Tamuz (or close to it - whenever we go to sleep).  Then, 3 weeks later, the mourning comes to a peak at Hatzot Hayom (halachic midday) of Tish'a Be'av.  After Hatzot, although we are still fasting, we are already in Geula mode.  This mourning period is therefore 21.5 days.

This tells us that there is something special about 21.5 days whereby things can turn around.

The atrocities of October 7th occurred 21.5 days after the New Year.  Rosh Hashana 5784 started approximately 6PM on Friday night - September 15th.  The October 7th massacre occurred 21.5 days later on Shemini Atzeret morning at around 6AM.  Therefore, the normal part of this year was a mere 21.5 days.

But Hashem works זה לעמת זה.  If a negative occurrence took place after 21.5 days from a noted date during the month of Din, a positive occurrence is due after 21.5 days from a noted date, Be'ezrat Hashem, during the month of Hessed and Rahamim.

In the previous post, I noted that Tekufat Nissan was when the 9 months of "pregnancy" was over and when the "birth" began.  Tekufat Nissan was on Sunday April 7th at 12:39 PM.

The following Sunday - April 14th - the 6th of Nissan - the Jewish people were attacked by Iran with over 300 ordinances (including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and suicide drones) and experienced an incredible miracle from HKB"H that not 1 Jew got a scratch.  If April 7th was the "birth", then April 14th was the "Berit Milah".  Of course, we learned from last week's Parasha that a Berit Milah cannot be performed at night - only in the daytime.  But the Jewish people didn't know the full extent of the (lack of) damage until the daytime, and that was when the Mazal Tovs could start.  ישתבח שמו לעד.

If one starts from Tekufat Nissan on April 7th (the "birth") and counts 21.5 days later, one will arrive at halachic midnight of the 7th day of Pesah, an auspicious time for the Jewish people.  Many people have the custom to stay up late on Shevi'i Shel Pesah before Hatzot reading Tikkun (which talks about Mashiah) or doing other learning - and after Hatzot reciting Az Yashir.  This is to commemorate the miracle of the Splitting of the Red Sea that occurred that day.

---

I received an email on February 2nd, 2023 and a follow-up email on February 4th, 2023.  These emails were from a man I do not know.  He allowed me to share the contents of the emails.  

In the emails, he told me that he had a dream on November 22, 2022 that Mashiah would arrive on Shevi'i Shel Pesah, 5784 at halachic midnight.

May we merit to see it!

Year 8 and the 9 Months - Part 3

Part 1

Part 2

For those following these posts, the timeline that I proposed is based on R' Ari Goldwag's video, but slightly different than that of his timeline.  R' Ari is counting 9 lunar months from Av until Adar Bet.  My calculation is counting 9 solar months from Tamuz (July 8th) until 2 days before Rosh Hodesh Nissan (April 7th) - based on the Tekufot.  

As I explained in detail in Part 2, the beginning of the 9 months started on the day of Tekufat Tamuz.  The October 7th massacre occurred on the secular day of Tekufat Tishri (which occurred Oct. 7th at 9:39PM).  This was also explained in detail.  

The end of the 9 months' "pregnancy" - also known as the "birth" - falls out on Tekufat Nissan, which is 2 days before Rosh Hodesh Nissan, or April 7th at 12:39 PM, if all this is accurate.

See the Wikipedia chart by clicking here and scrolling up very slightly.  Note that the Tekufot I'm referring to are according to Shemu'el - not Rav Adda.  Halachically (e.g. for reciting Barech Aleinu/Vetein Tal Umatar in the Diaspora), we follow Shemuel's Tekufot.

It follows that there will be 4 days in a row next week with important significance:

April 6th - Shabbat HaHodesh - we read about the importance of Nissan and the Korban Pesah

April 7th - Tekufat Nissan

April 8th - Solar Eclipse in the USA (a bad sign for the nations, according to the gemara Sukkah 29a)

April 9th - Rosh Hodesh Nissan

May these days bring good tidings.

Roy Neuburger on Tzav/Parah

Hatam Sofer's Ketz Redux 2

 The Hatam Sofer's Ketz has been mentioned on this blog a few times.  It is based on the verse:

מח  אַחֲרֵי נִמְכַּר, גְּאֻלָּה תִּהְיֶה-לּוֹ:  אֶחָד מֵאֶחָיו, יִגְאָלֶנּוּ.

48 after that he is sold he may be redeemed; one of his brethren may redeem him;

See the first part of this post for a more detailed explanation of his Ketz.

Rav Fish's latest post noted via ר' דָּוִד וַיְצְמַן that the Sofei Teivot of the Milui of the words ויהי אחרי (the beginning of Sefer Yehoshua): 

ויו

יוד

הי

יוד

אלף

חית

ריש

יוד

making the words דויד תשפ"ד (i.e. David 5784).

Using this idea and applying it to the Hatam Sofer's Ketz verse, we can use the words אחרי נמכר:

אלף

חית

ריש

יוד

נון

מם

כף

ריש

making the words תשפ"ד משפן (i.e. 5784 from the hyrax).

(I fleetingly entertained the word possibly being "Fishman" or "Shiffman", perhaps as an interesting individual, but I thought better of it.)  

So, why משפן - from the hyrax?

In Vayikra Rabba at the end of Parashat Shemini, there are various explanations regarding the correlation between the 4 non-Kosher domesticated animals with 1 of the 2 Kosher signs and the 4 exiles.

The Midrash states that the שפן (hyrax) refers to Madai - which is part of the Persian Empire.  

An additional connection between the word נמכר and Persia is Queen Esther's statement to King Ahashverosh:

ד  כִּי נִמְכַּרְנוּ אֲנִי וְעַמִּי, לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרוֹג וּלְאַבֵּד; וְאִלּוּ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת נִמְכַּרְנוּ, הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי--כִּי אֵין הַצָּר שֹׁוֶה, בְּנֵזֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ.

4 for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, for the adversary is not worthy that the king be endamaged.'

So, the Hatam Sofer's Ketz verse is hinting to the idea that in 5784, from something that occurs in the country of Iran or someone who comes from the country of Iran, the Redemption will come.  And one of our brothers - The King Mashiah - will redeem us.  בב"א.

Edom vs. Paras - Is it Happening?

Is the war mentioned in Yoma 10a with Edom vs. Paras - with varying results - upon us?

Daily Wire:

U.S. Senators Push For Direct Military Response Against Iran After U.S. Soldiers Killed In Terror Attack

U.S. Senators pushed for direct military action against Iran on Sunday after news broke that at least three U.S. soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack carried out by an Iranian-backed terrorist group.

U.S. Central Command said in a statement that “three U.S. service members were killed and 25 injured from a one-way attack [Unmanned Aircraft System] that impacted at a base in northeast Jordan, near the Syria border.” Subsequent reporting said that more than 30 U.S. soldiers were injured in the attack.

President Joe Biden said in a separate statement that the attack was “carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.”

There was a bipartisan show of support among U.S. senators for the Biden administration to hold Iran directly responsible.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was the most direct in stating what he believes the U.S. should do in response.

“I am calling on the Biden Administration to strike targets of significance inside Iran, not only as reprisal for the killing of our forces, but as deterrence against future aggression,” he said, later adding: “Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that Biden’s weakness was “again measured in American lives.”

“We cannot afford to keep responding to this violent aggression with hesitation and half-measures,” he said. “The entire world now watches for signs that the President is finally prepared to exercise American strength to compel Iran to change its behavior. Our enemies are emboldened. And they will remain so until the United States imposes serious, crippling costs – not only on front-line terrorist proxies, but on their Iranian sponsors who wear American blood as a badge of honor.”

“Target Tehran,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), adding that he specifically wanted to see the U.S. target the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the IRGC’s Quds Force (IRGC-QF).

“Joe Biden emboldened Iran for years by tolerating attacks on our troops, bribing the ayatollahs with billions of dollars, and appeasing them to no end,” said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). “He left our troops as sitting ducks and now three are dead and dozens wounded, sadly as I’ve predicted would happen for months. The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East.”

“Anything less will confirm Joe Biden as a coward unworthy of being commander-in-chief,” Cotton added.

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) posted on X that “Iran must be held accountable.”

“Yesterday’s deadly attack by Iran-backed militants on U.S. troops in Jordan is reprehensible – and part of a broader pattern of Tehran-enabled aggression across the region,” said Michael Bennet (D-CO). “We must work with our allies and partners to counter Iran’s malign influence.”

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NV) said, “Those responsible for this horrific attack must be held accountable.”

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said that Iran was “blatantly questioning U.S. strength” and that “it must end.”

“This is what happens when an administration abandons peace through strength in favor of appeasing the largest state sponsor of terror in the world,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). “The White House must take immediate action, and in doing so, send a clear message to Iran: those who target our brave men and women in uniform will pay the ultimate price.”

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) said that she would work to “ensure that those responsible for attacks on our military are held accountable.”

“It’s time to reestablish deterrence against Iran with a decisive response to these unacceptable strikes,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

“It is time to act with purpose and resolve in response to attacks that have tragically taken the lives of American service members and injured scores more,” said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS). “We must respond to these repeated attacks by Iran & its proxies by striking directly against Iranian targets & its leadership. The Biden administration’s responses thus far have only invited more attacks. It is time to act swiftly and decisively for the whole world to see.”

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said “enough is enough” and that it was “time for clear and decisive action, and Iran must be held accountable for the malign activities of its proxies.”

“The President needs to order a clear, lethal and overwhelming response that demonstrates to Iran and to the world that whoever targets our men and women in uniform—or supports these attacks—will face the full might of the U.S. military,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK).

“Will Pres Biden finally take decisive action against Iran???” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) posted on X.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) wrote: “Mr. President, it is far past time Iran paid the price for its actions.”

“We must hold Iran accountable for all attacks against Americans, including this one,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) wrote on X: “This is a troubling pattern of Iran-backed groups feeling emboldened and we must hold all of those responsible accountable for attacks on the U.S. and our allies.”

 

Haftarat Miketz, 5784

The Haftara of Miketz is quite rarely read.  See this old post from 2010 showing how rare it is.  This is the last time it is read in the 5700s.

The Haftara that is read is the story of the 2 harlots coming to Shelomo Hamelech and both claiming the living baby as her own and the dead baby as the other's.

One could possibly say that this story is also an allegory for the Land of Israel.  The living baby is Eretz Yisrael and the dead baby is the lands of Galut.  The mother of the dead baby is the nations and the mother of the living baby is the Jewish people.  The mother of the dead baby ruined their lands and rendered them dead.  She next put the baby next to the mother of the living baby, signifying the Jews going to Galut.  The mother of the living baby wants her baby back, but the mother of the dead baby is not giving up, signifying the fight over Eretz Yisrael.  Eventually, the decision is to split the living baby - The Two-State Solution.  The mother of the dead baby is all for it, but the mother of the living baby (the Jewish people) reluctantly says that it's better to allow even antagonistic non-Jews to remain in the Land than to split the Land up into two.  

כז  וַיַּעַן הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר, תְּנוּ-לָהּ אֶת-הַיָּלוּד הַחַי, וְהָמֵת, לֹא תְמִיתֻהוּ:  הִיא, אִמּוֹ.

27 Then the king answered and said: 'Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.'

In the end, the King of kings sees how much we don't want the Land split, so a Bat Kol comes out and says "היא אמו" - she is his mother.  The Land is given solely to the Jewish people.

This story occurred in the beginning of Shelomo Hamelech's reign.  He started his reign in 2924.  That is 2860 years ago.

The gematria of the verse above which includes היא אמו is 2864.  Since we will not be reading this haftara for another 17 years, this year is the closest the gematria of the verse gets to the number of years ago it occurred when it is read.

May we be awarded the full Land of Israel speedily in our days, Amen.

The Tanhuma Speaks of our Ahdut Today

 Tanhuma on Lech Lecha:

מה כתיב למעלה מן הענין? וישמע אברהם כי נשבה אחיו, וכי אחיו היה אלא ראה ענותנותו של אברהם אחר אותה מריבה שכתוב ויהי ריב בין רועי מקנה אברם ובין רועי מקנה לוט אף על פי כן היה קורא אותו אחיו דכתיב כי אנשים אחים אנחנו

[Expounding the verse that begins the Convenant Between the Parts: אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה "After these things", we ask:] What does it say before this topic? It says: "And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive".  Was Lot really his brother??? [He was his nephew and brother-in-law, but not his brother!!]  Rather, it's teaching us that we should take a look at the humility of Avraham.  After that quarrel where it says, "And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle", and nevertheless, Avraham called him "his brother", as it says, "for we are brethren".

As numerous people have already pointed out, there is an incredible Ahdut in the air that we haven't had in 50 years in Israel.  And this was after a terrible fight between right vs. left and religious vs. non-religious that was going on beforehand.

And just as Avraham was: וירק את חניכיו - he went to battle to free his brother from captivity, similarly, we are going to battle to free our brothers and sisters from captivity.  And just as Avraham was victorious in his mission, with Hashem's help, we will be victorious in our mission.

Another Midrash in Lech Lecha compares the Geula of Lot (who was actually necessary to produce the ancestry of Mashiah) from the 4 kings with the Final Geula:

דבר אחר:

• ויהי בימי אמרפל מלך שנער, זו בבל.
• ואריוך מלך אלסר, זה אנטיוכס.
• כדרלעומר מלך עילם, זה מדי.
• ותדעל מלך גוים, זו מלכות אדום, שהיא מכתבת טירוניא מכל אומות העולם.

אמר רבי אלעזר בר אבינא: אם ראית מלכיות מתגרות אלו באלו צפה לרגלו של משיח, תדע שכן, שהרי בימי אברהם על ידי שנתגרו המלכיות אלו באלו, באה הגאולה לאברהם.

This Midrash is saying that when we see the superpowers going after each other, we should expect the feet of Mashiah just as there was a Geula for Avraham when the kings battled each other.  (So far, we have US, Chinese, and French ships coming to the Middle East.  Are the Russians next?)

May the Ahdut displayed until now allow for a victory in battle and ultimately and speedily lead to the Final Redemption, Amen.