Zecharia 14 and the Trail to Hope
This article is appearing both on Mystical Paths and the End of Days blog in two parts or more.
I have not written for a while because my writing was dependent on the fact that former President George W. Bush would turn out to be Gog, and when this did not occur, I withdrew from writing. But now signs of hope have begun to reappear that the end of days is near and the final redemption is at our doorstep. During Nisan of 5770, the drive by President Obama to divide Jerusalem hit us like a breath of fresh air. As horrible and ominous as this sounds, the fact that the prophet Zechariah in chapters 12 and 14 predicts this 2400 years ago as the clanging of a redemption in its time is enough to calm the nerves as the nations of the world gather against Jerusalem. No more years and years of death and maiming. How many hundreds have died in the Al Aqsa Intafada? How many thousands have been maimed for life? Sanhedrin 98b , Tosafot on Avodah Zarah 2b, and Rav Eibeschutz say that the dislocations will last no longer than nine months once and if they occur that is, until Persia falls into the hands of Edom (the West) or until Edom rules the world for nine months. It may be painful once these dislocations occur if they have to occur. But which is worse: another ten years of a third intifada where thousands more would die, G-d forbid, or something quick where HaShem could fight the nations that come against Yerushalayim. The Oslo War will quickly end as HaShem performs his miracles to redeem his chosen nation. Let's look at the facts that are inherent in the prophetic scenario.
Fact #1: Zecharia 14:1-2 Behold a day is coming for HaShem, when your spoils will be divided up in your midst. I will gather all the nations (of the world) to Yerushalayim for the war; the city will be captured, the houses will be pillaged and the women will be violated; HALF of the city will go out into exile, but the rest of the people will not be eliminated from the city. How could he, the prophet, have known that this is precisely what the nations of the world would want 2,400 years later? This is precisely Obama's, the EU's, Russia's, and the UN's goal. In their minds East Yerushalayim is an illegal Israeli settlement. They accept West Yerushalayim as being part of Israel. So they have no intention of sending those residents into exile. Again how could he have known?
Fact #2: Zecharia 14:10 The entire land will change to a plain, from GEVA to RIMMON, south of Yerushalayim.... These are precisely the geographic limits of modern Yerushalayim. The northern most border of Jewish Yerushalayim is just outside the separation fence between Yerushalayim and the Shomron. It is the community of Geva Binyamin known to the locals as Geva for short (a.k.a. Adam). The southern most community inside the separation fence south of Yerushalayim is Efrat. It is a city built on seven hills. The southern most hill in Efrat is Givat Rimmon (Pomegranate Hill). In short Jewish Yerushalayim stretches from Geva in the north to Givat Rimmon in the south. Again 2,400 years ago how could the prophet have known? How could he have known?
Fact #3: Zecharia 12:2 ...Also Yehudah will take part in the siege of Yerushalayim. Also Zecharia 14:14 Also Yehudah will wage war against Yerushalayim... From J Street in America to Peace Now, from former PM Olmert to the present PM Netanyahu there is a turning against Jewish sovereignty over 270,000 Arabs in East Yerushalayim. There is an acceptance of the fact that a Palestinian State will have its capital there. Yet, the logistics are a nightmare. There are over 200,000 Jews living beyond the 67 border in Yerushalayim in twelve Jewish neighborhoods. How can the Eastern, Northern, and Southern parts of the Capital city be divided up by establishing different water mains, sewage tunnels, and electrical grids one for Israel and another for Palestine? How would international borders between intertwined neighborhoods be set up? The traffic and road blocks in the "eastern" half of the city would be a nightmare making commerce and moving around impossible. Would Jews living in majority Arab neighborhoods have to leave their properties behind a second time, once in 1948 and once again now? Of course they would simply because it would be unsafe for them to remain. I am sure there would be international condemnation for the reverse situation. Arabs living in majority Jewish neighborhoods would surely be allowed to keep their properties in both eastern and western parts of the city. Then of course there is the Temple Mount where the Muslim Wakf has systematically gone about destroying every piece of evidence that two Jewish Temples once stood up there. Under UN auspices how much worse would the situation be? Yet Jews want to divide the City. Do you think that the NATO and Russian troops that come to "protect" the new State of Palestine will allow the Jews to remain beyond the 1967 borders in Yerushalayim? What will these naive Jews do then? Will they wring their hands, or will they say that Jews should never have been there to begin with?
Again how did Zecharia know this 2400 years ago? How did he know that Jews would turn on Jews who live in Yerushalayim?
Fact #4: Zecharia 12:3 It shall be on that day that I will make Yerushalayim for all the peoples a burdensome stone, all whose bearers become lacerated; and all the nations of the world will gather against it. On March 9th, 2010 Israel's Interior Ministry announced the approval of building 1600 housing units in Ramat Shlomo, a neighborhood beyond the 1967 border in Northern Yerushalayim. American Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton roundly condemned "the expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied territory" on the day that Biden was visiting Israel. Prior to this Netanyahu had specifically mentioned to the world that the ongoing building freeze in Judea and Samaria did not include the annexed parts of Yerushalayim, that building in "East" Jerusalem would continue unabated. Yerushalayim is at the heart of the Jewish people, and nobody was going to tell us whether or not we could or could not build there. Yet on March 31st, 2010 Obama demanded a four month "East Jerusalem" building freeze in exchange for pressuring PA President Mahmoud Abbas to talk directly with Israel. On April 26th, 2010 it was reported by the Associated Press that sometime after Obama's March 31st demand that Jews stop building in Yerushalayim beyond the 1967 border, Netanyahu quietly stopped the advancement of all building projects in that part of Yerushalayim. This was meant to mend fences with the Obama Administration and to stop all of the public condemnations of Israel for expanding neighborhoods in "East Jerusalem". In the midst of all this brouhaha tragedy strikes the American Gulf Coast. On April 20th, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon oil platform blew up causing the worst underwater oil spill in world history. It lasted until July 15th, 2010 with repeated attempts to cap the underwater gusher ending in abject failure time and time again. Each time a promise was made by British Petroleum that the underwater gusher could be stopped, the attempts would fail for one reason or another. Until on July 15th it was finally capped. Not so coincidently on July 12th, 2010, Netanyahu ended the freeze in East Jerusalem with the approval of 32 new housing units in Pisgat Ze'ev. This came on the heels of a July 6th meeting where Obama actually treated Netanyahu like a mentsch after a disgraceful rebuke at their previous meeting on March 23rd when Netanyahu was not even invited to have dinner. So here we have it. Obama and Company freeze Jewish growth in Yerushalayim in early April 2010. The worst underwater oil spill in world history commences on April 20th. Obama for now in order to raise Jewish money for Democratic candidates reverses his earlier disrespectful behavior on July 6th. Building in all of Yerushalayim recommences on July 12th. BP caps the underwater gusher on July 15th after a series of repeated failures to do so. America was truly lacerated by its attempt to decide who has the right to live in all parts of Yerushalayim. If this is what happens with a building freeze, what will happen when NATO and Russian troops start removing Jews from their homes. One can only begin to imagine. The final outcome is known though. Zecharia 14:12-13 This will be the plague with which HaShem will strike all the peoples that have organized against Yerushalayim: Each one's flesh will melt away while he is standing on his feet; each one's eyes will melt away in their sockets; and each one's tongue will melt away in their mouths. It shall be on that day that there will be a great panic of HaShem among them; each one will grab the hand of his fellow, and his hand will be raised up against the hand of his fellow. Again how did the prophet know, how did he know?
Fact #5: Ezekiel 38:3-6 Say: Thus said the L-rd Elokim: Behold I am against you Gog, the prince, leader of Meshech and Tubal. I will lead you astray, and I will place hooks into your cheeks and bring you out wit your entire army, horses and riders, all of them clothed in splendor, a vast assembly, with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords. Persia, Cush, and Put will be with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all her cohorts, the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all its cohorts - many peoples will be with you.
More on this later.
I have not written for a while because my writing was dependent on the fact that former President George W. Bush would turn out to be Gog, and when this did not occur, I withdrew from writing. But now signs of hope have begun to reappear that the end of days is near and the final redemption is at our doorstep. During Nisan of 5770, the drive by President Obama to divide Jerusalem hit us like a breath of fresh air. As horrible and ominous as this sounds, the fact that the prophet Zechariah in chapters 12 and 14 predicts this 2400 years ago as the clanging of a redemption in its time is enough to calm the nerves as the nations of the world gather against Jerusalem. No more years and years of death and maiming. How many hundreds have died in the Al Aqsa Intafada? How many thousands have been maimed for life? Sanhedrin 98b , Tosafot on Avodah Zarah 2b, and Rav Eibeschutz say that the dislocations will last no longer than nine months once and if they occur that is, until Persia falls into the hands of Edom (the West) or until Edom rules the world for nine months. It may be painful once these dislocations occur if they have to occur. But which is worse: another ten years of a third intifada where thousands more would die, G-d forbid, or something quick where HaShem could fight the nations that come against Yerushalayim. The Oslo War will quickly end as HaShem performs his miracles to redeem his chosen nation. Let's look at the facts that are inherent in the prophetic scenario.
Fact #1: Zecharia 14:1-2 Behold a day is coming for HaShem, when your spoils will be divided up in your midst. I will gather all the nations (of the world) to Yerushalayim for the war; the city will be captured, the houses will be pillaged and the women will be violated; HALF of the city will go out into exile, but the rest of the people will not be eliminated from the city. How could he, the prophet, have known that this is precisely what the nations of the world would want 2,400 years later? This is precisely Obama's, the EU's, Russia's, and the UN's goal. In their minds East Yerushalayim is an illegal Israeli settlement. They accept West Yerushalayim as being part of Israel. So they have no intention of sending those residents into exile. Again how could he have known?
Fact #2: Zecharia 14:10 The entire land will change to a plain, from GEVA to RIMMON, south of Yerushalayim.... These are precisely the geographic limits of modern Yerushalayim. The northern most border of Jewish Yerushalayim is just outside the separation fence between Yerushalayim and the Shomron. It is the community of Geva Binyamin known to the locals as Geva for short (a.k.a. Adam). The southern most community inside the separation fence south of Yerushalayim is Efrat. It is a city built on seven hills. The southern most hill in Efrat is Givat Rimmon (Pomegranate Hill). In short Jewish Yerushalayim stretches from Geva in the north to Givat Rimmon in the south. Again 2,400 years ago how could the prophet have known? How could he have known?
Fact #3: Zecharia 12:2 ...Also Yehudah will take part in the siege of Yerushalayim. Also Zecharia 14:14 Also Yehudah will wage war against Yerushalayim... From J Street in America to Peace Now, from former PM Olmert to the present PM Netanyahu there is a turning against Jewish sovereignty over 270,000 Arabs in East Yerushalayim. There is an acceptance of the fact that a Palestinian State will have its capital there. Yet, the logistics are a nightmare. There are over 200,000 Jews living beyond the 67 border in Yerushalayim in twelve Jewish neighborhoods. How can the Eastern, Northern, and Southern parts of the Capital city be divided up by establishing different water mains, sewage tunnels, and electrical grids one for Israel and another for Palestine? How would international borders between intertwined neighborhoods be set up? The traffic and road blocks in the "eastern" half of the city would be a nightmare making commerce and moving around impossible. Would Jews living in majority Arab neighborhoods have to leave their properties behind a second time, once in 1948 and once again now? Of course they would simply because it would be unsafe for them to remain. I am sure there would be international condemnation for the reverse situation. Arabs living in majority Jewish neighborhoods would surely be allowed to keep their properties in both eastern and western parts of the city. Then of course there is the Temple Mount where the Muslim Wakf has systematically gone about destroying every piece of evidence that two Jewish Temples once stood up there. Under UN auspices how much worse would the situation be? Yet Jews want to divide the City. Do you think that the NATO and Russian troops that come to "protect" the new State of Palestine will allow the Jews to remain beyond the 1967 borders in Yerushalayim? What will these naive Jews do then? Will they wring their hands, or will they say that Jews should never have been there to begin with?
Again how did Zecharia know this 2400 years ago? How did he know that Jews would turn on Jews who live in Yerushalayim?
Fact #4: Zecharia 12:3 It shall be on that day that I will make Yerushalayim for all the peoples a burdensome stone, all whose bearers become lacerated; and all the nations of the world will gather against it. On March 9th, 2010 Israel's Interior Ministry announced the approval of building 1600 housing units in Ramat Shlomo, a neighborhood beyond the 1967 border in Northern Yerushalayim. American Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton roundly condemned "the expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied territory" on the day that Biden was visiting Israel. Prior to this Netanyahu had specifically mentioned to the world that the ongoing building freeze in Judea and Samaria did not include the annexed parts of Yerushalayim, that building in "East" Jerusalem would continue unabated. Yerushalayim is at the heart of the Jewish people, and nobody was going to tell us whether or not we could or could not build there. Yet on March 31st, 2010 Obama demanded a four month "East Jerusalem" building freeze in exchange for pressuring PA President Mahmoud Abbas to talk directly with Israel. On April 26th, 2010 it was reported by the Associated Press that sometime after Obama's March 31st demand that Jews stop building in Yerushalayim beyond the 1967 border, Netanyahu quietly stopped the advancement of all building projects in that part of Yerushalayim. This was meant to mend fences with the Obama Administration and to stop all of the public condemnations of Israel for expanding neighborhoods in "East Jerusalem". In the midst of all this brouhaha tragedy strikes the American Gulf Coast. On April 20th, 2010 the Deepwater Horizon oil platform blew up causing the worst underwater oil spill in world history. It lasted until July 15th, 2010 with repeated attempts to cap the underwater gusher ending in abject failure time and time again. Each time a promise was made by British Petroleum that the underwater gusher could be stopped, the attempts would fail for one reason or another. Until on July 15th it was finally capped. Not so coincidently on July 12th, 2010, Netanyahu ended the freeze in East Jerusalem with the approval of 32 new housing units in Pisgat Ze'ev. This came on the heels of a July 6th meeting where Obama actually treated Netanyahu like a mentsch after a disgraceful rebuke at their previous meeting on March 23rd when Netanyahu was not even invited to have dinner. So here we have it. Obama and Company freeze Jewish growth in Yerushalayim in early April 2010. The worst underwater oil spill in world history commences on April 20th. Obama for now in order to raise Jewish money for Democratic candidates reverses his earlier disrespectful behavior on July 6th. Building in all of Yerushalayim recommences on July 12th. BP caps the underwater gusher on July 15th after a series of repeated failures to do so. America was truly lacerated by its attempt to decide who has the right to live in all parts of Yerushalayim. If this is what happens with a building freeze, what will happen when NATO and Russian troops start removing Jews from their homes. One can only begin to imagine. The final outcome is known though. Zecharia 14:12-13 This will be the plague with which HaShem will strike all the peoples that have organized against Yerushalayim: Each one's flesh will melt away while he is standing on his feet; each one's eyes will melt away in their sockets; and each one's tongue will melt away in their mouths. It shall be on that day that there will be a great panic of HaShem among them; each one will grab the hand of his fellow, and his hand will be raised up against the hand of his fellow. Again how did the prophet know, how did he know?
Fact #5: Ezekiel 38:3-6 Say: Thus said the L-rd Elokim: Behold I am against you Gog, the prince, leader of Meshech and Tubal. I will lead you astray, and I will place hooks into your cheeks and bring you out wit your entire army, horses and riders, all of them clothed in splendor, a vast assembly, with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords. Persia, Cush, and Put will be with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all her cohorts, the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all its cohorts - many peoples will be with you.
posted by Dov Bar-Leib at 10/11/2010 02:08:00 AM
19 Comments:
Good to see you back, just randomly clicked your old spot in my bookmarks.
We all know about splitting the city and I suppose it is a simon tov, but how do you understand the violation of the women?
The Arab women will be violated.
>>If this is what happens with a building freeze, what will happen when NATO and Russian troops start removing Jews from their homes. One can only begin to imagine.
Don't worry, Hashem has already warned Russia with its forest fires and sudden wintry extreme. Hashem can do anything. He has also sent 5 tornadoes in the waters of Russia recently. America has also been the receipient of strange weather patterns (yeah, they blame it on the oil spill) -- tornadoes in NY, 4 tornadoes hit Arizona in 1 day, and more... The nations don't have a clue and connection to geulah. They will be caught with a much bigger surprise, just watch as Hashem will unfold His Marvels, this time greater than Yetzias Mitzrayim!!
> "During Nisan of 5770, the drive by President Obama to divide Jerusalem hit us like a breath of fresh air. As horrible and ominous as this sounds, the fact that the prophet Zechariah in chapters 12 and 14 predicts this 2400 years ago as the clanging of a redemption in its time is enough to calm the nerves as the nations of the world gather against Jerusalem."
What?!? Would you have seen the rise of Hitler as a breath of fresh air, just because it seemed to very nicely match the prophecies in the Tochacha (After all, there are words of comfort afterwards, right?)? This gives me the creeps.
It is encouraging to see this being discussed again. There seem to be many more simanim but at the same time more clothed within 'nature'.
"... how did the prophet know, how did he know?"
"Thus said the L-rd Elokim:"
The prophecy tells us that Hashem told us, "HE who is, was, and will be" Who knows all, told us what will be ...
The prophet is only a conduit.
Did the Lord not put a fishhook in the mouth of Bush to do as he did?
Phil, go learn the very last page of Tractate Makkot and you'll understand.
Yaak, I had that R' Akiva story in mind when I wrote my post! But I felt it was irrelevant because of the great difference between the two cases. In R' Akiva's case, he was looking at a fait acompli. The Temple was destroyed. In our case, we're facing a coming tragedy. When the Temple was /about/ to be destroyed, I can guardamntee you that Rabbi Akiva was not smiling and not talking about a "breath of fresh air."
Phil, I ammended the first paragraph to address your concerns. I agree with you that Mashiach b'itah is no picnic, but it is much better than the alternatives that we face without it. G-d willing he should come as described in Zecharia 12 without any dislocations and population transfers. I hope that we are not too late for that.
I live 6 miles north of Yerushalayim in the Shomron. I look forward to either Zecharia 12 or 14 rather than a third intifada which would be inevitable, given Yishmael's proclivity for violence if he does not get his way. G-d be with you.
Shalom Dov,
You seem to be taken as a given that we have a clear understanding of the distribution of the events in the Navi and actual reality.
What if the division of Jerusalem was part of the prior War of Gog uMagog, and the city's division occurred between 1948 and 1967? After all, is not the reason that they are trying to divide the city now due to the precedent that was set in 1949 when the eastern part of the city was in Arab control, and the Jews from the eastern part went in to exile?
I would not be so quick to curse us to one interpretation of the prophets.
>>What if the division of Jerusalem was part of the prior War of Gog uMagog, and the city's division occurred between 1948 and 1967? After all, is not the reason that they are trying to divide the city now due to the precedent that was set in 1949 when the eastern part of the city was in Arab control, and the Jews from the eastern part went in to exile?
The war of Gog and Magog is the last war. The prior war is not the last one. We can avoid this last war, but it doesn't appear we are heading this way. It looks like history is heading towards an inevitable last war of Gog and Magog where many of the nations mentioned in the prophecy will be the major participants, and Persia (Iran) is one of them.
There is a tradition that there are 3 wars of Gog uMagog.
The conflict on the horizon right now is not it.
I've been hoping you would come back to post again. Don't stay away so long. You do good stuff.
It is a possibility that the evacuation of Jews from their homes has occurred in 1948. The problem is that the pasuk starts with, "I will gather all the nations to Yerushalayim to wage war." That has never happened.
Perhaps they will gather, but they will fail to expel even one Jew from his home. That would be as it is in Zecharia 12 before it is b'itah as the Targum says. If it is not yet b'itah, then you are right. They will gather, and not one Jew will be removed. But if it is b'itah, then HaShem will have to decide on the side of Rachamim to make 1948 the time that Jews were removed forcibly from their homes just as He calculated the bondage in Egypt to have started from the birth of Yitzchak. The pasuk itself does not say that. We can only pray for Rachamim, but we cannot be sure that He will comply.
To Gilui: The Chafetz Chaim said that the first two wars of Gog UMagog were WW1 and WW2. Therefore this could very well be it. But I have not yet posted about any scenarios with Obama at the helm. I will try to do so by the end of this week or the beginning of the next week.
I just realized that my previous comment is a response to two comments by Gilui. I see that you have your own blog HaKeitz HaMegulah. I respect your opinion. I have a question. Does not the Vilna Gaon talk about Mincha Gedolah on Friday as being the end of all possible Achishena moments for Mashiach to come, and that he has to come b'itah after this?
Hi Dov. The idea is not that the war in 1948 is Gog uMagog, but rather it is part of a larger scheme which was the first War of Gog uMagog, see Tikkunim Chadashim #60.
Regarding Mincha Gedola, the GR"A writes in his commentary to Tikkunei Zohar of the relationship between biur chametz and the Erev Rav. I don't remember exactly where it is, if you find the reference, I can try to get the text. Anyway, I do not recall him saying what you write. From what I have learned, there are no easy achishena years on the immediate horizon.
There are three wars of Gog Umagog?What are the markings of them? How do they happen? Is it the one by sea, and the one on a great city?
Hmmm. I am new here, but have a comment to make. I saw Zech 12:2 slightly differently- based on the difference in the Hebrew of Psalm 60:10 (Philistia shout in triumph over me- I belive in the Mikraot Gedolot only Ibn Ezra agrees with my take on it- if I remember right) and Psalm 108:10 (I will shout in triumph over Philistia). It seems to me it is possible (I hope to be incorrect) that the Palestinians will have their "victory" for a time- and those in the area of Judea will then march on Yerushalaim. The Rabbis of the Mikraot Gedolot saw this in Zech 12:2, but more agreed with your take on it. But they didnt have the present scenario before them. I would be interested in your reaction to my comment.
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