Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Gr"a on Redemption notes II

2. In the beginning, the ten tribes will be redeemed, and afterwards, the tribe of Yehuda [will follow](**). Afterwards will be the generation of the wilderness (Shir Hashirim 6:4)(*).

(*) The twelve middle blessings of the prayer are ordered as four times three. The first three are Torah, Teshuva, which is service, and forgiveness. These are three - Torah, positive commandments and negative commandments (***); hence, all is included. Afterwards are the blessings of redemption, healing, and blessing. Redemption is through Torah... Healing corresponds to the mitzvah of circumcision (Megillah, beginning of Ch. 2), which includes all the positive commandments. The blessing of material wealth (bircas hashanim) corresponds to the 365 negative commandments (Makkos 23 - they correspond to the 365 days of the year) (****). The next three speak of the future redemption through the two Moshiachs, Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben Dovid, and Shilo, which is reference to Moshe (as is stated by רע"מ in tractate Avodah Zara 77B, Tikkunei Zohar 36:3, 43:1 and later siman 6). This is all for the purposes of Above, for the redemption and the rebuilding of Jerusalem can not be until all the levels are complete (Gra's explanation of Megillah, beginning of the second chapter, see there where he speaks at length). The main redemption will be through Moshe (*****), that he will be revealed and redeem as in Egypt, like it says (Koheles 1), "מה שהיה הוא שיהיה - That which was, is what shall be..." The beginning letter of each word spells Moshe (משה) (Tikkunei Zohar 57:3, Raya Mehemna 23:1).


(**) This is very interesting because we find that there are two stages in the Geulah process. The first is the stage of the initial ingathering, which is later followed by a second ingathering. The first is referred to as קימה, the rising, and corresponds to Yosef. In Yosef's dream, this was represented by the fact that his sheaf rose (קמה אלומתי). This is also connected to the idea of שבע יפול צדיק וקם. Yosef (and the Jewish people, as well) is the צדיק, and although he is faced with many challenges, eventually he rises up. This corresponds to the return of the ten tribes, who were led by the tribe of Efraim, one of the two tribes of Yosef. This stage is also referred to as the פקידה, the initial stage of Hashem remembering His people and starting the process of redemption (See the sefer Acharis Ke'reshis p. 55 where he quotes from the Ramchal). This stage is referred to by Yosef himself when he commands his brothers to bring his bones to Eretz Yisrael. It seems that this stage (in the current Geulah process) came into full effect in the first half of the twentieth century, culminating in the official recognition of Israel as the Jewish homeland. The year 5708 (1948) was the end of the fifth hour, and the beginning of the sixth hour on the cosmic clock. According to the Gemara in Sanhedrin (38), the fifth hour was the hour that Adam Harishon 'stood up.' The collective soul of the Jewish people is the soul of Adam Harishon, and thus, we experienced that rise again in the fifth hour (1907-1948), culminating at its very end. In that year, over 600,000 Jews returned to Eretz Yisrael, and a similar mass immigration occurred again in 1967. It would seem likely, based on what the Gr'a is saying here, that those who have returned in the first stage of the Geulah process, that continues until now, are reincarnations of the original ten tribes. The second stage, which is referred to as the זכירה, will see the return of the entire Jewish people from all over the world. This is the second wave of the ingathering, that the Gr'a refers to as the return of the tribe of Yehuda. It would seem likely that this will be completed by the Moshiach from Yehuda, namely Moshiach ben Dovid.

It is interesting that the study of Kabbalah and the secrets of the Torah is something which is more openly accepted in Eretz Yisrael. This is specifically noticeable (as I recently saw mentioned in a Torah publication) on the holiday of Lag B'omer. This day celebrates the revelations of R' Shimon Bar Yochai, the author of the Zohar. This day is celebrated throughout the country by all stripes of Jews. This is especially remarkable because Yosef is referred to as צפנת פענח, The revealer of secrets (see Kol Hator 5:7). It would make a lot of sense that the current residents of Israel, who have been gathered through the Moshiach ben Yosef process, would be more openly connected to the hidden aspects of the Torah. This also connects to the concept of כי מציון תצא תורה - from Tzion will come forth Torah. ציון has the same Gematria as יוסף (as per Kol Hator).

(***) As the Gr'a says, the positive commandments correspond to the concept of Moshiach ben Yosef, who is involved in active tikkun, whereas the negative commandments correspond to the concept of Moshiach ben Dovid, who is involved in the original tikkun which Adam was supposed to do before the sin. This tikkun is passive, like the mitzvah of Adam which was not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This is also clear as R' Maltzin continues and states that healing corresponds to circumcision. This is a clear reference to Moshiach ben Yosef, the one who had mastery over his sexual passion. This is the main tikkun of our current age, the tikkun habris. This is one of the reasons why, as we get closer and closer to the final tikkun of Yosef, the challenge in this area gets greater and greater. This is one of the main tikkunim of the internet, which, like Yosef, is meant to act as a connector for the entire world, but has the potential to present very difficult challenges in the area of sexual passion. This is a challenge we must face up to right now, and overcome! This is the challenge that separates the men from the boys (based on a concept I heard from my Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Perr).

(****) Material prosperity is the concept that corresponds to Malchus and the concept of Moshiach ben Dovid. It is the vessel through which we can accomplish spiritually, because אם אין קמח, אין תורה - if there is no flour, there is no Torah. When one does not have to worry about his finances, he can devote his entire being to spirituality. This is why one of the major challenges in chutz la'aretz, which corresponds to the tribe of Yehuda and Moshiach ben Dovid, is the disproportional desire for wealth. Wealth can be a means for one to be able to accomplish his spiritual needs, but only if it does not become an end unto itself.

(*****) R' Shimon Kessin discusses why Moshe returns, if he seems to have been just another failed Moshiach ben Yosef. He explains that Moshe did not fail. He succeeded in bringing the bride (Klal Yisrael) to the wedding canopy. Thus, Moshe aided the completion of the marriage, as it were, of Hashem and the Jewish people. The Jewish people were then like a bride who committed adultery at the wedding, but nevertheless, they had a relationship with Hashem that could never be broken. Thus, Moshe succeeded in helping the consummation of the marriage, as it were, and he returns to complete the job he began so many years ago.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

this is very confusing the erev rav brought jews back in 48 and 67 and shmaded many religious ie temeni . gra and ramchal says mby brings back the 2 tribes and mbd the 10 moshe the generation of the midbar . You seem a litle all over the place , which is it . For years youve been saying mby brings back the jews to eretz yisrel . now your sayiong he fails and its moshe and mbd . WOW! very confusing indeed !All I know is mby is the stone the builders rejected but the real mby will definitely reddeem !

Ari Goldwag said...

It is confusing because you are missing a piece of information. Moshiach ben Yosef is not just a person, it is also a process. Hashem uses the Erev Rav as part of his plan to bring about this process. The Erev Rav has its own intentions, to create the 'New Jew,' and destroy our connection with Hashem. Hashem has other plans, which are, as is explained in Kol Hator, to allow the Erev Rav to be in control now, because otherwise they would try to stop the Jewish people from returning to Eretz Yisrael. This is all part of the idea of Moshiach ben Yosef, that things seem to be the opposite of what they actually are. This is also connected to the concept of the Hanhagas Hayichud, where Hashem uses both Good and Evil forces to accomplish His ultimate good. Also, more precisely, MBY brings back the 10 tribes and MBD brings back the last two, you had it switched. MBY does not fail. He completes his job, which is the first stage of the geulah process. MBD then comes and completes his stage, which is the second stage.

Ari Goldwag said...

Also, one more thought on what you said. It is important to understand that my knowledge of this subject is not completely comprehensive. I am constantly seeing more ideas and there is a picture that evolves as one becomes more informed. Much of the information that I have presented until now is based on shiurim that I have heard from R' Shimon Kessin. His sources are mainly from the Ramchal, but he also came to certain conclusions on his own. One gets a greater picture from seeing more and more information, and as much as I try to be consistent, my understanding of this process is constantly evolving, as I said. Until now, I definitely understood that Moshiach ben Yosef was involved in the entire process of Kibbutz Galios. It seems from this piece in the Gra that there is more to it than simply that. I appreciate that you noticed that point. I hope that we can continue to develop our understanding of this subject, so we can better appreciate the workings of Hashem that go on behind the scenes of the unfolding Geulah process.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Ari for your return points , I look forward to continue learning with you on the roles of israel the 10 lost tribes the 2 main tribes the erev rav , edom , Ishmael and the roles of mbd mby and raya nehema Moses our sheppard . Geulah comes through kabbalah if thats not what your teaching besides yichudim which are terribly advanced this is it B"D.

Anonymous said...

Ari shlita when mby gets his keter as the ramchal explains in the begining of his sefer mimer hageulah is that a keter from some other sage .Ie someone from the gevurot of kain like him , as the ramchal explains in vayizkor Elokim et rachel, or an entirely new keter just for mby to do his tikkuns the gra and ramchal explain in there perushime . Also can you explain the gras staement in kol hator that mby is from the root of Pinchas ie the gevurot left side of kain . Is that why hes against edom and amalak not ishmael being them the klipot of kain .

Ari Goldwag said...

I am not familiar with the ideas you are speaking about. R' Kessin speaks about the concept that MBY has access to the level of soul called יחידה, which corresponds to כתר. If this is what you are referring to as well, then my understanding is that mby is the first person since Adam Harishon to actually have access to this level. The only other one was Yeravam ben Nevat, who almost had access, and because of his sin created the necessity for the final Mby to die. In any event, he says that this spark was also accessed by R' Akiva, as it came into his father Yosef. But it does not sound to me like the כתר is obtained from anyone else. It is also worth taking a deep look at R' Nachman's story "The master of prayer," which I have spoken about a number of times. It also contains many clues to the final redemption and the connection between mby and mbd.