24 Oct HOW TO RESPOND TO THE WAR OF 5784 – PART TWO

A hint to the upcoming
geula, redemption
has been making the
rounds in virtual media.
We know that when
Moshe Rabbeinu came
back from Midian to
Mitzrayim, he uttered the prophecy, “Pakod
yifkod,” that Hashem will surely remember
you. The aged Osnas, the granddaughter of
Yaakov who was still living, was asked about
this. She revealed that this phrase was the
password which Yoseif forecasted would
be used by the future redeemer. It has been
pointed out that pakod yifkod in gematria is
384, which is a match to shin-pei-daled, the
last three letters of our current year, tuf, shin,
pei, daled, 5784.
Another remez, hint was given by Rabbi
Isamar Schwartz, shlita. The gematria of
Hashem Elokim is 112, (Hashem is really
yud, kei, vav, kei). When you multiply
112 by seven (like the seven times we say
Hashem Elokim at the end of Yom Kippur),
it equals exactly 784, once again the exact
gematria of our year. This indicates that this
year (if we are worthy), Hashem will come
down from the seven heavens and show
mercy (Hashem) to us, and show retribution

(Elokim) to our enemies.
Now, here’s the pivotal question. When we
hear these harbingers of Moshiach, do we
get excited and rejoice or do we feel a tinge
of trepidation and discomfort? If many will
be honest, they react with worry, with the
feeling that “I’m not ready for Moshiach.”
Or, perhaps even worse, “I don’t want
Moshiach to come and rock the boat. I’m
comfortable with my life now. I’m afraid of
change and I’m not sure I’ll enjoy living in
a Moshiach kind of world.” We must know
the latter attitude, while it might be common,
is very displeasing to Hashem. In the Kisvei
HaRamban [Cheilek 1, page 324], the great
Ramban, zt”l, zy”a, cautions that at the end
of days, suffering of Klal Yisroel will be
attributed to the fact that Hashem is distressed
that while He agonizes over the delay of the
redemption, His people pay no regard to this.
Rather, they will go about business as usual,
living comfortably amongst the nations.
History teaches us that it a fatal mistake to
become too comfortable in our surroundings
and not to believe in an imminent redemption.
The Torah teaches us, “V’chamushim alu
Bnei Yisroel mei’Eretz Mitzrayim,” only

one-fifth of Klal Yisroel left Egypt. Four-
fifths of the people died during the plague of

darkness. The Rosh on Chumash asks, “If so
many wicked people died, why is it that Dasan
and Aviram, the sworn enemies of Moshe
Rabbeinu, survived?” He answers that those
who died didn’t want to leave Egypt. They
didn’t believe in the redemption. So, they
were fated to stay there. Dasan and Aviram,
although they were wicked, believed in the
redemption and they therefore survived, until
they perished in the adas Korach.
The Rambam teaches us that one of the
13 principles of our belief is, “Ani maamin
be’emunah sheleimah b’vias haMoshiach,
v’af al pi she’yismahmei’ha, im kol zeh
achakeh lo bechol yom she’yavo – I believe
with a perfect faith in the coming of the
Moshiach and even though he is delayed (for
many generations) even so I hope for him
every day, that he should come.” This is not
mere lip service and a song that we dance
with. This is an important part of being a
religious Jew. The Gemora teaches us in
Masechtas Shabbos [30a], that when we face
our final reckoning after 120 years, Hashem
will grill us with questions. “Did you do
business faithfully? Did you make fixed
times for Torah study? Did you try to have
a family?” After these three questions, the
fourth question might surprise you. It is
not “Did you daven with a minyan? Nor
is it “Did you keep Shabbos?” It is not,
“Did you give charity?” nor is it “Did you
keep the laws of family purity?” Rather,
pointing to its supreme importance, the
fourth question is, “Tzipisah l’yeshuah –
Did you pine for the redemption?”
It is scary, but in light of what the
Ramban said above, that Hashem causes
suffering when He sees that we are too
comfortable, it might be that the global
rise of antisemitism, starting here in
America with marches of thousands of
pro-Palestinians in major cities such
as New York and Texas, marchers in
Australia carrying signs saying to gas the
Jews, the burning of a shul in Tunisia,
the killing of synagogue president in
Detroit, the attacks on Jews in Flatbush,
Brooklyn, and London, and of course the
shattering of a feeling of security for the
entire Eretz Yisroel, has shaken us out of
our complacency and given us all a real
reason to acutely hope for the Melech
HaMoshiach.
I believe that Hashem wants us to
concentrate devoutly when we say three
times daily in our Shemone Esrei, “Ki
lishu’asecha kivinu kol hayom – For
Your salvation we hope every day.” He
wants us to renew our vigor in Aleinu,
when we say, “V’al kien nikaveh l’cha
Hashem Elokeinu, liros meheirah

bisiferes uzecha – And therefore we hope
to You, Hashem our G-,d to see speedily
in Your splendorous might.” He wants us
to respond with a resounding Amen to the
prayer of. “Yisgadal v’yiskadash Shemeih
raba – May your great Name be magnified
and sanctified,” which will come about at
the time of the final redemption. And we
should say with the utmost concentration and
devotion the ending words of the shemone
Esrei, “L’ma’an yeichaltzun yididecha,
hoshiah yeminecha va’aneini – In order
that You should strengthen and deliver [two
different meanings of the word yeichaltzun]
your friend (Klal Yisroel), save us (Your
people) with Your right hand, and answer
me.”
One final idea. In truth we should know
that there is nothing to fear from the coming
of Moshiach. It will be a much more
wonderful time. It is only logical that if
Hashem commands us to want it, it is for our
betterment. The Rambam, in his commentary
on Mishnayos to the tenth perek of Sanhedrin,
says that people will live much longer during
the days of Moshiach. The Maharsha adds
in Shabbos [51] that there will be no poverty
in the days of Moshiach. It will also be a
time when everyone’s questions about faith
will be answered. And, this is one of the
meanings of the word Teiku, “Tishbi yitareitz
kushios v’ibaos – And Eliyahu will answer
all questions and inquiries.”
In the merit of our renewed efforts in hoping
for a very speedy redemption, may we all be
found worthy to see the coming of Moshiach,
speedily in our days.