The Hidden Role of America in the Final Redemption - Rabbi Tovia Singer - Living Inspired

[music] >> You know, there are a lot of people watching the events now and are really shocked by it. Everybody is. And America really is at the precipice of choosing one way or the other. We continue to face a grave situation in Iran. I am formally announcing my intention to cut off all trade >> [music] >> and investment with Iran. Our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from threatening America. We have achieved a deal arrangement that permanently prohibits Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. We will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. We cannot let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building dangerous missiles. America is relationship with Israel was sitting on a not a knife's edge, but a bullet's edge. One bullet that grazed the ear of the president probably changed the course of the election. You and I know that 200 years ago, if our great-great-grandparents could know that they can live in Eretz Israel, they would And and they can do it in 11 hours. So, they would go, "Are you crazy?" America does not have a covenant with God. Only Israel has a covenant with God. Rabbi Singer, welcome to the program. Great to be on. We're at a historic time. There's definitely something biblical going on, for sure. And I wanted to know if you could shed some light on this last exile that we're in with the United States. How this plays together with what we're seeing unfolding right now? So, where do the United States play in all this? It's a very interesting question. You're the first person ever asked me this question. A lot I've heard a lot of people speculate about it. And um So, I'll share this with you. Now, whereas everything else we've talked about, meaning that we're at the very end of the Seder. And in fact, we're watching a Gadya play out. And it's interesting It's interesting that Gadya is in Aramaic. It's just all of But it We're watching a series of events. We've traced it from October 7th. Whereas, if there was no October 7th, there'd be no October 8th, meaning Hezbollah. We've watched all that. We That we know very clearly. The war with Persia, very clear. What would Persia do? Its proxies would see an opportunity. No gates, no bars. This is all Ezekiel 38. We know that. That the Jews would be in the land of in of Israel and the nations would attack us over Jerusalem. We know that. The reason for the war I just want everyone to understand all this part. The reason why there's a war Ezequiel Hanavi is completely unique in that he always provides much more information than anyone else does. And they I We both can think of examples of this. His vision that he had uh in chapter 1, there's no there's nothing parallel to that. There's Isaiah chapter 6 where the Kedusha comes from. And there are explanations of why, but Ezequiel is the the base of the building of the temple. So, we have that in many firm about the building of the third base of meters. But, Ezequiel, there's no parallel to the information Ezequiel provides in chapter 40 really through 47. There's just nothing even remotely approaches it. The The Why was it that the first temple destroyed? Jeremiah explains it, but Ezequiel's in too much, much more detail. So, Ezequiel is always giving us massive detail on on parallel prophecies that we find in other firm, other holy books. But, Ezequiel's always much, much, much more information. There's no parallel to it. So, this end-time war, we have it as an example in the very last chapters of the book of Zechariah. Uh the last third of the book of Zechariah contains this end-time war, for sure. But, nothing remotely resembling these kinds of details. And as we've discussed, what's important for the viewers to understand this, the reason why there's a war between uh the Jews, Eretz Israel, and Persia, which is One would never anticipate because they were a benign and sometimes a very helpful empire in in both the ancient world and during the time of of when the time was written, it's counterintuitive, but it we're told explicitly clearly. And incidentally, I'm going to say something that'll sound crazy. Not only don't you need commentaries to Ezequiel 38 and 39, which sounds weird for me, and you We're Yeshiva guys. So, we're always saying, "Look But, as it turns out, this is going to sound very strange to the viewer. In In a sense, Rashi, the Ramban, all the commentators would have given anything to live in our time cuz they all said, "Only that door, only that generation will really understand exactly what this means." Incidentally, it's not that they weren't provided the information. Why didn't they know? Because the truth is that the Although the the final goalpost, the final end that the nation of Israel defeat Persia, that must happen, that Hashem's name will be this galil, will be unplucked, will be revealed to the world, that must happen. But, the case can occur in many different ways depending if we're a righteous generation or God forbid a a guilty generation. So, therefore, there's chaos in how this can happen. So, I want people to understand why when you look at Messianic prophecies, there's ambiguity. And therefore, Chazal, our sages of blessed memory, always would say, "It's the generation that will be that they're going to understand it all." So, in a way, and not in a way, we in a sense, not even in a sense, we know more details than than the commentaries did because we're actually living in the time of the Geulah. And therefore, we can look and now see some things that our great-great-grandparents could not have imagined. So, I I want to make this clear cuz a lot of it is Much of it is counterintuitive. And therefore, biglaza, you can read the last dozen verses of Ezequiel 39, no commentary necessary. And you'll see that the enemies of Israel destroyed. The reason why there must be a war at the end is because the Bnei Israel, this is a really small country. They're only 40 Only four states in the in the United States that are smaller than the state of Israel. This is a tiny place. That Israel will defeat all of its enemies, which means Persia, Via Yetze Yam, and all of their proxies. And this will show the world that I am God, which is absolutely necessary. And Messiah is about the world being transformed. The Jewish people bear witness to God's existence. This is very critical. The Jews will know, the whole world will know the truth. And the Jewish people are the bear testament to the existence of God. Now, because very often we're asked the question, "Well, how do I know Judaism is true?" So, in the lens of Tanakh, if you If you're speaking as a Ben Torah, so the only proof is the perseverance of the Jew despite the vicissitudes that that God will never allow us to disappear. Now, that's corporate national Israel. That means the nation cannot disappear. All these organizations out there that are trying to prevent Jews from disappearing are wasting their time. The Jew The nation can't disappear. But, the individual doesn't have that guarantee. And that's uh another point that we're talking about. So, that's all very clear. And I assure you this, um this is very easy to read. Just have to read Ezequiel 39. It's all there. Look at from verse 18, you'll see the destruction of the enemy. And 21 through 29, you'll see everything I'm describing. Then, Messiah comes, all the world will know the truth. And Israel's existence and perseverance reveals this all. Now, Isaiah Isaiah 43, Atem Edai. That's delicious. Atem Edai. This is a a passage that people will read and even people don't read and don't even know this verse cuz "You are my witnesses." This is an unbelievable thing. Hashem is saying, "You, Klal Yisrael, are my witnesses, my servant whom I have chosen." It's unbelievable. The context of that is very interesting. The So, the chapter begins It's really very delicious. It's very holy. And if anyone would read this, you'll fall on the on your knees and accept Hashem in your life. So, it begins by telling us that that the children of Israel be saved, that the waters won't stop you, the fire won't stop you. And then, Isaiah, he has a style where he mocks. He mocks our enemies. And he says, "Let all the nations step forward. And please tell us your testimony." That's the context. The context is Isaiah makes letzonus cuz it's What do they make letzonus on? People who worship idols. He says, "Please, tell us about your end days, your eschatology. Tell us about the former times. He mocks them and he he doesn't know the context is really wild. And then he says you're the the Bene Yisrael are my witnesses. Incidentally, unless you think that this chapter was written by someone who just so pro-Jewish and pro-Israel and didn't have a bad thing to say cuz there are a lot of people out there who don't have a bad thing to say about Israel. They're very very pro-Israel. Isaiah 43 has some criticism as you move on in the chapter. None of these chapters whitewash anything. But lema'aseh that the this the language that Israel and and God the and the Torah achad hu, they're one meaning the we testified to the Torah and Torah testifies to us. It's a marriage and we see effect the marriage in Isaiah 54. Okay, so we we got all that. This is very clear in the text and now this war with Persia is very clear. Now the United States. So here is the part that I'm going to just share what I what I believe is happening. Now, it no one should ever I my view, you'd have to be out of your mind to think you know what I would know what's happening with Trump's plans. I have no idea. Trump has to open the Straits of Hormuz. He has to ensure that Iran doesn't have the nuclear material. He nobody needs and doesn't have ballistic missiles. Nobody needs me with that. For that you can go to people who are smarter than me. But we'll look talking about in Tanakh. So there's a very interesting thing in Tanakh and that is we are told incessantly about this ancient nation called Tyre. So it's in Tanakh and it's all over the place. Who is this Tyre? >> [sighs and gasps] >> So this will come up as an example in Ezekiel 36 excuse me 26 27 28 very famous comes up in the woe chapters of Isaiah Isaiah 23 in Jeremiah it's everywhere. What's the story with this ancient nation that doesn't exist anymore which is a problem. The story is the following that there's a nation that was Israel's best friend. In fact, this nation was extremely wealthy and provided enormous material goods for haMelech even to build the first temple. And they were enormously wealthy. They and they were successful because of their international trade. They brought in wood they and so on. Now, what happened is they fell. They fell spiritually in that they they become haughty and demand of Eretz Yisrael the land of Israel cities. Israel's willing to provide them and they're not happy enough and they're ultimately destroyed. And you'll find this explode in Ezekiel chapter 28. Okay? That means you could have been so great. Strangely, it's interesting that Christians misunderstand this chapter. They think it's talking about Satan and it's not. It's talking about Hiram who's the king of Tyre. And it says you mamash had all the ability but you blew it because of your arrogance because you have a ga'avah because you you could have been you were right there. This presents us with a problem. This why is this in Tanakh? The reason why this is an important question So whenever you approach our holy scriptures, you have to bear in mind that the reason it's in the text is not because Tanakh is a history book cuz Tanakh is not interested in history books. The Tanakh does use history constantly to make us a better people. It's an instruction manual for life. And therefore, if you encounter something in Tanakh for which you just how does this relate to me? So in fact, Tyre was destroyed. They gone. They were wiped out. And the question is how is this nige'a to us? And this is a very big deal in Tanakh. I think you get where I'm going with all this. Another thing about the United States is it's a very striking country. It's a country that we both love very very much. And it's a country that has a very striking democracy. There are features about the democracy in America that really we in in Israel we're a little jealous of. For instance, the way Supreme Court justices are selected. It's a big controversy here in Israel. Right now everyone's focused on the war. But the American system of of of separation of powers is is not unique. There are other countries that have it. It's very very rare. It's the oldest surviving constitution in the world. The constitution is so is bulletproof in that in order to amend it it requires a supermajority in the legislative branch. There it just has features whereas any single feature of American democracy you will find in another country. America doesn't have have a a monopoly on any of these features. However, this complete bundle is unique to the United States in that the United States really its decisions as far as its branches of government really is the >> [snorts] >> really is the decision of the people in a way that's unparalleled. It's really a completely unique experiment and it's the first country in history that the Jews had full equality in. The first country. Now the Jews did have it's important people know historically there were times when Jews were given freedom. As an example, we had freedom during the Napoleonic time. We were offered a Sanhedrin and Jews were given free complete freedom of religion. Now, the moment that Napoleon was defeated in 1815, right away the Vatican our good friends shipped us all back into the ghettos the moment he's gone. But we really had but it was not the equality that Americans join them in that that is Jews enjoy in the United States. It's really unparalleled. That said, now this is what it seems to me. It seems to me that the reason why we're told about Tyre is that America is at that point. It after all is it's the president it was the president of the United States that was the first head of government recognized the state [snorts] of Israel. And I don't have to talk about what the United States has done. And America really is at the precipice of choosing one way or the other. And so this is what I believe is going on here because the United States is such a country which is so completely unique and is such a unique ally of of Israel and especially especially once you you know come to the 67 war. So Johnson really was a very good friend of Israel. He couldn't help Israel materially during the 67 war because they were bogged down with the Vietnam war. But I don't have to explain Israel's relationship with the United States. It's something that's very very unique. So I believe in my view this is again my view the reason why cuz there are also someone's going to have to explain why we have nearly 10 chapters in in Tanakh about Tyre and how it would rose to the top. It failed and the warning is for the future that a country that becomes the closest ally of Israel should not have arrogance but rather should stand and bless Israel as Bil'am in his famous third and fourth oracle tells us in Numbers chapter 24 that those who that Israel can't be cursed and that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse will be cursed. So that's what I believe the role of the United States is. It's not possible to I I hear people saying things about America that America's this and it's a service to tikkun. I can't relate to that at all. I wish them these people well. But this Tyre it has to have an explanation of why does Israel's best friend take up so many chapters in Tanakh? Why is it why is it relevant to me? So it only be relevant to me if Israel's best friend lost love I which we are now living in the us and love I time has to make a choice has to make a decision and we both know that America is relationship with Israel was sitting on a not a knife's edge but a bullet's edge. One bullet that grazed the ear of the president probably changed the course of the election. It could have easily gone the other way. And I think that's so America must make a decision and its democracy is so healthy. It's so robust. There's really there again other countries that Mexico has some features like separation of powers. But they have all the features that the United States has which means its decisions really are the product of the people of the United States. This is completely unique and I believe that America right now is being tested and I I don't I'm not going to pretend to know what Trump has up his sleeve. But he's a person that doesn't play games. So I think that you know we're all praying that America will make the right decision. America does not have a covenant with God. Only Israel has a covenant with God. You mentioned the bullet nipping the ear of Trump. Tonight is Vov Nissan and this marks exactly two years from the first Iran attack. That was tonight Motzei Shabbos. Mhm. Uh at the time I looked up which which offering of which Nasi, you see we had 12 days from Rosh Chodesh Nisan of offerings. So, this one was Gad. And Gad is unique that you know, Gad ya Gad, it finishes with Akev. Akev has to do with end of times. The Medrash refers to Gad as being the one between Persia and Eretz Yisrael who protected from Ammon and Moab coming into Eretz Yisrael. So, I thought there was just some significance to the date. You mentioned how Tyre, you know, the importance of of the Torah is continually showing us how important every if you if you learn Tanakh, and I've been learning Tanakh more and more in in the past few months. When I'm going through so many different Seforim is that this the central theme is that the know. You mentioned Ezekiel 39 how it ends Gog uMogog. It ends that the Jews realize and the realize what's going on and Hashem works through the Jewish people. And haMelech as well also recognized the importance of this. He brought Hiram involved and the Beis Hamikdash had so much importance and I was reminded from the beginning of what you said about Yisro when you when you talked about you know, the geopolitical part of it. Yisro, the importance, the commentators when they just Jethro was Moses' father-in-law when he shows up, the commentators are struggling to figure out why Moshe leaves the the the clouds of glory to greet him and explains that Yisro was one of the people who were with Paro when they were making this decision. There was Job, Yisro and Bilam. Bilam said curse them. And we know what happened to Bilam. Moshe killed him actually with his sword. It says in Deuteronomy. But with with Iyov he kept quiet and that's the whole book of Job. But Yisro, he he ran. So, when Yisro showed up, he was the only one who knew the real inner plan that Paro had and he was the one who could give the testimony like no other person in the world. And this is exactly your point that people who are up in power can understand the miracles much greater that are that we're going through right now. Yeah. Yisro, what defines Yisro is the person who sees something, but then he who but he comes. He actually is a doer. You know, there are a lot of people watching the events now and are really shocked by it. Everybody is. But there are a few people that actually step into the field, they actually get involved in history, in the Geulah. And in fact, Yisro was a person who consistently followed he saw something, it shocked him, he came. He saw people lining up waiting to speak to Moshe Rabbeinu. He said, "Let's come up with a better solution." And he actually helps implement that. So, he is the doer. And in fact, we're looking at so We look I don't need to explain to the audience exactly what's happening here, but it's obvious that the United States had a unique role going back to Truman, has a unique role right now and of course, you know, I will feel greatly I feel greatly indebted to the United States, but I'm really very I say this is personal, this is not biblical. I I believe that America will do the right thing because I want it to be blessed. America is a beautiful country. I when I was when I was a bachur, I drove across it four times. It's really quite beautiful. The reason why people love America is not because of its great mountains and streams and I remember lecturing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It's something so beautiful. You know, it's something like that. It's not why why America is loved. It's because of ideals of principle and liberty and it's it's unique democracy. And there's no other country like it that has all of the features that America has. Every one of those features, there are other countries that have them, but they have all those features in one with with such a strong democracy and the country, interestingly, that became the place where a Christian went to to spread the idea that the Jews are still chosen was the United States. That means that John Nelson Darby, so the when the Vilna Gaon is saying this is that the United States is the last democracy. The Vilna Gaon lived same time as the American Revolution. So, but it's interesting. So, then there's this spiraling, the Vilna Gaon recognizing we're living in this Chad Gadya of events. He wants to come to Israel, he's not able to. His talmidim, his students, his disciples are able to. Interestingly, it is the Vilna Gaon that ensures that his talmidim teach Nevi'im. Man, if that would have had if if unfortunately, you know, his talmidim, I mean, you have them in Israel today, but they can recite by heart. And I've tested these kids in Chevron and so on, they memorized know it by heart. So, so he understood it completely. But also, as you said, and that is that Mashiach, unlike the Exodus, which was the redemption of a single nation, the children of Israel, Mashiach is always about the redemption of the world. So, this is very very critical that the whole world will understand. And our prayers are that that that America will be successful during this remarkable time. That's it. May we see the coming of the true Mashiach very very quickly in our time. Amen. Thank you very much.