The Prophecies That Sound Like Today’s Headlines - Rabbi Zamir Cohen (AI)

Let's take a deep look at what our sages teach us in the verses and in the prophecies about the meaning of a time like this. A time when the people of Israel are already back in the land of Israel and there are wars in the world and the Jewish people unlike in the past are actively fighting and playing a central role in these conflicts. So what does all of this mean? First of all, just look at the chain of miracles that has taken place. True, these are not miracles like the splitting of the Red Sea or the sun standing still in Gibian and the moon in the valley of Ayolon as it says in the book of Joshua. The waters didn't turn to blood and there were no frogs like in Egypt. But there are miracles very similar to what we see in the book of Esther. In the book of Esther, there were no open supernatural miracles. And yet, there was such a precise alignment of events, such an incredible sequence of coincidences that only a fool could say it was all by chance and not divine providence. Unrelated events all came together. That night, the king couldn't sleep. He suddenly remembered that Mordeai had never been rewarded. that connects back to Big Than and Teresh. Esther is already in the palace after Vashi was killed at the feast. Harmon just happens to come in on the exact same day he plans to hang Mordeai and instead he's ordered to parade him on the king's horse. A chain of events that makes no logical sense. And when did all of this happen? After 3 days when the Jewish people gathered together in prayer, fasting and repentance, then that very night the king couldn't sleep and everything turned around and the people of Israel understood this is not coincidence. This must be attributed to the Holy One. Blessed be he. That's why they established it as a miracle to be remembered and celebrated every single year. So certainly the first thing we must do is thank Hashem Ms. Morto for all of these miracles for things that just 3 years ago no one could have imagined. Who could have believed that we would reach a situation like today where the entire Syrian military infrastructure, its planes, its weapons has been destroyed without a single Jewish soldier being killed there. Who imagined something like that? Iran. Dozens of warships sunk, aircraft bombed, weapons systems destroyed, missile stockpiles eliminated. Things no one ever thought could happen. And it's all unfolding one after another in a precise chain of events. Even the operation with Hezbollah. They themselves admit that so many unlikely details had to come together. That if even one piece hadn't worked, the entire plan would have collapsed. and suddenly Iran ends up striking its own allies. It's reported that in this war Iran launched more missiles toward Arab countries than toward Israel, hitting over 10 different nations. People are trying to understand what is the logic behind this. Turkey, supposedly their ally, Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, all Muslim countries, not to mention missiles sent towards Cyprus and other places. What possible logic is behind all of this? And then there is the big question, one that surely arises in the hearts of many. Yes, we are seeing great salvations. But everything began with that terrible massacre in the south of Israel. An act of cruelty so shocking, so unimaginable. So what is really happening here? Is this a revelation of God's presence toward the people of Israel? Or is it a concealment of his face? What happened there was a hester panim, a concealment of God's presence. Suddenly masses broke through the borders and with unimaginable cruelty they shot, slaughtered and burned entire families. The stories coming out of what happened there are simply horrifying. The feeling at the time was one of total darkness, as if there was no one to rely on. As if nothing was stable, nothing was secure, and then all at once everything turned around into incredible salvations. So let's try based on the words of her sages to understand from a Jewish perspective the meaning behind these events this awakening and also the prophecies that speak about our time and the future. Let's begin. There's a story in the Gamarra that gives us a powerful way to think about all this. Let's go back for a moment to the beginning of the war to that terrible tragedy in the south of Israel. In the Gamarra, Tractat Shabbat 56b, we read about a man named Natan Dudita. He had something extraordinary. When he walked in the street, people would see a beam of light rising above his head like a flame. And yet, he wasn't known as a great mystic or a famous righteous figure. He was an ordinary person. In tractate Sanhedrin, Rashi explains what he did to deserve this. This man once became infatuated with a certain woman and he fell into deep emotional distress because of it. But she was a married woman. His desire was so strong that he became physically ill, lying in bed, unable to function. At some point, she came to him for a loan. He was wealthy and she was in a desperate situation. She was even willing to compromise herself in order to receive the money. And at that exact moment, when he finally had the chance to act on his desire, he stopped himself. He said, "I'm not going to make this mistake." He gave her the loan, sent her away respectfully with no conditions, and immediately he was healed. The moment he made that inner decision, I could have sinned, but I chose to control myself. All the pain, the depression, the turmoil disappeared. He returned to being himself again. And from that point on, whenever he walked through the marketplace, a light shone above his head, a heavenly light like a candle burning above him. That's why he was called Natanuta. And he was even given the title rabbi. A light radiated from him. And from this we learn a powerful principle. Precisely. When a person is in a place of darkness, when he feels low, broken or struggling, if he manages to control himself, to overcome, to rise above his impulses, he can reach a level of greatness he could never have reached otherwise. The light that comes after the darkness is greater because of the darkness. And we see this same idea in the book of Esther. The Jewish people were in complete darkness. Hmon sought to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, children and women, in a single day. And the king agreed. The decree was issued. There was nowhere to escape. Today, if something happens in one country, people can flee to another. But back then, wherever they went, the decree followed them. King Aasweras ruled over the entire known world and there was overwhelming fear, total uncertainty. What is going to happen? 3TE. But after 3 days when the Jewish people pulled themselves together spiritually everything turned around, it was completely reversed. The Jews gained the upper hand over those who hated them. And Hammon who had decreed destruction upon Israel was himself hanged on the very gallows he had prepared. The cabbalists explain that everything is rooted in a deeper spiritual struggle. A constant battle between the forces of holiness and the forces of impurity of concealment. Sitra Akra. When the Jewish people awaken and return, when they do teshua, then the forces of holiness grow stronger. As a result, the forces of impurity are subdued. They fall and their representatives in this world fall with them. This gives us a way to understand what's happening today. The Jewish people were in a state of deep darkness, a true hester panim. That terrible event, the horrific massacre was devastating on every level, both spiritually and physically. And we need to understand something important. Not everyone who attended that event was individually deserving of such a harsh decree. That's not how it works. God's way of dealing with the Jewish people as a whole is a way of patience. There is time given again and again for people to return, to correct, to improve. But it's like a cup that keeps filling. Every misdeed adds another drop and another and another until eventually the cup becomes full. What our sages refer to as the measure being filled. And when it reaches that point, it has to be emptied. Rabbi Elazar Shak once said in a famous speech, one that many quoted during that time, that during the Holocaust, that cup was emptied. There had been tremendous spiritual decline among the Jewish people beforehand, widespread assimilation, a distancing from Torah and mitzvot, and God continued to act with patience. But then during the Holocaust, the cup overflowed and was emptied. We don't truly understand these calculations or their depth. But those were his words. And at that moment, he broke down in tears and said he fears, God forbid, that the cup could one day fill up again. And who knows what could happen then? And this is why every single action matters. Every Jew who strengthens himself, every Jew who studies Torah, every Jew who overcomes his yeterh harah, he is in a sense emptying that cup. He is reducing that accumulated weight. And even more than that, he is increasing light, increasing blessing, increasing goodness. He is tipping the balance of the entire Jewish people toward the side of holiness. And as a result, the forces of impurity, the enemies of Israel, those who seek harm begin to weaken and fall. This is a fundamental principle in Judaism. A person can't say, "I believe in God. I love God." And sing about it. While in practice not living according to his will. Faith is not just emotion, it's action. We need to understand that God is not only our father, he is also our king. He has expectations from us not to burden us but for our own good. We are meant to walk in his path and if we make mistakes we do tshoua. We clean we repair. We realign that terrible tragedy that occurred. It may be that it was the result of an accumulation over many years in areas where we were not acting as we should in mitzvot commandments. But the shock, the upheaval that followed, we all saw what happened. How the Jewish people suddenly awakened. People began correcting their actions, returning, doing good deeds, showing kindness, building love, creating unity. Because before that there was so much division. Those who remember know how deep the internal conflict was within the nation. Calls for refusal, painful tensions, serious division. But the moment disaster struck, everyone came together. All those who had previously talked about refusing to serve immediately stepped forward. They enlisted. They acted. They took responsibility. They understood that at this moment the people of Israel must stand united. There was a powerful awakening among young people, young men and women alike. You suddenly began to see kipot skull caps worn as a sign of reverence for God. Titz, a four cornered garment with fringes reminding a person of the commandments. A renewed commitment to modesty. Young women who had been dressing immodestly chose to change, to dress with dignity and modesty. Many people took upon themselves to begin observing Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, to put on tilin, felacttoaries worn during prayer, to increase acts of kindness and mitzvot. And when the cup of merits, spiritual merits, begins to fill, when there is an increase of goodness within the Jewish people, we begin to see a chain of miracles unfold. In other words, precisely out of the greatest darkness, a powerful light begins to emerge. It's as if you can see a beam of light rising above the people of Israel through this remarkable sequence of salvations and miracles. But at the same time, we also need to think about the future. What does everything happening today mean for what lies ahead? Right now, many feel relief, even a sense of justification that we are doing what is necessary, striking our enemies and doing so justly. Because if those enemies had succeeded in carrying out their plans, plans that resemble those of Hmon in our time, the outcome could have been catastrophic. And this is not speculation. A former prime minister of Spain once described a personal meeting with Ayatollah Kmeni, the founder of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. He said that when he entered the room, he saw a large table in the center, and off to the side, Kmeni had arranged a very simple personal corner, deliberately modest, meant to project a life of minimal comfort and self-denial. Trying to start a conversation, he asked him, "What do you think about during your day?" And Kumeni answered him clearly, "Every free moment I have, every single day I think about how to destroy Israel." This was not a casual statement. This was his constant focus. Over $200 billion were invested in building forces around Israel, what they themselves described as a ring of fire. Hamas in the south, Hezbollah in the north, the Houthis, militias in Iraq surrounding Israel from every direction. Their plan was coordinated to attack together from all sides alongside the development of nuclear weapons. All of this had one goal, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate. Security experts have warned that the Jewish people were in very serious danger without even fully realizing how close that threat was. And yet a remarkable turnaround happened. The war began in the south, but as events unfolded, Hezbollah in the north was weakened. Iran itself was struck and the full coordinated attack never materialized. Their original plan had been for everything to happen at once along with internal unrest and God forbid to bring about total destruction. The people of Israel were in a situation of extreme danger without even being fully aware of it. And in his mercy, God turned everything around for the good. But we must understand clearly this is not a temporary mindset. The leader who initiated the Islamic revolution was Kmeni. After him came Kamina and the same ideology continues. Their stated goal has been consistent to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the Jewish people. So we said there is the force and there are those who carry it out. There was Hmon and in later generations there were leaders like Kmeni and Hamina. All of them are in a sense extensions, branches of that original Hmon whose goal was to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate the Jewish people. And this is not just symbolic. The Gamarra raises a fundamental question. We have a clear promise in the Bible. There will be redemption. Anyone who believes in the creator must know with certainty that Mashiach will come, that there will be a temple, that there will be resurrection of the dead. But because we don't yet see it, sometimes a certain doubt can creep in. A person might begin to feel. Maybe these promises were just meant to encourage us. But we must remember a core principle. Not a single word that God has spoken ever returns empty. All the prophecies given to us in the Torah and the prophets have been fulfilled one after another. Almost all of them. Only a small number remain, those that relate to the future. But everything that referred to the past has been fulfilled in precise detail. And anyone who believes in the creator of the world who created something from nothing understands that nothing is beyond him. God can build the temple. He can bring Mashiach. He can bring resurrection. He can bring complete redemption. History is divided into two stages. The time of effort. This is our time. A time of challenges, of free will, of struggle with the yetzahara. And the time of reward, that is the era of Mashiach, the resurrection of the dead, when the world reaches its completion and perfection. As the verse says, nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they will no longer learn war. And what we are already seeing today that the people of Israel are leading the world in so many areas. This is a preparation for that time. Because when Mashiach comes, he will influence not only Israel but the entire world, not through force but through admiration. The nations of the world will recognize and respect him. The Rambam writes that Mashiach will be greater in wisdom than King Solomon and close to the level of prophecy of Moses. He will be a righteous person, deeply knowledgeable in the entire Torah, devoted to God in truth and fully versed in all Jewish law. He will be the final authority. Today there are disagreements, different traditions, different rulings, Ashkanazi, Sephardi. But when Mashiach comes, his decisions will be accepted by everyone. The Jewish people will return to complete unity. Imagine a person who is both a giant in wisdom and also a prophet. He sees what will happen. He says something and it unfolds exactly as he said. His wisdom will be extraordinary. and his ability to explain to guide humanity toward unity and peace will fulfill what the world has always longed for. As it is written, in the end of days, the mountain of the house of God will be established at the top of the mountains. We have already received prophecies that were fulfilled in the past. And we have the prophecies about the future. Anyone who has even a small doubt can look back and see everything God has said has come true one by one. So there is no doubt this will happen as well. The question is when the verse says I am the Lord in its time I will hasten it. The gamarra asks if it has a fixed time how can it be hastened and if it can be hastened then it's not fixed. The answer is there are two possible paths. God says to the Jewish people, "You choose. There is a final deadline, a set time by which redemption must come. But if you improve your ways before that, then I will hasten it. It will come earlier. If the Jewish people merit it through repentance and good deeds, then it will come sooner. If not, it will come in its time. But there is still a question. How can the world reach its perfection? Messiah, redemption, the temple, resurrection, if the Jewish people themselves are not yet spiritually ready. The Gimarra answers, if they return on their own, good. But if not, God will appoint a ruler whose decrees are as harsh as those of Hmon. And through that pressure, they will return and immediately be redeemed. When the Jewish people are under pressure, they understand that there is no one to rely on except their father in heaven. But when things are comfortable, when everything is easy, a person can fall into the illusion. My strength and my power created all of this and that leads to mistakes. But when a person feels that there is no one to rely on, he begins to ask from where will my help come? My help comes from God. So even people who may be distant, spiritually disconnected in their actions begin to change direction. They come closer to God and begin to live according to his will sincerely and wholeheartedly. That's why the Gimara says that God may appoint a ruler whose decrees are as harsh as those of Hmon. But this raises a question. Throughout history, there were many anti-semites who hated the Jewish people. So why does the gamma specifically mention Hmon? Apparently it's pointing to something deeper that this awakening, this return will come through a force connected in some way to Persia. The Maharal explains that we usually speak about four major exiles in Jewish history. The first was Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first temple and the Jewish people were exiled for 70 years. Then came Persia in the time of King Ahaserus when Hammond sought to destroy the Jewish people. After that period the second temple was built with the approval of the Persian king. Later during the second temple era the Greek Empire rose under Alexander the Great. That period led to the story of Hanuka when the Jewish people were under the rule of the Greek king Antious. After that came Rome, what we call Edom, first pagan, then later the center of Christianity, which persecuted the Jewish people for centuries. This long exile of nearly 2,000 years is known as the exile of Edom. But the Maharal and other sages explain that there is also another exile, a fifth exile, the exile of Ishmael. And here is where things become deeper. This exile is not always counted among the original four. Not because it is less significant, but because it is fundamentally different. The four classic exiles, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome were clear, defined empires. Each one ruled, dominated, and then ended. But the exile of Ishmael is not a completely separate chapter. It overlaps with the later stages of the Roman exile. It emerges within it and continues alongside it. That's why traditionally we still speak about four exiles because they correspond to the four kingdoms described in the book of Daniel. That structure became the foundation for how we understand history. And yet the exile of Ishmael is still very real. So what makes it different? It represents the final stage before redemption. not just a political exile but a broader global and spiritual challenge as hinted in the verse. If not for God who was with us when man rose against us, who is this man? The one described as a wild man, a force that is more chaotic, more intense, and in many ways more difficult than the previous exiles. But precisely because of that, it is the final stage. the stage that prepares the world for the coming of Mashiach. And this idea is already hinted to in the book of Daniel. In chapter 7, Daniel describes a vision of powerful kingdoms and then a new force that rises, something different, something that reshapes what came before it. Rabenu Sadia, who lived about 1,100 years ago, shortly after the rise of Islam, explains that these prophecies refer to a new religion that would emerge. A religion that would take elements from Judaism, adapt them, change them, and build something new from them. And when you look at history, you can clearly see those parallels. So this final exile, the exile of Ishmael is not just another stage in history. It is the last stage. And immediately after it comes the redemption. The Maharal explains in his book Netak Israel that the exile of Ishmael will have its center in Persia. In other words, the main force that will trouble the Jewish people in the end of days will be Persia. And Persia is already part of the original sequence. Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. So it's not counted again as a separate exile. But this time, Persia takes on a new role. It stands at the head of the exile of Ishmael. It becomes the leading KHVH, the central power that brings the greatest challenges. We also see this in the book of Ezekiel. When the prophet describes the war of Gog and Magog, a great conflict between civilizations, he lists the nations involved. And at the head of that list stands Persia, Persia, Kush and Put with them. Persia is mentioned first. And it may not be coincidental that through divine providence, the leaders of that region across generations seem to echo the name of Hmon as if to send a message to the Jewish people. This is a ruler whose decrees resemble those of Hmon, whose focus is destruction, whose intention is to harm. But what is the purpose of all of this? To awaken us, to bring us back, to push us toward tshoua. And there is a fundamental principle we need to understand. All the events that happen in the world are part of a process. It's like a person traveling on a bus. Every stop along the way brings him closer to his destination or like the contractions of childbirth. Each contraction pushes the baby closer to being born. So too what we call the birth pangs of Mashiach. Every difficulty, every struggle is another step forward, another stage in the process. This also explains something we say in our prayers. He brings a redeemer to their children's children. Why do we say he brings in the present tense? It should say he will bring. Future tense. The answer is simple. Imagine you invite a friend who lives far away to come spend Shabbat with you. You know his journey will take several buses, one connection after another. The moment he sets out on the road, you already tell your family, "I'm bringing him for Shabbat." Not, "I will bring. I'm bringing." Because he's already on the way. The process has already begun. And that's exactly what it means. He brings a redeemer. The redeemer is already on the way. God is already bringing the redemption. just step by step, stage by stage as part of a process. And every event that happens to the Jewish people is part of that process, part of the unfolding journey toward the redemption that has been promised. So what should we do as we look toward the future? First, we need to understand something very important. The current situation where the Jewish people are strong, leading, succeeding can create a feeling of euphoria, a sense of floating in success. But we need to be careful because this stage was already foretold. The malbeam raises a powerful question on a verse. Is this verse speaking about redemption or about exile? At first, it says, "Sing with joy for Jacob. Rejoice at the head of the nations. That sounds like the time of Mashiach when Israel stands at the forefront. But then it continues, "Save your people, the remnant of Israel." Why the need for prayer if redemption has already come. The Malbeim explains this is a transitional stage, a period between exile and redemption, a time when the Jewish people rise, lead, and succeed. But Messiah has not yet arrived. In his words, at the end of their exile, the subjugation will be removed. There will be a state, no longer under foreign domination. And they will rejoice because they will be at the head of the nations. Who could have imagined that 150 years ago when the Jewish people were persecuted, humiliated, scattered across the world, who could have imagined that one day they would stand strong, respected, even leading, that nations would honor them instead of viewing them as lowly and insignificant as they once did. And yet that is exactly what we are beginning to see. People will say, "Look at the Jewish mind. Look at the brilliance. Look at what they've accomplished. But the malim explains that within the Jewish people there are two different responses. There is Jacob and there is Israel. Jacob comes from the word heel representing the more simple, more basic level. Israel comes from the word authority, elevation, greatness, those who understand deeply. In his words, Jacob refers to the masses, the simpler level within the nation. Israel refers to the greater ones, the people who truly understand what is happening. And he explains something very important. That feeling of excitement of being at the head of the nations of saying, "Look, we've succeeded. We've made it. We are leading." That feeling will belong mainly to Jacob, to those who think we've reached the final destination. They stop thinking about the future. They stop thinking that the Jewish people still need Messiah, still need redemption. Some even stop believing. They say, "We have a country. We have a government. That's it. We've arrived." But Israel, those who understand, know that this is not the end. They still long for the return of the divine presence to Zion. And therefore, says the Malim, at that time there will be a call, a public awakening. First, to thank God for the miracles, and second to continue to pray, save your people, the remnant of Israel. Because even now, this moment we are living in, we are still in the middle of the process and the war is still ongoing. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. And true wisdom is the ability to see what lies ahead. We must think about the future. No one can guarantee what will happen next. And that means something very important. The future is still being shaped. It is still in our hands. On one hand, today we are seeing success, victory, strength, momentum. But on the other hand, God forbid, that very success could turn in the opposite direction. Things can change. Today, there may be a supportive American president. Tomorrow, it could be someone else with a completely different approach. If the current leadership in Iran remains, especially the new leadership that has replaced the previous one, which some say is even more extreme, more hostile, no one knows where that could lead. Yes, infrastructure has been damaged. ships, aircraft, weapons, but they can rebuild and they could come back with even greater confidence, feeling unstoppable. And if, God forbid, this is combined with a wave of global anti-semitism, where the world begins to blame the Jewish people for conflicts and instability, even countries that today seem supportive could change direction. These are real possibilities. These are real possibilities. And if they happen, the situation could become far more difficult than before. Not that we should live in fear. Just as God has protected us until now, he will continue to protect us. But we must understand we have an opportunity. A moment of divine favor. A time when there is light, when there is momentum. And we need to use it to strengthen ourselves to grow to increase unity, faith and good deeds so that this positive momentum continues and so that negative forces collapse completely. So that even in places like Iran, the leadership could change into something better, more friendly as it was in earlier times. And more than that, if we truly rise to the moment, if we strengthen ourselves as we should, we can bring the redemption, the Mashiach, closer. Who knows? Maybe we are living right now in one of those special windows of time that are favorable for redemption. It certainly seems that way. We don't have a prophet today who can tell us this explicitly. But when you look at what's happening, the logic of events, the timing, the patterns, it strongly suggests that this is a time with tremendous potential for redemption. How can it be that at the very moment when the Jewish people gathered in synagogues around the world to read parashatur to remember what Amalecch did to us, at that exact same time, the hmon of our generation chose to leave his bunker. He gathered his inner circle, his wife, his advisers, his supporters into one location, a place that was exposed, vulnerable. He sat there with his closest people, like the 10 sons of Hmon, so to speak, and they were meeting, planning, and at that exact moment, as Jews are reading, remember what Amalecch did to you. Erase the memory of Amalcch. They are struck and he is eliminated. Israel hadn't even planned to strike during the day. The ideas were for later, for nighttime. But suddenly intelligence came in. He was there exposed. And the moment aligned. Here we are reading Zah. And immediately after the miracles of Purim, the chain of salvations, we begin to approach the month of Nissan. And Nissan is known as a time that is especially suited for redemption. Not only personal redemption when a person can move from difficulty to relief but also national redemption. In Nissan they were redeemed and in Nissan they will be redeemed in the future. The cabalists explain something very deep. Not every miracle becomes a holiday. There are miracles that happen once and that's it. The next year that date is just another day. But there are miracles that are embedded into time itself. On those dates, a special spiritual light, an influence descends into the world. A light that has the power to change the natural order. And that's when miracles happen. When that same light returns every year, that's what creates a holiday. That's why yum kipur became a day of forgiveness because God said I have forgiven as you have spoken and that moment was fixed in time. Every year that same spiritual energy of forgiveness returns on shavewat. Every year there is a renewed flow of the light of Torah and Nissan the month of redemption. The same spiritual potential that brought redemption in the past returns every year. And I found myself thinking if this is truly a time that is especially suited for redemption, it would be interesting to see whether the calendar aligns in a deeper way. For example, Shabbat Hagadal, the great Shabbat before Passover when miracles happened for the Jewish people in Egypt. Would it fall on the same date as it did back then? We know that in Egypt the 10th of Nissan fell on Shabbat. Why is it called Shabbat Hagadol? Because on that day, God commanded the Jewish people, "Take for yourselves a lamb for each household." Now, the Egyptians worshiped the lamb. So in order to uproot that belief from their hearts, the Jewish people were told to take the lamb, the very object of Egyptian worship, and tie it to their bedposts openly for several days until the 14th of Nissan when they would slaughter it and roast over fire. This was a bold public act completely rejecting idolatry because as long as they were still internally attached to that belief system they could not be redeemed. Redemption requires inner freedom and that's why this process began specifically on the 10th of Nissan leading toward the redemption that came just days later. The month of Nissan is associated in ancient symbolism with the sign of the lamb. And that's exactly why Egyptian worship reached its peak during this time. Nissan was the height of their belief system because this is when lambs are born, the season of new life. From every angle, this month represented their idol worship. And the peak of that system was in the middle of the month when the moon is full. That's why specifically on the night of the 15th of Nissan, God commanded the Jewish people, "Now roast the lamb and eat it so that you understand this is not a god. This is not something to worship." The entire process was meant to uproot from deep within the emotional attachment the Jewish people had to belief. On the 10th of Nissan, they took the lamb and tied it to their beds openly in front of everyone. Then on the 14th, they slaughtered it in the afternoon, prepared it toward evening. And that night, they ate the Passover offering, a complete break, a transformation from the inside out. And what's fascinating is this. If you look at the calendar of this year, it aligns in a remarkable way. Just as in the days when you left Egypt, I will show you wonders. The 10th of Nissan, Shabbat Hagadol, falls in the same pattern. The Exodus took place on a Thursday night leading into Friday. And this year as well, the Passover said falls on that same alignment. Now, we are not prophets. We cannot predict the future, but we are meant to observe, to connect the dots, to recognize the patterns in what God is doing in the world, and to understand something very important. We have the ability to shape what comes next. We can bring about salvation at the very least, a personal and national relief, a time of calm, stability, and safety. And if we merit more than that, if we truly strengthen ourselves, we can bring the ultimate redemption. Because God has already promised that there are two paths, a fixed time or an accelerated redemption. And when you look at the signs of our generation, so many of them were already described in advance. The persecution of those who study Torah, the loss of respect for wisdom and spiritual leadership. As the Mishna says, the wisdom of scholars will become despised. For thousands of years, some of these descriptions were hard to understand. But today, you can see them clearly. People displaced from their homes, moving from place to place, unable to return. Entire communities wandering within their own country. A leadership that at times turns against tradition. All of these are part of the signs. And what do they lead to? To one conclusion, we cannot rely on human power alone, not on military strength, not on political alliances, not even on powerful nations, only on our father in heaven. And that means we need to strengthen ourselves, especially in prayer. Raben Baha writes something very powerful. When the Jewish people cried out in Egypt and their cry rose up to God from the labor, that prayer was essential. If they had not prayed, they would not have been redeemed, even though the time had already come. Redemption requires desire. It requires asking. And he adds, "The same applies to the final redemption. If we want it, we must pray for it. We must ask for it. So when we pray, we should have intention. When we say, "May our eyes behold your return to Zion with mercy," we should mean it. We should want redemption. We should want salvation for the Jewish people because speech is a powerful force. And this is true not only on a national level, but also personally. A person facing challenges whether in livelihood, health or any struggle has an incredible tool, the power of speech. The Jewish people are compared to a worm. At first, that doesn't sound very flattering. Why compare us to a worm? Our sages explain. A worm has no strength, no bones, no weapons. But it has a mouth. And with that mouth, it can break through leaves, through wood. It achieves what it needs through its ability to act with that single tool. And so it is with us. Our greatest strength is our voice. And just like that, the Jewish people through the power of speech can achieve everything. Yes, there are practical efforts. We need an army. We need defense. We need to act responsibly. But we must never forget the power of the mouth. Speech is an incredible power. coach, strength, inner force. Through prayer, a person can accomplish so much. And there is a second thing we need to strengthen within ourselves. Faith and trust in God. Even when we hear sirens, explosions, missiles. We need to strengthen our inner confidence and trust. Let's look at the words of Rabenu Yona, one of the great early sages on the verse in Proverbs. Fear of man lays a trap. But one who trusts in God will be protected. He explains when a person falls into anxiety into fear that itself becomes a trap. King Solomon is teaching us something profound. The moment you enter into panic, you are placing obstacles in your own path. But someone who trusts in God will be protected. The word used there means to be lifted up to be placed in a secure protected position. Trust in God brings protection. Rabu Yona writes, "A person should not fear human beings. Instead, he should direct his heart toward God." Meaning, prepare your heart and say, "I fear only God, nothing else." And when a person truly relies on God, he is protected from hardship. Not necessarily because he deserves it, but because of his trust. When a person turns to God and says, "Master of the world, only you." That trust itself brings protection. But when a person feels I can handle everything on my own, disconnected from God, then he is left only with what he deserves. But when he leans on God, he receives protection and care. Rabenu Yona adds something very powerful. When a person fears other people, he forgets God. As it says, you forgot the Lord your maker. Fear of human beings pushes God out of a person's awareness. And then he explains something deeply practical. When you see a difficult situation approaching, when it feels very close, very real, and you don't see any way out, no solution, no escape plan. At that moment, you should remind yourself, how many times in the past have I seen situations like this? Moments that seemed hopeless, and suddenly everything turned around. Again and again, we've seen a light of salvation appears. Unexpected miracles happen. The force that was threatening us disappears. So why fall into fear now? Why enter anxiety and panic? Trust itself has power. Trust in God can cancel harsh decrees. So yes, we must act responsibly. We follow the necessary guidelines. We take precautions. We do what needs to be done. But internally, no panic, no fear, calm, trust, confidence that we are in God's hands. I do my part, my effort according to the will of God. And the very fact that a person places himself in the hands of the creator that trusts itself brings protection and safeguarding. And the final point we need to focus on what we can do for the future is this. Every person needs to feel responsibility. Responsibility for himself and responsibility for the entire Jewish people. Especially in a time like this, we need to strengthen ourselves more than usual. Not only in faith, but in practical actions. God gave us commandments in the Torah. These are not random. They are a guide for how to live for our own benefit. Each person needs to strengthen himself and also influence those around him, neighbors, friends, family. And now as we approach the month of Nissan, there is a call from leading rabbis to take upon ourselves something practical to use the two Shabbat in the month of Nissan. The first Shabbat of Nissan, and the second Shabbat Hagadal, the Shabbat right before Passover. Every Shabbat observance is important on its own, but these two carry special weight. The Torah teaches that Shabbat is the ultimate expression of faith as a sign between me and the children of Israel. For in six days, God created the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day, he rested. In other words, God is saying, "It's nice that you say you believe in me, but words are not enough. The real proof is action. If you truly believe that I created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, then you also work for 6 days and rest on the seventh." And here is something very important to understand. The definition of work on Shabbat is not about physical effort. It's not about how hard something is. In Hebrew, there are two different concepts. There is labor, effort, exertion, and there is creative work. Shabbat is about creative work. You can sit comfortably in a chair, press a button, and cause something to happen. That's considered work in the Torah sense, even if it requires no effort. God did not create the world through physical labor. He created it through will, through command. He spoke and it came into being. That's why the Torah says he rested from all his work, not from effort. And so we are commanded, do not perform any creative work on Shabbat. That's why something like writing, even though it's easy and not tiring, is still forbidden because it is an act of creation. The same applies to lighting a fire and all the 39 categories of creative activity defined in Jewish law. And this is why these two upcoming Shabbat are so important. Anyone who has not yet observed Shabbat, it's worth trying. Even starting with a simple, clear guide. Learning the basics from someone who observes Shabbat. There are summaries, guides and resources available that make it accessible for anyone. Even in our own materials, there are short practical summaries that anyone can learn and apply. And our sages teach something remarkable. If the Jewish people keep two Shabbat properly, they are immediately redeemed even if the majority of the nation keeps them. That alone is a powerful step. And in fact, recent observations show that many young people in Israel have already begun observing Shabbat. There is a real shift happening. The younger generation is moving in that direction. Something we didn't see before the war. Now it's growing. And finally, let's remember the words of the Rambam. All the prophets commanded the people to return to Dutshoua and the Jewish people will not be redeemed except through tshoua. But we also have a promise. The Torah assures us that in the end the Jewish people will return and immediately they will be redeemed. as it says, "And it shall be when all these things come upon you and you return to the Lord your God, then the Lord your God will return to you with compassion." So the path is clear. Strengthen ourselves, take responsibility, act, and through that we bring the redemption closer. There is a verse that says, "Behold, days are coming, says God, when I will send a famine in the land, not a famine for bread, and not a thirst for water, but a hunger to hear the word of God." And today, we are seeing this with our own eyes. Torah classes are filling up. And you know, there's no food being handed out there. No snacks, no drinks, no incentives. So why are people coming? They come to hear words of Torah. Young people, men and women, all ages, even people who didn't grow up with any religious background. And yet they feel a hunger. Not for bread, not for water, but to hear something meaningful, something spiritual, the word of God. And there is another remarkable phenomenon, one of the clear signs of our generation. As the verse says, he will return the hearts of fathers through their children and the hearts of children through their fathers. Rashi explains, "Before the coming of Mashiach, it will be the younger generation that awakens the older one. Throughout history, it was always the other way around. A father would teach his son how to put on to fillain. But today, you see something completely different. A son puts on to fillain and his father says to him, "Teach me. I haven't done this since my bar mitzvah." A daughter teaches her mother the laws of keeping a kosher kitchen. This is something new. And the more we strengthen ourselves in our connection to God, the more we can strengthen others as well. Especially now these two upcoming Shabbat. We need to spread the word. Encourage others. Reach out. If you go to synagogue, knock on your neighbor's door. Tell them there are two special Shabbat coming up. Come with me. Maybe they'll say I'm not used to it. So tell them just come. Even if you leave in the middle, it's okay. Just come and experience it. Be there. Feel the atmosphere, the prayer, the meals, the spirit of Shabbat. And if you can invite people, host them. These are powerful things. And we need to understand when we help another Jew come closer to Torah, to mitzvot, we're not only helping them spiritually, we are helping them in this world, too. Because a life connected to values, to purpose is more stable, more meaningful, more fulfilled. Unfortunately, when a person lives disconnected from that path, things often begin to fall apart. We see it around us. There was a great rabbi, Rabbi Noah Weinberg, one of the pioneers in reaching out to Jews and bringing them closer. Toward the end of his life, he said something very powerful. When I was young and began this work, why did I do it? Because I was worried about their world to come. I used to think like this. A Jew will come to the world to come and suddenly discover there is a creator, there is Torah, there are commandments. So, I need to help him so he'll be prepared for that world. But in his later years, Rabbi Noah Weinberg said something powerful. Today, I think first about their life in this world. First of all, let them have a life here. Because without Torah, there is no real life. Even in this world, homes fall apart. There's no true joy. There's no stable system that gives a person real meaning, real goodness. So first help him have a life in this world. Let him live with values, with mitzvot, with purpose. And his life here will become better. And then he will also have the world to come. When you bring someone closer, you're giving him both a better life here and eternal life as well. And especially in the time leading up to Mashiach, this takes on even greater meaning. Because in the book of Daniel chapter 12 when it speaks about the period just before redemption it says at that time Michael the great angel who stands for your people will stand. Rashi explains that will stand means he will be silent. He will no longer be able to defend the Jewish people and there will be a time of distress unlike any that has ever been. And then it says at that time your people will be saved. Everyone who is found written in the book. Which book? The prophet Malahi explains a book of remembrance was written before him for those who fear God and honor his name. A person who lives with reverence for God who tries to follow his will. That person is written in that book. And every Jew you help bring closer to Torah, to mitzvot, to good deeds. You are helping write him into that book. And when that time comes, you are in a sense saving him. Your people will be saved. All who are written in the book. May it be God's will that we merit very soon complete redemption with kindness and compassion. May God continue to protect and guard the people of Israel and the soldiers of Israel wherever they are. And may all those who rise against us be defeated. May their swords turn against themselves and their bows be broken. And may we merit redemption very