Thursday, February 16, 2006

Iran and Moshiach

I usually don't like posting about these kinds of topics but today I am making an exception. Someone sent the following to me:

The gemara in Yoma 10a, states:

Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Ilai: In the time to come, Rome will fall at the hands of Persia.


The Yalkut Shimoni states:

Rabbi Yitzchak said: The year that Melech HaMoshiach will be revealed, all the kings (leaders) of the nations will be struggling against each other. The leader of Persia (Iran) will contest with an Arab leader and the Arab leader will go to Aram (the Western Superpowers) to get council from them.

The leader of Persia will respond and destroy the entire world. All the nations of the world will be trembling and shaking and falling on their faces. They will be seized by pains like labor pains.

The Jewish people will be trembling and quaking and saying: "Where can we go? Where can we go?" And [Moshiach] will say to them: my children, do not fear! Everything I did I did only for you! Why are you frightened? Don't be afraid--the days of your redemption have arrived!



Rabbi Yonasan Eibshetz, writes in his sefer Yaaros Dvash:

At certain moment the time will come when Moshiach should have already arrived but the redemption has not yet come. The Moshiach will ask how it could be that the time for redemption has arrived and he still undergoes sufferings? The response that he will receive is that he must wait for nine months. Why? In order to wait for the fall of Persia (Iran) at the hands of Edom (the Christian West), and then the final redemption will come.

When we look at what is happening today with Iran and the West the parallels are remarkable.

4 comments:

Frummer????? said...

There have always been things which seem like Moshiach is just around the corner......

It just never happens.

The most recent one which springs to mind is the one about the world ending in 5760. Anybody remember that one?

Anonymous said...

Does R.Y. Eibshutz happen to name the moshiach he's referring to?

Anonymous said...

that gemara in yuma also has an opinion that persia will beat edom

Anonymous said...

Quite thought-provoking! Question: When the Moshiach says: "Everything I did I did only for you!", what exactly was it that he did, and why the implied suspicion directed towards him by the Jews?