Another Prophetic Message

Let us take a look at the verse in Parashas Vayishlach (Genesis 36:31):

31 Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before a king reigned over the Children of Israel.

The Artscroll commentary states:

31. The Edomite kings. The Torah lists eight Edomite kings who reigned before the first Jewish king. Ibn Ezra cites two interpretations of the period under discussion: a) The eight Edomite kings reigned up to the time of Moses, who, as the savior and leader of Israel, had the status of a king. b) The passage is prophetic, giving the names of eight Edomite kings who were destined to reign in future years, prior to Saul, the first Jewish king.  Rashi cites this verse as an example of the prophecy given to Rebecca that the might shall pass from one of them to the other (25:23), meaning that the two brothers would not both be great simultaneously. Thus, when Esau had kings, Israel had none, and when Israel rose up, Esau declined, and his kings were defeated by Israel.  Conversely, for the last two thousand years Esau's offspring, in their various manifestations, have held sway and the Jewish people have been exiled from their land and former glory.  In time to come, however - may it be speedily in our days - the prophetic assurance (Obadiah 1:21) will be fulfilled: Saviors will ascend o Mount Zion to render judgment upon [those who trace their greatness to] the mountain of Esau, and the kingdom will be HASHEM'S.

The last interpretation, of course is talking about the Kings or leaders who will be just before King Moshiach. Is there a hint to whom the last king or ruler of Edom will be before Moshiach?  Of course there is.  The verse quoted above in Hebrew is

ואלה המלכים אשר מלכו בארץ אדום לפני מלך- מלך לבני ישראל

Take the first letter of the first five words ו ה א מ ב and rearrange them to אובמה = Obama. He is the last leader of Edom before Moshiach – another prophecy fulfilled.

Then there is the famous verse in the Torah where Yaakov is preparing to die and gathers his sons around him wishing to reveal to them the date of the final redemption.  "Gather and I will tell you that which will occur to you at the end of days." (49:1)  However, as Rashi references from the Talmud in Pesachim 56a and the Medrash, G-d's presence departed from Yaakov and he was unable to continue with the prophecy.

Yaakov was understandably distraught at "loosing" the prophecy and suspected that one or more of his sons had become unworthy of sharing the revelation.  Seventeen years had already passed during which the "family" had grown geometrically.  It was possible that during that time the brothers had been negatively influenced by the Egyptian culture.

Yaakov confronted his sons and asked them if this was so.  They all responded, "Hear O' Israel (Yaakov)," No! We are not unworthy of your trust. "The Lord our G-d, The Lord is one!"  The famous Shema that we are commanded twice a day to recite appears in the Torah with two enlarged letters -- the ayin, ע at end of Shema and the daled ד at the end of ehad.  The two letters spell עד or testimony to the Oneness of Hashem.  But, let us note that the Gematria is 74.  Is that a hint to why the Shema was recited when Yaakov was unable to say when the end would be?  Is Hashem telling us that 5774 is definitely the year of Geula?

As above, in verse 31, we see that every word, every letter in the Torah is prophecy.  We will know soon what Hashem wanted us to find out even though Yaakov was not able to tell us outright.

I thank my friend Yisroel for giving me this information.