Sunday, August 30, 2015

Be Consoled, the Happy Ending is Near (continued)

בס"ד
Continuing the seven weeks from Tishe B’Av to Rosh Hashanah that are called the time of consolation, a time when Hashem tells us that even though events in the world may be looking scary with great uncertainty for the future, be consoled that the time of exile is coming to an end and the redemption is imminent. The consolation comes with the Haftarah for each of these seven weeks.

As last week, the message is so clear and timely that we truly can feel good about what is coming up in the very near future. Haftaras Ki Seitzei that we read yesterday is very indicative of this feeling of consolation. Here is the summary from the Artscroll Chumash:

Haftaras Ki Seitzei, Isaiah 54:1-10
The prophet addresses Jerusalem; the mournful city that was twice left bereft of its children, that sits like a barren woman watching her neighbors fawn over their broods, while for her there is only the agony of knowing that she will never experience the joy of creation and growth. To Mother Jerusalem who is tempted to shrink within her loneliness, G-d says that she should expand her homes and boundaries more and more, for they will be too small to accommodate the hordes of children who will gather to bring her unexpected comfort and gratification. She will be like a wife temporarily banished, only to be recalled again by a loving husband. The grief was painful while it lasted, but in retrospect, it would seem like a brief moment of discomfort fleetingly intruding on a long and fruitful life. G-d's love may be veiled, the prophet declares, but it is sturdier and more enduring than hills and mountains.
The Haftarah clearly consoles us that even though Jerusalem has been laid waste and emptied due to exile, we will return and once again flourish in this holy city in the end of days. The good news is it happened already – this is the end. Jerusalem is such a beautiful built-up city with over 800,000 inhabitants. The only things that still need to be done are to rid the city of the non-Jewish population and welcome the third and final Temple.

Hashem tells us that we need to “expand her homes and boundaries more and more.” This has been happening with many new neighborhoods being developed over the years and even surrounding towns being incorporated into the city limits. The city I live in which is 10 minutes outside the border of Jerusalem is already in the planning stage to become a section of the city. Betar Illit presently has about 50,000 residents but expansion plans show it being 100,000 when completed. That is an instant increase of 100,000 to the population of Jerusalem.

There are areas that are being occupied by Arab population both within the city limit and towns surrounding the city. I call it occupation since by international law and, of course the Torah, this land is all Israel and is supposed to be Jewish. The propaganda of the terrorist groups, pretending to be a governing bodies, will end when Geula starts, and the world’s Jew-hating rhetoric about who is occupying whom will end (of course, all Jew-haters will be gone anyway).

It is all good news. Jerusalem is ready for the exciting ending. The prophecy is fulfilled and we are greatly and happily consoled, B"H.

11 comments:

  1. First: Shavua Tov to you Rav and all your readers.

    As usual Rav, wonderful to read:)

    And tho i be Noahide i too am happy and consoled. Mashiach is going to be here soon.
    Am Israel Chai

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  2. A background in the US military and engineering that lives in Beitar. Hmmm, I know one person that fits the description.

    I do hope that no matter how large Beitar grows, it will remain a separate city.

    I enjoy your blog.

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    1. Is this Shimshom W? If so, how is everyone?

      Betar is destined to be incorporated into Yerushalayim in the same way that Neve Yaakov was.

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    2. Also happy to read your blog and see two friends finding each other! By the way even Damascus is destined to be soon incorporated into Jerusalem if I understand the scriptures.
      As a civil engineer, I have the privilege to manage the construction site of 32 apartments in Beitar , just outside the fence and in Jerusalem direction, and we also participate to the building of 2 new hills in Northern Efrat, close to Mother Rachel!
      So that every morning I read your blog and feel close to you for at least two reasons!
      May we receive Mashiah very soon and berahamim.
      Itzhak, Jerusalem.

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    3. Nice to meet you. Let me know if you are going to be in Betar, we can get together and solve all the world's problems -- it is good to have extra assistance.

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    4. I forgot to mention. You are correct about Damascus. I recently posted "Where Will We Put Everybody?" which included a map, based on a recent Torah reading, that shows this country extending all to way to the Euphrates River. That would include all of Syria.

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  3. It will be a huge honor for me to meet you Reb Menachem. I' m in Beitar almost everyday .With your permission I'll contact you by mail. In the name of many like me thank you again for your hizuk.

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  4. Am Israel what a beautiful people room for everyone come all home soon!

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  5. I saw this article today and had to share it--Rav Artzi is right. Europe is being destroyed before our very eyes.I hope Moshiach comes the sooner the better to save world Jewry. --Diaspora Ro

    Nobel Laureate in Literature: “The Muslims are flooding, occupying and destroying Europe”

    Published August 29, 2015 at 13:39
    FriaTider.se

    Den Hungarian-Jewish writer and professional Holocaust Imre Kertész, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2002, now directs sharp criticism of the Western establishment’s decision to allow Europe to change population through mass immigration from the third world countries.
    It’s in the book, the last to escape Kertész chooses to strongly condemn what those in power do with Europe right now.

    In the book Kertész, who at age 15 was transferred to Auschwitz but survived and began a writing career, criticizes the liberal attempt to replace the European culture with mass immigration, particularly from Muslim cultures in the third world.

    “Europe will soon go under because of its former liberalism that has proved childish and suicidal. Europe has produced Hitler, and after Hitler the continent stands there with no arguments: the doors are wide open for Islam, they no longer dare talk about race and religion while Islam only knows the language of hatred against alien races and religions,” writes Kertész in his book, according to a summary of the blogger Thomas Nydahl.

    The 85-year-old Nobel laureate continues:

    “I should say a few words about politics too … Then I would talk about how Muslims are flooding, occupying, in clear verbs, destroying Europe, and how Europe relates to this, the suicidal liberalism and the stupid democracy … It always ends the same way: civilization reaches a certain stage of maturation where it is not only able to defend itself, but where it is in a seemingly incomprehensible worship of their own enemy.”

    - See more at: http://pamelageller.com/2015/08/nobel-laureate-in-literature-europe-will-soon-go-under-the-muslims-are-flooding-occupying-and-destroying-europe.html/#sthash.aEi5Uish.dpuf

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