The New Era of Redemption

This week, several readers reminded me of a post that appeared on the Beams six-and-a-half years ago on December 5, 2005, when I interviewed a Chassidic tzaddik and kabbalist named Rabbi CAE, a a friendly, unassuming, and amazingly astute tzaddik and Kabbalist. In fact, Rabbi CAE then told me things that Rav Kadouri zatza"l said before his death, namely, that the Geula must begin full force within 7 years of the notorious Disengagement from Jewish Gaza, when 8500 Jews were expelled and exiled from their homes. If the Disengagement was on Av 11, 5765, that means that 7 years are up this coming Av 11, 5772 (July 30, 2012).

Here is the interview, reprinted in its entirety:

Rabbi CAE is a scion of the greatest Chassidic dynasties, and though more than worthy, has refused to be coronated as a rebbe. Instead, he prefers to learn Torah in anonymity, while being subservient to his own rebbe - his cousin and one of this generation's most respected tzaddikim. Rabbi CAE and I become steadfast friends some thirteen years ago. For three years, we were late-night learning partners. For the benefit of Jewish Outreach around the globe, Rabbi CAE agreed that I publicize portions of a discussion we had during his stay with me in Ashdod this past Shabbos, on condition that I don't reveal his identity or the identity of other tzaddikim he mentions, unless stipulated otherwise. After I transcribed the interview, I showed it to the Melitzer Rebbe and asked him what he thinks about Rabbi CAE's ideas; he smiled and nodded in the affirmative.

LB: Rabbi CAE, can you share with me something of your rich lineage? Did any of your great grandfathers - the Noam Elimelech, Rebbe Sar Shalom of Belz, the Afta Rov, or Rebbe Michal'e of Zlatchov - leave any father-to-son traditon as to how and when we can expect Moshiach?

CAE: I'm happy to say yes, Lazer. Are you familiar with the book,Menoras HaZahav?

LB: The commentaries of Rebbe Zusha of Hannipoli, isn't it? He's your great great uncle, the Noam Elimelech's brother.

CAE: True. The book wasn't written by Rebbe Zusha himself, but it's rather a compilation of his sayings collected from other books by Rabbi Natan Neta of Kalbiel more than 100 years ago. Look at page 135, the end of Parshas Zos Habracha; there's an amazing kabala (oral tradition - LB) from my great grandfather of 8 generations ago, Rebbe Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Medziboz (and later Afta, known as the "Afta Rov" - LB), who told Rebbe Moshe Elyokim Beria of Koznitz, the son and successor of the Maggid of Koznitz, that directly before the coming of Moshiach, Jews will be expelled from the outlying villages. Rebbe Moshe of Koznitz further emphasized that this kabala is al pi ha'emes, in other words, according to absolute truth, which means that the Afta Rov probably heard it from his rebbe, the Noam Elimelech, the Noam Elimelech from the Maggid of Mezeritch, the Maggid from the Baal Shem Tov, and the Baal Shem Tov from his rebbe, the prophet Achiya HaShiloni.

LB: What a bombshell! Does this have any connection to Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai's saying in the Yerushalmi Talmud (tractate Chagiga, page 6a), namely, "If you see settlements uprooted in the Land of Israel, know that no one paid the salaries of cheder(elementary Torah school) teachers and yeshiva teachers"?

CAE: It certainly does. The Disengagement was preceeded by an anti-religious coalition that choked the allotments for Torah learning. Torah protects the land of Israel. What's ironic is that the IDF and the Police, who purportedly are in charge of protecting the country, implemented the expulsion with their own two hands. Ah, but everything Hashem does is for the best; therefore, once settlements are uprooted, the door is opened wide for Moshiach, who will soon make his entrance. Hashem works in strange ways, to fool the Yetzer, who's fighting tooth-and-nail against the Geula (redemption - LB).

LB: Have you shown this amazing passage from Menoras Hazahav to any of today's leading rebbes?

CAE: I certainly did. I discussed it with my cousin (one of Israel's leading rebbes - LB); he pulled a Menoras HaZahav off the bookshelf, and read silently for several minutes. He then closed his eyes, and went into a deep concentration. When he opened his eyes, he told me that Rabbi Arie Shechter (one of Israel's most brilliant lecturers, and a specialist in the computer analyses of Torah's hidden codes - LB) told him that the B'ito beginning of the Geula was Rosh Hashana 5766. "Now I'm positive it's accurate," my cousin said, "that the Disengagement triggered the Geula. We have now entered the new era of redemption."

LB: B'ito, the Geula in its own time, is a dangerous situation.

CAE: That's why your rebbe the Melitzer, and others like him, are trying to sweeten (mamtik dinim) the harsh decrees.

LB: What does your cousin the ____er Rebbe say?

CAE: He says that once the Geula has been set in motion, Moshiach must come within a period of one to seven years, maximum. He also said that he can't understand why the Jews from overseas aren't coming to Israel already in droves. What do they think? That New York and London aren't dangerous places? Israel is much safer, he said.

LB: Apropo Israel, how do you see the future of the secular state according to Torah?

CAE: I'll answer you with something that Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburg, a brilliant and well-known Lubavitcher scholar from Kfar Chabad, wrote in one of his recent pamphlets entitled, Klipa Kudma La'pri, or "the peel comes before the fruit". In Kabala, the layers of peels are allegoric to the ritual impurity that surrounds the essence of holiness, or the fruit. This pamphlet explains the secular state of Israel along Kabbalic lines, namely, that the state was designed as a "peel" to protect the "fruit" of the Jewish people learning Torah and performing mitvas. At first, the peel did an excellent job, protecting the fruit that was almost destroyed in the Holocaust.

LB: Then what happened?

CAE: As you well know, in the last 4 years, since Sharon made a coalition with the anti-Torah parties, the world of Torah has been dealt a serious blow. Many Torah-learning institutions have been closed for lack of funds.

LB: The Breslever Kollel in Ashdod is one of them.

CAE: Precisely. One of two things happens when fruit matures: Either you shed the peel, or the peel chokes the fruit and the fruit rots or dries up. Since Torah is eternal, and Hashem won't let the world of Torah learning to continue its amazing development, then Hashem will shed the peel.

LB: Do you mean that the State of Israel will no longer exist?

CAE: The secular state as we know it, according to Rabbi Ginsburg, will give way to the rule of Moshiach, King of Israel.

LB: How soon will that be?

CAE: A leading Sephardi Kabbalist whispered in my ear that Arik Sharon will win the coming election, and that he will be the last Prime Minister of the secular State of Israel.

LB (after a long, deep breath): People desparately need to know that this is no joke.

CAE: We all must pray that the transition will be a peaceful one, with no wars, killing, and/or natural disasters. The Tsunami, Katrina, and Rita were wake-up calls, but few people are waking up. There's no time. In order to sweeten the decrees, the religious Zionists must dismount their secular-state horse, realize that Sharon has betrayed them and their settlements, and come home to the world of pure, nonpolitical Torah; we all need to make Tshuva, and every so-called secular Jewish child must learn how to say Shma Yisroel. Money and fancy houses in Great Neck or Golder's Green won't be a protection during the era of Moshiach - only Torah, prayer, and good deeds.

LB: Let's pray for a peaceful and merciful redemption.

CAE: May Hashem help us. Chazak ve'amatz, be courageous and strong in your outreach work, Lazer; even if the whole world throws tomatos at you and spits in your face, continue to spread the word of Hashem to anyone that is willing to listen. B'hatzlocho!

LB: Thank you immensely, Rabbi, and may G-d bless you.

Comments

[אלעזר יוסף מודי]

With much respect, for my learning is nothing compared to those in this article
...but Arik Sharon wasn't the last Prime Minister. What does that say about the "leading Sephardi Kabbalist" and those who listen to him?