As per the request of leading rabbis, everyone is requested to recite some chapters of Tehillim in the merit of Maran Shlit”a’s speedy recovery. We thank everyone in advance.
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Question: When the material status of the Jewish nation is not great (such as in our times), is it a sign that the Final Redemption is close or is the contrary true?
Answer: Every individual must thank Hashem when he is successful in his endeavors, whether in a physical or a spiritual sense. On the other hand, one must know that when the standing of the Jewish nation is not so good among the nations of the world, this is a sign that the redemption of the Jewish nation is nearing; there is indeed more hope for redemption in this kind of situation as opposed to when they are living with peace and tranquility.
Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef Shlit”a writes based on sources that when the king of Austria granted equal rights to the Jewish citizens of his country which allowed them to perform all kinds of business, all of the Jews rejoiced over their lot, however, Hagaon Chatam Sofer began crying inconsolably when he heard the news.
His students asked him, “Rabbi, why do all the Jews rejoice while you cry?” He replied, “Let me illustrate my point with a parable: There was once a mighty king who had a unique and beloved minister. Eventually though, this minister broke the law, one punishable by death. The king, however, was kind and merciful and changed the minister’s sentence from death to imprisonment for an unspecified amount of time. The king also promised him that he would one day release him from prison and return him to his lofty position.
The minister was handed over to the prison warden and he was thrown into a deep and dark dungeon. The minister sat in his cell, broken and down, but his heart was filled with hope that the king would free him soon. This hope strengthened the minister’s spirit.
Sometime later, the minister heard a ruckus outside of his cell and he became excited, for he thought the time had come for him to be freed. Indeed, the door opened and the messengers of the kind entered with tools and told him the “good” news: ‘The king has sent us to clean up your cell, make windows, paint the walls, and do whatever else is necessary in order to make your stay here more comfortable.’
When the minister heard this, he began to wail. The bewildered messengers inquired, ‘We thought you would be happy to hear the news that we are here to make your conditions more livable!’ The minister answered, ‘As long as I suffered, I always believed that my salvation was near. Now, however, that you have arrived in the name of the king to fix up my cell, this is a sign that I will still be incarcerated for a long time.’”
The Chatam Sofer concluded, “I believe the same thing is occurring. Our Sages tell us that if one sees a generation which is being deluged with tragedies like a river, expect him (the Mashiach). Now, however, that they are granted us equal rights as citizens, this is an ominous sign that the time for our redemption has not arrived yet, as the verse states, ‘The harvest has passed, the summer has ended and we have not yet been saved.’”
Although we have merited, thank G-d, gathering and settling in Israel more or less peacefully, this fact is not included in the category of events which delay the Redemption. Indeed, all of the other tragedies and suffering which befalls the Jewish nation, including the fact that we are always under tremendous pressure from the various nations of the world, near and far, in addition to our enemies in Gaza who wish to destroy us and the economic situation as feeble as it is, these are all things which hasten the Final Redemption, which we are certain will occur speedily and in our days, Amen.
One must therefore awaken himself to the fact that once our righteous Mashiach arrives, the days following will be days of reckoning at which point Hashem will punish the wicked for their evil deeds and reward the righteous for their pious ways. At this point, one will no longer have the opportunity to repent for his evil deeds and everyone will be judged based on his current spiritual state. The situation in Israel as it is dictated by the govern
ment is also cause for strengthening and encouraging those learning Torah, whom the entire Jewish nation depends on. It is unimaginable to strike them at such a crucial time in our nation’s history, for this will create a perilous situation for the entire Jewish nation, religious and unreligious alike.
We must therefore all strengthen and amplify our service of Hashem by increasing our Torah study and fear of Heaven. Let us all long for the coming of our righteous Mashiach who will speedily redeem us, once and for all time.
