"The Great Redemption" (41)

"The Great Redemption" by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto

-- A Discourse on The End of the Exile and the Beginning of the Great Redemption

Translated by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
_____________________________________________

41.

I’ll now inform you of another matter about the rectifications to come about in the redemption. It’s that everything that had been impaired in the exile will be emended and repaired then, and all the ministering angels and their legions whose service and assignments were no longer in effect, as you’d heard before, will return to their assignments.

For it’s said, “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with her, all who love her; rejoice for joy with her, all who mourn for her” (Isaiah 66:10), with “all who love her” referring to the Jewish Nation, and “all who mourn for her” referring to the angels.

Why were the angels referred to as "mourners"? Because (we're told that) “the roads to Zion mourn” (Lamentations 1:4). For as is explained (there), the “mourning” came about because “none come to (her on) the appointed feasts” (Ibid.); its roads being devoid of service is termed “mourning” and those undone like them and her are referred to as those “who mourn for her” (Isaiah 66:10). “All who mourn *for* her” is (used in this instance) like (the term) “*by* him” (in Numbers 2:20) which means to say “*for* him”.

It’s also said about this, “G-d will console Zion, He will console her for all her ruins and He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the L-rd; joy and gladness will be found there, thanksgiving, and the sound of song” (Isaiah 51:3). That refers to the legions of ministering angels, who are called “ruins” because they were brought to ruin when she was brought to ruin.

But at that point, “(G-d) will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the L-rd”. That refers to the two levels, “upper” and “lower”. “He will make her wilderness like Eden” refers to the upper level, while “her desert like the garden of the L-rd” refers to the lower one. For that’s when “joy and gladness will be found there” thanks to all the light and pleasantness. “Thanksgiving and the sound of song” refers to the angels singing.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

(Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org )

********************************
AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman's translation of "The Gates of Repentance" has been reissued at *at a discount*!
You can order it right now from here
Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon "The Path of the Just", and "The Duties of the Heart" (Jason Aronson Publishers). His new work on Maimonides' "The Eight Chapters" will soon be available.
Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled
"Spiritual Excellence" and "Ramchal"