"The Great Redemption" (42)

"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
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42.

Now, a very great mystery is encompassed here. It’s written, “But those who await for G-d will renew their strength. They’ll ascend upward with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31).

We know that the joy then will be very great and that blessings will grow greater and greater because the angels who bring things to light will receive an unending series of great emanations.

In fact, it’s said of the mighty power of this rectification, “(a) woman will conceive and be in labor at one (and the same time)” (Jeremiah 31:7). (As it stands now,) pregnancy follows relations, and one needs to be careful not to engage in relations on the ninetieth night after the embryo is formed so as not to allow for too much light (to enter the embryo) as it assumes its shape, since the embryo won’t be able endure it if (the light) is too great and will decimate as a consequence.

But a lot of time won’t be needed in the future whatsoever since everything will be done instantaneously. What will bring this about? The (fact that) the snake will be removed from the world, since sluggishness derives from impurity alone. So, as soon as impurity is utterly removed, “(a) woman will conceive and be in labor at one (and the same time)”. The Jewish Nation will likewise experience this great unending blessing. For as it’s said, “They go from strength to strength” (Psalms 84:8), thanks to the constant appearance of these new lights.

As to the angel’s whose assignment it is to carry out what’s commanded of them -- they’ll always be given new tasks. For as it’s said, “remove the old for the new” (Leviticus 26:10). It’s said about those angels that “those who await for G-d will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31), since they’re the mighty ones who will await G-d’s orders (and stand) in legions (waiting) for His word, spoken of in the verse, “His angels, mighty ones who fulfill His word, listening to the voice of His word” (Psalms 103:20). They constantly switch capacities, according to the new capacity given them. As such, they’ll always and forever be renewed. So it’s said, “They’ll ascend upward with wings like eagles” (Ibid.).

It’s (also) written “they’ll run and not be weary” (Isaiah 40:31) because the Chayot “ran and returned” (Ezekiel 1:14) -- (that is,) they “ran” to bestow and “returned” to receive. It’s thus correspondingly written “they’ll run and not be weary” since when (the angels) go outward “they’ll run”, and they’ll “not be weary” when they go back to receive once more from the King.

Know that this will keep the Jewish Nation happier than any light (could). For a lot of joy comes about when the blessings renew.

Behold it’s written (in another context) that “in My anger I struck you, but in My will I had mercy on you” (Isaiah 60:10). In truth everything that the Jewish Nation does and experiences is governed by the Higher Order. Now, when the Luminaries are in an uproar, Judgment overpowers, rules over and reproaches them, which is expressed by “in My anger I struck you”. But when the time for (Divine) favor comes, it itself will come about in full bloom, which is expressed by “but in My will I had mercy on you”. For as it’s known, once (Divine) favor is roused, things will always be favorable, emanation will be constant, and Judgment will forever be mitigated.

I’ll now finish the point about “thanksgiving and the sound of song” (Isaiah 51:3). In truth the angels bless their King twice: before they receive His sustenance, and afterwards. That’s why two blessing were ordained for food (i.e., before and after eating). The praise they offer before taking it is termed “the sound of song” in our verse, while the praise they offer afterwards is termed “thanksgiving”, which is always tendered for favor already granted.

As such, as soon as “thanksgiving” is completed “the sound of song” returns. It’s thus said about this mystery “your threshing time will last to your vintage, and your vintage will last to the sowing time” (Leviticus 26:5).

But know that when a time has been prepared to grant the legions sustenance, that they’ll know that as a consequence of all the calls of Malchut that will sound throughout the worlds, and they’ll gather together in song and praise. That’s “the sound of song” I spoke of above. King David explains this all with a single verse: “The eyes of all wait upon You; and You grant them their food in due season” (Psalms 145:15). For the angels will lift up their eyes toward their Master’s hand to receive their sustenance. And when they do, they'll lift their voices in song and melody, as I mentioned. But everything occurs in its proper moment, not just at any time; but rather as is determined up above, as I explained.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

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

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