"The Great Redemption" (76)

"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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76.

I’ll now explain a very great mystery for you that’s based on the verse, “It will come to pass in that day that the great shofar will blow, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria will come (back), as well as the outcasts from the land of Egypt; and they’ll worship G-d on the holy mountain in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 27:13). This touches upon a very deep mystery.

Know, that what happened in Egypt will happen in the future redemption. (Now, as is known,) the splitting of the Red Sea happened at the end of the redemption from Egypt, and it was said in conjunction with it, “Why cry out to me?” (Exodus 14:15). (It’s important to know that) it has already been said (in connection with that) that “It all depends on (the great and abstruse Luminary known as) Atika” (Zohar, Beshalach). I’ll explain this mystery to you now which is so great.

Know, that while the taking hold of the husk and its suckling occurs down below, its strength derives from behind Binah. But understand that the original kings of Edom (likewise) came from Binah, so they strengthen themselves down below from there in order to maintain themselves. Understand as well that Judgments are stirred up from Binah, and it’s from there that those Judgments are strengthened down below, while from that point and upward everything is absolute mercy.

Now, when the Jewish Nation left Egypt it was with (the help of) the might of the Luminaries, whose abundant light the husk couldn’t endure. But it stiffened its neck once again afterwards and wanted to attach itself (unto them). In fact, it wanted to get stronger yet than it had first been, seen it had already come loose from it once before.

But Atika was stirred up, it was revealed below, and it split the upper sea before the husk. When the sea, which is Binah, was split, the husk was cut off because it could no longer retain the power it originally had from the place I’d cited, so it was cut off and destroyed.

This will happen again in the future, when the other nations once again stand firm against G-d and His Moshiach; for he will sound a great shofar, which is Binah. Why isn’t this shofar blowing mentioned? Because it will be so miraculous that it’s name isn’t (allowed to be) mentioned.

And all the power of the husk will be utterly destroyed (then). That’s why it’s said of that time, “say to the prisoners, Go forth; (and) to those who are in darkness, Show yourselves” (Isaiah 49:9). Since they won’t have the power to resist the Jewish Nation that they’d once had.

As you already know, Assyria and Egypt are the two principle husks. So when the oppressed are to be released from their control, they’ll come to the Holy Mountain in Jerusalem and prostrate themselves (as is alluded to above). I’ve thus explained a very great mystery to you.

(c) 2006 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

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

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