"The Great Redemption" (49)
"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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49.
In truth, this is a very great mystery that’s rooted in the very depths of wisdom, so you’d need to understand it well.
It’s written, “I have trampled the winepress alone and none of the people were with me. For I trampled them in My anger and trampled them in My fury. Their blood was sprinkled upon my garments and I have stained all My clothing” (Isaiah 63:3). I’ll now explain this fully. It refers to the prophet’s other statement, “G-d’s sword is filled with blood” (Isaiah 34:6). Understand this well.
Strict and unbending Judgment is termed “blood”, and it refers (in this instance) to this great war between holiness and impurity. Impurity will garner strength when the two are incited against the other and it will become very powerful. That will be impure blood. But holiness had prepared for that beforehand, which is why (it's said that) “G-d’s sword is filled with blood”. It will be pure blood as opposed to the impure blood (just cited), and it will subjugate (the impure blood) significantly.
But know that this “sword” refers to Moshiach Ben Yoseph whose source is above him, about which it’s said, “Who is this who comes from Edom?” (Isaiah 63:1) as I mentioned before. The Shechina will note the revenge that the King will take against her enemy from her place, and he'll then “trample the winepress”.
Now, because impurity will have reinforced itself, it will sprinkle more and more from there, and will set out to attach itself to the clothing -- the outer clothing of holiness, which is why it’s said, “I have stained all My clothing”. Understand this well.
Because the husk will take pride in itself it won't be able to summon the strength needed to ascend. But the good within it, which is the El in Sama-El in the impurity, will leap upward, ascend, and draw closer to the clothing (referred to above) and won’t descend. But the evil (within it) will descend and won’t be able to ascend. It’s said of this good (within impurity) “their blood was sprinkled upon my garments”, for this is their strength and the full force of their might. The clothing will be even further purified afterwards, and its good will remain, in keeping with the mystery of converts who converted themselves cited earlier.
It’s said, “My sword has drunk its fill in the Heavens” (Isaiah 34:5) because (Moshiach Ben Yoseph, cited above as the "sword") will take revenge up above at first, then down below. All the ministering angels of the idolatrous nations will fall through this sword, and Sama-el and Lillith will also be disgraced.
Thus it’s said, “And wild oxen will come down with them, and the steers with the bulls” (Isaiah 34:7). The first two refer to Sama-el and Lillith, who will be followed by the two ministering angels of destruction, those of Esau and Ishmael. For once the first two fall all the other ministering angels under them will fall as well, to the left and right, as is explained in many other places.
(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"
-- A Discourse on The End of the Exile and the Beginning of the Great Redemption
Translated by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
_____________________________________________
49.
In truth, this is a very great mystery that’s rooted in the very depths of wisdom, so you’d need to understand it well.
It’s written, “I have trampled the winepress alone and none of the people were with me. For I trampled them in My anger and trampled them in My fury. Their blood was sprinkled upon my garments and I have stained all My clothing” (Isaiah 63:3). I’ll now explain this fully. It refers to the prophet’s other statement, “G-d’s sword is filled with blood” (Isaiah 34:6). Understand this well.
Strict and unbending Judgment is termed “blood”, and it refers (in this instance) to this great war between holiness and impurity. Impurity will garner strength when the two are incited against the other and it will become very powerful. That will be impure blood. But holiness had prepared for that beforehand, which is why (it's said that) “G-d’s sword is filled with blood”. It will be pure blood as opposed to the impure blood (just cited), and it will subjugate (the impure blood) significantly.
But know that this “sword” refers to Moshiach Ben Yoseph whose source is above him, about which it’s said, “Who is this who comes from Edom?” (Isaiah 63:1) as I mentioned before. The Shechina will note the revenge that the King will take against her enemy from her place, and he'll then “trample the winepress”.
Now, because impurity will have reinforced itself, it will sprinkle more and more from there, and will set out to attach itself to the clothing -- the outer clothing of holiness, which is why it’s said, “I have stained all My clothing”. Understand this well.
Because the husk will take pride in itself it won't be able to summon the strength needed to ascend. But the good within it, which is the El in Sama-El in the impurity, will leap upward, ascend, and draw closer to the clothing (referred to above) and won’t descend. But the evil (within it) will descend and won’t be able to ascend. It’s said of this good (within impurity) “their blood was sprinkled upon my garments”, for this is their strength and the full force of their might. The clothing will be even further purified afterwards, and its good will remain, in keeping with the mystery of converts who converted themselves cited earlier.
It’s said, “My sword has drunk its fill in the Heavens” (Isaiah 34:5) because (Moshiach Ben Yoseph, cited above as the "sword") will take revenge up above at first, then down below. All the ministering angels of the idolatrous nations will fall through this sword, and Sama-el and Lillith will also be disgraced.
Thus it’s said, “And wild oxen will come down with them, and the steers with the bulls” (Isaiah 34:7). The first two refer to Sama-el and Lillith, who will be followed by the two ministering angels of destruction, those of Esau and Ishmael. For once the first two fall all the other ministering angels under them will fall as well, to the left and right, as is explained in many other places.
(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"
posted by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman at 9:49 AM
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