October 2000 / Tishri 5761

What's happening in Israel today is described in a classical mystical text, the Zohar, dating back almost 2000 years. It says that in the end of days, immediately prior to the Redemption, the descendents of Ishmael (the Arabs) will unite with the rest of the world against Israel.

This statement appears in the Zohar's discussion of Psalm Two, which begins: "Why do nations gather in rage, and peoples scheme in vain! Why do the kings of the earth rise up, rulers assemble against the Lord and His annointed, ... He who sits in heaven laughs..." Psalm Two refers to the time of the final Redemption, the Zohar says. G-d will sit in His heaven and laugh at the wicked schemes of the nations.

Much later in the 15th century, the renowned Kabbalist, Moshe Cordovero, known as "the Ramak," expands on this Zohar. He says that while the intent of the nations will be to destroy Israel, they will see that they cannot defeat them militarily. Thus they will arrive at the ingenious idea of approaching Israel with words of peace, masking their true intentions.

What triggers their anger, the sage said, is the fact that at the time Israel will have its own government.

Echoing the Zohar, the mystic concludes that the Redemption will come from within this crisis.

More recently, in 1991, the Lubavitcher Rebbe referred to Psalm Two at a time when the world condemned Israel for defending worshipers at the Western Wall when Arabs hurled boulders and stones down at them from the Temple Mount.

Many decent people wondered how countries so seemingly advanced in social justice, human rights, and the like could have participated in the United Nations censure of Israel. It was so unfair and unjust. The Rebbe reminded the Jewish people that kings of the world may gather, and princes ban together against G-d and His annointed, but it is from this stituation that Israel will be saved.

He also pointed out that Psalm Two refers specifically to the era of Moshiach. It is Moshiach's efforts to purify the world that cause the nations to rage.

In 1992, Israeli cabinet minister Moshe Katzav came to the Rebbe for a blessing. The Rebbe spoke to Katzav extensively, delivering a warning for Prime Minister Shamir. If Shamir so much as traveled to Madrid for the autonomy talks with the Palestinians, the Rebbe said, he, the Rebbe, would bring his government down.

Uncharacteristically, the Rebbe used his name, saying "I, M. Schneerson....." will bring his government down.

Ironically, it was the Rebbe, through his emissaries, who fought so hard to put Shamir in power.

The Rebbe told Katzav that it didn't matter what Shamir had in mind. It mattered what the enemy had in mind.

Then the Rebbe said an astounding thing. If the land were given away, it should be given by a government of gentiles, not Jews. Shortly thereafter, in a shocking upset, Shamir's government toppled. We saw how the ratification of Oslo II in the Knesset did not have a Jewish majority. It was only by dint of the vote of five Arab members that Oslo II passed. Thus it was the swing vote of the gentiles that accomplished the ceding of land to the Palestinians. Essentially, a "government of gentiles" cast the deciding vote. Despite his foresight, the Rebbe stressed again and again that these unfavorable events in no way represent a halt or slowing down of the Messianic process, but just the opposite,--they are part and parcel of it. The world's attempts to undermine the claim of the Jewish people to their land only hasten the circumstances from which they will be redeemed.

The vision described in Psalm Two of princes and kings joining together against Israel seems to have culminated in the funeral of Yitzchok Rabin. Heads of state of every stripe, including monarchs, presidents, premieres and prime ministers were present at the ceremony. Many saw this spectacle as a high point of honor for Israel, when in fact, in speech after speech, each ruler challenged Israel's sovereignty over the land, and particularly, our right to Jerusalem.

As the Zohar predicted, we are witnessing a united front of Arabs and their sworn enemy, the West, when it comes to dismantling the state of Israel. Despite their enmity, Moslems and Christians overcome their age-old hatred when it comes to ganging up on Israel. What is especially fascinating is that the goal of destroying Israel is not a secret. The leader of the PLO, Arafat, openly says his purpose is war, not peace. In countless speeches to Arabs, tracked and recorded by an international press corps, he calls for "Jihad," (holy war), with Jerusalem as the goal, and openly acknowledges that the "peace process" is merely a stage that will culminate in complete conquest of the land. What is so amazing is how the Jewish people have rushed headlong into peace with someone who has publicly stated his intentions to destroy us.

Irrational, illogical, impossible to understand, were it not for the prophecies of long ago.