Damascus in the End of Days

What is the significance of recent seismic events in Syria and Damascus? What might we expect for the region in light of ancient prophecies? Find out in this class as we explore Damascus in Tanakh, Midrash, and Kabbalah. Also: What is the etymology of the name “Jerusalem”? Who was the mysterious Melchizedek? And what is Zedekiah’s Cave?

For the entire playlist on the “Star of Jacob” prophecy, see here.
For the essay on ‘End of Days Secrets from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’, see here.

Secrets of the Jewish Calendar

Today we welcome the new month of Kislev. It is well-known that the months of the Hebrew year parallel the Tribes of Israel and the zodiacal constellations. According to Sefer Yetzirah, each month also embodies one of twelve fundamental aspects of humanity and life: sight, sound, smell, speech, taste, touch, action, motion, temper, joy, thought, and sleep (ראיה, שמיעה, ריחה, שיחה, לעיטה, תשמיש, מעשה, הלוך, רוגז, שחוק, הרהור, שינה). Each of these further corresponds to twelve main parts and organs of the human body, and actually emerges at their core from the twelve “elemental” letters of the Hebrew alphabet, as well as the twelve permutations of God’s Ineffable Name. Recall that Sefer Yetzirah divides up the alphabet into three categories: “mother” letters, “doubled” letters, and “elemental” or “simple” letters (for more on these, see here). Continue reading

Understanding Edom #2: Trump & Herod

What might we expect from Donald Trump in his second presidency and does he have anything to do with Esau and Edom in Biblical prophecies? How did Edom become associated with the Roman Empire to begin with? What does King Herod have to do with it? And why does Isaiah call King Cyrus of Persia “the messiah”? Find out in this second part of the series where we also explore antisemitic conspiracy theories, the mysterious figure Obed-Edom the Gittite, and the secret behind the Western Wall.

For more information, see ‘How Esau Became Rome‘.
For the series of short essays on the Rothschilds, see here.