Tag Archives: Purim

Iran in Prophecy

As we witness incredible events in the Middle East, it is worth reviewing and summarizing ancient prophecies that speak of Iran at the End of Days. First is Ezekiel’s prophecy of Gog u’Magog (Ch. 38-39), where he lists Persia (Paras) as the first ally of Gog in the final apocalyptic war against Israel. The Persian regime goes on to be described as the main adversary in many rabbinic prophecies. Nearly two millennia ago, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught that “If you see a Persian horse tied up to the graves of the land of Israel, expect the footsteps of Mashiach.” (Shir haShirim Rabbah 8:9) In other words, when Persian military might is causing deaths in Israel, God forbid, the Final Redemption is near. Tragically, one woman was killed today in Tel-Aviv from an Iranian missile. Let us pray it is the last grave in Israel caused by a “Persian horse”.

In the 7th century Sefer Zerubavel (explored fully and in depth in the recent class on ‘Trump, Iran and the Year of the Horse, Part 2’), Persia again plays a big role. We are told that the king of Persia, referred to as “Seroy”, will launch attacks against Israel: “Seroy the king of Persia will attack Nehemiah ben Hushiel and Israel, and there will be great suffering in Israel.” Here, Nehemiah ben Hushiel is the title given to Mashiach ben Yosef. The suffering won’t last long, though, and Hashem “will place a spirit of confusion upon [the Persian army], and they will kill one another, each (slaying) his companion or his countryman. The wicked one [Seroy] will die.” The Persian king will die early on in the war, perhaps at the very beginning. This is important to keep in mind as we now have reports confirming the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khameini. Meanwhile, Iran’s remaining leadership is in disarray, and some of them are calling for mercy and “de-escalation”. (Incredibly, Sefer Zerubavel begins by stating that the prophecy was relayed on the 11th of Adar—precisely the date on which Khameini was eliminated!)

A 1987 gold-plated medal minted by Saddam Hussein, depicting his own face alongside Nebuchadnezzar’s.

The death of Khameini is significant, especially on Shabbat Zachor (when we read about Amalek), and on the cusp of Purim, which commemorates the death of another genocidal Persian figure, the Amalekite Haman. The alliteration of Haman and Khameini is unmissable. Moreover, the Zohar (II, 58b) prophecies that at the End of Days, God will bring back all the old oppressors of Israel and punish them one last time: “The Holy One, blessed be He, shall resurrect those kings that distressed Israel and Jerusalem, such as ‘Adrianus’ [Vespasian] and ‘Lupinus’ [Titus], Nebuchadnezzar and Sancheriv, and all the other kings of the world that took part in the destruction of His House…” In the past, I’ve noted how Saddam Hussein believed himself to be the reincarnation of Nebuchadnezzar. He spoke about it openly, built his palace over the archaeological remains of Nebuchadnezzar’s palace, and minted coins superimposing his face over Nebuchadnezzar’s, among other things. Saddam was president of Iraq, which is modern-day Babylon. It is quite possible that Iran’s Khameini is the modern-day version of ancient Iran’s Haman.

Another well-known prophecy about Persia in the End of Days is in the Talmud (Yoma 10a). Here, the Sages debate whether Rome will ultimately fall to Persia, or will Persia ultimately fall to Rome? Now, it is important to remember that in the time when the Talmud was written, the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire were locked in a centuries-long war. In fact, the Roman-Persian War is one of history’s longest, officially dated from 54 BCE to 628 CE, a whopping 681 years! The peshat here in the Talmud is that the Sages were debating how that Roman-Persian war they were mired in at the time would end. Some thought Rome would win and some thought Persia would win. The debate concludes with Rav Yehuda citing a teaching from Rav (in Sanhedrin 98b) that “The son of David will come only when the wicked kingdom of Rome spreads its dominance throughout the world for nine months.” This implies that Rome would ultimately win over Persia. Right now, we are certainly seeing the modern-day “Roman Empire” displaying its dominance over the whole world, Persia included.

Sasanian and Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empires in 600 CE, before the rise of Islam

Finally, no discussion of Iran in prophecy would be complete without the well-known Midrash in Yalkut Shimoni II, 499 (worth reading the whole passage!) Amidst a long discussion of the Light of Creation and the Light of Mashiach, we are told that “In the year that King Mashiach will be revealed, all the kings of the nations of the world will taunt each other. The king of Persia will taunt the king of Arabia. And the king of Arabia will go to Aram to get advice from them…” Standard versions of the text today typically say “Aram” (ארם) here, but it is far more likely that original manuscripts said “Edom” (אדם), which makes a lot more sense both then and now. It is interesting to note that Iran responded today by attacking neighbouring Arab countries as well, and one of the first victims (outside Iran) was a citizen in the United Arab Emirates. Also revealed in the news now is that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was encouraging Trump to launch the attack on Iran despite presenting himself publicly as being opposed to it.

The prophecy continues to say that in the midst of this war “the king of Persia returns and destroys the entire world…” A desperate Persian regime will, it seems, unleash something terrible upon the world. Not to worry, though, because Hashem says “My children, do not be afraid! All that I have done, I have only done for your sake. Why are you afraid? Do not be afraid, the time of your redemption has arrived!” Shortly after, Mashiach is revealed (referred to here in the Midrash as “Ephraim”) to bring an end to the war and peace and prosperity to Israel: “At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise up Mashiach to the highest Heavens, and spread upon him some of His glory, before the nations of the world and before the wicked Persians. They tell him: ‘Ephraim, our righteous Mashiach, judge them and do as you wish with them…’”

Here, the Midrash describes that Persian forces are not alone in the area, but that “Not one or two kingdoms come upon him, but one hundred and forty kingdoms surround him.” As I first suggested a couple of years ago in this shiur on Mashiach ben Yosef, this may be referring to the United Nations peacekeeping forces which officially have troops from about 140 nations. In addition, Trump’s “International Stabilization Force” in Gaza (with its headquarters in Kiryat Gat, Israel) will soon bring in troops from all over the world, including 8000 already committed by Indonesia (the world’s largest Muslim country, no less). Just this past week, I spoke to a friend in Indonesia who told me his taxi driver’s soldier son is already on the way to Gaza!

The Midrash does not provide an exact timeline, but does mention one clue: “Our Rabbis taught: The Patriarchs are destined to stand in Nisan and say: ‘Ephraim, our righteous Mashiach, even though we are your forefathers, you are better than us because you suffered the sins of our children and harsh and evil things have befallen you which have not befallen the former ones or the latter ones…’” The Patriarchs are worried that Mashiach will not want to save his people because of all the torment they caused him, but he reassures the Patriarchs that “All that I have done I have only done for you and for your children to enjoy this goodness that the Holy One, blessed be He, has bestowed upon Israel.” The Patriarchs reply: “Ephraim, our righteous Mashiach, rest your mind for you have rested the mind of your Maker and our minds.” Hopefully, the Nisan referenced to here is the forthcoming Nisan next month.

‘Zerubbabel shows Cyrus the Great a plan of the rebuilt Jerusalem’ by Jacob van Loo (1614-1670)

Finally, it is worth remembering that it was the Persian emperor Cyrus who liberated the Jews some 2500 years ago and allowed them to rebuild the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. We read in Isaiah 45:1 that Cyrus is surprisingly referred to as God’s meshicho, “anointed one”. Our Sages (Megillah 12a) discuss this puzzle and conclude that, of course, he was not the Messiah. So what might we learn from it instead? Perhaps it is a prophetic allusion for the present day: that Mashiach has a Persian connection, that we should expect Iran to once again play a big role, and that they will once again pave the way for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, speedily and in our days.

Wishing Everyone a Happy & Meaningful Purim!

Purim Learning Resources:
Secrets of Purim (Video)
Who is Ahashverosh?
Queen Esther’s Kabbalah (Video) 
The Secret, Secret Story of Stalin’s Purim Death
A Mystical Peek Into Megillat Esther

Trump, Iran & the Year of the Horse, Part 2

In Part 2, we explore where President Trump may have been alluded to in ancient prophecies, alongside Qatar, Erdogan, the Houthis, and the Epstein Files. Along the way, we review how the Biblical “Star of Jacob” prophecy has been fulfilled in recent years, what might happen with Iran in the weeks ahead, and how Daniel’s prophecy of 1290 years to the End of Days might soon be realized. Plus, who is Armilus? Where is the Staff of Moses hidden? And what is the true origin of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem?

Iran, Mossad, and Mashiach

This week’s parasha, Shlach, begins with the infamous episode of the Spies. Moses sends a dozen spies to scout the Holy Land in preparation for the Israelite conquest. Of the twelve, ten return frightened and pessimistic, convincing their fellow Israelites to abandon any hopes of settling in God’s Promised Land. The result is a delay in the Redemption, and forty years in the Wilderness. After this failure in espionage, one would think we wouldn’t hear of spies in the Torah anymore. Yet, there are at least five more cases of Israelite espionage in Tanakh including, amazingly, one just a few chapters later:

Amidst a series of Israelite conquests on the east side of the Jordan River, we read how Moses himself sends another set of spies in preparation for the capture of Ya’azer (Numbers 21:32). Here, the spies not only do their job properly, but engage in battle behind enemy lines, conquering the city all on their own! Rashi comments here that they did this deliberately to not falter like the previous spies. The Maskil LeDavid (Rabbi David Pardo of Venice, 1719-1792) adds that the spies here did a genuine tikkun, a spiritual rectification, for the sin of the previous spies.

I believe that tradition has continued into the present day, with the incredible work of Israel’s secret service, the Mossad. The operations they have been able to accomplish in recent years in particular have been mind-blowing, whether the Hezbollah pagers last year or the current set of events in the war with Iran. Over the past three years, Mossad agents covertly smuggled into Iran a variety of drones and precision weapons, secretly stationing them near key Iranian military sites and air defense systems. Last week, they were finally activated, knocking out Iran’s ability to defend itself from the air, and laying the stage for Israel’s complete air superiority over the country. Like the spies in Ya’azer, one might similarly see the work of Mossad today as something of a rectification for the old Sin of the Spies. While the first spies in parashat Shlach failed to do what it took to inspire, settle, and protect the people of Israel in their own land, today’s Mossad spies are doing just that. It is therefore quite fitting that the founder of Mossad and its first spy chief was Reuven Shiloach (שילוח‎) whose name shares a root with this week’s parasha (שלח) of spies!

Reuben Shiloach

Reuven Shiloach (1909-1959) was born Reuven Zaslansky in Jerusalem, the son of a Haredi rabbi from Lithuania. In his teenage years, he was drawn to secular Zionism, learned Arabic, and went to teacher’s college. He joined the Haganah and soon started to work for its nascent intelligence service. He was given the code name “Shiloach” and was sent on his first mission in 1932 to Iraq, where he enrolled as a student at the University of Baghdad. After several Iraq missions, he was stationed in Lebanon and Syria, and later assisted British Intelligence and the CIA’s precursor, the OSS, during World War II.

Soon after the State of Israel was established, David Ben-Gurion sought to create an official intelligence agency, and tasked Shiloach with the job. Shiloach put together a plan for a “Coordination Bureau” to work together with Shin Bet and Aman (the IDF’s intelligence unit). It soon evolved into its own distinct institution, one that reports only to the Prime Minister of Israel. The Mossad’s original motto was drawn from King Solomon’s wise words in Proverbs 24:6, “For by stratagems you wage war.” It was later changed to Proverbs 11:14, “Without stratagems, an army falls; but victory comes with much planning.” Indeed, the Mossad’s work has been absolutely instrumental in Israel’s many victories.

Mossad’s logo, with motto from Proverbs.

Remembering Amalek

It’s not only the beginning of this week’s parasha that informs present-day events, but the last passage, too. Here we read of the mitzvah of tzitzit, and the necessity of including a blue thread of tekhelet. The Torah says “and you shall see it, and remember all of God’s commandments” (Numbers 15:39). The Zohar (III, 175b) points out that the same language is used in another place, when the Torah tell us to “remember what Amalek did to you” (Deuteronomy 25:17). What’s the connection?

The Zohar teaches that it is when we do not observe God’s commandments, and break His “fences”, that retribution comes by way of Amalek. Indeed, we read in this week’s parasha that in the immediate aftermath of the Sin of the Spies, “Amalekites and Canaanites, who were dwelling on the mountain, came down and smote them and crushed them, pursuing them until Chormah.” (Numbers 14:45) Failing to heed Hashem led directly to being attacked by Amalek!

Amalek appears several more times in Tanakh, the last and most famous of which is the Purim account. Here, the villain is Haman the Agagite, a direct descendant of Amalek, who takes control of the Persian Empire and seeks to destroy the Jews. We find ourselves in the same situation today, where it is a corrupt, totalitarian Persian government once again seeking the destruction of Israel. Haman, Khameini—even the names haven’t changed much. In the Purim story, everything turned on its head quite suddenly, v’nahafokh hu. And we are on the cusp of the same now. In the Megillah (8:9), we read that it was on the 23rd of Sivan that Mordechai wrote new directives to all the Persian provinces, calling for everyone to rise up against the wicked followers of Haman. In our case, the 23rd of Sivan begins tonight, with reports of Khameini having already fled and in hiding.

Persia in Prophecy

It is worth remembering a couple of ancient prophecies about the Final Redemption: One is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s statement that “when you see Persian horses tied to graves in Israel, expect the footsteps of Mashiach.” (Shir haShirim Rabbah 8:9) In other words, when Persian weaponry is causing deaths in Israel, God forbid, one should know the Geulah is near. And another, more specific and detailed Midrash (explored in a number of shiurim in the past, such as this one), which says that “in the year that the King Mashiach will come” there will be conflict between Persia and Arabia, and then Persia will unleash its forces in an attempt to destroy Israel (Yalkut Shimoni II, 499). The Midrash describes that things will unfortunately get quite terrible, and Israel will cry out to God: “where do we go from here?” But then God will comfort us and remind us that all that happens is part of His master plan, and He did it all for us. The Geulah is indeed right around the corner.

In light of these prophecies being realized right before our eyes, what is there left for us to do, besides strengthening our faith and resolve? First, let us not fail like they did with the Spies in this week’s parasha; let us remain united as a people and take care of each other, with a clear and singular vision. Let us reinforce settlement of our Promised Land, and fully support our brave soldiers, spies, and air force pilots who guarantee it. There is nothing to fear, and things will shift very quickly for the better, as they did with Persia over two millennia ago.

We can draw a few more pieces of advice from this week’s parasha: First is the significance of Shabbat, as we read about the grave consequences of violating God’s holy day.  Second is the mitzvah of challah, introduced in this week’s parasha. While in ancient times, challah was specifically a gift to the kohanim who served in the Temple, today we associate “challah” bread with Shabbat, too. Our Sages famously tell us (Shabbat 118b) that if the entire Jewish people kept just one Shabbat collectively, all of Israel’s oppressors would be gone; and if we kept two consecutive Shabbats together, the Final Redemption would come immediately. In fact, the Talmud here echoes the Zohar in pointing out that as soon as Shabbat was first breached in Exodus 16:27, the very next thing is “And Amalek came and fought with Israel…” in Exodus 17:8. We mustn’t forget that our covenant with God is tied directly to Shabbat, so now is the best time to reinforce our commitment to observing Hashem’s holy day. Just one proper Shabbat and Amalek will be defeated for good.

Finally, for those who have not yet taken on wearing tzitzit with tekhelet, now is the opportune time to do so, and to remember daily not only God’s mitzvot but also, as the Zohar says, the tekhelet of God’s sapphire throne, and of King David’s throne, and the throne of Mashiach whom we will hopefully greet very soon.