עברית
Faith
Regarding Prophecies of Redemption
Question
In connection with the prophecies of redemption, there is one prophecy that is not clear to me.
I am referring to this prophecy. Yalkut Shimoni Isaiah 60
Rabbi Yitzhak said:
In the year that King Messiah is revealed, all the kings of the nations of the world will provoke one another. The King of Persia [Iran] will incite the Arab king [Saudi Arabia], and the Arab king will go to Edom [the U.S.] to take advice from them. And the King of Persia will come back and destroy the entire world. And all the remaining nations of the world will be agitated and terrified, falling on their faces, and they will be seized by pains like the pains of childbirth. And Israel will be agitated and terrified, saying, where shall we go? And they will say, where shall we go? And Hashem will say to them, My children, do not be afraid; all that I have done, I have done only for you. Why are you afraid? The time of your redemption has arrived!
My question is as follows: It says "the King of Persia returns"...
Returns? From where, and where did he go?
Additionally, if we say this will happen after a meeting with the President of the United States, then that meeting in our time has already taken place..
I would appreciate your answer on this topic.
Thank you for everything; personally, I love listening to your lectures and draw strength from them.
Answer
Shalom and blessings,
According to the plain meaning, the King of Persia returns from his provocation of the Arab king, meaning he leaves the confrontation with him and goes to destroy the world.
We do not have understanding in prophecies and midrashim, only hints that can be fulfilled in any generation. Sometimes it seems that the hint has been fulfilled. Rambam wrote about this in Hilchot Melachim uMilchamot, Chapter 12:
"It is understood from the plain meaning of the words of the prophets that at the beginning of the Messianic era there will be a war of Gog and Magog; and that before the war of Gog and Magog, a prophet will arise for Israel to straighten Israel and prepare their hearts: as it is stated, ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet’ (Malachi 3:23). And he will not come to render the pure impure, nor to render the impure pure, nor to disqualify those who are presumed to be kosher, nor to certify those who are presumed to be disqualified; but to bring peace to the world, as it is stated, ‘And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children’ (Malachi 3:24).
And some of the sages say that before the coming of King Messiah, Elijah will come. And all these matters and the like—no one knows how they will be, until they actually occur: for these things are obscure according to the prophets...
And a person should never engage in matters of aggadah, nor prolong discussions of the midrashim regarding these matters or the like; nor should he treat them as fundamental—for they do not lead to love or fear. And likewise do not calculate the ends; the sages said, ‘The calculations bend the minds of those who calculate ends.’ Rather, one should wait and believe in the matter generally, as we have explained."
Go up and succeed!
With blessings,
Daniel Balas
