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Knocked Down Off Your Feet Yet Again? What You & Mashiach Have in Common

6/6/2018

9 Comments

 
In Rav Ofer Erez's phenomenal book Ahavat Kedumim, a commentary on Rebbe Nachman's story of The Lost Princess, the following appears on page 227:
It is written in the Gemara Sanhedrin that Mashiach is called "Bar Nafli."

What is the meaning of "Bar Nafli"?

The meaning is ben nefilot [a son of repeated falls], one who falls.

That's what they call Mashiach.

The commentators ask: Why do the call him Ben Nefilot [a son of repeated falls]? What kind of a name are they giving Mashiach?

One of the great mekubalim wrote a book called Pitchei Shaarim. And there he explains that Mashiach is called Bar Nafli because he constantly wants to bring the Redemption, and The Holy One Blessed Be He casts him down and says to him:
"The time has not yet come. There is still a Jew who has not yet merited."

The Holy One Blessed Be He sent Mashiach to the entrance of Rome. And there, Mashich undergoes very great falls. He constantly wants to bring the Redemption, but The Holy One Blessed Be He doesn't let him.

The Holy One Blessed Be He is waiting for every single Jew to return to Him out of love in order to fulfill [Shmuel II 14:14] "he that is banished may not be banished from Him."

The tikkun is to transform the animal soul to a Godly soul via the powers of emotion emanating from the human spirit.

Note #1: "Rome" is an allegorical reference to Western culture today, the societies that originated in Europe -- such as North America, Europe, Scandinavia, and the European-based societies of Africa and Oceania.

Note #2:The Hebrew word used above is mapil (מפיל). It literally means "cause to fall" and is often translated as "casts down" or "pushes down" or "knocks down."
____________
A lot of people feel rejected by God.

A lot of people feel like no matter how hard they try and no matter how hard they want things that are actually GOOD to want, God not only blocks them; He actively pushes them back or knocks them off their feet.

Yet the Gemara clearly tells us that this forced falling-down is a classic aspect of Mashiach!

Mashiach is going through the exact same experience as you.

I don't know all the reasons why or the deep mystical significance of the whole dynamic (other than that mentioned above: Hashem is braking the Geula process out of His Great Love for each individual Jew, especially the ones who aren't anywhere near teshuvah yet).

But it makes me wonder whether these same people who are feeling so rejected and knocked completely off balance are davka the people with the biggest, brightest spark of Mashiach within them.

After all, another Gemara also tells us that this is an upside-down world:
Those who look great and prominent in This World are quite small in the Next.
And those who seem insignificant and small here are actually quite great and prominent in the Next World.

A candle flame isn't particularly bright or powerful. But in a corner of pure darkness, its light is significant.

Yet from a distance, its light is unnoticeable.

You can only perceive a candle's light when standing nearby.
Picture
Note: The above insights apply to the part of the story in which the princess-seeking viceroy meets the giants in the wilderness, and after much struggle and frustration, is finally informed by a latecoming wind that its delay occurred when needing to deposit the sought-after princess in a Pearl Fortress on a Mountain of Gold. And as always, this is my own translation which means that any errors are also mine.
9 Comments
Rachel
6/6/2018 19:51:33

I have a problem understanding this concept that Mashiach can't come yet because every single Jew has not yet done teshuvah. Because if that is what we are waiting for, chas v'shalom, Mashiach will never come. I know Jews who are so arrogant in their liberal western values, so lacking in emunah and religious observance, that they would be too stubborn to even consider the possibility that they don't know it all. They are too busy mocking those with emunah, calling it "magical thinking." So no, I cannot accept this reason for Mashiach's delay. He has to come at some point, whether all the Jews are with Hashem or not. Hashem has to open our eyes miraculously or it won't happen.

Reply
Myrtle Rising
7/6/2018 09:48:44

Hi, Rachel,

I feel like I can really identify with everything you expressed in your comment.

Based on whatever I've learned about it, there seems to be some paradox involved with what happens in the times of Mashiach, with some seemingly contradictory predictions regarding where is he now, the circumstances of how he'll come and when, and so on.

I'd like to mull this over more and look up some stuff to see if I can better address the very legitimate points you make.

Thank you very much for your comment.

Reply
Myrtle Rising
7/6/2018 16:31:30

Hi, again, Rachel.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to the book Rav Erez quoted, and it's likely this point is explained more in depth there.

But with the sources I have available (Rav Erez's book and also Rav Yehudah Chiyun's book on the End of Days, plus other sources), it seems to me to be a combination of the following:

1) At one point, Mashiach will win out. Hashem wants to wait for each and every last Jew, but Mashiach wants to come now. So he'll get up and Hashem won't knock him down again. Along the lines of "A tzaddik decrees and Hashem fulfills" and the stories of how Hashem happily proclaims, "My children have bested me!", the holy desire of Mashiach and other tzaddikim will win out and "compel" Hashem to bring the Geula.

2) Mashiach needs to come by a certain time no matter who has or hasn't done teshuvah. So Hashem wants to wait, but by His own rules, He has to bring Mashiach by a certain time no matter who still hasn't returned to Him from love.

3) There are already many conflicting statements by Chazal about what can bring Mashiach; the above is yet another, and we'll see how the conflicting statements get resolved when the Geula actually happens.

4) The Metzudas David seems to say that when the time is ripe, Hashem Himself will redeem and bring up to par anyone who hasn't already done teshuvah. So that can also tie in with the above.

I think the above goes together with the last line of your comment:
"Hashem has to open our eyes miraculously or it won't happen."

Exactly.

Thank you.

Reply
Eduardo
6/6/2018 23:02:16

Thank you

Reply
Myrtle Rising
7/6/2018 09:36:46

Baruch Hashem, glad to hear you liked it, Eduardo.

Reply
bracha
7/6/2018 17:01:32

Agree with Rachel's comment and the comment where you bring out the four points. Believe when it is H's appointed time for Moshiach's arrival, he will come no matter what, but in the meantime it gives the Jews time to better themselves. There are things we do not understand; therefore, there are so many varying opinions, but he will come and that time is near. At the very end, all Jewish neshamot will repent somehow, even if it's just them realizing that there is H' and they regret not having realized the Truth but fell into alien influences and.will ask forgiveness from H', thus saving their souls. Otherwise, it seems impossible that 'all' Jews at this time would leave their senseless way of living and do teshuva. Believe, the anti-semitism that is growing will be one aspect of Jews returning. H' has His Ways, and we pray it will be with rachamim.

Reply
Myrtle Rising
7/6/2018 18:19:20

Thank you for your insightful comment, Bracha, and AMEN to your last statement!

Reply
Rachel
7/6/2018 20:24:38

The other phenomenon I have noticed with regard to predicting what will bring Moshiach, has been what I call "Aliya Bullying." Those are the scare tactics either saying that Moshiach is waiting for everyone to come to Israel, or warning that if you don't come right now, the anti-semites/meteors/hurricanes/insert-your-own-disaster-here, will force you to come or you will die where you are. I live in NY. With a family who is waiting for our rebbeim to tell us we have to leave. An elderly, ailing, recently widowed mother, elderly and ailing inlaws, various configurations of married children, young grandchildren and young teenagers, none of whom are ready to leave, not because we are assimilated and engulfed in our galus life, but because it's simply not logistically or fiscally feasible right now. I ache to be in Israel. But Moshiach will have to be the one to get us there. Telling me differently just plain hurts and rubs salt in the wound. Many of these blogs give me hope, connection, and something to hold onto, but many also have "Aliya Bullying" comments that make me want to scream.

Reply
Myrtle Rising
10/6/2018 17:40:45

It's true that we all need to be careful to encourage each other in fulfilling mitzvos without crossing the line into bullying, fear-mongering, and other discouraging behavior.

And you make other important points worth noting.

Thank you.

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