The Resurrection of the Dead and the Building of the Third Temple

A Wondrous Prayer for the Month of Menachem Av from our teacher, the holy Gaon and Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

The secret of the Molad (new moon announcement) of the month of Menachem Av is the secret of the resurrection of the dead and the building of the Third Temple, which will be built speedily in our days, Amen, forever and ever.

For then, on Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av) in the year 3828 (70 CE), the Temple of Fire—the Third Temple—was supposed to descend, as brought in the Torah (of Rebbe Nachman), Part I, Lesson 219, "He tore her purple garment."

From the abundance of the Or Ein Sof (Infinite Light) that descends every single day, doubling itself every day, every moment and second, the Third Temple should have already been built and revealed in the year 3828—a House of Fire for the Patriarchs, a fire of torches.

Just as it was with Deborah the Prophetess, who was always surrounded by a fire of torches.

But for this purpose, we must transform ourselves every single day into a completely new "Ayin" (nothingness/self-nullification), as it says, "If a man hides in secret places, will I not see him?" (Jeremiah 23:24).

For only one who is in the aspect of "Lo" (not/nothingness) merits to see the Third Temple standing in its place.

And not a single stone was burned or shattered, as brought in Pekudei (Zohar) 240, and as written in (Lamentations) Chapter 4:12, "The kings of the earth did not believe, nor all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem."

They entered on the 7th of Av and tried to burn and ignite a fire in the Holy Temple for two days without any success.

Until Hashem (the Blessed Name) pierced a hole in the screen protecting Jerusalem, and the angels Gabriel and Michael descended and threw two torches of fire.

As it is written, "From on high He sent fire into my bones, and it prevailed against them" (Lamentations 1:13), "all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies." Thus, on Tisha B'Av of this year, we will certainly be worthy of the Light of Lights, the pure lights, the lights of Atika Kadisha (the Holy Ancient One), which will wrap the Third Temple in precious lights and torches of fire.

But only the true Tzaddikim will merit to see the House of Fire, as it is written in Isaiah 4:5, "And Hashem will create over every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day and smoke, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy."

"And there shall be a sukkah (tabernacle) for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." "And Hashem of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and the Holy G-d shall be sanctified in righteousness." "Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat." "They shall feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old."

The Gemara (Pesachim 68a) says: In the future, the Tzaddikim will resurrect the dead, which is the secret of the Molad of the month of Menachem Av.

Regarding this, it is said, "Through the path of Luz they enter Beis El." Rashi says: Through the Luz tree they enter Beis El. Rebbe Nachman says in Torah 85, Part II, that Luz hints at the resurrection of the dead, for there in the city of Luz, they never die, and whoever is weary of his life goes outside the city.

Sennacherib came and did not disturb it; Nebuchadnezzar came and did not destroy it; and even the Angel of Death has no permission to enter it.

For then, at the moment of the Molad on Friday, 11:21 and 5 Chalakim (parts of a minute), the verse is fulfilled: "He will swallow up death forever" (Bila HaMaves LaNetzach), the initials of which spell "Hevel" (Abel).

For Hevel was supposed to cancel the decree of death that was decreed upon Adam HaRishon (the first man), but "Hashem had respect unto Hevel and to his offering."

The holy Ari zt"l says: "Vay-sha" (had respect)—"Woe" (Vay) to that moment when a thought of pride entered Hevel's heart when he saw that his offering was accepted and Kayin's (Cain's) was not.

Therefore, the decree of death was decreed upon him because a thought of pride entered his heart, thinking he was greater than Kayin.

For the moment of the Molad of Menachem Av is the moment of the resurrection of the dead and the complete Geulah (Redemption), when the Temple of Fire must descend.

Just as was seen with Deborah the Prophetess, who was always surrounded by torches of fire.

And may You merit me at the moment of the Molad with the blessing of the Fifteenth of Av (Tu B'Av), for there were no holidays for Israel like the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur.

On which the daughters of Israel go out in white garments, borrowed and dancing in the vineyards.

For on Yom Kippur, each one would place her red scarf on the windowsill, and it would turn white by morning.

As it is written, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18).

This is the secret of the "scarlet thread" that Rachav hung on the window (Jerusalem Talmud, Yoma 6, Shabbat 9).