We are in the last stages of the chevlei Moshiach
“We are in the last stages of the chevlei Moshiach (birthpangs of the Moshiach). All that’s left is the final few months of the chevlei Moshiah.” – Rav Yehuda Sheinfeld
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Rav Yehuda Sheinfeld, shlita, is a well-known kabbalist, and close student of the late Milkman, z’tl. Two days ago, Rav Sheinfeld participated in a keness (gathering) with the wider Shuvu Banim community in Jerusalem, where he said the following:
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The Midrash Rabba asks in Parshat Vayikra: Why do we bring an ox as a sacrifice, or a lamb, or a dove?
The Midrash says, Elokim wants something that is ‘persecuted’. The ox is ‘persecuted’ by the lion; the sheep is chased after by the wolf; and the dove is ‘persecuted’ by the raven. Precisely because they are persecuted, that’s why we bring them as a korban (sacrifice).
The Midrash says, Hashem is in the side of the persecuted. Not only when a rasha (evildoers) is chasing after a Tzaddik – but even from a tzaddik who is persecuting a rasha!
Elokim wants the persecuted one!
So much so, that this is the true power of the one being persecuted. The persecuted one has power, he can be a kapparah (atonement/sacrifice) for Am Yisrael.
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People tell many miraculous stories about Rav Berland.
I once heard from Rav Chaim (Perachia HaKohen – the Milkman) that if a person brings a big pidyon (sum of money for a redemption of the soul) and is healed afterwards, this is not such a big miracle. To give such a big sum to tzedaka, and to not be healed afterwards?!
But what is called a miraculous wonder?
If a person prays that he should be totally shamed and humiliated.
And that a Beit Din should come along, and for absolutely no reason, they should put out a letter against him. Without any justification! Without any halachic reasoning! Without any moral justification – with nothing!
….This is the greatest wonder!
This is the power of prayer, that Rav Berland could bring about a situation that with such simpleness, another one should sign something against him, and another, and another – as though we are dealing here with halacha (Jewish law) brought down by Moshe at Sinai.
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There is simply no natural explanation for this. This is just the biggest wonder.
Rav Berland wants to be ‘persecuted’. A person wants to be ‘persecuted’, and requests to be persecuted – “Elokim wants something that is persecuted”!
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It’s accepted amongst the tzaddikim that we are now in the period of time known as the chevlei Moshiach (birthpangs of Moshiach) – in the final stages. We are in the nine last months of the chevlei Moshiach.
Rav Berland once said that there are 3 types of atonement:
- There is the atonement of the previous generations by way of fasting, but the strength of the person would fail from the suffering. Who could endure all the suffering from the fasts that the ancientrtzaddikim undertook?
- After that, a second rectification was arranged by the later tzaddikim, who said it was impossible for their generation to fast, so they arranged [a tikkun] by way of a pidyon fast (i.e. by giving a financial pidyon, that would reduce a person’s cash flow, in a similar way that fasting reduces a person’s physical nourishment.)
But also this – people don’t have enough money that would be required to pay for the equivalent of all the many fasts prescribed by the earlier sages.
Rav Berland said that there was a third rectification, that didn’t cost money: a tikkun of humiliation.
By way of being shamed and disgraced, a person can remain healthy and whole. And, he can retain his money.
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Bisyonot (shame and disgrace) is an atonement like all the fasting, so when someone hears his own disgrace – this is a kapparah. This atones for him, and atones for the chevlei Moshiach (birthpangs of Moshiach).
It’s written: What can a person do, to be saved from the birthpangs of Moshiach?
He can stay busy with Torah and gemilut chassidim (good deeds) – but who can say about himself that he’s busy with Torah the way he really needs to be? Or that he’s engaged in gemilut chassidim the way he really should be?
But bisyonot – everyone can accept this as they should, and then escape from the spiritual ‘debt’ they owe as part of the chevlei Moshiach.
Hashem should help us, that every humiliation and disgrace we experience should be considered an atonement, and that we can easily pass through the birthpangs of Moshiach, and that the geula should come soon.
Amen ken yehi ratzon.
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These are the holy words or the holy kabbalist, Rabbi Yehuda Sheinfeld.
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The Milkman: “There is no cure for your illness, because you persecuted Rav Berland, shlita”
