BS”D
Rabbi Shimon open and said: “and I remembered My covenant with Yakov…” the name Yacov is written with an additional letter Vav – for what?
Rather there are two sides to it, which are mysteries to this single wisdom. This mystery (literally secret ‘Raz’ which has the numerical value of 70) is the level of Wisdom. The place where Yacov dwells.
But this verse was said on the exile of Israel, and it says that in their final exile, when they are redeemed (literally ‘remembered’ or ‘counted’), they will be redeemed with the mystery of the Vav. And this will be in the 6th Millennium [but the Zohar does not mention the century – this corresponds to the teaching that the world enters the days of Moshiach in the end of the 6th Millenium like Shabbat that begins Friday night – but again no one knows which hour (century or decade).] [The reason no one knows the exact time of the redemption is because the redemption and the coming of Moshiach are mysteries at the highest level, this is because the very process of redemption is revelation from Pnimyut Atik or Ein Sof within Radla, etc.]
The redemption through the mystery of the Vav is 6 moments and half a moment [the language of the Zohar is mysterious and these are not literal moments, but they are steps, a rhythm if you will of a process…]
At the time of 60 years [to a count] in the 6th Millenium, the G-d of Heaven will remember the daughter of Yakov. [There are 2 terms the Zohar is using here – Pekida and Zicharon – both mean remembered and both denote redemption(as we say in Yaale VeYavo – Zichronenu u’Pikdoneinu) see more drushim of Rosh HaShanah on Zicharon and Drushim on VaYomer Lo Yonatan Machar Chodesh regarding Pekidah.)
From that time (Pekidah – notice or count – denoting taking of significance) until it is remembered (zicharon – analogous to bringing a program(data) from disc to memory) – 6 years and a half. From that time – 6 more years (in the process) – which are 72 and a half.
The Zohar then begins a discourse describing the spiritual battles ensuing the revelation of the king Moshiach. Before we quote them, we must keep in mind that the words of the Zohar are describing processes and dynamics. For example, the battles the Zohar mentions in other places (Zohar Chadash on Balak and others) wars between Good and Evil every night during the 9 months (in the year 70 incidentally) during the “birth pangs of Moshiach”. These could easily simply refer to the battle in each and every one of us as we say Shema at night at the end of a hard day and remember the simply true G-dly unity, etc..
In the year 66 the King Moshiach will be revealed in the land of the Galil. The Rebbe referred to this Zohar as a ‘ketz’ the Rebbe Rashab referred to in establishing Seudas Moshiach in 5666 and the famous Hemshech Samech Vav (66). Indeed, the second famous Hemsech Aiyn Beis (72) is likely related to the continuation of the process mentioned in this Zohar – again hence the significance of this coming year ha baah letov u’libracho. The remaining alternatives for the “year 66” in the 6th Millenium are 5766 (which means we are in that process now and this year 72 is the 72 mentioned above), or 5866 or 5966. There are many other sources that make an overwhelmingly strong case that it’s not in a 100 years, but rather now. You just have to discover more to realize it…
And one star in the East will swallow 7 stars from the North. I don’t know exactly what this means, and it’s obviously very mystical, but in several places the Zohar discusses the 7 tzadikim (very interesting – 7 generations of Rebbeim) which are shining 7 Zeharim of the 7 firmaments (see introduction to Tikkuney Zohar where the Rashbi brings that each firmament has a Tzadik which is illuminating the Zohar of that firmament, and 6 of the firmaments and Tzadikim are included in the 7th firmament and Tzadik – it’s amazing indeed. Seems like a description and context for the mamer Basi LeGani and how each of the 7 Rebbeim brought the Sehchinah – which is the revelation of the True and Complete Redemption beginning with the Alter Rebbe – bringing Faith into Intellect, and hence including the 3 lights of Intellects (Gimmel Mochin) of the Baal Shem Tov, Rav HaMagid and the Alter Rebbe, through the Mitteler Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe Moharash, the Rebbe Rashab, the Rebbe Rayatz, and the Rebbe who brought the shechina down to earth, in the True and Complete Redemption.
The star on the East that “swallowed” the 7 stars might be an allusion to the 8th aspect – which is all of us, the Chassidim, as we internalize (swallow) the Torah of the Rebbeim. This is alluded to in Mamer VaYehi BaYom HaShmini 5737, amazing stuff there… Of course there is no 8th generation per se, just like there are no 8 days in the week, but the 7th generation, like the 7th day ahs 2 aspects – dare I say one before Gimmel Tammuz and one after? I don’t know. If it is, then it will certainly explain why the Rebbe split his camp into 2. You see, the Alter Rebbe in Torah Or VaYishlach explains why Yakov (see reference to Yakov in the Zohar above) split his camp into 2 in order to take on the structure of the World of Tohu. He did this in order to receive Esav’s Lights of Tohu and bring them into Vessels of Tikun. This is through the middle column (synthesis that results from the formation of thesis and antithesis). More on this in that wonderful Torah Or drush, but I spoke before about how this concept of Tohu in Tikun is fulfilled by the Internet – which amazingly launched globally as the domain of any willing person in the year 1994 – 5754, very interesting indeed (http://ronnierendel.com/2010/03/22/the-internet-leading-the-manifestation-of-the-messianic-redemption/).
The Zohar continues later and says “…and battles will awake in the world on the North… and al the nations of the world will gather on the Daughter of Yakov to push her from the world…” This was always understood literally as armies warring with Israel chas veShalom, but as we see this can be fulfilled by words alone, as it is now in the United Nations and world media. “…upon that time it is said “it is a time of distress for Yakov, and from it he will be redeemed…” The verse could also be understood to say that no only Yakov will be redeemed FROM that time of distress, but rather THROUGH the distress the redemption of Yakov will take place. This is what the Rebbe says in several places in the sichos if 5751-52 that the inyon of the redemption is “I will thank You for that you afflicted me…” and this is not the place to elaborate.
The Zohar continues: “… in the year 73 all the kings of the world will gather in the great city of Rome, and The Holy One Blessed be He will bring (Himself) on them with fire and hail and stones of Algavish, and they will be lost from the world… and in that time the King Moshiach will be revealed in the whole world…” The great city of Rome – the port city and financial capital of the descendants of Rome is New York City, where the United Nations sits.
Interesting that the year 5773 corresponds to December 21 2012, which has some significance to several different idolatrous nations. It is interesting to see the process of redemption through the Rebbe’s sichos beginning with Rosh Chodesh
Nissan 5751 through Vayakhel Pikudei 5752. If you follow the process you see the revelation of Moshiach (which we have to receive, he was revealed and gave it all over to us – see again the aspect of the 8th) beginning with Rosh Chodesh Nissan, through Pesach, picking up steam in Koach Nissan, Tazria-Metzorah, through Emor 5751, hitting the pinnacle with the statement that the work of Birurim is complete in VaYetze and VaYishlach 5752 and that now we have already Mekifim of Tohu and we need to draw them properly into Vessels of Tikkun (VaYishlach 5752) which is exactly the AVODAH of Kabbolos Pnei Moshiach, etc.
So if the redemption has a critical point in 72 and a half (as the Zohar states above) it could mean Pesach, which begins the process that completes a third of the way into the year 73 – which incidentally happens to fit the date of December 21 2012. Incidentally, this year is exactly the same kvius as 5751 with Pesach falling on Shabbos and having complete days of Sefirah (beginning on Sunday and ending with Malchut on Shabbos), 8 readings of Parshas Semini (there is that number 8 again), etc.
At this point it is important to reiterate that as the Rebbe shows us time and again, the redemption, like Teshuva can and will happen in an instant. This moment will bring about miraculous and wondrous revelations including the Third Bais HaMikdash (teichef umiyad MMSh). This moment might be all of us chassidim coming together, forming Orot of Tohu in Keilim of Tikun, to receive Moshiach by opening our eyes and seeing that the world is already in Geulah for 20 years. Kelipah and Darkness no longer get their life force from the 288 sparks. Now they are getting their life from us, from the powerful lights of Moshiach which are not (yet) internalized by us. That’s why Moshiach is called a Metzorah – his afflictions (ein be Ra lemata mi Nega ve ein bat Tov lemala me Oneg) are high lights of Tohu (Pnimyus Atik) which he needs to “find” or “discover” hence being Mekabel Pnei Moshiach bepoal MMSh.
And all of this is accomplished through strengthening our study of the inyonim of Geulah and Moshiach, particularly in the esoteric dimensions of the Torah, and ultimately in the Rebbe’s Sichos and Mukadik Mamarim of 5751-52.