http://ravkooktorah.org/VAYEHI64.htmVaYechi: Revealing the End of Days"Jacob called for his sons. He said, 'Gather together, and I will tell you what will happen in the end of days.'" (Gen. 49:1)In fact, Jacob never did reveal to his sons when the final redemption would take place. According to the Midrash, this esoteric knowledge was hidden from Jacob. The Midrash uses a parable to explain what happened between Jacob and his sons.
The Parable of the Devoted Servant"This is like the case of a devoted servant whom the king trusted with all that he possessed. When the servant realized he would soon die, he assembled his sons in order to set them free and inform them where their will and deed were located.
"The king, however, discovered [this plan] and stood over his servant. When he saw the king, the servant backtracked from what he had planned to tell his sons. The servant began to entreat his sons, 'Please, remain servants of the king! Honor him just as I have honored him all my days.'
"So, too, Jacob gathered his sons to reveal to them the end of days. But the Holy One revealed Himself to Jacob. 'You summoned your sons, but not Me?' ... When Jacob saw G-d, he began to entreat his sons, 'Please, honor the Holy One just as my fathers and I have honored Him.' ...
"The sons responded, 'We know what is in your heart,' and they all proclaimed, Shema Yisrael ['Listen, Israel!'] ... Jacob quietly responded, 'Blessed be the name of the honor of His kingship forever.' The Holy One then told [Jacob], "It honors G-d to conceal the matter" (Proverbs 25:2). This attribute does not belong to you." (Midrash Tanchuma VaYechi 8)This Midrash raises many questions. Why did Jacob want to reveal to his sons when the final exile would end? Why was he prevented from doing so? Also, parts of the parable do not fit. It should have been the king who hid the deed from the servant, just as G-d hid the end of days from Jacob. And the servant wanted his sons to be free — how could Jacob have wanted his sons to abandon the yoke of Heaven? Why did G-d reprimand Jacob for not calling Him? And finally, what does the declaration of Shema Yisrael have to do with Jacob's intention to reveal the end of days?
The Reason for the Lengthy ExileWe first need to examine why the exile has lasted so long. It is written that the people of Israel "were punished twice for all their sins" (Isaiah 40:2). How could G-d, the compassionate Father, punish the Jewish people more severely than what they deserve?
The key to understanding this matter is in the verse:
"I have only known you from all of the families of the earth. Therefore, I visit upon you all of your iniquities" (Amos 3:2).If the Jewish people were like all other peoples, then the destruction of the Temple would have sufficed to atone for their sins. However, the Jewish people are destined to acquire a true love of G-d, permanently fixed in their hearts. In order to achieve this level of unfailing, constant love, they need to undergo great purification to remove all hidden blemishes. Otherwise, these faults could reawaken and induce moral relapses in a future generation. This is the meaning of the verse: "I have only known you" — to attain this special level of love — "from all the families of the earth." And since your purpose is to achieve this constant love of G-d, "Therefore, I visit upon you all of your sins" — even greater than the severity of the offense itself. All this is in order to purify your hearts from the corruptive influence of sin, and enable you to attain the holiness of sincere love of G-d.
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See also :
http://www.meaningfullife.com/torah/concepts/Redemption/The_Secret_%28of_the_End_of_Days%29.php
Topic: Parashat VaYechi - Messiah will come from Judah (new English video) (Read 573 times)