The Talmud in Megilla page 17 tells us about the stages of the redemption, what comes first.
Namely, the agricultural blessing of the land of Israel, ingathering of the exiles to Israel,
Return of the Good Judges to the Jewish People, the victory over various ideoligical opponents of Judaism, the strengthening of the righteous, the building of Jerusalem, which according to the Havinenu prayer includes the repairing of the Temple Sanctuary {Heichal}. Only after this is the sprouting of the offspring of David and his "horn of salvation".
You could possible contend that all these stages will happen very quickly.
But I think history shows that we have been, more successful, when we have tried to do actions to push forward the beginning stages of redemption, rather than just waiting for Mashiach to come and do everything.
http://www.inner.org/leader/leader5.htm
In the Talmud, a series of prophetic predictions are given regarding events that will occur before the coming of Mashiach. One of these "signs" is that the generation preceding Mashiach will have "a face like a dog." Among many possible interpretations is that a dog always runs ahead of his master appearing to lead, but always looks back to his master to get a sign as to which direction he should go. This can be compared to today, where most "leaders" lead only in appearance, forever looking behind at the press and public opinion polls to gauge which opinions to adopt.
Within this negative development is actually hidden a positive aspect if properly applied. A true leader in a sense also "looks back," but for different reasons. As discussed above, the word for "messenger," shaliach, with an additional yud numerically equals Mashiach, 358. As the ultimate leader, Mashiach not only leads but is forever "looking back" to G-d, the source of his message, for instruction as to which direction to pursue. Additionally, a compassionate leader "looks back" to his generation, forever strengthening the soul connection between them.
The most telling sign of a leader is whether his people are joyous and content. The letters of Mashiach when rearranged spell the word "to be joyous.". At the conclusion of the dedication of the first Temple by Solomon it is written: "On the eighth day he sent away the people and they blessed the king and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that G-d had done for David His servant and for Israel His people." The number eight always signifies a level above nature and logic. The bond between king and people transcends all other relationships, touching the deepest supra conscious point of the soul, the yechidah, the origin point of the spark of Mashiach within each individual Jewish soul. The sense of joy emanating from the soul-union of king and people creates an experience of redemption and new life. This is referred to as the passion "to see the king in his glory." The phenomenon of movie stars, performers and sports figures commanding loyal followings, to the occasional point of near hysteria, is but a perverted shadow image of this reality.
http://www.torah.org/learning/perceptions/5759/haazinu.html
The Talmud says that, the generation right before Moshiach comes will have the "face of a dog" (Sanhedrin 97a). A dog can have a positive connotation in Judaism, but, in most cases, and certainly within the context of this Talmudic discussion, it is a negative one.
At the end of Parashas Beshallach, Rashi indicates that the dog even symbolizes Amalek. If so, then maybe the Talmud means:
Before Moshiach, the generation will have the face of Amalek!
The "face of Amalek"? What kind of face is that?!
As we have discussed on so many occasions before, Amalek epitomizes doubt more than anything else in creation, specifically doubt in G-d and Torah ... a doubt that results in losing appreciation of Torah, and its depth. Whether Rashi was hinting at this point or not is hard to know. However, it remains to be true nonetheless, and an important idea to integrate at a time in history when so many, Rachmanah L'itzlan (Heaven help us), are prepared to "throw" Torah to the dogs.
I don't like the way Rabbi Mizrachi ridicules and smears every person who doesn't think like him.
In this video, I think he sounds like a complacent man who hasn't got the courage and the intellectual honesty to question his beliefs, and as a manipulative man who tries to seduce his audience through jokes that are imbued with yetser hara.
http://www.jewishamerica.com/ja/features/arndyr.cfm
The Gomorra Sanhedrin (97a) says the following: "Three things come (/ shall come) in an unexpected manner: Moshiach, finding something valuable, and (the sting of a) scorpion.
The following thoughts come to mind:
Perhaps the three are all related. Some people think of the Messianic Era as being 'free lunch,' like finding something valuable. We'll just sit back take it all in; we'll take it easy.
Other people may tend to think of the Messianic Era as being like the sting of scorpion. The jig will be up. No more fun. One big prison. Maybe he can wait until I pass the CPA exam?
Then there is a third thing - Moshiach.
So far, the free lunch people and the scorpion people are missing the boat. Hope they will hop aboard soon.
It'll be wonderful. We'll be plenty busy. They'll straighten out.
http://www.messiahtruth.com/yosef.html
With this we can return to the passage from the Rabbis quoted at the beginning. This passage refers to the principle we have just stated, and is a reference to Moshiach ben Dovid, and the two ways in which HE can come! Before this above passage[18] we find the following passage:
Rabbi Eliezer said, ‘If Israel repents they will be redeemed, and if not they will not be.” Rabbi Yehoshua said to him, “If they don’t repent they will not be redeemed? But the Holy One Blessed is He will raise up for them a King who will make decrees over them like Haman and they will repent and return to the good.”
As Rabbi Saadiah Gaon points out[19] this teaching refers to the wars and disasters that would occur before the coming of Moshiach ben Yosef. But if they do repent then there is no need for all of that. If we look at the Tenach we see two types of prophecies dealing with the end-times period. One tells of wars, like Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 12. But others are silent, mentioning neither war, nor any other series of events. Based on the Biblical principle we saw from the books of Jonah and Jeremiah, we see that G-d’s message of war is a conditional one that can be mitigated by repentance. This is the message of the Talmud. Let’s see the passages in context. First Daniel 7:
Interesting... That is my only complaint with Rabbi Mizrachi... He does have a tendency to knock others who don't believe like him. For a while I boycotted his videos because he spoke badly of Breslov Chassidim {of which I consider myself a part of}.
But I have found there is something I dislike about every Rabbi I listen to. So I come to the conclusion that the Rabbi is only human, and as such he is liable to say things which are offensive to some people. I try to look past that and hear the good which they are trying to convey in their lecture.
Muman613
On the one hand the "We want Mashiach Now" campaign of Chabad has made them more nationalistic and interested in learning Rambam
On the other hand because of the high messianic expectations raised by the campaign, even after the Rebbe died, many in Chabad refused to deal properly with the new reality and instead started to originate
"strange ideologies" to explain the seeming failure of their Mashiach scenario. Are you implying MUMAN613
that the pluses of the Chabad campaign outweigh the minuses?
We frequently assume that man’s spiritual status hinges upon the measure of his deeds. G-d places man’s actions on the Divine scale, Mitzvos, good deeds, on one side and Aveiros, violations of G-d’s commands, on the other. Defendants with a heavier Mitzvah side are Tzadikim (saints); an excess of Aveiros characterizes Rishoim (sinners). The few with perfectly split behaviors belong to a third category - Beinonim or Middle-of-the-Roaders. Chassidus argues that this simplistic definition is not wholly accurate.
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi,[5] dedicated the first part of his book Likutey Amarim (Tanya) to the premise that a Tzadik is not “merely” a person whose deeds are usually Mitzvos. The Talmud records a dispute between two sages, Abaye and Rabbah, as to whether the latter was a Beinoni or a Tzadik. Rabbah insisted that he was a Beinoni, while Abaye argued that if Rabbah was a Beinoni it would be impossible for anyone to be a Tzadik.[6] Rabbah definitely performed more good than evil[7] yet felt undeserving of the Tzadik title. The Tanya deduced that a Tzadik is not just a practitioner of good deeds. His inner life is virtuous, Sin repulses him, and he is only attracted to virtue.
A handful of individuals are born Tzadikim. Job referred to the natural Tzadik when he said “G-d, You created Tzadikim.”[8] While the Talmud states that the angel of predestination[9] does not declare the spiritual level the child will attain, because each individual must attain holiness through his own efforts, that is merely the norm. Every rule has exceptions. The natural Tzadik Job referred to is such an exception. From birth this Tzadik is predisposed to a life of holiness and internally he hardly feels that sin is a viable option. King David was a different type of Tzadik, he was born with virulent and sinful urges. Through mortification of the material body and rigorous Torah study he killed his evil urge and reached the spiritual level of a Tzadik.[10] A Tzadik, whether by birth or through spiritual achievements, is not afflicted with the struggle between lust and conscience. The only desire of the Tzadik is attachment to Divinity.
I have listened to years of Chabad lectures and not once have I heard any suggestion that Rabbi Schneerson was the Moshiach. I have heard that people know people who propagate this heresy.. But I have never sat down and spoken with a single Chassid who would admit to me that they believe this.
http://www.ksol.org/image.asp?f=psak_large.pdf&d=11
This is a link to a hebrew petition of hundreds of rabbis presumably mostly from Chabad
who signed a petition years after the death of Rabbi Schneerson that he is Mashiach.
This is in response to what Muman613 wrote:
Who is Moshiach?—The Basics
The Messianic Redemption will be ushered in by a person, a human leader, a descendant of Kings David and Solomon, who will reinstate the Davidic royal dynasty. According to tradition, Moshiach will be wiser than Solomon, and a prophet around the level of Moses.
Ever since the destruction of the Holy Temple, in every generation there is an individual, a scion of the House of David, who has the potential to be the Moshiach. If at any moment the Jews are worthy of redemption, this person would be directed from Above to assume the role of the redeemer.
During the Messianic Era, the Moshiach will serve a dual role. He will be a monarch, ruling over all of humanity with kindness and justice, and upholding the law of the Torah—613 commandments for the Jews, and seven for the non-Jews. He will also be the ultimate teacher, the conduit for the deepest and most profound dimensions of the Torah which will then be revealed by G‑d.
How are we to identify the Moshiach?
Moshiach is not identified by his ability to perform earth-shattering miracles. In fact, he isn't required to perform any miracles at all (although the performance of miracles doesn't disqualify him either).
The following are the criteria for identifying the Moshiach, as written by Maimonides:
If we see a Jewish leader who (a) toils in the study of Torah and is meticulous about the observance of the mitzvot, (b) influences the Jews to follow the ways of the Torah and (c) wages the "battles of G‑d"—such a person is the "presumptive Moshiach."
If the person succeeded in all these endeavors, and then rebuilds the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and facilitates the ingathering of the Jews to the Land of Israel—then we are certain that he is the Moshiach.
quote from Muman613 based on Chabad
According to tradition, Moshiach will be wiser than Solomon, and a prophet around the level of Moses. (http://According to tradition, Moshiach will be wiser than Solomon, and a prophet around the level of Moses.)
Before the Rebbe died, Chabadniks tried to show me the Rambam, to prove through their distorted interpretation that the Rebbe was Mashiach or at least the person who would be Mashiach if we have Mashiach in our generation.
Rambam says that if not for sins, Bar Cochba, who was not wiser than Solomon and not a prophet, could have been Mashiach.
Now I would like to ask you a personal question Muman613. Let's say, that hundreds of Breslav Rabbis officially came out with a signed petition, that Rabbi Nachman of Breslav is the Mashiach, who will do all his Mashiach activities in his second coming. And a small minority said even more radical things about him. Wouldn't you feel obligated to come out with a forceful, statement repudiating the idea in order to avoid, Chilul Hashem and spreading of a lie in the nation of Israel.
I assume you would.
If so, where is the forceful statement by Chabad, regarding their Rebbe?
Point 2. For many years, The Vilna Gaon was smeared as having voiced needless opposition to the Chassidic movement of his time. I stress of his time, since the Movement has undergone some changes. I do believe, in order to protect the reputation of the Vilna Gaon and also to prevent a major spiritual obstacle from developing in Israel, it is indeed proper to point out the faults of Chabad on the Messianic issue and not just sweep the problems under the rug.
Another is for the tragic loss by the Jewish People of the Military Campaign which centered on the City of Beitar. This struggle pitted Jewish forces led by a great Jewish leader by the name of Bar Kosiva, against the most powerful of the Roman legions, led by the ablest of the Roman generals. This uprising of the Jewish People in approximately 135 C.E., which by archaeological evidence definitely included the minting of coins, and which some have speculated included the re-conquest of Yerushalayim, with at least the beginning of work on Temple Reconstruction, came to a tragic end with the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Jews.
Another source of tragedy is the failure of the man whom Rabbi Akiva, one of the greatest Jewish leaders of all time, had declared to be the Mashiach. This man, Bar Kosiva, was given the name "Bar Kochba," "Son of the Star," based on a verse of Messianic Prophecy uttered, paradoxically, by one of our People's greatest Biblical enemies, Bilaam the Seer. "I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not in the immediate future; a star will shoot forth from Yaakov, and a Tribe will arise from Israel, which will destroy the ends of Moav and uproot all the Children of Seth."
Spiritually, the revolt was led by Rabbi Akiva, who endorsed the Revolt and proclaimed Bar Kochba to be the Mashiach. If Rabbi Akiva believed that Bar Kochba was the Moshiach, it is nearly certain that Bar Kochba had at least the potential to be the "real thing."
Tragically, and mysteriously, Bar Kochba lost Divine favor when he erroneously accused Rabbi Elazar of betraying Betar and executed him, triggering the immediate withdrawal of support by Rabbi Akiva and the rest of the Rabbis.
"Bar Kochba," "The Son of the Star," the almost-Mashiach, was now reduced to the name of Bar Kosiva, which was either his real name or another symbolic name, meaning "the son of the lie." He attempted to "go it alone," without the support of the Rabbis and thus, so to speak, also without the support of G-d, against the most powerful of the Roman legions. In the end, his great army was defeated by the Romans, having lost the invincibility guaranteed only by the favor of Hashem, triggering a horrifying massacre of Jews, and the crushing of the last Independent Jewish State until our time.
Interesting to learn that he speaks badly of Breslov Chassidim. This confirms my sentiment. I am not saying that all Breslov Chassidim should be immune from criticism. But I take it that by "speaking badly" you mean something closer to lishon hara than to fair criticism.
Of course Rabbis are only human and, as such, even the most righteous of them have their own shortcomings and weaknesses. But I think there are certain shortcomings that are acceptable and others that are not when you are a Rabbi...
As Rabbi Baal Shem Tov, z''tl, said : "Every spiritual malady has a cure, except for pride".
Hey you know I met Rabbi Mizrachi in person. The Rabbi told me something interesting there is a great need for Rabbis today as good ones are lacking today and thats why he does what he does. I think his attitude seems like that to you because he was in the army . We as JTFers have so many enemies its hard to give people the benefit of the doubt but we should .
Also he has made many religious because he understands the masses today have short attention spans when it comes to Torah that why he makes jokes. I realize myself now that its important how we judge kiruv Rabbis on forums because it may be the spiritual life and death of a person that wants to learn.
He is very Internet savvy he once asked what benefit is there in criticizing rabbis that take time to turn jews religious (FOR FREE)
I think you will agree with me that we have lost many great rabbis with few to replace sefard and askeneaz ( Kahane , baba sali , rebi nachman , rav kaduri , Yisrael Meir Kagan,we even lost Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane! who can hold a candle to the rabbis i mentioned?
lets take what we can get.
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935) – first Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel – was a mystic and a philosopher, a preeminent Talmudic scholar and a Lurian Cabbalist, an original thinker and a saintly tzaddik.
Due to his poetic style and abstract thought, his writings are often difficult to understand, even for those fluent in Hebrew and well-versed in traditional Jewish sources. For the English-speaking audience in particular, his books are hidden treasures whose light has not been fully revealed.
I have not attempted to translate his works. Such an undertaking is beyond my capabilities. I am doubtful if it is even possible to lucidly transmit his ideas when constrained to a literal translation. Instead, I have tried to take an idea and present it in a clear, straightforward fashion. Of course, I run the risk of over-simplifying and even misinterpreting the author's true intent. Still, this is a sincere effort that I believe to be faithful to the spirit of the Rav's thought.
"Our master [Rav Kook] does not deal with the exegesis or the uncovering of hidden meanings in verses. He rarely takes them out of their simple peshat meaning. Nonetheless, they are revealed to the reader as tremendous novelties. The innovation here is not in the elucidation of the verse per se, but in the light that he pours over them."
Rabbi Hillel Zeitlin, Sifran shel Yechidim, p. 237
Rav Kook did not write a commentary on the Torah as such. I have collected ideas from his writings – primarily from his commentaries on Talmudic Midrashim (Ein Ayah) and the prayer book (Olat Re'iyah) – and organized them according to the weekly Torah readings and holidays.
Great Leaders of our People
Rabbi Abraham Yitzchak Kook
(1865-1935)
The first chief rabbi of what was then Palestine, Rabbi Kook was perhaps the most misunderstood figure of his time.
Born in Latvia of staunch Hasidic and Mittnagdic stock, he retained throughout his life a unique blend of the mystical and the rational. He was a thorough master of the entire Halachic, Midrashic, philosophic, ethical, and Kabbalistic literature. But more important, he brought to bear the entire tradition upon the contemporary scene. He saw the return to Eretz Yisrael as not merely a political phenomenon to save Jews from persecution, but an event of extraordinary historical and theological significance. Rabbi Hutner once said that Rav Kook peered down on our world from great heights and hence his perspective was unique.
Above all, Rav Kook pulsated with a sense of the Divine. And, he sought to reach those who had strayed. He once quoted the rabbinic dictum that one should embrace with the right hand and rebuff with the left and commented that he was fully capable of rejecting, but since there were enough rejecters, he was fulfilling the role of embracer. On the other hand, he was never tolerant of desecration of Torah, as will be clear to any objective student of his life and works.
Though keenly aware of the huge numbers of non-observant Jews, he had a vision of the repentance of the nation. His concept of repentance envisioned in addition to the repentance of the individual, a repentance of the nation as a whole; a repentance which would be joyous and healing. He refused to reject Jews as long as they identified themselves as Jews. In a noteworthy exchange with his great friend, admirer, and opponent, Rabbi Yaakov David Willowski, Rav Kook explained the two components of a Jew: his essential nature -- the pintele yid, and the path he had chosen in exercising free will. Even if the second element were weak, as long as the first was not repudiated, there was still hope.
He called for and envisioned a spiritual renaissance where "the ancient would be renewed and the new would be sanctified." His vision of repentance disdained fear and apprehension and looked forward to "the poet of Teshuva, who would be the poet of life, the poet of renewal and the poet of the national soul waiting to be redeemed."
Perhaps he was that poet.
Rav Kook’s printed works to date are in excess of 30 volumes with many works still in manuscript. There are a number of translations into English of a small fraction of his works.
If you do a little research on the topic, you will find that there are other generations,
that pointed to certain incidents that occured in their time or certain spiritual problems that occured in their time as "proof" that Messiah is about to come.
Thank you for adding some sanity to the thread. I'm glad I didn't have to be the one to rain on parades this time.
Whoever does not believe in him, or does not await his coming, denies not only [the statements of] the other prophets, but also [those of] the Torah and of Moshe, our teacher, for the Torah attests to his coming, stating,[3] "And the L-rd your G-d will bring back your captivity."
Our faith and our yearning for Mashiach ? as the Rambam continues, "Whoever does not believe in him, or does not await his coming..." ? should therefore focus not only on his coming, but also on his restoration of the Davidic dynasty and on the complete observance of the Torah and its mitzvos.
In this context, we can understand the Rambam's intent in citing the prooftexts mentioned above for support. The verse that promises the Jewish people that "G-d will bring back your captivity" indicates that there will be an ingathering of the dispersed remnant of Israel. This will make it possible for the Davidic dynasty to be reinstated and for the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos to be restored in its totality.
A WORLD WITHOUT THE MESSIAH
Realization of this Principle is not easy because it involves more than awareness and conviction. It demands feelings and thoughts that can only be the products of a very special way of life.
In his Mishneh Torah (Laws of Kings 11:1), Maimonides says: "Anyone who does not believe in him [the Messiah] or does not await his coming not only denies [the truth of his coming, as stated in] the rest of the prophets, he denies Torah and [the prophecy of] Moshe Rabbeinu."
What is meant by "awaiting his coming"? Must one think that he is going to come today? What if today is Shabbat or Yom Tov? Concerning this Principle, Ani Ma'amin states, "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even if he should tarry, I nevertheless will wait every day for his coming." Does this "waiting every day" apply to Shabbat and Yom Tov, as one would assume?
Actually, our tradition tells us that the Messiah will not come on Shabbat or Yom Tov (Eiruvin 43b). Therefore, one need not anticipate his coming at every moment. What is more, in his Commentary to the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 10:1), Maimonides states: "Whoever doubts or minimizes his [the Messiah's] importance denies the Torah that attests to it." Instead of the need to await his coming, which Maimonides discussed in Mishneh Torah, here he warns against minimizing the Messiah's importance. It would seem, then, that "awaiting him" should be understood as attributing to him so much importance that one is aware of missing something, of lacking something every moment of one's life. It is not enough to know and believe in his coming; one must also feel and understand what it means not to have him in our world.
A world without the Messiah is a world of exile, where Jews find themselves dispersed amongst many nations. It is a world where even in the Land of Israel, Jews are subjected to the whims and values of other nations. It is a world in which terrible barriers created by spiritual apathy deter man from coming close to the Almighty, and where the opportunities to approach Him and to experience His presence in His Temple are gone.
It is frightening to think that after so many years of pain and persecution, the Jewish people may be on the brink of true redemption. Who will merit to see this awesome reality? The Talmud teaches:
Rava said: When they bring a person for judgment, they will ask: "Did you deal faithfully in business? Did you set aside fixed times for Torah? Did you try to have children? Did you anticipate the redemption..."(Shabbat 31a)
This question is not merely theoretical. It will actually determine the quality of each individual's redemptive experience. As Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein wrote:
The Exodus from Egypt liberated only one out of five Jews (and some say one out of every 50) because all those who were bound to Egypt and did not want to depart died in the three days of darkness and were not privileged to leave. Only those who desired redemption with all their hearts were redeemed. The Final Redemption, likewise, depends upon our yearning. (Ohr Yechezkel, Emunat HaGeulah)
did you hope for salvationis one of the questions in the heavenly court that they ask a person, when he dies.
As Muman613 stated is one of the questions in the heavenly court that they ask a person, when he dies.
However, I understand this to mean, did you do active preparation for all the new responsibilities and commandments that you will have to start doing, if the previous roadblocks to those activities have been lifted by the salvation. Were you also active yourself, in trying to bring the salvation!
It does not mean let's sit back and do nothing because mashiach is going to come now and solve all the problems without me having to lift a finger.
Yearning for Moshiach does not mean doing nothing. I dont really undersand why you think it does.When I was back in the USA to visit relatives a while ago during my visit I met up with a Sofer Stam. He told me, I await the day, that Mashiach will come and take me to Israel on the "wings of eagles".
Muman613When I was back in the USA to visit relatives a while ago during my visit I met up with a Sofer Stam. He told me, I await the day, that Mashiach will come and take me to Israel on the "wings of eagles".
Having been prepared already what to answer back, based on a Shiur or Rabbi Yehuda Kroiser {the english spelling might vary from how he spells it} of Haraayon Hayehudi Yeshiva, I said to him, I'm sure Mashiach won't be upset if you make it easier on him by just taking an airplane to Israel.
This Sofer Stam's attitude was just an example among many, of people who use their anticipation of Mashiach to do Nothing!!
So you are saying it is not sane to believe in the arrival of Moshiach, at any moment?
No, I didn't just say that, YOU DID.
MUMAN, Why do you insist on putting words in other people's mouths, then refuting what they never said by posting three articles about how wrong is the straw man that Muman just put in your mouth?
Either you are severely lacking in reading comprehension, or what I think is the most likely explanation YOU DIDN'T BOTHER TO READ WHAT I WROTE BEFORE FIRST REACTING to it viscerally and emotionally without considering what point I was making and what precisely I had said. STOP REACTING. START READING AND COMPREHENDING FIRST BEFORE POSTING.
Well anyway I want to apologize if I was out of line, Muman. I was a bit frustrated and all I want is for there to be more understanding and commensurate discussion amongst us.
I don't like the way Rabbi Mizrachi ridicules and smears every person who doesn't think like him.
In this video, I think he sounds like a complacent man who hasn't got the courage and the intellectual honesty to question his beliefs, and as a manipulative man who tries to seduce his audience through jokes that are imbued with yetser hara.
I personally don't want Moshiach to arrive. why? i don't want to lose million of Jews.
Lose millions of Jews?
I believe he got that idea from the popular belief and statement that I often hear myself that 80% of Jews will die. Where do these people who say these things get it from? From the Midrashic source that says that 1/5 of Jews left Egypt (but then says other numbers as well- 1 in 50, 1 in 500! ) Soo because the first redemption supposidly had 1/5 only leave egypt they now preach that 1/5 will survive in the final "redemption".
Does that make solid sense? And also a very good way of telling Jews to keep Mitzvwoth in order to "survive" while the other 80% perish. Real Ahavat Yisrael right there.
I believe it is more than that... I believe there is a pasuk in Talmud about how many people may die in Gog UMagog...