Rav Yakov Bock

Already several times Iran has threatened the US that it will close the strategic Straits of Hormuz, and held military exercises there.

The light of the Geuloh is inherently beyond our grasp, nonetheless we can make ourselves and the world a vessel to perceive it as it shines within the familiar light of this world.

The Gemara says Persia will fall at the hands of Rome, and connects it with the coming of Moshiach. Is Iran the gemara’s Persia? Is the USA the gemara’s Rome?

If there are those who, after over 30 years, still haven’t adopted Rebbi Akiva’s perspective, we are forced to say that those of us who do see Gimmel Tammuz as the beginning of the Geuloh must shoulder a lion’s share of the blame: how many years of wasted efforts spent arguing with each other?

We do not need to cry out over the darkness, but rather we must “remind” Hashem that just as the power of concealment has an intent of its own, so does the power of revelation!

On the 13th of Nissan, Haman’s decree was issued. The 13th of Adar looks like we’re still in a Golus world.

In other words, motzie shvi’is is a type of ketz. And we already saw that the Rebbe Rashab had reason to be fearful from a shnas ketz.

Through our effort to learn and understand the Torah that Moshiach is revealing to us, we will merit to see the reality that he is describing to us.

The idea is that “this physical world” has various levels, including a dimension which cannot (presently) be discerned.

Do you know what will be before Moshiach comes? Two roosters will fight with each other, and a third rooster will come along and give both of them a blow.

The commentators explain these three creatures represent nations which will be smitten in the war of Gog and Magog...