Lag B'Omer Sameakh!

(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Lag Ba'Omer Sameakh! brakha.blogspot.com)



See also:
• The Stones of Heavens - Shimon Ben Yokhai



Lag B'Omer Sameakh!
לַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר שָׂמֵחַ

Joyous 33 in Omer!

Light

(Israel National News ©2012. Artist: Hillel Meir. Image: Lag B'Omer Bonfire. Article: A Call for Ecological and Spiritual Lag B'Omer. israelnationalnews.com.
Online Page: www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155609.
Online Image: www.israelnationalnews.com/static/Resizer.ashx/news/250/168/342509.jpg).

The counting of the Omer is on each day between the Festival of Pesakh (“Passover”), the Return from Mitsrayim and the Festival of Shavuot (“Weeks”), the Giving of the Tora on the Mountain of Sinai.

Shavuot is the fiftieth day, comprising the forty-nine days in between - a sevensome of sevensomes.

Today, on the thirty-third Omer, is the Khilula חִלּוּלּה (memorial) of Rashbi - Rabi Shimon Ben Yokhai - a great teacher of Kabala (Tora spirituality).

It is a custom to light bonfires during the eve. Zal זַ״ל ! The memory of him be for a blessing!

Kabala: Ets Khayim: Ten Sfirot

(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Ets Khayim: Ten Sfirot. Translation: Vere Hyperliteral from Hebrew to English. brakha.blogspot.com).

Sefer Ets Khayim

סֵפֶר עֵץ חַיִּים
[“The Book of the Wood of Lives”] [The Book of the Tree of Life]

The Tora of the Ari - Adonenu Rabi Yitskhak Lurya Ben Shlomo Ashkenazi [Rabbi Isaac Luria]
תורת האר״י ־ אדוננו רבי יצחק לוריא בן שלמה אשכנזי
On the mouth of Rabi Khayim Vital [Rabbi Chaim Vital]
חיים ויטאל
Gate 1, Branch 2



In the interest of En Sof אֵין סוֹף [“No End” the infinite oneness of God]:
- By the help of God [to even talk about En Sof]:
How was the beginning of the emanation of the worlds, the ones being emanated from it?

En Sof

(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Sefer Ets Khayim: En Sof. brakha.blogspot.com)
En Sof, Ein Soph, “No End”, Infinite Oneness

And also a great investigation: A tremendous division [among viewpoints]: All of the Mkublim [the teachers of Kabala “being received”], all of them were divided.

Because theres someone that wrote as [follows]:

The Ten Sfirot סְפִירוֹת [“numberings”] are as the order of ten steps, this one after this one, and this one down from this one.

And theres someone [else] that wrote as [follows]:

The order of their position is [by] way of lines, right and left, and middle.

The Three Lines of the Sfirot

And those ones are three Sfirot -
• Khakhma חָכְמָה [“sageness”] [Chochmah, wisdom],
• Khesed חֶסֶד [“compassion”] [Chesed, kindness, mercy],
• Netsakh נֶצַח [“triumph”] [Netzach, victory, eternity]
- this one on the back of this one, in the right line.

And three Sfirot -
• Bina בִּינָה [“understanding”] [Binah],
• Gvura גְּבוּרָה [“overpowering”] [Gevurah, strength],
• Hod הוֹד [“glory”]
- this one on the back of this one, in the left line.

And four Sfirot -
• Keter כֶּתֶר [“crown”],
• Tiferet תִּפְאֵרֶת [“adornment”] [Tipheret, beauty, grandeur],
• Ysod יְסוֹד [“foundation”] [Yesod],
• Malkhut מַלְכוּת [“kingship”] [Malchut, kingdom]
- this one on the back of this one, in the middle line.

The Ten Sfirot

(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Sefer Ets Khayim: The Ten Sfirot. brakha.blogspot.com)
“The Book of the Wood of Lives: The Ten Numberings”
Sefer Ets Khayim, Sepher Etz Chaim, Tree of Life: Eser Ha'Sfirot, The Ten Sfirot, Ten Sefirot, Ten Sephiroth

And masses will become sage. And they will say as [follows]:

They are in the form of circular wheels, this one inside this one, and this one orbiting and going around to this one.

The Ten Wheels

(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Sefer Ets Khayim: Ten Sfirot As Ten Wheels. brakha.blogspot.com)

In the lowest world, Malkhut is the farthest from the En Sof,
being at the extemity of the “line” קַו of light,
the only light available after the Tsimtsum צִמְצוּם , “Constriction”.

But eventually, as in the upper worlds now,
Malkhut will be the center of all of the light.
Each Sfira, being each “step” up in the line of light,
is actually a holistic “circle” עִגּוּל of light.
But the rest of its circle is hidden creating the appearance of linear causality,
within the limitations of time and space and time.

Transcending all,
even the infinity of the light of En Sof exists for one purpose:
To fulfill the infinite desire of Malkhut.
Malkhut is the center of En Sof.

Developing Emuna אְֶמוּנָה “trust” in God is a way to benefit
from these hidden holistic ways to fulfill desire
via the opportunities that are unobvious.

In the lowest world,
only the process of sharing reveals more light,
more of the circle of each Sfira of light,
that the Constriction hides from Malkhut.

ספר עץ חיים

תורתו של האר״י
על פי רבי חיים ויטאל
שער א ענף ב



בענין א"ס
ב"ה ׃
איך היה התחלת אצילות העולמות הנאצלים ממנו

וגם חקירה גדולה ומחלוקת עצום נחלקו בו כל המקובלים כולם

כי יש מי שכתב כי ׃

הי"ס הם כסדר י' מדריגות זו אח"ז וזו למטה מזו

ויש מי שכתב כי ׃
סדר עמידתן דרך קוים ימין ושמאל ואמצע

והם ג"ס
חח"ן
זו ע"ג זו בקו ימין

וג"ס
בג"ה
זו ע"ג זו בקו שמאל

וד"ס
כתי"ם
זו ע"ג זו בקו האמצעי

ורבים יחכמו ויאמרו כי ׃

הם בצורת גלגלים עגולים זה תוך זה וזה מקיף וסובב לזה

Kabala: While on One Foot

(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Kabala: While on One Foot. brakha.blogspot.com).



The Torá תּוֹרָה (often Torah) is the sacred scroll that forms the first five books of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible). The study of the Tora expands to include the sacred texts that apply and explain the Tora, the rest of the Tanakh, Mishna, Talmud, and so on. In its widest sense, Tora is synonymous with Yahadut (Judaism), a comprehensive spiritual heritage and way of life. During the Classical Age, the sage Hilel (Hillel) defines the essence of Tora. “It that is hateful on you, you will not do it to your companion.” This teaching summarizes the essence of the Tora legal tradition. It also summarizes the essence of the Tora spiritual tradition, Kabalá קַבַּלָה (Kabbalah).

Tree of Life

(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Image: Kabala while Standing on One Foot. brakha.blogspot.com).

Here the Tree of Life that comprises the Ten Sfirot (Sepherot) of Kabala (Kabbalah) maps out a teaching by Hilel (Hillel),
who sumarizes “all of the Tora (Torah)” into a single sentence.
What Hilel says is the essence of all of the Tora, is likewise the essence of all of Kabala.



Kabala is Tora

Kabala is an aspect of the study of the Tora. Kabala is Yhudi spirituality. It literally means the “reception”, being an area of Tora study that each generation receives from the previous generation.

Tora tends to cluster into three areas of study: Halakha (Halachah), Agada (Aggadah), and Kabala (Kabbalah).
• Halakha is the “way” of life, the Yhudi legal tradition.
• Agada is the “tale” of life, the Yhudi narrative tradition.
• Kabala is the “reception” of life, the Yhudi spiritual tradition.

The Essence of the Tora

The book of the Talmud Bavli (Babylonian Talmud) reports an incident concerning the ancient sage, Hilel (Hillel). He then summarizes the essence of the Tora. A man challenges the teachers of the Tora to explain the entirety of the Tora culture within a reasonably short amount of time, while he as a listener can remain standing on one foot.



All of the Tora while standing on one foot
(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. Hyperliteral translation, Hebrew and italic Aramaic: Talmud Bavli, Seder Moed, Msakhat Shabat 31a. brakha.blogspot.com):

Again, an (other) deed:
In (the deed of) one (Nonjewish) foreigner that came before (the sage) Shamai.
(The foreigner) said to him:
Make me a resident (adopting me into the kinship of Yisrael) on condition that you teach me all of the Tora, all of it, as I am standing on one foot.
(Shamai) pushed him (over) by the cubit (measuring stick) of the building, that is in his hand.

(The foreigner) came before (the sage) Hilel.
(Hilel) made him a resident.
(Hilel) said to him:
(It) that is hateful on you, you will not do (it) to your companion.
This (teaching), it is all of the Tora, all of it.
And all-else (in the Tora), it is (detail) explaining it.
Go conclude (the explanations, learning them by heart).

שוב מעשה
בנכרי אחד שבא לפני שמאי
א"ל
גיירני
ע"מ שתלמדני כל התורה כולה כשאני עומד על רגל אחת
דחפו באמת הבנין שבידו

בא לפני הלל
גייריה
אמר לו
דעלך סני לחברך לא תעביד
זו היא כל התורה כולה
ואידך פירושה הוא
זיל גמור



The text is originally and mostly in Hebrew. But the Talmud adds comments in Aramaic, and translates the saying by Hilel into what is already a famous rendition of the saying in Aramaic.

Whatever you hate to happen to you, dont do to others.

The Essence of Kabala

This saying that summarizes the essence of all of the Tora, is therefore also the essence of all of Kabala. Kabala is a subset of the study of the Tora.

Kabala (Jewish spirituality) is about what a person actually “does”. It is a spirituality of physical actions.

Moreover, Kabala is about what one “doesnt do”. Only certain actions have merit, those that make the world a better place. One must avoid actions that worsen the world.

It is easy to see, striving to do good actions is spiritually good.

Less obvious, refusing to do bad actions is in some ways more spiritually vital. Altho avoiding the bad actions seems like only a minimal requirement, it is a prerequisite for a community of people who are doing good actions, mutually, in a sustainable and expanding way. Bad actions disrupt the ability of the community to function. Thus even if one does good actions less often, simply avoiding bad actions is still making a real effort to maintain the good activity of a community. What the community can do cooperatively is powerful, far more powerful than the sum of the good actions that each individual can do separately.

The general rule for deciding which actions to do and which actions to avoid, is using ones own experience. What does one desire to happen to oneself? Generally, one should do the equivalent for others. What does one hate to happen to oneself? Generally, one should stop oneself from doing equivalent to others.

This general rule is all of Kabala. ALL of it. The rest of Kabala is just commentary that goes into more detail.

Tikun Olam

Whatever actions a human does to others, the universe eventually does the equivalent actions back to that human doer.

Kabala emphasizes how God creates, sustains, and maintains the universe in such away that the universe itself responds in kind. When a doer does an abundance of deeds to fulfill the desires of others, helping others become able to share, then the universe reciprocates in kind. The universe ensures an abundance of deeds happen to the doer to fulfill the doers desires to share. In other words, the doer experiences even more blessings while making an effort to share those blessings with others.

Oppositely, when a doer does actions to fulfill ones own desires in a predatory way that is hateful to other humans, this lack of sharing shuts off the blessings that is to flow toward others. Likewise, the universe itself responds in kind, to ensure a cessation of the flow of blessings toward the predator. Eventually the resources of the predator dry up.

Often this universal principle is called “karma” from the Hindu tradition. Kabala calls it Tikun Olam תיקון עולם , “the Restoration of the World”. The world is currently incomplete and requires humans to do sharing actions in order to restore it to its fully beatific potential. As individuals bless the universe, the universe likewise blesses the individuals.

The Tikun (Restoration) is a slow process requiring many humans across thousands of years. The Tikun culminates in the Days of Mashiakh (Messianic Era). Beyond that era of compassion, the Tikun will culminate in a mode of reality beyond what humans can currently imagine.

Each human makes the world a better place when making an effort to do desirable actions - and making an effort to avoid doing hateful actions.

The Greatest Desire of All

Surprisingly, we also desire the frustration of desires.

The frustrations of desire are death, poverty, isolation, disability, childlessness, and so on. The lack of blessings is opportunities built into the world. In the absence of a blessing, each individual can become a blessing. Where someone is poor, one can make an effort to share money with that person. Where someone endures a disability, one can make an effort to assist and accommodate that person. And so on.

By fulfilling the desires of others, we become as God. God fulfills desires.

It is easy to understand the concept of God as one that is “powerful”. Actually, the concept of God is one that “bestows compassionate actions” גומל חסדים . The power has no purpose except to fulfill the compassionate desires of others.

The desire to become as God is the greatest desire of all - and the reason this universe comes into existence in the first place.

Mirror

The activity of Tikun Olam is evident in the “tale” about Hilel and Shamai.

This Non-Yhudi (Nonjewish) student wants to become a “resident” among the doers of the Tora, the Yhudi (Jewish) community. But his actions are mixed. On the one hand, he wants to understand the Tora and become part of the life of the Tora - good efforts. On the other hand, he lacks patience and seriousness - these are less good here.

Likewise, the universe itself mirrors his physical efforts back at him with the same mixed results. Via Shamai, the universe responds to him with impatience and lack of seriousness. Afterward, the student makes a special effort to muster some persistence. Via Hilel, the universe itself responds to him in kind, and patiently and seriously fulfills his desire.

On principle, Shamai greets every human with a friendly welcoming face. When Shamai pushes the man away with a “cubit” measuring stick, it isnt to be cruel. This a method of teaching. Putting the teaching prop into words, by the exact same measure of the hateful action that this man does - in this case expressing a lack of patience and seriousness - the universe mirrors back the same amount - in this case occassioning experiences that also lack patience and seriousness.

To the mans merit, he takes the lesson to heart and avoids taking personal offense. Instead, he makes an extra effort to become a resident among the Yhudim (Jews). Because of this, the universe blesses his efforts, and he finds Hilel who is known for his compassion and insight. Hilel succeeds in sharing the Tora in a way that can fulfill this mans desires.

Notice, the mans desires remain the same. He still wants to know the Tora in brief. But in this case, he channels his desires thru active efforts that no longer express impatience and unseriousness. Instead, his actions express his desire for deep insight so as to make sense of the bewildering details of the culture of the Tora.

Foreign Resident

According to Tora, the concept of “conversion” sotospeak is more like becoming a resident or even a citizen in another country. In the case of the Tora, the resident becomes a member of an ancient tribal kinship system. There are two different kinds of resident. (Often it is ambiguous which one is meant.) There is the “inhabiting resident” גר תושב , this is a Non-Yhudi (Nonjew) who lives as a member of a Yhudi (Jewish) community. Such person does the basic requirements of the Tora, namely the Laws of Noakh, including trusting God and doing general principles of good actions. This one remains Non-Yhudi. Note, only Yhudim (Jews) need to do the rest of the Tora, such as keeping kosher. An inhabiting resident can affiliate with the Yhudi community in any number of ways, intimately by marriage, distantly by mutual alliances, and so on. Now the other kind of resident, sotospeak, is an “altruist resident” גר צדיק . In this case, the altruism refers to the love for the Tora to the point of self-identification. This member of the Yhudi community formally becomes a Yhudi, and takes on all of the cultural activities that the Tora requires Yhudim to do and to not do. Such a person is truly Yhudi and is actually no longer a Non-Yhudi. In either case, the resident is a member of the spiritual community, is part of Am Yisrael (the kinship of Israel), and the active presence of God dwells among them, and inside them.

Tree of Life

Look at the “map” of Kabala (the illustration near the top of this post). It is a map of the spiritual states that the Tora alludes to and that the study of the Tora discovers. Kabala calls this map, the Tree of Life עץ חיים . The map has ten circles. Each circle represents a Sfira סְפִירָה (Sephirah), a distinctive spiritual state. The word Sfira literally means a “numbering”, and refers to the ability to count different ways that God interfaces the universe, despite God Godself being One. This numbering only applies to within the diversity of the creation of the universe. Of course, without creation, there is no numbering. The Tree of Life is a “theory of everything”, mapping out the states of the spiritual journey, the states of the existence of the universe, the ways God engages the universe at different states, and everything else really.

The context is, a sage summarizes the whole Tora briefly within the amount of time that a student can remain “standing on one foot”. Here four Sfirot (Sephiroth) gain emphasis to map out the Tora in brief:

• “Compassion” חסד (the one doing good deeds) on the right,
• “Overpowering” גבורה (the one not doing bad deeds) on the left,
• “Adornment” תפארת (“Do”: the one doing deeds wisely in balance) in the center,
• “Kingship” מלכות (“Desire”: the desire for deeds) below the three, is the physical world where deeds happen.

Notice, the possible deeds from above fulfill the desire below. Desire motivates action.

Technically, the word “all” כל in the phrase “all of the Tora” כל התורה corresponds to an additional Sfira in the map, the one in between Adornment saying “Do” and Kingship saying “Desire”. This is “Foundation” יסוד that channels the flow of possible actions above into the physical world below. Nevertheless, the four Sfirot around this one constitute the essence of the Tora.

While there are other spiritual states in this map - plus an endless sea of profound yet encrypted insights - the essence of Kabala is these four spiritual states. These four Sfirot organize and structure the rest of the ten.

The physical universe is also called the world of “Doing” עְַשִׂיָּה , where the activities - the “deeds” - happen. However the world of the “Doer” עֹשֶׂה - the one who does these actions - is at a higher spiritual state. This Doer is God. The actions within the physical universe are God revealing Godself by means of what are ultimately compassionate activities. (If we ask why does the universe exist rather than not exist, this fundamental axiom of abundance, of simply existing in the first place, is an aspect of the Compassion of God.)

But this “Doer” can also be each and every human individually - as a spiritual being - who freely does desirable actions and refuses to do hateful actions.

Salvation: one way or an other

ONE WAY OR AN OTHER

(Stein Atle Vere ©2012. One way or an other. brakha.blogspot.com)



KEYWORDS

Tora תורה (instruction) (Judaism)
Ha'Tora התורה (“The” Tora) (Five Books of the Tora Scroll)

Talmud Bavli תלמוד בבלי (Book of the Babylonian Talmud)
Sanhedrin סנהדרין (Talmud Section of Sanhedrin)
Brit Khadasha ברית חדשה (Books of New Testament)
Matityahu מתתיהו (New Testament Book of Matthew)

Rabi רבי (Rabbi)
Rabanim רבנים (Rabbis)
Rabani (Rabbinic)

Rabi Yhoshua Ben Khananya רבי יהושע בן חנניה (Rabbi Joshua Son of Hanania)
Yhoshua Ben Yosef יהושע בן יוסף (Joshua Son of Joseph) (Historical Jesus)

Mashiakh (Anointed King) (an official representative of an ideal government of Yisrael according to Tora)
Tshuva תשובה (Return to God) (Repentance) (Returning to the way of Tora)



WITH OR WITHOUT A RETURN

The Book of the Talmud agrees with Rabi Yhoshua Ben Khananya. God will make the Days of Mashiakh happen. This is a future time when an ideal government prevails for a thousand years. One way or an other.

One way, is by Tshuva. Humans returning to God, doing Tora, optimizing compassion and justice, and trusting God to allow this effort to succeed.

An other way, is by humans veering away from God. If humans do not return, God allows their fear and lack of trust to spawn cruel governments. Eventually humans cannot survive such oppression, except by returning to God and trusting in God to press on.



But even if humans continue to veer away from God, God guarantees the Days of Mashiakh will happen. Ultimately, there is a deadline at the beginning of the seventh millennium. No matter what, God ensures the thousand years of this ideal government will happen by this time. God creates the universe in a way that makes the age inevitable.



If this optimal government begins with return, then it can start early - even today. It is possible for humans to get a headstart, to enjoy life now, with even miraculous assistance.

If this optimal government begins without return, by defaulting to the deadline at the start of the seventh millennium, then sadly, humans undergo massive suffering before that deadline. Moreover the “holy one”, the government official that accomplishes this ideal government does so under total humiliation.

Nevertheless. The thousand years of joy will happen. Either way.



Talmud, Sanhedrin 97b
(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Translation to English. brakha.blogspot.com)
(Talmud Bavli. Organization: Mechon Mamre 2002. mechon-mamre.org):

Rabi Yhoshua (Ben Khananya) said to (Rabi Eliezer):
If theres no (Yisrael) doing a return (to God),
(then) theres no being redeemed,
but the Holy (God) - that one is blessed! - makes a king stand (with hostility) to them,
that his decrees are (as) cruel as Haman.
And (thereby) Yisrael do a return (to God).
And (God) makes them revert to doing well.
...
And is it not already being said?:
(Yhoshua 49'):
God the redeemer of Yisrael said thusly:
And (with regard to) his holy one,
lifeforce is to despise (him),
a (foreign) ethnicity is to abhor (him).
(He is) to (be) the servant of (foreign) rulers.

אמר ליה רבי יהושע
אם אין עושין תשובה
אין נגאלין אלא הקב״ה מעמיד להן מלך
שגזרותיו קשות כהמן
וישראל עושין תשובה
ומחזירן למוטב
...
והלא כבר נאמר
כה אמר ה׳ גואל ישראל
וקדושו לבזה נפש למתעב גוי לעבד מושלים



According to the Talmud, God guarantees to redeem humanity.

God will ensure humans enter this thousand years of Mashiakh. Either by the difficult way of humans returning to God and doing their part in Tora. Or by the painful way of humans veering from God and defaulting to a cruel life that is with fear and without trust.

But even if humans choose the painful way, God empowers a holy leader who can withstand the predatory instinct of foreign governments and can succeed in establishing a holy government among the Kinship of Yisrael. When this government succeeds, all of the governments of humanity will ratify treaties to participate in it.



COME IN BY THE NARROW ENTRANCE

The Book of Matityahu, portrays Yhoshua Ben Yosef teaching Tora. Yhoshua evidences an early form of the understanding of the Talmud, about the arrival of the thousand years of Mashiakh.

This is a new age, when all of humanity enters an ideal government of holiness, compassion-and-justice, that persists for a thousand years.

God will accomplish it, one way or an other. If humans do Tora and optimize a difficult life of sharing, wisdom, and trusting, then humans can achieve and enter this miraculous government - even now. Early. Without tragedy.

Alternatively, if humans veer away from Tora and default to a “convenient” life of fear, shortsightedness, and predation, then humans manifest the governments of oppression and death.

Nevertheless, both of these “entrances” inevitably lead into the Kingdom of the Heavens. Ultimately. God guarantees this ideal government will happen one way or an other.



Book of Matityahu 7'13-14
(Stein Atle Vere 2012. Translations from Greek to Hebrew to English. brakha.blogspot.com)
(Novum Testamentum Graece. NA27 1998):

Come (in) by the narrow entrance.

Because broad is the entrance.
And spacious is the way leading to destruction.
And masses are the ones going (in) by it.

And narrow is the entrance.
And pressed is the way leading to lives.
And few are the ones (even) finding it.

בֹּאוּ בַּפֶּתַח הַצָּר

כִּי רָחָב הַפֶּתַח
וּמְרֻוַּחַת הַדֶּרֶךְ הַמּוֹלִיכָה לַאֲבַדּוֹן
וְרַבִּים הַהוֹלְכִים בוֹ ׃

וְצַר הַפֶּתַח
וּלְחוּצָה הַדֶּרֶךְ הַמּוֹלִיכָה לַחַיִּים
וּמְעַטִּים הַמּוֹצְאִים אוֹתוֹ ׃

εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης ·

ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη
καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν ,
καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι αὐτῆς ·

τί στενὴ ἡ πύλη
καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν ,
καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν .



There are two ways for humanity to enter paradise. The difficult way or the painful way.

The way of Tora discerns useful limits, to channel the energy of selfish desires toward altruistic goals. Both compassion and justice are important. The optimal way is subtle, involving balance - even hard to recognize.

Alternatively, the painful way results in death and destruction for most of humanity.



Nevertheless, ultimately, both entrances lead into the Kingdom of the Heavens, the government of paradise.

God desires a great destiny for the human species.

One way or an other, humans will learn to avoid future errors.

The “Greatest”

(Stein Atle Vere. ©2012. The “Greatest”. brakha.blogspot.com.)



Rabi Shimon Ben Yokhai רַבִי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי is a sage during the Roman Period, who the Talmud mentions. To him, the Medieval Rabanim (Rabbis) attribute the Zohar, the authoritative book of Kabala קַבָּלָה (Jewish spirituality). He lives about a hundred years after Yhoshua. In the disaster of the Bar Kokhba Rebellion around 135, he witnesses the massacre of Yhudim (Jews). The Roman emperor and his armies murdered hundreds of thousands of the Yhudi aborigines in Yhuda (Judea).

(Stein Atle Vere. ©2012. Image: Caesar Hadrianus Augustus. brakha.blogspot.com.)

In the Book of Talmud Yrushalmi, Ben Yokhai teaches his students:

“The greatest of the Nonjews is a killer.”



Hyperliterally:

A good one that is among the Nonjews is a killer.

טוֹב שֶׁבַּגּוֹיִים הָרוֹג

(Kidushin 66c.)



Note: הָרוֹג , irregular plural הָרוֹגוֹת (Post-Biblical Hebrew) killer, murderer. (Klein. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language.)



In the days of Ben Yokhai, the “greatest” of the Nonjews was Caesar Hadrianus, indeed a killer.



Even before Ben Yokhai, Yhoshua (Historical Jesus) teaches this same Tora tradition:

And Yhoshua called them unto him.
He said:
You know:

As: The chiefs of the Nonjews oppress among them.
And the great ones dominate among them.

It will not be thus among you ones.
But each someone that will desire
to be great among you ones,
will be a servant that (belongs) to you ones.

וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ קָרָא אֶלָיו אֹתָם
אָמַר
אַתֶּם יֹדְעִים

כִּי שָׂרֵי הַגּוֹיִם רֹדִים בָּהֶם
וְהַגְּדוֹלִים שֹׁלְטִים בָּהֶם

לֹא כֵּן יִהְיֶה בָּכֶם
כִּי אִם כֹּל מִי אֲשֶׁר יִרְצֶה
לִהְיוֹת גָּדוֹל בָּכֶם
יִהְיֶה מְשָׁרֵת אֲשֶׁר לָכֶם

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς
εἶπεν
οἴδατε

ὅτι οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν
καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι κατεξουσιάζουσιν αὐτῶν

οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν
ἀλλ ὃς ἐὰν θέλῃ
ἐν ὑμῖν μέγας γενέσθαι
ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος

(Mt 20'25-26.)



It is an uncomfortable fact of history, the “great” empires among Nonjews - especially the Pagan Roman Empire - achieved their “greatness” by becoming brutal killers.

When Yhoshua and Ben Yokhai refer this tradition of Nonjewish oppressors, they seem to refer to four specific Nonjewish governments who oppress the Jewish Land of Yisrael, as the Tanakhi (biblical) Book of Daniel describes them.

Daniel portrays these four governments as parts of an idolatrous statue. (Daniel 2'31-45.)

• The head is gold corresponding to the Kingship of Bavel (Babylonian Empire).
• The chest and arms are silver for the Kingship of Madai and Paras (Mede and Persian Empire).
• The belly and thighs are bronze for the Kingship of Yavan (several Hellenistic governments, namely, Aleksandros the Great, Ptolemaic Egypt, and Selucid Syria).
• The shins and and feet are iron corresponding, as the Rabanim (Rabbis) understand it, to the Kingship of Rome.

The kingship of Rome also encompasses several governments: Roman, Byzantine, and other governments emerging from the Roman legal system, such as Nazi Germany.

This fourth Kingship, Rome, mixes partially with a fifth Nonjewish Kingship, because the iron intermingles with clay to form the feet. But the iron and clay fail to blend or adhere. This fifth kingship comes to correspond with the Arab Empires, and other governments that emerge from its legal system.

The iron and clay alternate their coercive control over the aboriginal Jewish Land of Yisrael.

Ultimately, God will overthrow these historically oppressive Nonjewish governments, and will empower an aboriginal Jewish government over the Land of Yisrael. Daniel visualizes this sacred ancestral government as a holy unhewn stone. The Kingship of the Heavens.

Tora (Judaism) recognizes the authority that comes from violence, but the violence has no authority in itself, and no merit. Only the Tora itself has the authority. Only those who choose to pursue the authority of Tora gain merit.

This authority that comes from love, is “the kingship of the heavens” מַלְכוּת הַשָּׁמַיִם .

Stones of Heavens - Shimon Ben Yokhai

(Vere, Stein-Atle. ©2011. “Stones of Heavens: Shimon Ben Yokhai”. brakha.blogspot.com.)



Also Known As
• Rav Shimon Ben Yokhai רַב שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי , Rashbi רשב״י ; Rav: Rabi, Rabbi, Raban, Rabban; Shimon: Simeon, Simon; Bar Yochai בר יוחאי , Son of Yohai, Yoḥai.
• Pesakh פסח , Pesach, Pesah, Pesaḥ, Feast of Passover.
• Shavuot שבועות , Shavuos, Feast of Weeks.
• Lag Ba'Omer לַ״ג בָּעוֹמֶר , thirty-third day in the counting of the Omer, 33 in the Omer.
• Khoshen חֹשֶׁן , Choshen, Hoshen, Ḥoshen, chestpouch amulet, breastplate.



Here is the traditional song to celebrate the spiritual teacher, Rav Shimon Ben Yokhai.

The song describes the ancient spiritual teacher ascending the levels of reality, while becoming one with God. At the highest level, at the absolute unity with the infinity of God, the No-End אין סוף , Ben Yokhai wears the Khoshen amulet of the Kohen Ha'Mashiakh that features the twelve gem stones of the heavens and that carries the Urim and Tumim objects to divine the desire of God.

The twelve stones physicalize the infinite.

The kin of Yisrael sing the song especially during his Hilula, his memorial anniversary. It coincides with Lag Ba'Omer, the thirty-third day between the festivals of Pesakh and Shavuot.

Ben Yokhai arises a Tora teacher of the Land of Yisrael, during the Classical Age circa 100 to 160. He is a student of Rabi Akiva, knowing the catastrophe of the Bar Kokhba Revolt, when the Empire of Rome genocides the Yhudim in the region of Yhuda (Judea), especially its capital city, Yrushalayim. Yet Ben Yokhai transmits an undying spiritual heritage that transcends all. The books of Mishna, Talmud, and Midrash mention his sayings frequently.

Altho his own father Yokhai enjoys the favor of the court in Rome, Ben Yokhai criticizes the Roman tyranny. His own student informs the Roman governor, who then orders his execution. Shimon Ben Yokhai and his son Elazar Ben Shimon flee the Roman authorities. The two go into hiding, adapting a hermetic life in a cave in the region of Ha'Galil (Galilee), for thirteen years. They emerge after the Roman Emperor dies.

They spend their time in seclusion studying the Tora together.

They emerge with extraordinary insight. The merit of this doing Tora saves the future of the world.

A thousand years later during the Medieval Age, the book of the Zohar emerges into history. It reports the insights that Rav Shimon Ben Yokhai and his son Rav Elazar Ben Yokhai discover during their study.



In the Modern Age circa 1500s, Shimon Ibn Lavi, a refugee from the Expulsion from Spain, settles in Tunis. He composes the song.

The holy sage, Ben Yokhai, transcends each of the ten levels of reality, becoming one with God.

The level of escape reorients toward life in tune with spirituality.

Moshe sees the acacia tree revealing a blaze of divine light.

Up at the level of war, he battles his own selfish predatory impulse. The victory is reusing ones own selfish needs to remind oneself of the great needs that others also have, thus motivating oneself to passionately fulfill the desires of others. Loving them as one loves ones self.

At the highest level of this world, the lions visualize the majestic and supreme power of compassion חסד . These embody the compassionate reuse of the predatory impulse, conquering and transforming the limitations of selfishness into wise altruism. The male lion being the spiritual light of compassion, and the female lion being the physical compassionate actions, they become one, the leonine. Spirituality and physicality becoming the light of compassionate actions.

Beyond this world, exists the level of the world that is coming, where ones eternal consciousness נשמה transcends space and time.

Wisdom is the infinite light of God − that creates and fulfills infinite desire.

Infinite power conceals within the Tora scroll.



Notice. As Ben Yokhai peers over the edge of reality into infinite light beyond any, he wears the priestly crown of the Kohen Ha'Mashiakh.

And Ben Yokhai wears the Khoshen: this priestly Chestpouch amulet, features the twelve stones of the heavens.

These twelve gems that imprint the names of the twelve tribes of Yisrael, physicalize oneness with infinity.

Ben Yokhai Translated by Stein Atle Vere. ©2011. brakha.blogspot.com.	בר יוחאי Shimon Ibn Lavi. Modern Age circa 1500s, today Tunisia.
Ben Yokhai, you were anointed. Fortunate ‹are› you!   The oil of joy ‹is› from your companions.	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, ‹by› the oil of the anointing of holiness,   You were anointed, from the measure of the holiness.   You carried ‹up› the bud ‹of the inscription› of the ‹priestly› diadem of the holiness.   Your adornment ‹is› donned on your head.	בַּר יוֹחַאי שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ  נִמְשַׁחְתָּ מִמִּדַּת הַקֹּדֶשׁ  נָשָׂאתָ צִיץ נֵזֶר הַקֹּדֶשׁ  חָבוּשׁ עַל רֹאשְׁךָ פְּאֵרֶךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, you inhabited a good inhabitance.   A day you fled ‹is› a day that you escaped.   In the cave of cliffrocks, that there you stood,   You acquired your glory and your opulence.	בַּר יוֹחַאי מוֹשַׁב טוֹב יָשַׁבְתָּ  יוֹם נַסְתָּ יוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּרַחְתָּ  בִּמְעָרַת צוּרִים שֶׁעָמַדְתָּ  שָׁם קָנִיתָ הוֹדְךָ וַהֲדָרֶךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, the woods of acacias stand.   They are studying the teachings of God.   The light made wondrous ‹is› the light of the blaze. They are blazing.   Is it not, your instructors will instruct you?	בַּר יוֹחַאי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים עוֹמְדִים  לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ הֵם לוֹמְדִים  אוֹר מֻפְלֶא אוֹר הַיְקוֹד הֵם יוֹקְדִים  הֲלֹא הֵמָּה יוֹרוּךָ מוֹרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, and you went up the field of apples   To glean from the balms in it.   The mystery of Tora ‹is› as buds and flowers.   “We will do Humanity”, was said in your behalf.	בַּר יוֹחַאי וְלִשְׂדֵה תַפּוּחִים  עָלִיתָ לִלְקוֹט בּוֹ מֶרְקָחִים  סוֹד תּוֹרָה כְּצִיצִים וּפְרָחִים  נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם נֶאֱמַר בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, you were strapped in ‹the belt of› overpowering.   And in the war of fire of rite, toward the gate.   And you brought out a sword from its scabbard.   You brandished ‹it› counter to your distressors.	בַּר יוֹחַאי נֶאֱזַרְתָּ בִּגְבוּרָה  וּבְמִלְחֶמֶת אֵשׁ דַּת הַשַּׁעְרָה  וְחֶרֶב הוֹצֵאתָ מִתַּעְרָהּ  שָׁלַפְתָּ נֶגֶד צוֹרְרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, to the place of the stones of calcite ‹of pure white marble›,   You arrived before a lion of leonine,   Also, the knob of the crowning on a she-lion.   You will watch me. And who will watch you?	בַּר יוֹחַאי לִמְקוֹם אַבְנֵי שַׁיִשׁ  הִגַּעְתָּ לִפְנֵי אַרְיֵה לַיִשׁ  גַּם גֻּלַּת כּוֹתֶרֶת עַל עַיִשׁ  תָּשׁוּרִי וּמִי יְשׁוּרֶךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, in the Holiness of the Holinesses,   The line of green makes months new.   Seven Shabatot ‹are› the mystery of the Fifty.   You connected the connections of ‹the letter› Shin ‹as› your connections.	בַּר יוֹחַאי בְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים  קַו יָרוֹק מְחַדֵּשׁ חֳדָשִׁים  שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת סוֹד חֲמִשִּׁים  קָשַׁרְתָּ קִשְׁרֵי שִׁי"ן קְשָׁרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, ‹the letter› Yod ‹is› primal Wisdom.   You peered into its interior honor.   ‹The heart is› 32 paths of the Firstpart of donation.   You ‹Wisdom› are the ‹angelic› Kruv of the anointing place. Refulgence ‹is› your light.	בַּר יוֹחַאי יוּ"ד חָכְמָה קְדוּמָה  הִשְׁקַפְתָּ לִכְבוֹדוֹ פְּנִימָה  לֵב (שְׁלשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם) נְתִיבוֹת רֵאשִׁית תְּרוּמָה  אַתְּ כְּרוּב מִמְשַׁח זִיו אוֹרֶךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, the light made wonderous ‹is in› loftiness above.   You dreaded from ‹going› to look, as ‹reason that› massive   Concealed ‹mystery› ‹belongs› to it. And ‹Wisdom is› calling ‹the name› for it, No-Thing.   You made oracle: “Eye will not watch you”.	בַּר יוֹחַאי אוֹר מֻפְלֶא רוּם מַעְלָה  יָרֵאתָ מִלְהַבִּיט כִּי רַב לָהּ  תַּעֲלוּמָה וְאַיִן קוֹרָא לָהּ  נַמְתָּ עַיִן לֹא תְשׁוּרֶךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai, fortunate ‹is› the one birthing you!   Fortunate ‹are› the kin! They are your studying ones.   And fortunate ‹are› the ones standing on your mystery,   Clothed ‹in› the Khoshen of your Tumim and your Urim.	בַּר יוֹחַאי אַשְׁרֵי יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ  אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם הֵם לוֹמְדֶךָ  וְאַשְׁרֵי הָעוֹמְדִים עַל סוֹדֶךָ  לְבוּשֵׁי חשֶׁן תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ
Ben Yokhai ...	בַּר יוֹחַאי נִמְשַׁחְתָּ אַשְׁרֶיךָ  שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ

Image
• (Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Woods of Acacias Are Studying”. brakha.blogspot.com. Source of derivation: freeisraelphoto.com. Creative commons 2011. Site: http://www.freeisraelphotos.com/index.html, 2011. Image: http://www.freeisraelphotos.com/photo/83. - check out this amazing site!)

Mashiakh Ben Yosef and Yhoshua

(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Mashiakh Ben Yosef”. brakha.blogspot.com.)



Also Known As
Mashiakh Ben Yosef משיח בן יוסף : Mashiach Ben Yosef, (Mashiah, Mashiaḥ, Messiah, “Annointed” King), Messiah Son of Joseph, Mashiakh Ben Efrayim, Messiah Son of Ephraim.



Mashiakh Ben Yosef and Yhoshua

As the New Testament evidences, Yhoshua יהושע (Historical Jesus) already knows the Rabani רבני (Rabbinic) tradition about another future King of Yisrael, called Mashiakh Ben Yosef משיח בן יוסף (“Messiah Son of Joseph”).

The New Testament itself shows how ancient this Rabani prophetic tradition is, existing at least five centuries before the Talmud and a millennium before Hai Gaon. Yhoshua also expects this prophetic warrior leader to appear at a future time, during the salvation of the children of Yisrael.

Prophecies describe spiritual forces, the discernable patterns. It is possible to “destroy evil” by repenting and returning to a life of God and compassion. It is possible to “destroy enemies” by these enemies becoming compassionate allies. But it is impossible to “calculate” how prophecies play out because they depend on human freewill. There are spiritual influences that are in play - pattern, probabilities, even inevitabilities - and it is wise to anticipate them. Prophecies of judgment, failure, or grief, remind us of our choice between two futures: the painful way or the difficult way.

As other Yhudim (Jews) hope for this future Mashiakh Ben Yosef, so does Yhoshua. Thus the Notsrim (Christians) also − according to the New Testament − hope for this holy warrior leader to succeed to make a better world possible.

(Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. “Mashiakh Ben Yosef, The Olive Tree”. brakha.blogspot.com.)

The name “Mashiakh Ben Yosef” משיח בן יוסף is actually a title, the “Anointed” King “the Child of Yosef”. It refers to a future king from Efrayim, one the two tribes that descend from Yosef. The other tribe is Mnashe. (Interestingly, today Samaritans descend from Yosef via the tribe of Efrayim.)

The Children of Yisrael officially anoint Ben Yosef to rule the Land of Yisrael. He frees the capital city, Yrushalayim (Jerusalem), from the Empire of Rome. But then the nations expel the remaining Children of Yisrael, forcing them to become stateless persons that inhabit the “wildernesses” of the Diaspora (perhaps like today refugee camps). This king arises during a future seven-year period that heralds a new age of humanity, the Mashiakh Age.

Note, the earliest mention of the title “Mashiakh Ben Yosef” is in the Book of the Talmud, in Suka (pages 52ab). Inferring from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), from the Book of Zkharya (Zechariah 12:10), it refers to a “pierced” Mashiakh, who the nations kill. However, the person that this title refers to, is already an ancient prophetic tradition, many centuries old even by the time of the Talmud. The New Testament mentions him in the Book of Revelation (chapter 11:).

The New Testament refers to Mashiakh Ben Yosef as one of “the two olivetrees” αι δυο ελαιαι. Here the New Testament cites the Book of Zkharya (4:12, 14), where it explains, “The two branches of the olivetrees” שְׁתֵּי שִׁבֲּלֵי הַזֵּיתִים are “two children of the oliveoil that ‹are› standing on ‹behalf of› the Lord ‹God› of all of the Land” שְׁנֵי בְנֵי־הַיִּצְהָר הָעֹמְדִים עַל־אֲדֹון כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ .

This word “oliveoil” יּצהר literally means something like “shining” olive oil, a high quality. This is the kind of oil that is used to officially inaugurate certain government leaders. In other words, to crown them. Instead of crowns, the Tanakh uses a pouring of olive oil on the head to ritually install the Melekh (king) and also to install the Kohen Ha'Gadol (“the Great Kohen”, the high priest). Both of these persons are a Mashiakh משיח , literally one who is “Anointed” to rule. One is the Anointed King, and the other is the Anointed Kohen. The New Testament refers to this future king poetically, as Zkharya does, as an “olivetree”. The Talmud refers to this same king more specifically as Mashiakh Ben Yosef, a member of the tribe of Efrayim, to distinguish him from the more famous king, Mashiakh Ben David, a member of the tribe of Yhuda (Judah), who is also a descendent of ancient King David who will restore a Neo-Davidic Dynasty. This Return from Exile to Yrushalayim with a simultaneous anointment of a King and a Kohen, resembles the first Return from Exile from Bavel to Yrushalayim, when the both the political Nkhamya (Nehemiah) and the priestly Ezra become rulers.



Below I supply two parallel versions from the traditions about Mashiakh Ben Yosef. The first one is the Rabani consensus on these traditions, that Rav Hai Gaon רב האי גאון transmits in his response letter, The Salvation הישועה , during the Medieval Age circa 1000. The second one is an example of these traditions from one thousand years earlier, that Yhokhanan יהוחנן , one of the students of Yhoshua, transmits in his Book of Revelation, during the Classical Age circa 60.

Note, I suspect Yhokhanan composes Revelation before 70, before the destruction of the Second Temple. I find this context unlikely to fail to mention the destruction if it already occurs. He says the Temple and its Innercourt still exist in purity, despite the Roman soldiers patrolling the Outercourt, thus defiling the outer part. Today scholars tend to date his book to circa 90, after the destruction. Either way, the document is circa 00s, transmitting a proto-rabbinic tradition of the first century CE.

Revelation by Yhokhanan stylizes the prophetic traditions. Its structure uses separate visions and chains of events that sometimes unfold simultaneously. This can make the chronological sequence uncertain. Fortunately, The Salvation by Hai Gaon summarizes the same traditions in straightforward manner, and helps clarify the sequence of the future events.

Hai Gaon. Medieval Age circa 1000. The Salvation.	Yhokhanan. Classical Age circa 00s. Revelation 11-12. (NASV)
( Sevensome Of Years )	(The armies of the Roman Empire will trample Yrushalayim for half of the sevensome of years.)
Sages ‹ of the Talmud › gave us a sign . And they said : « ‹ In › a sevensome ‹ of years › , ‹ Mashiakh › the Child of David ‹ is › coming . » Etcetera . ( Sanhedrin 97a . ) Per such ‹ per this order of kingships › , when we are seeing that Edom ( Rome ) ruled in the Land of Yisrael , we are trusting that our salvation began . ‹ As it › that is being said ‹ in the Tanakh › : « And, saviors will go up . » Etcetera . ( Ovadya 1:21 . )	Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said: “Get up and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.” “Leave out the court which is outside the Temple, and do not measure it. For it has been given to the nations. And they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.”
( Mashiakh Ben Yosef )	(The “two olivetrees”, Mashiakh the King and Mashiakh the Kohen, will stand in Yrushalayim, before the Temple of the Lord.)
And in that time , a person will stand , ‹ from the Tribe of Efrayim › from the Children of Yosef . ‹ But › solely in the outland . And he will be called Mashiakh ( Anointed King ) of God . And persons amassing will collect toward him in Ha'Galil Ha'Elyon ( Upper Galilee ) . And he will be a king for them . And even other persons will get gleaned to him . Two and three ‹ persons › from this state , and five and four from this ‹ other › state . And on the same hour , he is saying : « And, I will take you ones , a one from a town . » Etcetera . ( Yirmyahu 3:13 . ) But the majority of ‹ the Kin of › Yisrael ‹ will stillmore be › in their Diaspora . As ‹ reason › that it will not get clear to them , as so , the extremity ‹ is › coming .	“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
( Mashiakh Ben Yosef Frees Yrushalayim )	(The “two olivetrees” wield the power of the words of the Tora to free Yrushalayim.)
And then Mashiakh Ben Yosef will go up from Ha'Galil to Yrushalayim ( Jerusalem ) , with the persons thats being gleaned toward him . And they will kill the official that ‹ belongs › to the King of Edom and the kin that ‹ are › with him . On the same hour , ‹ Mashiakh Ben Yosef › is saying : « And, I will give my vengeance at Edom by the hand of my Kin of Yisrael . » ( Ykhezkel 25:14 . ) And they will return to Yrushalayim ‹ for › several days . And they will regret , as per their deeds . On the same hour , ‹ Mashiakh Ben Yosef › is saying ‹ from Yrushalayim › : « And, I will make you ones pass under the staff ‹ of leadership of the Tora › . And, I will bring you ones in the tradition of ‹ the Tora › the Treaty ‹ with God › . » And ‹ however › masses will go out from the treaty of Yisrael . As ‹ reason › that they will awaken in their lifes . And about them he is saying : « And, I made you ones pass ‹ under the staff › . And my clearing ‹ away › from you ones ‹ is › the rebels and criminals at me . » ( Ykhezkel 20:37-38 . )	And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies. So if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
( Armilus the King of Edom Rome )	(The “Beast” is the King of Rome, identified as the “Fourth Beast” of the Book of Daniel. See Revelation 13.)
And it was , as ‹ the time › that Mashiakh Ben Yosef inhabited in Yrushalayim , and all of the kin that ‹ is › with him . And Armilus ‹ the King of Edom Rome › heard the report of them . And he is coming . And he does sorceries and seductions to make masses ‹ of the ethnicities › stray in ‹ regard to Yrushalayim › . And he will go up and war at Yrushalayim . And he will triumph ‹ against › Mashiakh Ben Yosef and ‹ the ones › with him . And he will kill ‹ some › from them . And he will capture ‹ some › from them . And he will divide their loot . On the same hour , ‹ Armilus › is saying : « And, I will gather all of the ethnicities toward Yrushalayim for war . » ( Zkharya 14:2 . ) And ‹ Armilus › will even kill Mashiakh Ben Yosef . And ‹ there › will be a great besiegement for Yisrael . And on the same hour ‹ Mashiakh Ben Yosef › is saying : « And, they will look toward me ‹ the one › that they stabbed . » Etcetera . In that day , the eulogy will greaten in Yrushalayim . ( Zkharya 12:10 . )	When they have finished their testimony, the Beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
( Laborpains of Mashiakh )	(The Satan the “dragon” − an aspect of the human impulse of the bad יצר הרע − desires to capture the new government of Mashiakh Ben David − an aspect of the triumph of the human impulse of the good יצר הטוב . The “woman” is Yrushalayim, the capital city of the Land of Yisrael, where they will anoint him king. Moreover, Yrushalayim as a woman personifies the Shkhina שכינה the “Residing” of God in the Temple, an aspect of the Spirit of the Holy.)
And these ones were found that remained in Yrushalayim . They will be smelted . And they ‹ are › being refined . And even if only these ones that went out to the wildernesses ‹ are being › examined and were refined . And it went from these ones , two hands ‹ being two parts › , and a third ‹ part › from these ones remained . About them ‹ God › is saying : « And, it will be in all of the Land . The oracle of God : ‹ From the whole › mouth , two ‹ thirds › will be severed , and ‹ one › third will be extra in ‹ Yrushalayim › . » Etcetera . And in ‹ the › same hour , all of the laborpains of Mashiakh will pass over them , thats being explicated in an amount of sites from the Bible and from the talks of our Rabot ‹ master teachers of Tora › . ( Zkharyahu 13:8 )	A great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And she was with child. And she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: And behold, a great red dragon. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
( Mashiakh Ben David )	(In the Book of Revelation, this “child” is Mashiakh Ben David. Apparently, Revelation preserves a prophecy about a future king, who is someone different from Yhoshua the Historical Jesus. Yhoshua sees himself in spiritual unity with the Kingship of God, but in several places, he rejects identification with the physical king that is futurely to restore the ancient Davidic Dynasty. Thus in Revelation, this “son who is to rule all the nations” apparently refers to a future physical king, who is not Yhoshua, but some other descendent of David. The power of this king comes from God, thus transcends the power of the Satan. Because a king represents the whole kingdom of his citizens who he heads, he as a kingdom is “born” sotospeak, in Yrushalayim, when the Children of Yisrael officially anoint him the King of Yisrael, the Mashiakh Ben David.)
And also Mashiakh Ben David ( Anointed King the Child of the Dynasty of King David ) will be revealed to these ones thats remaining in the Land of Patros ( Southern Egypt ) . As ‹ reason › that Mashiakh Ben Yosef already conquered the kin before him . ‹ As it › that ‹ is › being said : « Heres me sending my messenger . And, he will pivot a way before you ‹ to Yrushalayim › . » ( Malakhi 3:1 . )	And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
( Mashiakh Ben David Enlivens Mashiakh Ben Yosef )	(Revelation says, Mashiakh Ben Yosef resurrects when “the breath of life from God came into them”. Hai Gaon specifies this breath happens when Mashiakh Ben David “will enliven him by the talk of God”, that is, by the power of speaking the words of the Tora of God. From both descriptions, this is eternal resurrection that transcends physical vulnerability, not a temporary resuscitation. It is a firstfruit, a special “beginning” of the “enlivenment of the dead ones” that later Yisrael as a whole nation experiences together.)
And ‹ the Children of › Yisrael that ‹ will be › in the Land of Yisrael with Mashiakh Ben David , about them , it ‹ is › saying : « In those days , the House of David will go on ‹ account of › the House of Yisrael . » Etcetera . And the majority of the ones killed inside the Land will be ‹ there for › forty day . As ‹ reason › that Mashiakh Ben Yosef , in his being killed , his corpse will be being tossed ‹ unburied for › forty day . And no impure thing will touch at him upto the coming of Mashiakh Ben David . And ‹ Mashiakh Ben David › will enliven ‹ Mashiakh Ben Yosef › by the talk of God . And this is the beginning of the signs that ‹ Mashiakh Ben David › will do . And this ‹ sign › is the enlivening of the dead ones , ‹ so › that he will enliven .	(The two olive trees.) And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (That is, the “great city” is Yrushalayim during the time that the Beast conquers it at makes it part of the Empire of Rome. It is called Sodom and Egypt because there God Godself is about to destroy the King of Rome.) Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days. And they will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate. And they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here " Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. (Note, there are different opinions about how long the corpse of Mashiakh Ben Yosef stays dead, out in the open. Hai says, it remains for forty days. Revelation says, the nations watch the corpse for three and a half days. Arguably, the corpse “will lie in the streets” for forty days, but the nations “will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days”, toward the end of the forty days.)
And then Mashiakh Ben David will inhabit . And Eliyahu and Yisrael thats coming from the wildernesses to Yrushalayim . Securely serene amassing days . And they will build houses , and they will incline vineyards , and they will succeed in acquisition ‹ of commodities › and acquirement ‹ of assets ›	Then the seventh angel sounded (a Shofar). And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord (God) and of His Christ (Mashiakh). And (our Lord God) will reign forever and ever."

Hai Gaon. The Salvation.	Yhokhanan. Revelation 10. (NASV)
( Why Kill Mashiakh Ben Yosef ? )	( The prophecy tastes sweet as honey because Mashiakh Ben Yosef, one of the “two olivetrees”, will be able to liberate Yrushalayim and become the Anointed King of Yisrael. But the prophecy becomes bitter because God allows the King of Rome to kill Mashiakh Ben Yosef. (An angel with a small book about this prophecy stands on a coastline. Possibly his foot on the Land refers to the authority over the Land of Yisrael, while his foot on the Sea refers to the authority over the Children of Yisrael who live in the Exile among the wildernesses of the nations. These are the ones who make Mashiakh Ben Yosef their king.)
And because of what was authorization ‹ from God › given to Armilus ‹ the King of Edom Rome › to kill Mashiakh Ben Yosef ‹ the King of Yisrael › ? So as to break the doubleheart of the divided ones that ‹ belong › to Yisrael . That theres no trust ‹ that belongs › to them . And they will say : This ‹ is › the person that for him we are hoping . And already he came , and he was killed . And a salvation for them does not remain . And they will go out from the Treaty of Yisrael ‹ with God › . And they will adhere in the nations . And ‹ however the nations › will kill them . And about them ‹ Armilus › is saying : « They will die by the sword , all who sin with me . » ( Amos 9:10 . )	I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. And he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying: “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel, who stands on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” I took the little book out of the angels hand and ate it. And in my mouth it was sweet as honey. And when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me: “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

Image
• (Vere, Stein Atle. ©2011. Image: “Mashiakh Ben Yosef − The Olive Tree”. brakha.blogspot.com. Source of derivation. Sharif, Ilan. אילן שריף . Public domain 2010. Image: “The Warrior” הלוחם. Archeological Sites In Israel. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PikiWiki_Israel_7681_Archeological_sites_of_Israel.JPG. Note: The warrior is closeup of a mosaic from Bet Khag Ha'Nilus בית חג הנילוס “The Vacation House of The Nile”, from the Classical Age circa 500s, in the ancient City of Tsipori ציפורי , in the northern region of Ha'Galil, Yisrael.)

See Also
• (Hai Gaon האי גאון . Medieval Age circa 1000. “The Salvation” הישועה . Hebrew edition and English translation via Stein Atle Vere. ©2011. brakha.blogspot.com. Source of transmission: The Sensicality Of Elders טעם זקנים . Gleaned via Eliezer Ashknazi. ©1855.
http://brakha.blogspot.com/2011/04/hai-gaon-salvation-english.html, 2011.)