ISRAEL. – Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky is an authority on Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jewish society. The most recent messages from him have been clear and unequivocal: all Jews must return to Israel as soon as possible.
He believes that this is a spiritual action that marks the arrival of the Jewish Messiah. Following an ancient oral rabbinical tradition (Talmud), he believes that a great event will take place after the end of the Jubilee year, which will end in September.
According to the Orthodox news service Kooker (published only in Hebrew), Kanievsky was recently speaking with a faithful Jew who was mourning the death of his son. During the condolence visit, he said: “The rescue is closer than ever… Don’t be sad. The Messiah is already here. He will reveal himself very soon.”
Last year, the rabbi, who is considered one of the greatest living Torah scholars, had said that the Messiah would come this year. Megillah 17b of the Talmud says that the Messiah would come in the year after the Shmittah, the end of the seven-year cycle, after a period of war. According to the Hebrew calendar it will end on the evening of the 29th of Elul 5776.
The news quickly spread through the ultra-Orthodox community. In particular, why two months ago, the Jewish site Kikar Shabbat revealed that there was a meeting of the most respected rabbis of the ultra-Orthodox branch: Moshe Sternbuch and Chaim Kanievsky met to address this issue. His conclusion is that we live in the last days before the revelation of the Messiah.
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