Torah Prophecies

Torah Prophecies

miracles in Gulf War The Torah's prophecies of the return of the Jews to Israel - "And it will be, when all these things come upon you the blessing and the curse.. Then, the L-rd, your G-d, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from all the nations, where the L-rd, your G-d, had dispersed you" (Deut.30:1-6). This happened just after the "curse" of the Holocaust. But can a nation exiled from its homeland and splintered into a dozen minor ethnic groups for 2,000 years, have the ability and resolve to return en masse to their homeland and become a universally recognized world power? This category includes the miraculous victories of the Israeli army (see for example: here^[1] or here^[2] or here^[3]). Even Ben Gurion who was a secular Jew is quoted as saying: "In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles". There is a documentary "Against all Odds" by Michael Greenspan with eyewitness accounts of miracles. Some arabs even reported seeing apparitions which scared them off. This is all the more amazing when you consider how bitterly and relentlessly the arab armies fought (and continue to fight) the Jews' return (the sight of Jews there fills them with burning, murderous hatred. For in truth, the very existence of the state of Israel highlights the falsehood at the foundation of their religion - Moshe Feiglin).
The Torah's prophecy that no Nation shall dwell in Israel during the Exile - the Torah states regarding the exile: "I will make the Land desolate, so that it will become desolate [also] of your enemies who live in it. And I will scatter you among the nations" (Lev.26:32). Since the Jews left Israel 2000 years ago, no nation was able to establish itself there. The land was mostly barren and desolate. When Mark Twain visited Israel in the 1800s he observed (Innocents Abroad 1869):

"...[a] desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds-a silent mournful expanse... A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action... We never saw a human being on the whole route... There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of the worthless soil, had almost deserted the country...
Of all the lands there are for dismal scenery, I think Palestine must be the prince. The hills are barren, they are dull of color, they are unpicturesque in shape. The valleys are unsightly deserts fringed with a feeble vegetation that has an expression about it of being sorrowful and despondent. The Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee sleep in the midst of a vast stretch of hill and plain wherein the eye rests upon no pleasant tint, no striking object, no soft picture dreaming in a purple haze or mottled with the shadows of the clouds. Every outline is harsh, every feature is distinct, there is no perspective -- distance works no enchantment here. It is a hopeless, dreary, heart-broken land...Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes."
The keen person will notice that these things are not just predictions. They are also falsifiable promises spanning thousands of years that only God can guarantee. Go ahead and try to find such promises in any other religious text.

Other Torah Prophecies

Eternity of the Jewish people - "So said the L-rd who gives the sun to illuminate by day, the laws of the moon and the stars to illuminate at night, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar, the L-rd of H-osts is His Name. If these laws depart from before Me, says the L-rd, so will the seed of Israel cease being a nation before Me for all time" (Jeremiah 31:34). This prophecy was said 2400 years ago just after the first temple destruction. Many more verses like this. We have witnessed in our times how the Jews arose phoenix-like from the ashes of the holocaust.
Always Few in Number - the Torah promised a paradox. Eternity of the Jewish people on one hand even during the long exile and on the other hand, always few in number: "And you shall remain few in number among the nations to which G-d shall lead you" (Deut. 4:27). Indeed, the Jews have been bouncing back and forth at the bottom of the population graph throughout the exile. This highlights the special providence on the Jewish people and combined with their prominence makes them a conversation piece in world affairs. For they are like a bad penny which one tries to get rid of and forget yet it keeps coming back. (On this Mark Twain wondered: "If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one percent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of...)
Dispersed among the Nations - "And the L-rd will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other" (Deut.28:64)
Persecution among the Nations - "And among those nations, you will not be calm, nor will your foot find rest" (ibid) Indeed, historically the Jews have been expelled from virtually every country in which they have resided ^[4].
The Covenant is Binding - many Jews have tried to cure this hatred by abandoning the Torah and becoming like the nations but history shows it has resulted in the opposite effect, as predicted in the verse (Ezekiel 20) "When you say, 'Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of other countries...' As I live says the L-rd G-d, I will rule over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath.." The State of Israel was founded in the hope of curing this anti-semitism and becoming like the nations but paradoxically, it has become the source of anti-semitism worldwide (among other things, the state has kindled the wrath of the arab world and this fury has spread worldwide on all Jews).
International Isolation - similar to above, the torah predicted: "the nation shall dwell alone and not be reckoned among the nations" (Numbers 23:9). The destiny of the Jews is international isolation and to stand apart from the nations.

History shows that although Jews have tried many times to be reckoned among the nations, but sooner or later, they were put back in their destined place. Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (1843–1926) famously wrote of contemporary German Jewry, in his book Meshech Chochmah (Lev.26:44), "They think that Berlin is Jerusalem.... From there will go forth a great storm that will uproot them." We can also see this today with Israel's international isolation at the UN.
Unique Troubles - the Jews are supposed to reveal G-d to humanity. If they follow the Torah, they will do this through supernatural blessings (as was the case in the days of Solomon). But if they don't, they will reveal G-d in reverse manner - through supernatural troubles that befall them as the Torah writes (Deut. 29): "And all the nations will say, Why did the L-rd do so to this land? What [is the reason] for this great rage of fury? Then they will say, It is because they abandoned the covenant of the L-rd, G-d of their fathers, [the covenant] which He made with them when He took them out of Egypt".
Tisha b'Av - the Talmud (Taanit 29a) states that G-d set aside Tisha B'av (9th of Av) as a day for troubles. Rashi there explains: "it is frequent for bad events to occur on that day". Even the Rambam, who is inclined to offering rational explanations for Torah, writes (Hilchot Ta'aniot 5:3) "Tisha B'av is a day set aside for sorrows". We find, sadly, the Talmud's assertion to be historically accurate: The First Crusade was declared by Pope Urban II on July 20, 1095 (in Jewish Calendar Av 9, 4855), killing 10,000 Jews in its first month and destroying Jewish communities in France and the Rhineland. Jews were expelled from England on July 25,1290 (Av 9, 5050 in Jewish Calendar). Jews were expelled from Spain on August 11, 1492 (Av 9, 5252 in Jewish Calendar). On Tisha B'Av 5674 (August 1, 1914), World War I broke out, causing unprecedented devastation across Europe and setting the stage for World War II and the Holocaust.^[5]. On August 2, 1941 (Av 9, 5701), SS commander Heinrich Himmler formally received approval from the Nazi Party for "The Final Solution." As a result, the Holocaust began during which almost one third of the world's Jewish population perished.^[6]
Light unto the Nations (Isaiah 42:6) - despite being the most hated people, few in number and dispersed across the globe, Jews are the most influential people the world has known ^[4]. In the 20th century for example, of the big revolutionaries Darwin, Freud, Marx, and Einstein - 3 of them were Jewish. Who can deny that the 7 commandments of Bnei Noach (don't kill, set up courts of law, humane killing of animals for food, don't blaspheme G-d, etc.) have not become an integral part of western civilization. The world used to be a place of anarchy and human sacrifice (see audio "World Perfect" here^[7] for just what a disaster the world used to be). Likewise for the 7 day work week with one day for spiritual reflection.

Maimonides teaches us in (Laws of Kings 11:11) that Christianity and Islam were allowed to flourish in order to spread major concepts of Judaism to the world. These two religions are basically watered down forms of Judaism:
"And all of these events involving Jesus the Nazarene, and this Ishmaelite who succeeded him [i.e. Mohammad] - they are only to prepare the way for the messianic king, and to improve the whole world to serve G-d together. As it says (Tzephaniah 3:9): 'For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of the L-ord, to serve Him with one consent'".
Perhaps both Islam and Christianity were allowed to flourish so neither one can claim proof of its religion based on strength of numbers.
Teshuva (Return) Movement - (Deut. 4:30) "When you are distressed, and all these things happen upon you in the end of days, then you will return to the L-rd your G-d and obey Him" - in our times there is an unprecedented movement of Baalei Teshuvas (secular Jews who return to Judaism). Even in secular Tel Aviv, new prayer minyans are popping up everywhere and demand for Torah classes is higher than ever. (our times are widely seen as the "end of days" era for various reasons).
Spiritual Searching - "Behold, days are coming, says the L-ord G-d, and I will send a famine into the land, not a famine for bread nor a thirst for water, but to hear the word of the L-ord" (Amos 8:11). In our times there is an unprecedented search for meaning. This is not only for Jews but also there is a great increase in converts. A friend of mine in Israel who works in this area said he has never seen anything like this. There is a rapid increase in non-Jews seeking to convert in our times.
End of Days - we have a tradition that the Jewish calendar will not exceed 6000 years (Rosh Hashana 31a, Sanhedrin 97a, Zohar 1:117a) (current year:5784). We can see in our times the pace of events accelerating exponentially more than any other time in world history. Something is brewing. More on this later..
Insolence and Rebelliousness at End of Days - the Talmud (Sotah 49a) gives some prophetic signs of the "end of days":
"insolence (chutzpah) will increase and honor will dwindle. The governments will turn to heresy. The meeting-place of scholars will be used for immorality. The wisdom of the learned will degenerate, those who fear sin will be despised, and the truth will be lacking. Youth will put old men to shame, the old will stand up against the young, a son will disgrace his father, a daughter will rebel against her mother. So upon who is there to rely? Upon our Father in Heaven."
Have these signs been fulfilled in our times? The rebelliousness of the youth seems to have really picked up with the Hippy generation and continues well into today. As for heresy and "despising those who fear sin", the public has clearly turned towards atheism. The atheists supported by the governments of the nations with billions in funds have harnessed all the schools, literature, press, televisions, etc. to spread their views to the masses under the guise of science^[8]. Believers in G-d are ridiculed and lampooned with derogatory terms such as "fundamentalist", "ignorant", "anti-science", "creationist", etc. the list goes on and on.

As for the degeneration of the learned, anyone familiar with torah scholarship can testify that although we definitely have huge numbers of people today learning torah full time, the caliber of scholars is nowhere near anywhere close to what it was just a few decades ago. "The truth will be lacking" - the leftists, liberals, anti-theists, lgbt, etc. have fulfilled this to the hilt. Likewise the stone blind scientists have pumped humanity with foolish and stupid beliefs such as that blind chance can act as an engineer and produce the vast wisdom in living things.

"Of course it can", they will tell you. "Don't you see the results! What you want to bring us back to the middle ages?!". As for immorality, the television networks have bombarded the youth with obscene images, music videos and movies and now the internet has made the filthiest obscenities a mere click away for the curious youth. Modesty in dress has collapsed. There is a harrowing and rapid breakdown of values in secular society as people become more and more like animals. Can things get any worse?
Eternity of Torah Study - "as for Me, this is My covenant with them," says the L-rd... My words that I have placed in your mouth, shall not move from your mouth or from the mouth of your seed and from the mouth of your seed's seed," said the L-rd, "from now and to eternity" (Isaiah 59:21). Likewise: "because it will not be forgotten by their descendants" (Deut. 31:21). Even today, no shortage of Yeshivas and Kollels. On the contrary, more today than at least since Temple times.
Eternity of Torah Observance - "it will not be forgotten by their descendants" (Deut. 31:21), "they will believe in you (Moses) forever" (Ex.19:9). Indeed the torah laws are still meticulously observed in all their myriad details by orthodox Jews even today despite all the horrible persecutions and suffering throughout history for practising Judaism. It is a fundamental principle of Judaism that the Torah received at Sinai will never be changed nor become obsolete. This concept is mentioned in the Torah no less than 24 times, with the words:

"This is an eternal law for all generations" (Exodus 12:14, 12:17, 12:43, 27:21, 28:43, Lev. 3:17, 7:36, 10:9, 16:29, 16:31, 16:34, 17:7, 23:14, 23:21, 23:31, 23:41, 24:3, Numbers 10:8, 15:15, 19:10, 19:21, 18:23, 35:29, Deut. 29:28)^[9]. Likewise, the very last of the prophets was Malachi, among whose very last words were "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant which I commanded him at Horeb (Sinai) upon all Israel statutes and judgments. Behold, I send to you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of G-d" Malachi 3:22-23. The Torah of Moses, not of the Nazarene or the Mohamed, with its statutes and its judgments - not merely its general principles, remaining in full force even until the coming of the last day^[10]
Never Been Heard Again - "For ask now regarding the early days that were before you... was there anything like this great thing, or was the likes of it ever heard?" (Deut. 4:32). No nation has ever made claims of mass divine revelation on the scale of the Exodus from Egypt. More on this next section. see also end of this^[11]. .
Sabbath - "Thus shall the people of Israel observe the Sabbath, to make the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. It is an eternal sign between Me and the people of Israel" (Ex.31:16). Both Christianity and Islam have sought to replace Judaism. The arabs built mosques on Jewish holy sites like the Temple mount in Jerusalem, the tomb of the Patriarchs, Samuel the Prophet, Ezekiel, etc. etc. Likewise the arabs' denying Jewish history and accusing Jews of lying on everything, etc. Despite all these attempts to replace Judaism, the Sabbath has remained intact and the two imitating religions chose Sunday and Friday respectively for their "Sabbath" instead of Saturday fulfilling the promise of the above verse. .
Prophecy in Megilah Esther - out of several millions letters in the Bible, a few dozen of them are purposely written smaller or larger by the Tradition. Four of those are in the Megilah Esther in the names of the ten sons of Haman who were hanged. (this is confirmed by manuscripts hundreds of years old in museums) Those 4 special letters code the Hebrew year 5707 (1946) whereby the 10 Nazi criminals were hanged after the Nuremberg Trials over 2300 years later. Weirdly, just before being hanged, Julius Strecher swung suddenly to face the witnesses and glared at them before screaming "Purim Fest 1946"^[12]. see "Realization of Prophecy in our Times" by Rabbi Mordechai Kraft available here^[13]. must see.
Eternity of the Western Wall - the Midrash Raba (part of the Oral Law from Sinai) which was put to writing 1600 years ago explained the verse "behold, he is standing behind our wall" (Songs 1:9) - Midrash Raba: "this refers to the western wall. G-d swore it would never be destroyed forever."

Since then many wars befell Jerusalem, Jerusalem was destroyed and rebuilt no less than nine times - with each conqueror further attempting to obscure the glorious Jewish past. And through it all, one symbol remained intact - the Western Wall ! ^[14].

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Footnotes