לזכר נשמות לאה שושנה בת אהרן ריעדער מורינו ר׳ צבי הערש בן ר׳ ניסן חיים מורינו ר׳ ישעי בן ר׳ משה ר׳ יעקב בן ר׳ שמואל יוסף מ׳ חוה רבקה בת ר׳ שמעון ריעדער

Based on Nefesh Shimshon by Rav Shimshon Pincus, zt”l

Heaven is very different than Earth. Heaven is a place where, “Glory and Splendor are before Him.”

The angels stand and sing praises before Hashem.

On Earth, things are different. People are busy with the mundane.

This World is different than what will be when Mashiach comes. Everything will change. Even according to the Rambam’s ruling that the only difference between Mashiach and now is that the Jewish people will not have to be subjugated to the nations, still, there will certainly be a level of prophecy. That already is a different reality.

As Jews, we believe that our mundane world of today is directly connected to the kedushah that fills the heavens and Olam Haba.

For example, the events that will surround the coming of Mashiach:

Chazal tell us the period just before he comes is called ikvasa d’Meshicha, the heels of Mashiach.

It’s a strange term. Shouldn’t it be the “heels of galus”? Or the “head of Mashiach”?

The “heels of Mashiach” sounds like a misnomer!

But in reality, the term “ikvasa d’Meshicha” provides a profound truth.

When two things are joined, they require a link. Like a bracelet, linking chains together. So too, ikvasa d’Meshicha links the heel days of galus with the head days of Mashiach.

Therefore, the last days of galus will contain some of the light of the glory days of Mashiach!

Today, we see miracles and wonders that can only be identified as coming from the days of Mashiach.

One of these is the tremendous teshuvah movement of our day.

Tens of thousands of people living ignorant lives suddenly wake up and make a 180 -degree turn.

And it works in the opposite direction too.

We like to think when Mashiach comes, everything will be perfect.

That is not the case:

Why do people gather and nations speak for nothing? The kings of the earth stand themselves up and leaders consult together, against Hashem and His Mashiach.

When Mashiach comes, all the nations will join together and fight him and it’ll be the influence of galus linking to the days of Mashiach.

The efforts of the nations will be in vain, as it says, “He Who Sits in Heaven will Laugh.”

Now let’s apply this idea to the Beis Hamikdash.

Our world is earthly and material, while Heaven is a world of kedushah.

Yaakov Avinu slept at the sight of the future Beis Hamikdash, and dreamed of a ladder.

“Behold, a ladder stands on the ground and its head reaches the Heavens.”

This ladder was the Beis Hamikdash. Part in Heaven, part on Earth, linking the two.

Heaven meets earth through the Beis Hamikdash and vice versa.

It is written regarding the Kohein Gadol when he entered the Kodesh Kedoshim: “and no man should be in the Ohel Moed when he enters to atone in the holy place, until he exits.”

This verse teaches that no human being was permitted to be anywhere in the vicinity when the Kohein Gadol entered the Kodesh Hakedoshim.

Because that moment, with the Kohein Gadol behind the paroches, the glory of heaven would be revealed.

No human could be there: the Kohein Gadol was transformed into an angel with a face of fire.

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Let’s Reflect:

These are new concepts for us! How can we internalize these ideas? What does it mean to realize we are in the ikvasa d’Meshicha?

In what ways do we witness the linking of the End of Days with the Coming of Mashiach?

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