I thought that this would be appropriate to post now, at the beginning of the month of Av - a month filled with calamities for the Jewish people throughout history. Yet this month is associated with the coming of Mashiach, and in the future (please G-d soon) will become a day of celebration instead of mourning.

Hi friend,

I wanted to point out something that I think the author of the article you posted should have told us.
The author says:

Let me be frank, the apocalypse is coming and there is no way to avoid it

The Rambam, of blessed memory, would disagree with such a statement, and he does so here in the Mishneh Torah:

Mishne Torah > Sefer Mada > Hilchot Yesodey HaTorah > Perek yud > chelek dalet:

דברי הפורענות שהנביא אומר, כגון שיאמר פלוני ימות או שנה פלונית שנת רעב או מלחמה וכיוצא בדברים אלו, אם לא עמדו דבריו אין בזה הכחשה לנבואתו ואין אומרין הנה דבר ולא בא. שהקב”ה ארך אפים ורב חסד וניחם על הרעה. ואפשר שעשו תשובה ונסלח להם כאנשי נינוה או שתלה להם כחזקיה: אבל אם הבטיח על הטובה ואמר שיהיה כך וכך ולא באה הטובה שאמר בידוע שהוא נביא שקר, שכל דבר טובה שיגזור הא–ל אפילו על תנאי אינו חוזר.

Translation:
“Words of calamity that a prophet says, for example that he says So-and-So will die or Such-and-Such a year will be a year of famine or war, and similar type words - if his words do not come about in the future, this is not a proof against his being a true prophet, and we do not say “He spoke and it did not come true!” Rather, we know that The Holy One Blessed is He is slow to anger and great in kindness and relented on the calamity that was decreed.

And it’s possible that the people [upon whom the calamity was decreed] repented and were forgiven, as in the case of the people of Ninveh [in the story of Yonah and the whale]…But if the prophet promised something positive and said that there will be Such-and-Such [positive things] and the positive things that the prophet said did not come about - with certainty he is a false prophet, because everything good that G-d will decree, even on condition, will never be reversed!”
END RAMBAM QUOTE.

The prophecies involving calamities that our prophets made do NOT have to come about since Hashem is forgiving, merciful, and compassionate.

When world events happen according to the frightening prophecies, it is a proof that we have not done enough teshuvah (repentence). But if the terrible things do NOT happen (G-d willing), it means that our teshuvah was accepted, and Mashiach will come ברחמים through mercy and compassion as opposed to through calamities.

Part of this is understanding - knowing - that Hashem is compassionate and merciful and wants us to improve our ways so that the calamities will not come about.

Another thing that disturbs me about the above quote from the article is that it goes against the following teaching in Judaism from the Talmud:

The sages taught in the Talmud that one must not give up hope in G-d’s Mercy even when “the blade is against your throat.”

Having said the above (Rambam and the Talmud), I am perplexed and concerned that the author of the article you posted for us would say:

“the apocalypse is coming and there is no way to avoid it…“

What do you think? Perhaps I’m reading this wrong?

May Hashem send us Mashiach with mercy and compassion speedily in our days. And may we know what to do to merit such a future.

blessings,
Daniel

Many of the Torah’s prophecies have been reexamined in the context of our modern world - especially those relating to weapons of mass destruction and the Jewish People’s return to the Land of Israel.

But what about this prophecy from Zachariah:

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, that they shall make themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations…
- Numbers 15:38

And then you start to see tzitzit everywhere…

Israeli soldier during Second Lebanon War 2006.

Ehthiopian Jews getting married in Israel, using the Tallit (tzitzit and garment) as their chupah.

Another wedding using the Tallit as their chupah.

Bloody tzitzit garmet in aftermath of the 2008 Merkaz HaRav terrorist attack in Jerusalem.
(Source: IsraelNN.com)

Jewish children, keeping the mitzvah of wearing tzitzit for generations and generations!

What are Tzitzit?