An Invasion of Israel? Jan.15, 2012?

The Jan.15, 2012 date: The first Gulf War in 1991 was fixed to begin on this date. Events in the solar calendar have particular significance for the non-Jewish world and those in the lunar calendar are significant for the Jewish world. (see BT Tractate Succa 29a – a solar eclipse is a bad omen for the non-jewish people and a lunar eclipse is a bad omen for the jewish people).

In 2012, the interval between Jan. 15 and Oct. 07, Hoshanna Rabbah – the seventh day of Sukkot, is exactly 266 days – 38 weeks, i.e. the nine months of a human pregnancy. According to BT Yoma 10a, "Ben-David (the Messiah) will only arrive after the evil kingdom of Rome dominates the entire world for a period of nine months as it says in Micah 5:2 "therefore give them the time it takes for her to give birth." The events at the closing stages of the Redemption process will last the nine months of human gestation.

Since it is understood that the finale of G-d's victory over the nations at the close of the Gog and Magog War takes place on the seventh day of Sukkot – Hoshanna Rabbah, it is logical to seek the year when this interval is 266 days. 2012 is such a year.

In Zechariah 14, it states that in response to the nations' invasion of Eretz Yisrael, - "And Hashem will go forth and do battle with those nations as on the day of His fighting on the day of Battle." The Targum Yonatan renders this: - "As on the day that he fought the battle at the Red Sea", referring to the night of the seventh day of Passover, when the Egyptian pursuers were drowned in the Red Sea.

Since G-d's victory over the Egyptians in the Exodus culminated in the crossing of the Red Sea and the final destruction of the Egyptian enemy on the seventh day of Passover, so in the Final Redemption on the Seventh Day of Sukkot all the nations who were/are enemies of the jewish people will be destroyed. As it states in Michah 7:15 "kimei tzeitcha mei-eretz Mitzrayim ar'enu niflaot" – "I will show you miraculous events (at the Final Redemption) as in the days of the Exodus."

The connection with the Sukkot holiday is clearly indicated in Zechariah 14 and is the reason the chapters related to the War of Gog and Magog were chosen to be read as Haphtorot on Sukkot.

This connection is Torah-mandated. The 70 bulls sacrificed on Sukkot in the Holy Temple on behalf of the welfare of the 70-nations of the world are sacrificed not 10 per day for 7 days, but in a curious countdown from 13 on the first day to 7 on the last day. The total is 70, but the declining numbers are an ominous message to the nations that in the ultimate events to take place on Sukkot, they will not fare well (unless there is massive Teshuva – repentance - on their part; see Rashi on Numbers 29:18).



As quoted above, Maimonides warns that no one knows for sure to what events specific prophecies refer until they come to pass. However, we live in times so replete with prophecies in the midst of fulfillment that we may be forgiven for constructing possible scenarios.

The above is one such scenario, congruent with Jewish sources. There may be others with different outcomes. If there is an armed invasion of Israel by a joint Christian-Moslem force intending to eject jewish people from the historic Land of Israel, and this takes place in early 2012, there will be those who will ominously predict the imminent demise of the independent State of Israel, as there are even those who do so today.

However, as described above, the outcome may be dramatically more favorable for the jewish people. There will be no room for despair, but rather for intense optimism, and that precisely is the message of Rav Saadyah Gaon above in explaining why we have been provided by Divine guidance with all this information.

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