Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir
There is a Jewish tradition that we bless the bride and groom under the chuppah with the blessing of the Matriarchs: “The L-rd make the woman that is come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel” (Ruth 4:11).
How did these two build the house of Israel? From Rachel emerged Yosef and from Leah emerged King David, and from those two, in turn, shall emerge Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David.
Through Mashiach ben Yosef shall be revealed the nationhood of the Jewish People (Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Orot 160), while through Mashiach ben David “shall be revealed the climax of nationhood, the longing to unite all mankind into one family, and for them all to proclaim G-d’s name” (Orot, ibid.).
These two Meshichim will ultimately be united together, as the Prophet Yechezkiel said:
“Thus says the L-rd G-d: ‘Behold, I will take the stick of Yosef, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them unto him together with the stick of Yehuda, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand’” (Yechezkiel 37:19).
And when shall we be privileged to unite the two Meshichim? In the time of the ingathering of the exiles:
“Thus says the L-rd G-d: ‘Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, whither they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all” (ibid., 37:21-22).
Today, how fortunate we are to be living in the generation of the ingathering of the exiles. The Jewish People are returning to their land, and the nationalist aspect of our people is more and more being consolidated in the shape of an independent country with a strong economy and military. The land is being built up, and already today holds an important place in the family of nations.
Yet this is not our goal. We did not establish a state just for the sake of our existential interests. The purpose of the State and People of Israel is to benefit the whole world, to shower goodness and light on all mankind, as was promised to Avraham: “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.…. Through you shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'” (Bereisheet 12:2-3).
Moreover, Yishayahu said:
“At the end of days, the mountain of the L-rd's house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. Many peoples shall go and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd, to the house of the G-d of Jacob. He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem.” (Yishayahu 2:2-3)
Mashiach ben Yosef is the preparation for Mashiach ben David, just as King Shaul, who came from Binyamin and Rachel, is the preparation for King David, of Judah and Leah.
The day is not far off when we will be privileged to see with our own eyes, the fulfillment of Yechezkiel's words:
“They shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children's children, forever. David My servant shall be their prince forever” (Yechezkiel 37:25).
Looking forward to salvation,
Shabbat Shalom.
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