Rabbi Brody noted that the lunar eclipse falls on the 16th day of the Hebrew month of Av. The preceding day – the 15th of Av – is referred to as Tu B’Av, which Rabbi Brody explains is “the best day of the year for the Jewish People.”
Rabbi Brody also notes that the lunar eclipse falls during the Sabbath after Tisha B’Av, the fast day commemorating the destruction of both Jewish Temples. “[This is] the Sabbath of consolation, when Hashem consoles His people the Shabbat following the 9th of Av,” Rabbi Brody wrote. Brody highlighted that the remarkable duration of the eclipse also had significance.
In the context of the lunar eclipse being a sign for Israel, Brody clarified how it could be either an omen for bad or an omen for good. “The total time of the upcoming eclipse, the longest of this century, will be 6 hours, 13 minutes,” the rabbi explained. “613 is the exact number of the Torah’s commandments. Coincidence? No such thing.”
The specific meaning of this eclipse will depend on how a person relates to the 613 commandments. “Everything Hashem does is a phenomenal mercy,” Brody said. “There is so much good in Israel even though this is one of the most difficult generations. The
yetzer hara (evil inclination) has the most incredible tools in all the screens and the Internet, to pull people away from God and
kedusha (sanctity). Even so, people are still holding on to their belief.”
This was the key to what type of omen this lunar eclipse will be in the context of global redemption focused on Israel. “If someone is clinging to Hashem, there is no safer place than the land of Israel,” Rabbi Brody said. “But if someone is not doing hashem’s will, then there is no more dangerous place than the land of Israel.”
Other spiritual leaders also saw significance in this lunar eclipse. In a recent
video, Rabbi
Matityahu Glazerson, a Torah Codes expert, found clues hidden in the Book of Numbers for this specific lunar eclipse. Using a Torah program that searches for equidistant letter sequences in the Bible, he discovered the words אב ליקוי חמה (the month Av, lunar eclipse). He also found a code for the exact date, 15th of Av, 5778.
In this code was a verse the rabbi felt was especially poignant for this era. You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I Myself abide, for I
Hashemabide among
B’nei Yisrael.
Numbers 35:34
The rabbi noted that Tu B’av is the Jewish holiday of love. But, he warns, it is precisely a perverted power of love that can turn the lunar eclipse into a harsh judgement for Israel. “There is no more abomination of the land than homosexuality,” Rabbi Glazerson said. “We need to do
tshuva (repentance) for such a severe sin. The Torah warns us that this sin brings a lot of anger from heaven.”
FacebookTwitterGoogle+Pinterest
