Does redemption mean healthier and safer lives?
In the past 30 years, air pollution is down a third.
In the past 20 years, deaths from heart disease are down 50% and US traffic accidents are down 35%.
In the past 10 years, medical advances are up 100% and American recycling is up 1000%.
Over the past 12 years, the crime rate in New York City is down 60%.1
That is the situation we are in. We are cruising toward the redemption on spaceship earth.
The Creator has given us a time frame, and has given us landmarks to watch for while we travel the road to redemption. G-d tells us these signs through prophecy.
The written and oral Torah are full of signs, prophecies about social, political and even environmental changes in the era immediately prior to the redemption.
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Who can count the terrible and insoluble ills that humanity faces today? Hundreds of millions are starving right now. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, floods and hurricanes are battering the planet at a quickening pace.
The global environment is speedily deteriorating as it becomes more and more evident that no one can stop the degradation of our oceans, the buildup of greenhouse gases, or the depletion of atmospheric ozone.
Torah scholars have associated these changes with the prophesied "footsteps of Moshiach." Thank G-d for that because only a Divine intervention can remedy these immense problems.
Even (and especially) in the richest of societies there is an insidious erosion of family and community values, total alienation and a consequent plague of random acts of violence including children murdering their parents, teachers, and each other.
For oppressed people there are the additional problems, the ravages of war and terrorism.
The entire populace of Israel is at risk, as their suicidal government continues to release convicted terrorists, and hand over land to a people, whose national covenant calls for the destruction of Israel.
There is no solution to these problems and even if there was, who has the power to heal such pervasive calamities? Clearly any remedy must come from Above. As it surely will, just like the Biblical prophets attest
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Our Sages have told us, that it is our very impatience with the way things are, that will catalyze their remedy.
We must train ourselves to see human misery as an anomaly, a terrible yet transient, abnormal state of affairs that can and must give way to a normal life of goodness, kindness, health, prosperity and G-dliness revealed in the world.
So what if thousands of years of experience have ingrained in us an exile mentality?
The truth is that redemption is eternal, while exile is temporary. If one compares the infinite duration of redemption to the thousands of years of suffering, it is clear that the normal state of affairs is the way it will be in the true and complete redemption through Moshiach.
If we focus on the need to eradicate the bad in ourselves and in the world, we will be motivated to act quickly.
There is even greater motivation with the awareness that the redemption is literally at hand, a hairsbreadth away, ready to be catalyzed by any one good act.
Our sages have taught us, that the joyful anticipation of redemption is merit enough to make the redemption happen, because it demonstrates true and unbounded faith, in the imminent fulfillment of the promises of G-d.
When one looks through the eyes of Torah, at the big and little changes that are happening around us, it is clear, that as bad as things may look, all the pieces are about to fall into place in a most beautiful, harmonious, and timeless way. In fact, many of those pieces have fallen into place already.
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Thousands of years ago, as recorded in the holy book of Zohar, the Sages foretold of an era starting in the year 5600, (corresponding to 1840 CE) where spiritual and worldly knowledge will flood human consciousness prior to the ultimate redemption.
This closely matches the timing of the discoveries which form the basis of modern science. This is true in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology.
This period also marked the publishing of the seminal works of Chassidism, the spiritual discipline focused on the knowledge of G-d, the purpose of man, and the ultimate redemption.
Thousands of years ago, when plagues decimated populations, average life expectancy was short, and death was final; the Sages foretold an era of health, longevity, and eventually eternal life.
Nowadays medical miracles abound, the average lifespan is lengthening, and revival of the dead has been accomplished in the operating room, as well as in the laboratory.
Thousands of years ago, the Sages foretold of an era when people will have lots of leisure time to think about G-d in the world.5
During the time of the sages, survival was a challenge and people worked much harder. Food, clothing and shelter, took a lot more time and effort, than today.
Thousands of years ago, when the world spoke countless languages, and worshipped countless gods, the Sages spoke of a time, when mankind would share a common language, and an interest in one G-d.6
We see the feasibility of a common language coming about, when we consider the pervasiveness of English worldwide. Regarding common interest, who among us doesn't have an opinion on the existence and relevance of G-d?
Thousands of years ago, when the world was thought of as flat, without maps or the internet; the Sages spoke of a time, when all the people in the whole, round7 world, will share Divine information together.8
The world is round, everybody's logged on, and sharing information. It's not yet divine, but it's a start. Moshiach won't have to search for a way for the whole world to quickly tune in to his message.
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And then there are geopolitical signs.
In the 1950's and 1960's, American citizens were building nuclear fallout shelters. Nuclear war was a very real possibility between America and the Soviet Union. Almost occurring with the Cuban missile crisis.
Contingency plans for rebuilding America, saving the president in the event of nuclear war, were thoroughly developed.
But in 1990-1991, the repressive Communist regimes of the Soviet bloc fell in a series of bloodless revolutions.
They have been followed by more humane governments, which allow their citizens physical and spiritual freedoms undreamed of for over 70 years.
America assisted Russia, its former mortal enemy, in its transition, to redirect itself within the world community, in a manner more favorable to everyone. Fallout shelters are a thing of the past, not the present.
Look at South Africa. Former slaves are allowed the rights of full citizenship. Human rights, human dignity are a global moral issue, very much alive in the realm of world politics.
Look at Somalia. U.S. troops brought food to a population in crisis. Instead of launching missiles and dropping bombs, superpowers are launching websites and their aircraft are dropping humanitarian aid packages.
Regional conflicts, get almost immediate superpower attention to extinguish the possibility of war spreading. This contrasts with previous decades, when regional conflicts were exploited, for national or special interests.
The U.S. military has established a new policy regarding technological advances in weaponry. There must be research and application of a "peaceful use" factor. Laser weapons, bring about laser eye surgery.
Meanwhile Russian "swords to plowshares" progress, is even more dramatic. They have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in a multi-national program, for converting all Russian war machinery and technology, to peacetime uses.
What about the prophecy of the spiritual return of the Jews to the traditional Torah lifestyle? This too is taking place. Fifty years ago, Jewish observance was relatively rare. Today wherever there are Jews, there is a roots revival.
Among the indicators are sustained, accelerating growth in the number and quality of Jewish educational institutions, Kosher food sales, synagogues, and outreach organizations.
The signs are all pointing in the same direction. The goal of history is rapidly approaching. Moshiach and redemption, are around the corner.
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FOOTNOTES
1. Templeton, John M. 1997. Is Progress Speeding UP? Templeton Foundation Press.
2. Shnay Luchos HaBris, Parshas Beshalach
3. Likutei Amarim Tanya by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, English Edition. 1984. Kehos Publication Society. NY. p.155 and pp.379-381; Zohar II 255a; III
4. Imagine the second to the last chord in a classical symphony. It's unresolved, yet it's all set up. You haven't heard the resolution but you can imagine it so clearly that it heightens your sense of anticipation.
5. Isaiah 49:23; 60:10-12; 61:5; Eliyabu Rabbab Ch.4
6. Maimonides, Laws of Kings 11:4; Zephaniah 3:9; Isaiah 2:2-3; Michah 4:1-2; 18 Invei Eshkolos
7. Invei Eshkolos
8. Isaiah 40:5
