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Amen to Moshiach

Rabbi Yehoshua Alt

Please send your feedback to [email protected]

Listen to the short Fascinating Insights podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insights, where it can also be downloaded!

To purchase any of the author’s books, please send an email to [email protected] or visit https://www.amazon.com/Books-Yehoshua-Alt/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AYehoshua+Alt.

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at [email protected]. Thank you.

לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר

This newsletter can also be viewed at https://www.dirshu.co.il/category/הורדות-עלונים/fascinating-insights/ and http://www.ladaat.info/showgil.aspx?par=20200425&gil=2725

Archives: https://parshasheets.com/?s=Rabbi+Yehoshua+Alt

To view these essays in German, please visit https://judentum.online/

Please feel free to print some copies of this publication and distribute them in your local Shul for the public, having a hand in spreading Torah.

Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of the books, Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights. His writings inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of Yerushalayim where he studies, writes, and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.

Amen to Moshiach

Many say  ברוך הוא וברוך שמוwhen Brachos are being recited. The Gra didn’t answer ברוך הוא וברוך שמו because he was afraid he would miss an Amen. He said there are two Amens that people forget to say: One is to המחזיר שכינתו לציון, Who restores His Presence to Zion where people may respond with מודים דרבנן without answering Amen to the Bracha. The other is הפורש סכת שלום עלינו…ועל ירושלים, Who spreads the shelter of peace upon us…and upon Yerushalayim, which we say in השכיבנו prior to Shemoneh Esrei on Friday night, where people may say ושמרו without responding with Amen. So, these Amens are to Zion and Yerushalayim. These Amens are so precious that maybe it is preventing the Geula.

 

Here is another interesting insight concerning ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. The followers of the false Moshiach Shabbtai Tzvi[1] (1626-1676) would make a special point of proclaiming ברוך הוא ברוך שמו when reciting Brachos because the Gematria of this phrase, 814, is identical to that of the name of their leader, שבתי צבי. They wanted to remember him in their prayers. For this reason, a number of great Jewish leaders and Torah sages refrained from using this formula in order to distance themselves from the falsifiers and said ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. Although it was the custom to say ברוך הוא וברוך שמו for hundreds of years prior to Shabbtai Tzvi,[2] the Shabbateans apparently adapted the phrase ברוך הוא ברוך שמו omitting the ו, in order to produce the Gematria they wanted. Those who respond today with ברוך הוא וברוך שמו when hearing a Bracha should be careful to vocalize the conjunctive ו.[3]



[1] During a short period in 1665, Shabbtai Tzvi enraptured many Jewish communities who believed he would redeem the nation of Israel and return them to their land. He had a great voice and was very charismatic. His first mistake was pronouncing the shem hamforush in public when there was no Beis Hamikdash. As a result of this, he was excommunicated. He then went to a different city where he convinced those there that he was Moshiach until when those attending the wedding he announced saw that he was getting married to a Sefer Torah. He left and was then arrested by the government for treason. The Ottoman Sultan, in Adrianople, Turkey, then gave him the option to be executed or convert to Islam. He chose to convert. As a result of his conversion, most of those who previously believed in him deserted him. He did however have a small group of followers that also converted to Islam. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi that converted to Islam with him live mainly in Turkey today, but also in Syria (as of the year 2015). Although most have assimilated into Turkish society, there are those that wanted to remain Jewish. These people practice Shabbatian customs. One such custom is that they celebrate the Ninth of Av, rather than fasting on that day, which is a custom that began in the time of Shabbtai Tzvi because of the belief that Moshiach had already come. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi do not believe that he actually converted to Islam. They believe that he acted outwardly as if he converted, but in secret, he maintained his Judaism. The Shabbatian’ explanation for his conversion is yerida l’tzorech aliya, (“a descent for the purpose of ascending”). They said we first have to lower ourselves to the lowest as this is part of the Moshiach process. The Ramchal suffered greatly because of the episode of Shabbtai Tzvi since anyone who learned kabbala after that period was already suspected. There was a positive to this incident of the false Moshiach as many Jews did teshuva because they thought he was the authentic Moshiach.

[2] See the Tur, Orach Chaim 124.

[3] See the sefer Baruch She’amar from R’ Baruch Halevi Epstein.

Author of the books Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights

 
Listen to the short Fascinating Insights Podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insightsRabbi Yehoshua Alt

Please send your feedback to [email protected]

Listen to the short Fascinating Insights podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insights, where it can also be downloaded!

To purchase any of the author’s books, please send an email to [email protected] or visit https://www.amazon.com/Books-Yehoshua-Alt/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AYehoshua+Alt.

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at [email protected]. Thank you.

לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר

This newsletter can also be viewed at https://www.dirshu.co.il/category/הורדות-עלונים/fascinating-insights/ and http://www.ladaat.info/showgil.aspx?par=20200425&gil=2725

Archives: https://parshasheets.com/?s=Rabbi+Yehoshua+Alt

To view these essays in German, please visit https://judentum.online/

Please feel free to print some copies of this publication and distribute them in your local Shul for the public, having a hand in spreading Torah.

Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of the books, Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights. His writings inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of Yerushalayim where he studies, writes, and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.

Amen to Moshiach

Many say  ברוך הוא וברוך שמוwhen Brachos are being recited. The Gra didn’t answer ברוך הוא וברוך שמו because he was afraid he would miss an Amen. He said there are two Amens that people forget to say: One is to המחזיר שכינתו לציון, Who restores His Presence to Zion where people may respond with מודים דרבנן without answering Amen to the Bracha. The other is הפורש סכת שלום עלינו…ועל ירושלים, Who spreads the shelter of peace upon us…and upon Yerushalayim, which we say in השכיבנו prior to Shemoneh Esrei on Friday night, where people may say ושמרו without responding with Amen. So, these Amens are to Zion and Yerushalayim. These Amens are so precious that maybe it is preventing the Geula.

 

Here is another interesting insight concerning ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. The followers of the false Moshiach Shabbtai Tzvi[1] (1626-1676) would make a special point of proclaiming ברוך הוא ברוך שמו when reciting Brachos because the Gematria of this phrase, 814, is identical to that of the name of their leader, שבתי צבי. They wanted to remember him in their prayers. For this reason, a number of great Jewish leaders and Torah sages refrained from using this formula in order to distance themselves from the falsifiers and said ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. Although it was the custom to say ברוך הוא וברוך שמו for hundreds of years prior to Shabbtai Tzvi,[2] the Shabbateans apparently adapted the phrase ברוך הוא ברוך שמו omitting the ו, in order to produce the Gematria they wanted. Those who respond today with ברוך הוא וברוך שמו when hearing a Bracha should be careful to vocalize the conjunctive ו.[3]



[1] During a short period in 1665, Shabbtai Tzvi enraptured many Jewish communities who believed he would redeem the nation of Israel and return them to their land. He had a great voice and was very charismatic. His first mistake was pronouncing the shem hamforush in public when there was no Beis Hamikdash. As a result of this, he was excommunicated. He then went to a different city where he convinced those there that he was Moshiach until when those attending the wedding he announced saw that he was getting married to a Sefer Torah. He left and was then arrested by the government for treason. The Ottoman Sultan, in Adrianople, Turkey, then gave him the option to be executed or convert to Islam. He chose to convert. As a result of his conversion, most of those who previously believed in him deserted him. He did however have a small group of followers that also converted to Islam. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi that converted to Islam with him live mainly in Turkey today, but also in Syria (as of the year 2015). Although most have assimilated into Turkish society, there are those that wanted to remain Jewish. These people practice Shabbatian customs. One such custom is that they celebrate the Ninth of Av, rather than fasting on that day, which is a custom that began in the time of Shabbtai Tzvi because of the belief that Moshiach had already come. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi do not believe that he actually converted to Islam. They believe that he acted outwardly as if he converted, but in secret, he maintained his Judaism. The Shabbatian’ explanation for his conversion is yerida l’tzorech aliya, (“a descent for the purpose of ascending”). They said we first have to lower ourselves to the lowest as this is part of the Moshiach process. The Ramchal suffered greatly because of the episode of Shabbtai Tzvi since anyone who learned kabbala after that period was already suspected. There was a positive to this incident of the false Moshiach as many Jews did teshuva because they thought he was the authentic Moshiach.

[2] See the Tur, Orach Chaim 124.

[3] See the sefer Baruch She’amar from R’ Baruch Halevi Epstein.

Author of the books Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights

 
Listen to the short Fascinating Insights Podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insightsRabbi Yehoshua Alt

Please send your feedback to [email protected]

Listen to the short Fascinating Insights podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insights, where it can also be downloaded!

To purchase any of the author’s books, please send an email to [email protected] or visit https://www.amazon.com/Books-Yehoshua-Alt/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AYehoshua+Alt.

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at [email protected]. Thank you.

לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר

This newsletter can also be viewed at https://www.dirshu.co.il/category/הורדות-עלונים/fascinating-insights/ and http://www.ladaat.info/showgil.aspx?par=20200425&gil=2725

Archives: https://parshasheets.com/?s=Rabbi+Yehoshua+Alt

To view these essays in German, please visit https://judentum.online/

Please feel free to print some copies of this publication and distribute them in your local Shul for the public, having a hand in spreading Torah.

Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of the books, Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights. His writings inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of Yerushalayim where he studies, writes, and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.

Amen to Moshiach

Many say  ברוך הוא וברוך שמוwhen Brachos are being recited. The Gra didn’t answer ברוך הוא וברוך שמו because he was afraid he would miss an Amen. He said there are two Amens that people forget to say: One is to המחזיר שכינתו לציון, Who restores His Presence to Zion where people may respond with מודים דרבנן without answering Amen to the Bracha. The other is הפורש סכת שלום עלינו…ועל ירושלים, Who spreads the shelter of peace upon us…and upon Yerushalayim, which we say in השכיבנו prior to Shemoneh Esrei on Friday night, where people may say ושמרו without responding with Amen. So, these Amens are to Zion and Yerushalayim. These Amens are so precious that maybe it is preventing the Geula.

 

Here is another interesting insight concerning ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. The followers of the false Moshiach Shabbtai Tzvi[1] (1626-1676) would make a special point of proclaiming ברוך הוא ברוך שמו when reciting Brachos because the Gematria of this phrase, 814, is identical to that of the name of their leader, שבתי צבי. They wanted to remember him in their prayers. For this reason, a number of great Jewish leaders and Torah sages refrained from using this formula in order to distance themselves from the falsifiers and said ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. Although it was the custom to say ברוך הוא וברוך שמו for hundreds of years prior to Shabbtai Tzvi,[2] the Shabbateans apparently adapted the phrase ברוך הוא ברוך שמו omitting the ו, in order to produce the Gematria they wanted. Those who respond today with ברוך הוא וברוך שמו when hearing a Bracha should be careful to vocalize the conjunctive ו.[3]



[1] During a short period in 1665, Shabbtai Tzvi enraptured many Jewish communities who believed he would redeem the nation of Israel and return them to their land. He had a great voice and was very charismatic. His first mistake was pronouncing the shem hamforush in public when there was no Beis Hamikdash. As a result of this, he was excommunicated. He then went to a different city where he convinced those there that he was Moshiach until when those attending the wedding he announced saw that he was getting married to a Sefer Torah. He left and was then arrested by the government for treason. The Ottoman Sultan, in Adrianople, Turkey, then gave him the option to be executed or convert to Islam. He chose to convert. As a result of his conversion, most of those who previously believed in him deserted him. He did however have a small group of followers that also converted to Islam. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi that converted to Islam with him live mainly in Turkey today, but also in Syria (as of the year 2015). Although most have assimilated into Turkish society, there are those that wanted to remain Jewish. These people practice Shabbatian customs. One such custom is that they celebrate the Ninth of Av, rather than fasting on that day, which is a custom that began in the time of Shabbtai Tzvi because of the belief that Moshiach had already come. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi do not believe that he actually converted to Islam. They believe that he acted outwardly as if he converted, but in secret, he maintained his Judaism. The Shabbatian’ explanation for his conversion is yerida l’tzorech aliya, (“a descent for the purpose of ascending”). They said we first have to lower ourselves to the lowest as this is part of the Moshiach process. The Ramchal suffered greatly because of the episode of Shabbtai Tzvi since anyone who learned kabbala after that period was already suspected. There was a positive to this incident of the false Moshiach as many Jews did teshuva because they thought he was the authentic Moshiach.

[2] See the Tur, Orach Chaim 124.

[3] See the sefer Baruch She’amar from R’ Baruch Halevi Epstein.

Author of the books Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights

 
Listen to the short Fascinating Insights Podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insightsRabbi Yehoshua Alt

Please send your feedback to [email protected]

Listen to the short Fascinating Insights podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insights, where it can also be downloaded!

To purchase any of the author’s books, please send an email to [email protected] or visit https://www.amazon.com/Books-Yehoshua-Alt/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AYehoshua+Alt.

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at [email protected]. Thank you.

לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר

This newsletter can also be viewed at https://www.dirshu.co.il/category/הורדות-עלונים/fascinating-insights/ and http://www.ladaat.info/showgil.aspx?par=20200425&gil=2725

Archives: https://parshasheets.com/?s=Rabbi+Yehoshua+Alt

To view these essays in German, please visit https://judentum.online/

Please feel free to print some copies of this publication and distribute them in your local Shul for the public, having a hand in spreading Torah.

Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of the books, Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights. His writings inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of Yerushalayim where he studies, writes, and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.

Amen to Moshiach

Many say  ברוך הוא וברוך שמוwhen Brachos are being recited. The Gra didn’t answer ברוך הוא וברוך שמו because he was afraid he would miss an Amen. He said there are two Amens that people forget to say: One is to המחזיר שכינתו לציון, Who restores His Presence to Zion where people may respond with מודים דרבנן without answering Amen to the Bracha. The other is הפורש סכת שלום עלינו…ועל ירושלים, Who spreads the shelter of peace upon us…and upon Yerushalayim, which we say in השכיבנו prior to Shemoneh Esrei on Friday night, where people may say ושמרו without responding with Amen. So, these Amens are to Zion and Yerushalayim. These Amens are so precious that maybe it is preventing the Geula.

 

Here is another interesting insight concerning ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. The followers of the false Moshiach Shabbtai Tzvi[1] (1626-1676) would make a special point of proclaiming ברוך הוא ברוך שמו when reciting Brachos because the Gematria of this phrase, 814, is identical to that of the name of their leader, שבתי צבי. They wanted to remember him in their prayers. For this reason, a number of great Jewish leaders and Torah sages refrained from using this formula in order to distance themselves from the falsifiers and said ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. Although it was the custom to say ברוך הוא וברוך שמו for hundreds of years prior to Shabbtai Tzvi,[2] the Shabbateans apparently adapted the phrase ברוך הוא ברוך שמו omitting the ו, in order to produce the Gematria they wanted. Those who respond today with ברוך הוא וברוך שמו when hearing a Bracha should be careful to vocalize the conjunctive ו.[3]



[1] During a short period in 1665, Shabbtai Tzvi enraptured many Jewish communities who believed he would redeem the nation of Israel and return them to their land. He had a great voice and was very charismatic. His first mistake was pronouncing the shem hamforush in public when there was no Beis Hamikdash. As a result of this, he was excommunicated. He then went to a different city where he convinced those there that he was Moshiach until when those attending the wedding he announced saw that he was getting married to a Sefer Torah. He left and was then arrested by the government for treason. The Ottoman Sultan, in Adrianople, Turkey, then gave him the option to be executed or convert to Islam. He chose to convert. As a result of his conversion, most of those who previously believed in him deserted him. He did however have a small group of followers that also converted to Islam. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi that converted to Islam with him live mainly in Turkey today, but also in Syria (as of the year 2015). Although most have assimilated into Turkish society, there are those that wanted to remain Jewish. These people practice Shabbatian customs. One such custom is that they celebrate the Ninth of Av, rather than fasting on that day, which is a custom that began in the time of Shabbtai Tzvi because of the belief that Moshiach had already come. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi do not believe that he actually converted to Islam. They believe that he acted outwardly as if he converted, but in secret, he maintained his Judaism. The Shabbatian’ explanation for his conversion is yerida l’tzorech aliya, (“a descent for the purpose of ascending”). They said we first have to lower ourselves to the lowest as this is part of the Moshiach process. The Ramchal suffered greatly because of the episode of Shabbtai Tzvi since anyone who learned kabbala after that period was already suspected. There was a positive to this incident of the false Moshiach as many Jews did teshuva because they thought he was the authentic Moshiach.

[2] See the Tur, Orach Chaim 124.

[3] See the sefer Baruch She’amar from R’ Baruch Halevi Epstein.

Author of the books Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights

 
Listen to the short Fascinating Insights Podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insightsRabbi Yehoshua Alt

Please send your feedback to [email protected]

Listen to the short Fascinating Insights podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insights, where it can also be downloaded!

To purchase any of the author’s books, please send an email to [email protected] or visit https://www.amazon.com/Books-Yehoshua-Alt/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AYehoshua+Alt.

To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, make it more appealing or anything else), to sponsor this publication which has been in six continents and more than forty countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at [email protected]. Thank you.

לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר

This newsletter can also be viewed at https://www.dirshu.co.il/category/הורדות-עלונים/fascinating-insights/ and http://www.ladaat.info/showgil.aspx?par=20200425&gil=2725

Archives: https://parshasheets.com/?s=Rabbi+Yehoshua+Alt

To view these essays in German, please visit https://judentum.online/

Please feel free to print some copies of this publication and distribute them in your local Shul for the public, having a hand in spreading Torah.

Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of the books, Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights. His writings inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of Yerushalayim where he studies, writes, and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.

Amen to Moshiach

Many say  ברוך הוא וברוך שמוwhen Brachos are being recited. The Gra didn’t answer ברוך הוא וברוך שמו because he was afraid he would miss an Amen. He said there are two Amens that people forget to say: One is to המחזיר שכינתו לציון, Who restores His Presence to Zion where people may respond with מודים דרבנן without answering Amen to the Bracha. The other is הפורש סכת שלום עלינו…ועל ירושלים, Who spreads the shelter of peace upon us…and upon Yerushalayim, which we say in השכיבנו prior to Shemoneh Esrei on Friday night, where people may say ושמרו without responding with Amen. So, these Amens are to Zion and Yerushalayim. These Amens are so precious that maybe it is preventing the Geula.

 

Here is another interesting insight concerning ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. The followers of the false Moshiach Shabbtai Tzvi[1] (1626-1676) would make a special point of proclaiming ברוך הוא ברוך שמו when reciting Brachos because the Gematria of this phrase, 814, is identical to that of the name of their leader, שבתי צבי. They wanted to remember him in their prayers. For this reason, a number of great Jewish leaders and Torah sages refrained from using this formula in order to distance themselves from the falsifiers and said ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. Although it was the custom to say ברוך הוא וברוך שמו for hundreds of years prior to Shabbtai Tzvi,[2] the Shabbateans apparently adapted the phrase ברוך הוא ברוך שמו omitting the ו, in order to produce the Gematria they wanted. Those who respond today with ברוך הוא וברוך שמו when hearing a Bracha should be careful to vocalize the conjunctive ו.[3]



[1] During a short period in 1665, Shabbtai Tzvi enraptured many Jewish communities who believed he would redeem the nation of Israel and return them to their land. He had a great voice and was very charismatic. His first mistake was pronouncing the shem hamforush in public when there was no Beis Hamikdash. As a result of this, he was excommunicated. He then went to a different city where he convinced those there that he was Moshiach until when those attending the wedding he announced saw that he was getting married to a Sefer Torah. He left and was then arrested by the government for treason. The Ottoman Sultan, in Adrianople, Turkey, then gave him the option to be executed or convert to Islam. He chose to convert. As a result of his conversion, most of those who previously believed in him deserted him. He did however have a small group of followers that also converted to Islam. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi that converted to Islam with him live mainly in Turkey today, but also in Syria (as of the year 2015). Although most have assimilated into Turkish society, there are those that wanted to remain Jewish. These people practice Shabbatian customs. One such custom is that they celebrate the Ninth of Av, rather than fasting on that day, which is a custom that began in the time of Shabbtai Tzvi because of the belief that Moshiach had already come. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi do not believe that he actually converted to Islam. They believe that he acted outwardly as if he converted, but in secret, he maintained his Judaism. The Shabbatian’ explanation for his conversion is yerida l’tzorech aliya, (“a descent for the purpose of ascending”). They said we first have to lower ourselves to the lowest as this is part of the Moshiach process. The Ramchal suffered greatly because of the episode of Shabbtai Tzvi since anyone who learned kabbala after that period was already suspected. There was a positive to this incident of the false Moshiach as many Jews did teshuva because they thought he was the authentic Moshiach.

[2] See the Tur, Orach Chaim 124.

[3] See the sefer Baruch She’amar from R’ Baruch Halevi Epstein.

Author of the books Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights

 
Listen to the short Fascinating Insights Podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insightsRabbi Yehoshua Alt

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Rabbi Alt merited to learn under the tutelage of R’ Mordechai Friedlander ztz”l for close to five years. He received Semicha from R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg ztz”l. Rabbi Alt has written on numerous topics for various websites and publications and is the author of the books, Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights. His writings inspire people across the spectrum of Jewish observance to live with the vibrancy and beauty of Torah. He lives with his wife and family in a suburb of Yerushalayim where he studies, writes, and teaches. The author is passionate about teaching Jews of all levels of observance.

Amen to Moshiach

Many say  ברוך הוא וברוך שמוwhen Brachos are being recited. The Gra didn’t answer ברוך הוא וברוך שמו because he was afraid he would miss an Amen. He said there are two Amens that people forget to say: One is to המחזיר שכינתו לציון, Who restores His Presence to Zion where people may respond with מודים דרבנן without answering Amen to the Bracha. The other is הפורש סכת שלום עלינו…ועל ירושלים, Who spreads the shelter of peace upon us…and upon Yerushalayim, which we say in השכיבנו prior to Shemoneh Esrei on Friday night, where people may say ושמרו without responding with Amen. So, these Amens are to Zion and Yerushalayim. These Amens are so precious that maybe it is preventing the Geula.

 

Here is another interesting insight concerning ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. The followers of the false Moshiach Shabbtai Tzvi[1] (1626-1676) would make a special point of proclaiming ברוך הוא ברוך שמו when reciting Brachos because the Gematria of this phrase, 814, is identical to that of the name of their leader, שבתי צבי. They wanted to remember him in their prayers. For this reason, a number of great Jewish leaders and Torah sages refrained from using this formula in order to distance themselves from the falsifiers and said ברוך הוא וברוך שמו. Although it was the custom to say ברוך הוא וברוך שמו for hundreds of years prior to Shabbtai Tzvi,[2] the Shabbateans apparently adapted the phrase ברוך הוא ברוך שמו omitting the ו, in order to produce the Gematria they wanted. Those who respond today with ברוך הוא וברוך שמו when hearing a Bracha should be careful to vocalize the conjunctive ו.[3]



[1] During a short period in 1665, Shabbtai Tzvi enraptured many Jewish communities who believed he would redeem the nation of Israel and return them to their land. He had a great voice and was very charismatic. His first mistake was pronouncing the shem hamforush in public when there was no Beis Hamikdash. As a result of this, he was excommunicated. He then went to a different city where he convinced those there that he was Moshiach until when those attending the wedding he announced saw that he was getting married to a Sefer Torah. He left and was then arrested by the government for treason. The Ottoman Sultan, in Adrianople, Turkey, then gave him the option to be executed or convert to Islam. He chose to convert. As a result of his conversion, most of those who previously believed in him deserted him. He did however have a small group of followers that also converted to Islam. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi that converted to Islam with him live mainly in Turkey today, but also in Syria (as of the year 2015). Although most have assimilated into Turkish society, there are those that wanted to remain Jewish. These people practice Shabbatian customs. One such custom is that they celebrate the Ninth of Av, rather than fasting on that day, which is a custom that began in the time of Shabbtai Tzvi because of the belief that Moshiach had already come. The followers of Shabbtai Tzvi do not believe that he actually converted to Islam. They believe that he acted outwardly as if he converted, but in secret, he maintained his Judaism. The Shabbatian’ explanation for his conversion is yerida l’tzorech aliya, (“a descent for the purpose of ascending”). They said we first have to lower ourselves to the lowest as this is part of the Moshiach process. The Ramchal suffered greatly because of the episode of Shabbtai Tzvi since anyone who learned kabbala after that period was already suspected. There was a positive to this incident of the false Moshiach as many Jews did teshuva because they thought he was the authentic Moshiach.

[2] See the Tur, Orach Chaim 124.

[3] See the sefer Baruch She’amar from R’ Baruch Halevi Epstein.

Author of the books Fascinating Insights and Incredible Insights

 
Listen to the short Fascinating Insights Podcast at https://jewishpodcasts.fm/fascinating-insights

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