Before the Dawn: Prophecies and Signs of Redemption

Throughout Jewish history, our prophets have painted vivid pictures of the end of days — of exile and return, destruction and renewal, suffering and redemption. For generations, these prophecies were studied with awe and yearning. Today, as we witness dramatic changes in the Land of Israel and throughout the world, many wonder: Are we seeing the early light of their fulfillment? Rabbi Paul Bloom reflects on this long-asked question and offers an insightful approach to it.

This essay explores those timeless visions through the words of Tanach and Chazal, together with reflections on recent events that may echo their call. Our purpose is not prediction, but perspective — to view our moment in history through the lens of prophecy and faith.

Walking the Streets of Jerusalem

As I walk the streets of Yerushalayim during this deeply spiritual season — from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, culminating in Sukkot — I sense that we are living in extraordinary times. Never before has it been so clear that the words of our Nevi’im are unfolding before our very eyes. The vision of the prophets is not ancient poetry; it is a living reality, a call to awaken and prepare.

1. קִבּוּץ גָּלוּיוֹת —  Ingathering of the Exiles

One of the clearest signs of redemption foretold in the Tanach is the return of Am Yisrael to its land:

וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחֲמֶךָ, וְשָׁב וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר הֱפִיצְךָ ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ שָׁמָּה

 “Then Hashem your God will bring back your captivity and have compassion upon you, and will return and gather you from all the nations where Hashem your God has scattered you.” (Devarim 30:3)

קִבַּצְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל אַדְמַתְכֶם

 “I will gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.”
 — Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 36:24

For nearly two millennia, Jews were scattered across the globe. Yet today, from every continent — North America, South Africa, France, Russia, Ethiopia, and beyond — the Jewish people are returning home. This is nothing less than the fulfillment of ancient prophecy. This prophecy can be found in at least 18 places in Tanach (See Appendix).

2. תְּחִיַּת הָאָרֶץ — The Land’s Rebirth

The prophets spoke not only of the people’s return, but of the land itself coming back to life:

וְאַתֶּם הָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַנְפְּכֶם תִּתֵּנוּ וּפִרְיְכֶם תִּשְּׂאוּ, לְעַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי קֵרְבוּ לָבוֹא

 “But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall give forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they are soon to come.” (Yechezkel 36:8)

For centuries, Eretz Yisrael was desolate, barren, and neglected. But with the return of her children, the land has awakened — vineyards flourish, cities rise, and deserts bloom. Today, Israel leads the world in desert agriculture, drip irrigation, and reforestation. Hills once barren are now green; valleys bloom with orchards. Every fruit tree and field seems to testify that the Divine promise is alive once more.

3. שׁוּב רִבּוֹנוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל — Restoration of Sovereignty

The return to the land was always tied to the renewal of Jewish sovereignty. After centuries under foreign rule, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 marked a historic turning point. For the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple, the Jewish people govern their ancestral homeland.

וְשָׁבוּ בָנִים לִגְבוּלָם  

“And children shall return to their borders.” (Yirmeyahu 31:16)

Though challenges remain, the existence of a Jewish state is a miracle in itself — a declaration that prophecy is not a relic of the past but a living promise.

4. יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִים בְּמֶרְכַּז הָעוֹלָם  — The Rebuilding of Jerusalem

No city embodies the story of Am Yisrael like Yerushalayim. The prophets foretold that it would once again be filled with life:

עוֹד יֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת בִּרְחֹבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ‍ִם... וּרְחֹבוֹת הָעִיר יִמָּלְאוּ יְלָדִים וִילָדוֹת מְשַׂחֲקִים בִּרְחֹבֹתֶיהָ  

“Old men and old women shall yet again sit in the streets of Jerusalem… and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing.” (Zechariah 8:4–5)

Today, one can walk through the alleys of the Old City and witness exactly this — elders on benches, children laughing, Torah scholars hurrying to shiurim. The recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by nations of the world marks yet another step toward the fulfillment of Zechariah’s vision.

5. בִּלְבּוּל הָעוֹלָם וּמַשְׁבֵּר הָאֱמוּנָה —Moral Confusion and Global Upheaval

Our sages taught that before the coming of Mashiach, the world would enter a time of moral confusion and upheaval — what Chazal called Chevlei Mashiach, the “birth pangs” of redemption.

We live in a century of remarkable technological progress yet profound spiritual disorientation. Values once considered sacred are questioned, while evil often masquerades as good. Injustice, violence, and the distortion of truth dominate global headlines. This turmoil, though painful, may be the darkness that precedes the dawn.

6. דִּין הַגּוֹיִם — The Judgment of Nations

The prophets also foresaw that, in the end of days, the nations would be judged for their treatment of Israel:

וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּי אִתָּם שָׁם עַל עַמִּי וְנַחֲלָתִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר הֵפִיצוּ בַגּוֹיִם, וְאֶת אַרְצִי חִלֵּקוּ  

“There I will enter into judgment with them concerning My people and My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and they have divided up My land.” (Yoel 4:2)

Recent debates over dividing the Land of Israel echo this prophecy with chilling clarity. Yet we have also seen unexpected moments when world leaders, against political odds, have defended Israel’s right to exist and to protect its people — reminders that the hand of Hashem guides history.

7. תְּשׁוּבָה וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת רוּחָנִית — Awakening of Teshuvah

A further sign of redemption is the spiritual awakening among our people. Even amid pain and crisis — such as the tragic events of October 7 — there has been a surge of faith, unity, and return to Torah.

Jews across the globe have deepened their connection to mitzvot, tefillah, and Shabbat. Many have embraced tzitzit, tefillin, and acts of kindness as never before. This collective return reflects the promise:

וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ, וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקֹלוֹ  

“And you shall return to Hashem your God and listen to His voice…” (Devarim 30:2)

8. הֲכָנוֹת לַבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ — Preparations for the Temple

Even the longing for the Beit HaMikdash — the dream of rebuilding — is stirring once again. From renewed study of Temple laws to the crafting of priestly garments and instruments, signs of readiness abound.

כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תּוֹרָה, וּדְבַר ה' מִירוּשָׁלָ‍ִם

 “For out of Zion shall go forth Torah, and the word of Hashem from Jerusalem.” (Yeshayahu 2:3)

 The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has prepared vessels, priestly garments, and identified red heifers suitable for purification. While these efforts are symbolic beginnings, they reveal a yearning rooted deep in the Jewish soul — a yearning that itself is part of the redemption process.

 

9. ‘שָׁלוֹם עוֹלָמִי וְדֵעַת י —Universal Peace

Isaiah envisioned a world transformed by the knowledge of God:

לֹא־יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל־גוֹי חֶרֶב, וְלֹא־יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה  

“Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Yeshayahu 2:4)

While we are not there yet, we see growing global awareness of the futility of war and the power of peace. Perhaps these are early footsteps of a new moral consciousness — the distant echoes of Isaiah’s dream.

The Dawn Before Day

Yet shadows remain — conflict, confusion, and suffering. Even so, Rabbi Akiva taught us how to see light amid ruin. When his colleagues wept at the desolation of the Temple, he smiled:

נִתְקַיְּמָה נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל עוּרִיָּה — מִתְקַיֶּמֶת נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל זְכַרְיָה

“If the prophecy of Uriah [destruction] has been fulfilled, then surely the prophecy of Zechariah [consolation] will also be fulfilled.” (Makkot 24b)

Rabbi Akiva’s faith was not naive optimism; it was a recognition that history itself is the canvas of Divine promise.

Reflection

What are we to do in such times? The prophets teach that redemption demands response:

• To see the hand of Hashem in history.
• To strengthen our commitment to Torah and mitzvot.
• To support the rebuilding of our people and land.
• To prepare our hearts for the Geulah.

These are not luxuries, but necessities.

Conclusion

Prophecy is like the dawn — faint light breaking through night. What we are witnessing are the beginnings of that light. This is a moment both solemn and hopeful.

While not everyone can make Aliyah immediately, it is imperative that each of us begin — and hasten — our preparation for that day. Hashem continually gives us signs. All we need do is open our eyes, thank Hashem, and listen.

The Sin That Still Echoes—And the Redemption That Awaits

Parashat Shelach Lecha is one of the most pivotal and haunting portions in the Torah. It contains not only the tragic episode of the spies—the meraglim—but also four mitzvot that Chazal compare to the entire Torah: Shabbat, Tzitzit, Challah, and Yishuv Eretz Yisrael—the mitzvah to live in the Land of Israel. While each of these is powerful, one stands at the heart of our national destiny: the command to love, cherish, and settle the Land of Israel. Our member and eloquent exponent of Aliyah, Rabbi Paul Bloom, explains.

The Sin That Defined an Exile

It was on Tisha B’Av that the twelve spies returned from their mission. Ten of them, leaders and men of stature, brought a report laden with fear and negativity. They acknowledged the land’s beauty but punctuated it with one crushing word -- "But." “The people are strong… we cannot succeed.” This single word undid generations of promise. That night Bnei Yisrael wept, and Hashem declared, “You wept for nothing; I will give you weeping for generations.”

That moment—a night of baseless despair and rejection of the Promised Land—became the root of Tisha B’Av, a day that would echo with destruction through Jewish history. The sin was not only lashon hara about the land, but something deeper: a rejection of the land itself, a bizayon ha’aretz, despising the very gift Hashem had prepared for them.

Lashon Hara, Again—and Again

The Torah places the story of the spies immediately after the episode of Miriam speaking against Moshe. Rav Yisrael Ordman explains this is no coincidence. The spies should have learned from Miriam’s punishment the danger of slander. She failed to see Moshe’s unique spiritual level; the spies failed to see Eretz Yisrael’s unique spiritual status. They were not sent just to report military strategies—they were told by Moshe to look for the segulah of the land, its Divine uniqueness. But they got caught up in the mundane: the giants, the cities, the fears. They were blind to holiness.

Rav Soloveitchik offers another dimension: the spies were elite leaders who could not bear the idea of losing their status. Entering the land meant new leadership, new roles, new structures. The spies’ vision was clouded not just by fear—but by ego. They failed as sheluchim—messengers—not because they lacked information, but because they lacked bitul, the humility to carry a message that wasn’t about them.

Contrast this with the second mission, decades later. Yehoshua sends two anonymous spies to Jericho. The Torah doesn’t name them. They are “cheresh,” silent, like klei cheres—simple, humble vessels. Their report is filled with faith: “Hashem has given the land into our hands.” No fear. No ego. Just clarity.

The Eternal Sin of Despising the Land

Rav Yaakov Filber points out that the sin of the spies didn’t end in the desert. It repeated itself during the Babylonian exile. Despite Hashem's miraculous opening of the gates for return through Ezra and Nechemiah, most Jews stayed behind in the comfort of exile. They preferred their homes, their jobs, and their familiarity over the challenge—and holiness—of rebuilding life in Eretz Yisrael.

Tragically, we see the same today. The Vilna Gaon recognized this centuries ago. He urged his students to return and rebuild. One of his disciples, Rav Hillel of Shklov, wrote in Kol HaTor that many Jews in his time—especially observant ones—were still committing the sin of the spies. They rationalized their comfort in exile and denied the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael, despite clear Talmudic sources stating that dwelling in the Land is equal to all the mitzvot of the Torah.

Rav Yaakov Emden, in his introduction to his siddur, pleads with future generations not to settle permanently in chutz la'aretz, warning that the sin of despising the "desirable land" is the root of our eternal weeping.

A Test That Returns in Every Generation

Today, we are seeing open miracles—whether in the resilience of Israel in times of war, the unity among Jews under fire, or the blossoming of Torah and technology in a once-barren land. Yet many still view Eretz Yisrael through the lens of cynicism: bureaucracy, climate, personalities. As in the time of the meraglim, they ignore the Divine Presence, the spiritual vitality, the promise unfolding before our eyes.

We must ask: Are we repeating the sin of the spies?

Do we speak of the Land with reverence—or with lashon hara? Do we view Aliyah as a central mitzvah—or an optional inconvenience? Do we focus on the difficulties—or the destiny?

Redemption Awaits the Shift

The Mesilat Yesharim warns that kavod, the pursuit of honor, distorts perception. The spies feared loss of position. But Yehoshua’s messengers embraced their role as simple vessels. That’s the model we need today. The mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael is not merely a footnote—it is, as Chazal say, equal to all the mitzvot. When we embrace it with humility, with emunah, and with joy, we begin to undo the tears of Tisha B’Av. We open the door to redemption. As we approach the final stages of exile, the question is no longer whether we can return, but whether we are willing to.

Moshiach is not waiting on history. He is waiting on us.