By: Basha Oka Botnick

The “final war with Amalek (pure evil) …will begin on Purim, and its end will be completed on the eve of Passover,” according to a Jewish mystic from the 19th century known as the Bnei Yissachar. The first half of this prophecy has come true. The war with Iran started on the Jewish Sabbath, February 28, before the holiday of Purim, on March 3. If the second half of this prophecy comes true, the war with Iran will conclude around March 28, the Shabbos before Passover.

A second prophecy regarding the war with Iran is from Rabbi Shmuel Laniado in 1603, who wrote that the war of Gog & Magog (the final war before the coming of the Messiah) will break out near the Strait of Hormuz, currently in the news, because it is a crucial waterway for oil shipments from Arab countries to the rest of the world.

Amalek, an ancient tribe that attacked the Jewish people as they were leaving Egypt, is associated with implacable hatred of the Jews. Haman, the evil mastermind who plotted the annihilation of Jews in ancient Persia, was a descendent of Amalek.

The complete downfall of Persia, today modern-day Iran, is alluded to in the Talmud as a sign of the coming of the Messiah.

There is an all-encompassing prophecy of the. Lubavitcher Rebbe that provides context for today’s unrelenting focus on Israel and the Jewish people. In 1991, the Rebbe announced that the time of the Redemption has arrived, and he emphasized that he was saying this as a prophecy, “the word of G-d is on my lips.”

Signs of the Redemption include: the fall of Communism, overnight without bloodshed; the capture and death of Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War, another implacable foe of the Jews; the massive number of Jews returning to their traditions, and the “ingathering of the exiles” of Jews returning to the land of Israel, which now has the largest Jewish population in the world.

According to Jewish law (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Chapter 11), the Lubavitcher Rebbe has the qualifications to be the Messiah. He is a descendant of King David, deeply learned in every aspect of Torah. He has strengthened “the breaches in Jewish observance” through an empire of Chabad Houses all over the world, encouraging Jews to return to their heritage. Additionally, the Rebbe has publicized the 7 Noahide Laws for gentiles, given to Moses on Mt. Sinai for the nations. Together Jews and gentiles working together under G-d will bring a sane and beautiful world for all.  Importantly, the Rebbe asks that everyone add in goodness and kindness to prepare for the Redemption. (See CNN  cchttps://youtu.be/MeBYuSxhqUM?si=_Se3Ptj8Z6m-_40w)