The Message of Gog U-Magog

The Message ofGog u-Magog

he haftarot read on Shabbat Chol ha-Moed Pesach and Shabbat Chol ha-Moed Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank TSukkot both address esoteric Maggid Shiur, RIETS and Rabbi, YU Community Shul eschatological themes from the book of Yechezkel. On Pesach, we read about the resurrection of the dry bones and on Sukkot, we study many commentaries assume that all of restored autonomy. In fact, the story war of Gog u-Magog.1 While this the aforementioned passages refer to in Yechezkeil explicitly takes place gory and tumultuous story seems the same events, though they present after the Jews have returned to their to contradict the joyous tone of this the cataclysmic events from differing land, when their peaceful renewal is holiday (though not necessarily the perspectives.5 shattered by a treacherous conflict. somber tenor of Kohelet read on the Magog’s identity is extremely unclear. Rambam writes that a simple reading same day), it is consistent with the The only clue from Tanach is Bereishit of Tanach suggests that it will take holiday’s emphasis on our relationship 10:2, which identifies Magog as a place at the beginning of the messianic with the nations of the world.2 In son of Yefet, who was one of Noach’s era, after the coming of Eliyahu: addition, there is a tradition that this three sons. Malbim writes that we יראה מפשוטן של דברי הנביאים, שבתחילת war will take place during Sukkot.3 will not know what Magog is until the ימות המשיח תהיה מלחמת גוג ומגוג, Accordingly, let us briefly explore the prophecies concerning it are fulfilled.6 ושקודם מלחמת גוג ומגוג יעמוד נביא לישר .message of this haftara ישראל ולהכין לבם, שנאמר הנה אנכי שולח Chapters 38-39 of Yechezkeil describe לכם את אליה וגו'. Magog’s identity is a great war in the end of days. This is The simple interpretation of the known as the war of Gog u-Magog, on extremely unclear. prophets’ words implies that the war account of the following passage: Malbim writes that we of Gog u-Magog will take place at the will not know what beginning of the messianic age. Before א וַיְהִי דְבַר-ה’, אֵ לַי לֵ אמֹר. ב ּבֶן-אָדָ ם, ִ שים the war of Gog u-Magog, a prophet will ּפָ נֶיָך אֶ ל-גֹוג אֶרֶ ץ הַ ָמגֹוג-נְ ִ שיא, רֹאש מֶ ֶ שְך Magog is until the arise to inspire Israel to be upright and וְתֻבָל; וְהִ ּנָבֵא, עָלָ יו. 1 And the word of Hashem came to me, prophecies concerning prepare their hearts, as Malachi 3:22 saying: 2 “Son of man, set your face states: “Behold, I am sending you Eliyah.” toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the it are fulfilled. Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 12:2 chief prince of Meshech and Tuval, and Nevertheless, other commentators Will the individual known as prophesy against him.” offered their own suggestions. For mashiach arrive before or after Yechekzeil ch. 38 example, Abarbanel suggests that the this war? Chazal seem to provide war of will involve a Yechekzeil prophesies that Gog, the Gog u-Magog conflicting answers to this question. leader of a country called Magog, great war between Christianity and 7 Perhaps the resolution lies in the idea will lead a campaign to destroy the Islam. of two messianic figures, Mashiach Jewish people in their land. He will be When exactly will this war ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David. defeated when God reveals Himself commence? The Zecharya-vision The war will occur after the coming and is sanctified before the entire compares the events to the splitting of Mashiach ben Yosef, who will lead world. This war also is described in of the sea, which came after the the Jewish people in battle and fall Zecharya 12-13, Yirmiyahu 30, and exodus from Egypt; this may indicate tragically, but before the coming of Daniel 11-12.4 While the names Gog that the war will take place after we Mashiach ben David. and Magog appear only in Yechezkeil, already have returned to our land and

23 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5778 Alternatively, Chazal may be All these and similar matters cannot be Ve-Hitgadilti ve-hitkadishti, a prophesy describing different possible ways [clearly] known by man until they occur, predicting that God’s name will in which the redemption will for they are undefined in the words of become great and sanctified, becomes unfold. Chazal frequently identify the prophets. Even the sages have no yitgada(i)l ve-yitkada(i)sh, a petition different models of redemption in established tradition regarding these asking that His great name become the text of Tanach itself.8 It would matters beyond what is implied by magnified and sanctified. With the not be surprising, therefore, if they the verses; hence, there is divergence of coming of mashiach, all of humanity themselves adopted a similar approach opinion among them. In any case, neither will recognize and serve God. in their discussion of the messianic era. the sequence of these events nor their Yechezkeil stresses how redemption The prophecies relating to the war of precise details are among the fundamental will mark the end of the terrible that galut naturally Gog u-Magog seem to suggest such principles of the faith. One should not chilul ha-Sheim a dichotomy. Zecharya describes occupy himself at length with the aggadot engenders. significant Jewish casualties and, and midrashim that deal with these and Likewise, Tur (O.C. 56) notes that the according to the Talmud, the death similar matters, nor should he deem them phrase “Yehei shemeih raba mevorach of prime importance, for they bring one to of Mashiach ben Yosef. However, 10 le-olam u-lolmei olmaya” — May Yechekzeil suggests that Gog and neither awe nor love [of God]. His name become great and blessed Magog will be destroyed in such a Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 12:2 forever and ever — is a petition for miraculous manner that the Jewish Rambam also discourages one from His name to become great. Thus, the nation will not even have to fight:9 focusing on these matters, as they do verse in Zecharya chapter 14, also not promote love and fear of God and referring to the culmination of the war וְ נִ ְ שּפַ טְ ִתי אִ תֹו, ב רְדֶבֶ ּובְדָ ם; וְ גֶ ֶ שם שֹוטֵ ף וְאַבְ נֵי :are not fundamental matters of faith. of Gog u-Magog, states אֶ לְ גָבִ יש אֵ שוְגָפְרִ ית, אַמְטִיר עָלָיו וְעַל-אֲ גַּפָ יו, ביום ההוא יהיה ה’ אחד ושמו אחד Thus, we shall not explore the matter וְעַ ל-עַ ִמים רַ בים, אֲ שר אִ ת ִֶֹו. further. However, regardless of how And I will punish him with pestilence On that day, He will be one and His the events will unfold, their ultimate and with blood; and I will cause to rain name will be one. purpose is the same — the revelation upon him, and upon his bands, and upon of God’s oneness. Thus, Yechezkeil In Kaddish, we implore God to make the many peoples that are with him, an proclaims: “I will be exalted and I His name great, that is, to make His overflowing shower, and great hailstones, will be sanctified, and I will make name one. This is troubling, however: fire, and brimstone. Myself known before the eyes of many is God not already one? Don’t we Yechekzeil 38:22 nations” (Yechezkeil 38:23). Likewise, believe that “Hashem Elokeinu Hashem While Rambam suggests a basic Zecharya predicts that “On that day, echad?” What is meant by “On that outline, he also reminds us that we do God will be one and His name will be day, He will be one and His name will not really know how things will turn one” (Zecharya 14:9). be one?” out: Indeed, it is this aspect of the wars The way to understand this difficulty Rambam informs us that we do not that has become most prominent in is the realization that even though we have a tradition about how exactly our liturgy. We declare the verse from know of His oneness, when we look at mashiach will come: Zecharya at the end of Aleinu and the world, we do not always perceive Psukai d-zimra, and the passage from His oneness. Cognitively, we are aware וכל אלו הדברים וכיוצא בהן לא ידע אדם Yechezkeil serves as the basis for the that He is just and kind, but when we איך יהיו עד שיהיו, שדברים סתומין הן אצל prayer of Kaddish: see the righteous suffer, the wicked הנביאים, גם החכמים אין להם קבלה בדברים prosper, innocent children die, and וְהִתְ גַדִ ילְתִ יוְהִתְקַדִשְתִ וְנֹודַ עְתִ י לְעֵ ינֵי גֹויִם רַ בִ ים אלו, אלא לפי הכרע הפסוקים, ולפיכך יש infants wail from the burning pain of וְיָדְ עּו כִי אֲ נִי ה’. להם מחלוקת בדברים אלו, ועל כל פנים אין incurable diseases, we do not see His סדור הויית דברים אלו ולא דקדוקיהן עיקר Thus will I manifest My greatness and oneness. My holiness, and make Myself known in בדת, ולעולם לא יתעסק אדם בדברי ההגדות, the sight of many nations. And they shall This is what we mean when we say ולא יאריך במדרשות האמורים בענינים אלו know that I am the Lord. that His name is not one. God’s name וכיוצא בהן, ולא ישימם עיקר, שאין מביאין Yechezkeil 38:23 refers to the manner in which He לא לידי יראה ולא לידי אהבה.

24 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5778 מועד בין בפסח בין בסוכות מקרא קרינן ראה אתה is perceived — and His oneness is arrival of mashiach. However, the אפטורי בפסח העצמות היבשות ובסוכות ביום בא גוג. not perceived in the sense that there story of Gog u-Magog highlights that seems to be conflicting powers and the process of the coming of mashiach Rav Huna said that Rav said: When Shabbat evil that we cannot explain in the will not be smooth. Indeed the very occurs on one of the intermediate days of a world. If He truly is one, such that returning to our land precipitates Festival, whether on Passover or on Sukkot, they read the Torah portion of “See, You say to everything that happens is a reflection a series of tumultuous events that me” (Exodus 33:12–34:26), as it includes the of His will, it would seem that there threatens our very existence. While halakhot of the Festivals and the intermediate should not be so much suffering and these terrifying descriptions certainly days. They read as the haftara, on Passover, from apparent inequity. scare us, they also remind us to remain the portion of the dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1–14), faithful even when the messianic which portrays redemption from servitude, and In Kaddish, the prayer about the on Sukkot they read “And it shall come to pass on process does not unfold smoothly. sanctification of His name, we beseech that day when Gog shall come” (Ezekiel 38:18– God to rectify this perversion, praying We should remain confident that the 39:16), which speaks of the future redemption. that His name truly become one. ultimate conclusion will be greater (Translation: The William Davidson digital than we could have ever imagined. edition of the Koren Noé Talmud) This is the meaning of Yehei“ shemeih raba mevorach l-olam u-lolmei olmaya” 2 Indeed, we read about the same war in the Endnotes haftara of the first day of Sukkot, this time — “May His name become great from the end of the book of Zecharia. In that (complete) and blessed forever and case, the connection to Sukkot is apparent: 11 1 This practice is recorded in TB Megilla 31a: the passage concludes by describing how the אמר רב הונא אמר רב שבת שחל להיות בחולו של ever.” In that sense, Kaddish, like so many prayers, is a petition for the gentile survivors of this battle will pay homage to God each year in Yerushalayim on Sukkot. 3 See Shem mi-Shmuel, Shabbat Chol ha- Leadership and Mashiach Moed Sukkot 5673, who records this ancient tradition. The theme of leadership looms large in the unfolding of the messianic 4 There are other places where Gog u-Magog process as forces of good and bad. The prophet Yeshayahu offers the is referred to as well. For example, the following description of the melech ha-mashiach: Talmud (Brachot 10a) assumes that Tehillim, ch. 2, is referring to Gog u-Magog when it :states א וְיָצָ א חֹטֶ ר, מִ גֵזַע יִ ָ שי; וְנֵצֶ ר, מִ שרָ ָ שיו יִפְרֶ ָה. ב וְנָחָהעָלָ יו, רּוחַ ה’-רּוחַ חָ כְמָ הּובִ ינָה, רּוחַ א( לָ מָה רָ גְ שּו גֹויִם ּולְ אֻ ִ מים יֶהְ ּו גרִ יק: ב( יִתְ יַּצְבּו מַ לְכֵ י עֵצָה ּוגְבּורָה, רּוחַ ַ דעַת, וְיִרְ אַ ת ה’. ג וַהֲרִ יחֹו, ְ ביִרְ אַ ת ה’; וְ לֹא-לְמַרְ אֵה עֵ ינָיו יִ ְ שּפֹוט, וְ לֹא- ץאֶרֶ וְרֹוזְנִים נֹוסְ דּו יָחַד עַל ה' וְעַ ל מְ ִ ש יחֹו. לְ מִ שְמַע אָ זְנָיו יֹוכִיחַ . ד וְ ָ שפַ ט בְצֶדֶ ק ַדלִים, וְהֹוכִיחַ בְמִ ישֹור לְעַ נְוֵי-אָרֶ ץ; וְ הִ כָה-אֶרֶ ץ ְבשֵבֶ ט Why do nations assemble, and peoples plot 1 ּפִ יו, ּובְרּוחַ ְ שפָתָ יו יָמִ ית רָ ָ ש ע. ה וְהָ יָה צֶדֶק,אֵזֹור מָתְ נָיו; וְהָאֱ מּונָה, אֵזֹור חֲ לָצָ יו. 1 And a shoot shall come out of the stock of Yishai, and a twig shall grow from vain things; 2 kings of the earth take their stand, his roots. 2 And the spirit of Hashem shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and regents intrigue together against the LORD and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and and against His anointed? of the fear of Hashem. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear Hashem; and he 5 According to most commentaries, the shall not judge based on the sight of his eyes nor decide based on the hearing of verse in Yechezkeil (38:17) references the his ears; 4 But with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity verse in Zecharya (14:2). כֹה-אָמַ ר ה' אלקים, הַ אַ ָתה-הּוא אֲ ֶ שר-ִדברְ ִ תי ְ ביָמִ ַים ,for the humble of the land; and he shall smite the land with the rod of his mouth קַדְ מֹונִים ְ ביַד עֲבָדַ י נְבִיאֵ י יִשְרָ אֵ ל, הַ ּנִבְאִ ים ַביָמִים הָהֵ ם, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. 5 And righteousness shall ָ שנִים לְהָבִ יא אֹתְ ָך, עֲלֵיהֶ ם. be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Yeshayahu ch. 11 Thus said Hashem, God: “Are you he of whom I spoke in old time by My servants the prophets The prophet describes the mashiach as someone whose authority stems not of Israel that prophesied in those days for many from his physical straight but his honesty, righteousness, and faithfulness; years, that I would bring you against them?” he shall sight the wicked not with a physical sword but “the rod of his Rashi has the following comment: האתה הוא - באותן הימים יאמר הקב"ה האתה הוא mouth.” The mashiach will unite a fractured nation in a campaign of אותו אשר דברתי בימים קדמונים ביד עבדי נביאי goodness and godliness. This contrasts another powerful leader of the ישראל כגון יחזקאל וזכריה שאף הוא נתנבא על messianic realm: Gog, the leader of a country called Magog. He too is a מלחמות גוג ומגוג ואספתי את כל הגוים וגו' )זכריה .remarkable uniter, but of a very different sort

25 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5778 עוד מלחמה בימות המשיח, ובקראי דיחזקאל לא הוזכר .with countries of many nations יד( ורבותינו אמרו אלדד ומידד הם נתנבאו עליו וזהו כי מלך המשיח וישראל ילחמו בכלי זיין אלא השי"ת שנים האמור כאן אל תיקרי שנים אלא שנים )בפת"ח( Many have suggested that the prophecies יהרגם בדבר ובדם וגשם ואבני אלגביש ואש וגפרית, שני נביאים נתנבאו נבואה א' בפרק אחד )אבל לא allude to Nazi Germany. See, for example, pp. והכלי זיין שהביאו גוג ומגוג לא יקחום להיות אצלם בסגנון אחד(. 580-82 of the Artscroll edition of Yechezkeil לצורכי מלחמות אלא בערו בהם אש, הרי שלא יצטרכו Are you he: In those days, the Holy One, blessed by R. Moshe Eisemann (New York: Mesorah, ישראל לכלי זיין בימות המשיח… be He, will say, “Are you the one about whom I 1977). spoke in ancient days through My servants, the Regarding Rambam’s opinion, even though he 8 For example, Yeshayahu prophesies be-ita prophets of Israel, e.g. Ezekiel and Zechariah?” writes in the eleventh chapter of the Laws of achishena, “In its time I will hasten it.” The For he [Zechariah] too prophesied about the Kings, halacha no. 4 that mashiach will fight the Talmud (Sanhedrin 98a) understands this wars of Gog and Magog (Zech. 14:2): “And I wars of Hashem, there is room to say that he will self-contradictory phrase to mean, “If they are will gather all the nations, etc.” Our Sages said do so with weapons. Behold [Rambam] writes worthy, I will hasten it. If they are not worthy, (Sanh. 17a): Eldad and Medad they [also] afterwards in the twelfth chapter, halacha no. 2 it will be in its time.” The Talmud thus informs stated here. that only the war of Gog u-Magog will be at the ָ ש ִ נ י ם prophesied about it. That is the us that there is a fixed time, akeitz , by which two. Two beginning of the days of mashiach. This implies , ְ שנַ יִ ם years, but , ָ ש ִ נ י ם Do not read mashiach will come no matter what. On the prophets prophesied one prophecy at one time that afterwards, there will be no war during the other hand, if we are deserving, mashiach will (though not in the same style of expression). days of mashiach. The verses in Yechezkeil don’t come earlier. mention that mashiach and the Jewish people See also Metzudot David. The issue at hand is more than a mere will fight with weapons, but rather that Hashem 6 Malbim, Yechezkeil 38:17: difference of timing. The Talmud states that if will kill them with pestilence, blood, great the coming of mashiach is earned, events will hailstones, fire, and brimstone, and the weapons ר"ל כי שם גוג ושם מגוג כבר ישכח בימים ההם עד unfold in a more glorious manner: that Gog and Magog brought, they will not take שלא ידעו כלל מי היא האומה שנקראת בפי הנביא for the purpose of war, rather they will get burned אמר רבי אלכסנדרי: רבי יהושע בן לוי רמי, כתיב וארו מגוג ושם מלכה גוג רק אז כשיבא על הארץ ויתקיימו in fire. It seems that the Jewish people will not עם ענני שמיא כבר אנש אתה, וכתיב עני ורכב על דברי הנביא אז ידעו שזה הוא המלך גוג שנבא עליו need weapons during the days of mashiach. חמור! - זכו - עם ענני שמיא, לא זכו - עני ורוכב על וכו'. Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim 4:81 חמור. The identity of God and Magog will be unknown 10 Here, Rambam applies a principle he in those days. People will not know who the R. Alexandri said: R. Yehoshua pointed out a articulates elsewhere: debate reflects a lack nation or king is referred to by the prophet. Only contradiction. It is written, “And behold, one of tradition. If the sages have many debates then when he attacks the land and the words of like the son of man came with the clouds of concerning the details of mashiach’s arrival, the prophet are fulfilled will we know who the heaven,” while [elsewhere] it is written, “[Behold, it is an indication that we do not have a prophet was referring to. your king comes to you…] lowly, and riding tradition regarding these matters. Rambam upon a donkey.” [The resolution is:] if they are 7 Abarbanel, Yechezkeil ch. 38 discusses this concept in his introduction to meritorious, [he will come] with the clouds of his commentary on the Mishnah. .heaven; if not, lowly and riding upon a donkey הכוונה הכוללת בנבואה הזאת להגיד שקודם קיבוץ There are two ways to interpret “Yehei 11 הגליות כשיבאו הנוצרים לכבוש את הארץ ישראל Sanhderin 98a ”.shemeih raba mevorach l-olam u-lolmei olmaya ולמשול בירושלים ויעלו עליהם אנשי המזרח וירכתי This distinction may serve as a way of Machzor Vitri (quoted by Tosafot, Brachot הצפון...הנה יהיה אחת מן האומות שיבוא על הנוצרים ,reconciling other varying descriptions of the 3a and Tur O.C. 56) translates the phrase as וילחמו בהם על ארץ ישראל גוי גוג וארץ המגוג שיעלו is a contraction of י-ה )שמיה period before mashiach, many of which seem “May the name שם באותה מלחמה קהל גדול וחיל רב עמהם פרס כוש and blessed (רבה) become whole (שם י-ה .to contradict each other ופוט ושאר האומות. forever and ever.” With this, we are alluding The general intent of this prophesy is to convey 9 Though this reading cannot be to the aforementioned statement of Chazal that before the ingathering of the exiles, when the demonstrated conclusively, it is the view taken that God’s name is not complete at present. Christians come to conquer the land of Israel and by R. Moshe Feinstein in a fascinating teshuva Tosafot (ibid.) prefer to translate the phrase rule over Jerusalem and against them will rise the that alludes to the topic: be (שמיה רבה) as: “May His great name people of the East… One of the nations that will ”.blessed forever and ever …וברמב"ם אף שכתב בפי"א ממלכים ה"ד שמלך המשיח ילחם מלחמות ה' שיש מקום לומר שיהיה בכלי come upon the Christians and wage war against זיין הרי כתב אח"ז בפי"ב ה"ב שרק מלחמת גוג ומגוג them over the land of Israel will be a nation יהיה בתחלת ימות המשיח שמשמע שאח"כ לא תהיה called Gog and a land called Magog that will come there as part of this war, a great gathering

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26 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5778