Parshas Ki Savo 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Sep 12
- 2 min read
כי הנה החשך יכסה ארץ... (ישעי' ס-ב)
Yeshaya HaNavi exhorts Klal Yisroel to arise, for their light has dawned. However, in the next posuk, the Navi says that darkness shall cover the earth. In fact, Chazal (Sanhedrin 99a) tell us that one should be cautious to hasten the day of reckoning, for it will be a day of darkness - as is relayed by Amos HaNavi (5:18). As such, Chazal say that Moshiach will come when “darkness befalls the people.” If so, why are we so anxiously awaiting the coming of Moshiach?
The answer lies in the words of Chazal. The Gemara tells us there that the following question was asked to Rabbi Avahu: “When will Moshiach come?” He answered that he will come “when darkness enshrouds these people.” To this the questioner remarked that it would seem as though Rabbi Avahu was cursing the Jews. However, the truth is that Rabbi Avahu was conflating the heretic questioner with the heretical nations of the world. This, says Chazal, is comparable to a rooster and a bat who are looking forward to the light of day. For the rooster, light is an indication of his impending time to become active. But for the bat, nighttime is his daytime, when he is active. What may appear to be darkness to one, may just be lightness in disguise – and vis-a-versa.
Klal Yisroel anxiously awaits the coming of Moshiach because we know that while there may be an incredible darkness that will befall the world, Hashem will always shine light upon his children, and the light we are so desperately seeking is right there waiting for us.