Moshiach was [nearly] here!

The following (from the Special Pesach Edition Yated Ne'eman) is an interesting anecdote about Rav Elya Svei zt"l.  Some years ago, Rav Elya spoke during a seudah shlishis, and (the author of this anecdote was present when he said:)   

"During our recent history, Klal Yisroel had a chance to be mekabel Moshiach four times which were each considered a shaas hakosher:

At the time of the Balfour Declaration in 1917;
During the Israeli War of Independence in 1948;
During the Six-Day War in 1967; and
During the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

Had Klal Yisroel done teshuva during any of those times, Moshiach would be here. The dates were mesugal. Unfortunately, we blew it all by not doing teshuva."

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One Minute to Moshiach

As of May of 2008, Journalist Uri Revach interviewed Rav Mekubal Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita about the 2 watches he received from the Baba Sali, zs'l. "I'm careful not to touch the watches", says the Rav, "I don't open the watches, it is placed in a safe location. When the watches read 12:00... Moshiach is coming. The gold watch is placed underneath the silver watch. Silver is Rachamim (mercy) and gold is Din (judgment). I want the mercy to control the judgment and HKB'H will speed up the Geula."    [...] the hands on the watches now stand at 11:59, 

a minute before 

the coming of Moshiach ...