The Shofar of Redemption by Rav Kook zt”l

In appreciation to Ginno for posting the following 
on Reb *Dove’s (ed.) blog:

“The following excerpt from the speech given by Rav Kook z''l to the European Jews in that fateful year of 1933 when the Amalekite beast came to power in Germany” (discussion on this begins at comment 10/28/2018 2:48 PM on Reb Dov’s endofdays blog:

"...The preferred Shofar of Redemption is the Divine call that awakens and inspires the people with holy motivations, through faith in God and the unique mission of the people of Israel. This elevated awakening corresponds to the ram's horn, a horn that recalls Abraham's supreme love of God and dedication in Akeidat Yitzchak, the Binding of Isaac. It was the call of this shofar, with its holy vision of heavenly Jerusalem united with earthly Jerusalem, that inspired Nachmanides, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevy, Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura, the students of the Vilna Gaon, and the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov to ascend to Eretz Yisrael. It is for this "great shofar," an awakening of spiritual greatness and idealism, that we fervently pray.

"There exists a second Shofar of Redemption, a less optimal form of awakening. This shofar calls out to the Jewish people to return to their homeland, to the land where our ancestors, our prophets and our kings, once lived. It beckons us to live as a free people, to raise our families in a Jewish country and a Jewish culture. This is a kosher shofar, albeit not a great shofar like the first type of awakening. We may still recite a brachah over this shofar.

"There is, however, a third type of shofar. [at this point in the sermon, Rav Kook burst out in tears] The least desirable shofar comes from the horn of an unclean animal. This shofar corresponds to the wake-up call that comes from the persecutions of anti-Semitic nations, warning the Jews to escape while they still can and flee to their own land. Enemies force the Jewish people to be redeemed, blasting the trumpets of war, bombarding them with deafening threats of harassment and torment, giving them no respite. The shofar of unclean beasts is thus transformed into a Shofar of Redemption.

*Whoever failed to hear the calls of the first two shofars will be forced to listen to the call of this last shofar.* Over this shofar, however, no blessing is recited. "One does not recite a blessing over a cup of affliction.”

________________________
*you may want to know why his name is spelled as such, Reb Dov goes into lengthy scenarios about Avraham, Noah and the Dove, and more on his blog.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING (go to posts 201-223 “newest”)

ME: There are signs that the momentum leading to our Geula is increasing. This has been happening in increments over the past recent years. I believe we are entering another stage. It is my intuition that sees a string of events ascerbating the climate for Jews in the world. Since we know that returning all Jews to Eretz Yisrael is one main feature of our redemption. Returning all Jews to their Father in Shamayim is also a main tenet. Either while living (teshuva) or through death. One needs to observe events that stand out from the ordinary while being within ‘nature’. While we cannot know fully the divine purpose, we can realize and take to heart these warnings. Some Jews are living in darkness, without a connection to Judaism and the Halachos we are meant to live by, so they do not know that lives are managed by midda kneged midda and that all comes from Shamayim. There are no coincidences.