Zachariah's Prophecy (351 BCE)
"On the 24th day of the 11th month, which is the month of Shevat, in the second year of the reign of Darius, the word of G-d came to Zachariah the son of Berechiah the son of Ido the prophet, saying:
'...I will return to Jerusalem in mercy, my house will be built within her...and the Lord shall yet console Zion and shall yet choose Jerusalem.'" (Zechariah 1:7-17)
YeshivaWorld News: For the past three consecutive days, dozens of foxes have been observed entering and exiting the south western corner of the Kosel from dawn until sunrise. The scene immediately reminds one of the famous Gemara.
It would seem that the appearance of these foxes in contemporary times is indicative of a similar consolation – a message sent to us from Hashem not to worry that the prophet of Zechariah will soon be fulfilled!
The Talmud (Makos 24b) relates as follows:
Once, Rabbi Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar Ben Azariah, Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva were arising to Yerushalayim. At the point where they had reached Har HaBayis they observed a fox that exited from the Kodshei Kadoshim. The others were crying, but Rabbi Akiva was laughing. They asked of him: Why are you laughing? He responded, why are you crying?
They said to him, “A place upon which it is written – ‘and the stranger that approaches shall surely die’ and now that foxes have overridden it – we should not cry?”
He said to them: That is precisely why I am laughing! The verse tied the prophecy of Zechariah with the prophecy of Uriah. Regarding Uriah it is written, “therefore because of you Zion shall be a field that is threshed.” In the book of Zechariah it is written, “Older men and older women shall yet sit in the streets of Yerushalayim. Until the prophecy of Uriah would be fulfilled I was afraid that the prophecy of Zechariah would not necessarily be fulfilled. Now that the prophecy of Uriah has been fulfilled – it is known and established that the prophecy of Zechariah is being fulfilled!
They responded to him, “Akiva – you have consoled us! Akiva – you have consoled us!”
“פעם אחת היו רבן גמליאל ורבי אלעזר בן עזריה ורבי יהושע ורבי עקיבא עולין לירושלים. כיוון שהגיעו להר הבית – ראו שועל שיצא מבית קדשי הקדשים. התחילו הן בוכין, ורבי עקיבא מצחק. אמרו לו: מפני מה אתה מצחק? אמר להם: מפני מה אתם בוכים? אמרו לו: מקום שכתוב בו ‘והזר הקרב יומת’, ועכשיו שועלים הלכו בו – ולא נבכה? אמר להן: לכך אני מצחק!… תלה הכתוב נבואתו של זכריה בנבואתו של אוריה. באוריה כתיב: ‘לכן בגללכם ציון שדה תחרש’. בזכריה כתיב: ‘עוד ישבו זקנים וזקנות ברחובות ירושלים’. עד שלא נתקיימה נבואתו של אוריה – הייתי מתיירא שלא תתקיים נבואתו של זכריה; עכשיו, שנתקיימה נבואתו של אוריה – בידוע שנבואתו של זכריה מתקיימת
“בלשון הזה אמרו לו: “עקיבא ניחמתנו, עקיבא ניחמתנו
(תלמוד בבלי, מסכת מכות, דף כד, עמוד ב)
Source for pictures and article from Yeshiva World News (link above)
7 comments:
https://sod1820.co.il/%d7%a2%d7%a9%d7%a8%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%a9%d7%95%d7%a2%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a7%d7%93%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%90%d7%aa-%d7%93%d7%a8%d7%95%d7%9d-%d7%9e%d7%a2%d7%a8%d7%91-%d7%94%d7%9b%d7%95%d7%aa%d7%9c/ here's the video
thanks leah, but this does not translate into a video on my blog.
I saw the video at YWN.
Wow! Incredible!
Hate to be the bearer of bad news but those are golden jackals not foxes...
Genoism, about those golden jackals:
Jackals are a type of canine, animals that are related to dogs, coyotes, foxes and wolves. They look like a cross between a German shepherd and a fox. They have the fox's small face, delicate legs and fluffy tail, with the German shepherd's long, alert ears.Jan 26, 2017 Facts About Jackals - Live Science
live science
WHO SAYS THAT THESE WERE NOT THE SAME THAT RABBI AKIVA SAW?
DID THEY KNOW BACK THEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO?
THE SUPPOSED PROPHECY STILL STANDS
ALSO: Since these were pups, or teenagers, the resemblance is uncanny. "The jackal species that lives in Israel is the golden jackal, Canis aureus, a widely dispersed canid species that is capable of living in close association with human populations.”
ResearchGate: A management program has been instituted in Israel for controlling wild canids. Three species of canids (red fox, Vulpes vulpes; golden jackal, Canis aureus; and wolf, C. lupus) occur in the wild in Israel in numbers large enough to be problematic to agriculture. All wild canids are fully protected by law. In certain areas of Israel, jackals and wolves are responsible for depredation on cattle and sheep; jackals and foxes cause damage to vegetables, melons and other crops; and all three species cause damage to plastic drip-irrigation pipes. In addition, foxes (and jackals to a lesser extent) are vectors of rabies. The management program in Israel involves using non-lethal methods for preventing agricultural damage where possible. Wild canid populations are counted periodically, and culling by hunting is carried out under permit in areas where populations are considered excessive and where damage occurs. In order to prevent the disruption of territorial and social groups, the program is designed to remove mainly non-territorial floaters of foxes and jackals.
from Mendel These classification objections amount to a"distinction without a difference.
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