Yechezkel chapter 38. This chapter is a very, very important one. It deals with the war of Gog and Magog. The concept of this chapter appears in Yechezkel here in 38, and parts of it also appear elsewhere in Sefer Yechezkel, as the Malbim explains in chapter 32. Beyond that, in Sefer Zechariah chapter 14 there is also a prophecy that is more or less identical to what is stated here, with variations. We will want to understand these variations and examine them, and through this we will receive a comprehensive picture of what is destined to happen in the war of Gog and Magog.
"And the word of Hashem came to me, saying: Son of man, set your face toward Gog, the land of Magog, the prince, chief of Meshech and Tuval, and prophesy against him." Hashem tells Yechezkel to set his face toward Gog, the land of Magog. What is "Gog, the land of Magog"? Rashi says Gog is the name of the king. The land of Magog is the name of the nation. The nation is called Magog and its king is called Gog. "The prince, chief of Meshech and Tuval, and prophesy against him."
The Malbim says: the prophet Yechezkel already prophesied about this matter in chapter 32, that in the end of days all the nations around Yerushalayim will come to wage war against Yerushalayim and its surroundings. Here now he comes and tells him that on one side there will be nations, namely Egypt, Assyria and Eilam, who are the Ishmaelites. So those who speak about the Egyptian rearmament know what they are talking about. Regarding Gog and Magog it is stated that Egypt will be part of the nations who come to wage war. On the other side, that was the first, on the other side is "the prince, chief of Meshech and Tuval." Meshech and Tuval are the princes of Edom. The princes of Edom generally means the Christian nations, or as is commonly said, the nations that have red in their flag. Notice that mainly the nations of Europe have red, they are called the princes of Edom, the kings of the north.
They will come here to Yerushalayim, and a war will be created between the head on one side, namely the Ishmaelites, and the head on the other side, namely Edom. A war will be created between them over Yerushalayim. Both of them will come to Yerushalayim and they will fight one another. We will soon see the process of how this will unfold. Chazal say that Gog will come to Yerushalayim three times. Here two times are mentioned, in chapter 32 and in chapter 38 which is our chapter. The third time is what appears in Sefer Zechariah. Three times Gog will come to Yerushalayim.
By the way, notice that we are already in the midst of a process. For if once someone had told us there would be a war between the nations of Ishmael and the nations of Edom as a comprehensive war, once this reality still did not exist. But after we see the reality in which America is fighting against the Arab nations and what they call the axis of evil, this means it is not beyond reason that such a war is destined to occur. When we see the madman from Iran arming himself, it is not far-fetched that this war is fairly close. Ping pong. When we read what we will see later, that they speak to us also about nations, that Persia, Cush and Put are with them, then we hear that Iran too is involved here. And when we hear that it is arming itself and preparing an atomic bomb for itself, and when we read what the Vilna Gaon says, that the war of Gog and Magog will last two minutes. What is two minutes? He has not yet managed to draw his bow and they already tell him the war is over. What is two minutes in their terms? But when we understand that we are speaking today about atomic bombs, that this is the future war, and when there are descriptions which we will read that are written in the prophet and describe an exact description of what is destined to happen when an atomic bomb falls, then we understand that in fact the prophet already then was speaking to us about a war whose concepts were not known at all then, but are familiar to us only from the reality of today.
And then we also understand why Rav Elyashiv has already on several occasions mentioned this matter, that one must be very worried about what is happening in the world. And who would ever have believed that he spoke this way regarding Iran, regarding the Iranian rearmament. And who would ever have believed that a man whose name is Hussein would stand as president of the United States. I think this is something that could only happen in the worst dreams. But someone told me that Rav Chaim Kanievsky said that Herodotus, on the other hand, says that they were his own slaves who built. For the reality of the descendants of Cham is that they are slaves. The descendants of Cham are slaves. And suddenly one arrives who was purchased from the descendants of Cham and became a ruler. This is something that seemingly is inconceivable. So he says there was also another king who ruled over us, and that is Herodotus. And Herodotus was a slave. And he caused many troubles for the Jewish people, and nevertheless he says, you see that in the end it turned to good and he built the Beit HaMikdash. Therefore he said one should not despair and immediately conclude that only troubles will come out of this. He says, you see that it is possible there was a slave who ruled and caused troubles, but in the end it turned out for the good. He says we must pray to Hashem that everything turns out for the good and that no evil comes to us from this.
In any case, the Malbim says, here he mentions to us Gog and the land of Magog. The Malbim says we do not now know who they are. What is it we do not know? What is the meaning of this? One must understand that the fact that it is written there does not mean that when he comes he will be called thus. Rather the name expresses his essence. Now in every single generation, if the redemption had to come now, then the figures playing today would be Gog and the land of Magog, and all those people we would characterize as those who come to wage war. And in another generation these would be other figures. As they say Mashiach will come. Who is the Mashiach? So in that generation the Arizal was Mashiach ben Yosef. We did not merit it, so the Arizal was not revealed to us. In this generation who? Also in this generation there is a Mashiach ben Yosef and there is a Mashiach ben David. Who are they? We do not know. Only when they are revealed will we know. In the next generation these will be other people. So when they speak to us of names, do not search for that name. Armilus the wicked will kill Mashiach ben Yosef. So how now will you search in a phone book for the Armilus family? No, they are not telling you that this is the name and this is the person. Rather this is the essence of that impurity that will come and fight against the Jewish people. But not necessarily because this is his name, his exact name. In every single generation it could be someone else who will be that same aspect.
The Malbim says: only what is explained to us is that he will be the prince of Meshech and Tuval. Meshech and Tuval are of the descendants of Yefet. They are uncircumcised. And they will awaken in the end of days after the Jewish people dwells in tranquility, and all this will be through Hashem awakening them. And all these matters we will now see in the pesukim.
"And you shall say: Thus says Hashem, thus says Hashem Elokim: Behold I am against you, Gog, prince, chief of Meshech and Tuval." What is "Behold I am against you"? The descendants of Edom, as is known, destroyed the Second Temple. Meshech and Tuval were also with them. The Romans were the head of those who were afterward included in the collective name of Edom. Hashem comes and says: all these nations who came here in order to wage war over Eretz Yisrael and to destroy the Beit HaMikdash, the place of justice, there is the wickedness. Or in other words, the place of wickedness, there is the justice. What was the place of wickedness? Yerushalayim. There you destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. "And saviors shall ascend on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esav." Where will the judgment be? On Mount Zion. There you destroyed, there they will bring you and there they will judge you. That is to say, in essence the whole purpose of all the nations arriving here is in order to bring them to judgment, in order to exact retribution from them. We will see later whether there will be harm to Israel from this or not. But the main point is that Hashem brought them here: you destroyed the Beit HaMikdash here, here in this very place you must suffer. And the same aspect also applies to the Arabs. That is to say, the Ishmaelites who tormented the Jewish people here must come here in order to be judged. Where did they blow themselves up? Where did they carry out attacks? Where did they drive around with tractors, may Hashem have mercy? In Yerushalayim, right? In these places. Here they are destined to give an accounting.
"And I will turn you back, and put hooks in your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all clothed in full armor, a great assembly with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords." "And I will turn you back" (veshovavticha). This word has several interpretations. Rashi says veshovavticha, I will make you rebellious. What is shovav? A person who goes in the stubbornness of his heart is called shovav. Like "and he went rebelliously (shovav) in the way of his heart." That is to say, I will bring it about that you go in the stubbornness of your heart, namely in an obstinacy behind which there is no logic. What stands behind it? The Creator of the world. You will be stiff-necked and you will decide to go without any logical explanation. What will be the true reason? "And I will put hooks in your jaws." How do you pull a fish? By a hook, right? He says thus I will place, like on an animal, there is such a muzzle in the mouth with which one pulls the animal. "And I will put hooks in your jaws," through this I will draw you to come to war against Yerushalayim.
The Malbim says: veshovavticha, the Malbim says an animal leaves its place for another place in one of two ways. Either through rebelliousness (shovavut), shovav like a person, like fooling around, right, not through thought but in a foolish way, or it goes out by being forcibly pulled. In rebelliousness it goes out willingly, right? If it feels like fooling around then it goes out willingly. In contrast, if it is forcibly pulled, this is against its will. So he says to him here there is seemingly a contradiction. For He says to him veshovavticha and I will put hooks in your jaws. On one hand it is willing, on the other hand it is by force, I put hooks in your jaws like a fish that is pulled against its will. So the meaning is essentially that you will come whether you want to or not. Whether you come willingly or whether I need to pull you. An additional possibility is that the meaning is as follows: you, veshovavticha, will go out as though of your own will, but ultimately know that it is I who pulled you. It seems to you that veshovavticha means my desire to go out, but who caused this desire? It is I, because in the end I pull you by placing hooks in your jaws.
Now he says together with them there will also be many nations who will come to help them. This is "a great assembly." For always, when they fight against Israel, all kinds of helpers and assisters come, all kinds of volunteers. He tells him they will be a great assembly and they will bear buckler and shield and all of them will be wielders of swords. Who are these who will come as partners? "Persia, Cush and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet." He tells him together with them will be Persia, that is Iran. Cush, what is Cush? Ethiopia, Africa. Cushites, yes. And Put, Put is Egypt, yes. Correct, Put is Egypt. This is what he mentioned to God, Egypt and Assyria and Eilam.
Together with them will be "Gomer and all its hordes, Beit Togarmah in the far north and all its hordes, many peoples with you." Gomer and all its hordes. Gomer are those who are uncircumcised. Who are the descendants of Gomer? Ashkenaz and Rifat and Togarmah, right? And Togarmah, the Malbim says there are two Togarmahs. There is a Togarmah dwelling in the land of Greece, and these belong to Ishmael. They will go with Egypt. On the other hand, we said there will be two groups. A group more affiliated with Ishmael and a group more connected to Edom. So he says here these are those connected to Edom, this is Beit Togarmah, these are those in the north, Edom and all its princes and the princes of the north, yes, and all of Sidon.
Now he tells him these will be from the other camp. "Be prepared and prepare yourself, you and all your assembly that are gathered to you, and you shall be a guard for them." That is to say, as it were, prepare yourself for them to guard you on the way you go. All those who are gathered to you, meaning those who come to help you, and you will guard them so that they do not do harm. What is the meaning? That when Ishmael comes and begins to torment Israel here, then the nations of Edom will come, and in essence the nations of Edom in the war they will come to wage will ultimately neutralize the descendants of Ishmael. Will there be evil in this for us or not? This we will see later. Is their purpose in ascending here in order to save us from them? Certainly not, it is implied not. And soon we will see that he himself did not entirely know how to explain what the purpose of his coming here is. But what will be in the end? That there will be a war between the descendants of Edom and the descendants of Ishmael. This is "and you shall be a guard for them." What is "a guard"? You will guard Ishmael so that they do not do harm.
"After many days you shall be mustered; in the end of years you shall come to a land restored from the sword, gathered from many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel that had been a continual waste; and it was brought out from the peoples, and they all dwell securely." Here this pasuk is astonishing, because it is a pasuk that simply describes a reality that did not exist in Yechezkel's time, and it is essentially a prophecy that we are already past. A prophecy whose fulfillment we have witnessed. Let us first explain it according to Rashi. He tells him "after many days you shall be mustered." That is, you sinned against Me from many days ago and now I will visit your sin upon you. This is "after many days you shall be mustered." Now the time has come to visit upon you the sin, for this sin is from many days ago, it is an old sin that long ago should have come to settlement. "On the day I visit, I will visit." Therefore He tells him I will bring it about that you will pay the price. How? "In the end of years you shall come to a land restored from the sword." He tells him you will come to a land that is restored from the sword. Restored from the sword, the Malbim explains, means that the sword always killed among its people. You will come to a land that always suffered from the sword. For many came to wage war against it.
"Gathered from many peoples." A land whose people will be gathered from many exiles in which they were scattered. This one came from Germany, that one came from Poland, this one from Iraq, this one from Yemen, that one from Morocco, this one from Cyprus, this one from Estonia and from all the lands. This is "gathered from many peoples." When you arrive here there will be a settlement of a land restored from the sword, that suffered greatly from the sword. I think we already today fit this definition, for until today, since the founding of the state, we have only suffered the sword. We have not had any period that could be called a quiet period. That is one thing. The second thing, we are gathered from many peoples.
He says what will be the character of that land? He tells him "upon the mountains of Israel that had been a continual waste, and it was brought out from the peoples, and they all dwell securely." You will come upon the mountains of Israel that had been a continual waste. Until today the mountains of Israel were a waste. And you, "it was brought out from the peoples." This people whom you will come against is a people whom they allowed to leave those many peoples, brought out as it were willingly, they were given desire and agreement to go. Who gave it to them? The UN. They permitted them, yes, gave them desire and agreement to go, "brought out from the peoples," they let them leave to settle in the land. By the way, the Malbim writes this long before the UN agreement. Yes, he writes about this, he speaks long before the return to the land and before the First and Second World Wars. The Malbim's commentary was written already then. In essence this pasuk describes a reality that we have already experienced. "It was brought out from the peoples and they all dwell securely." What does it mean they all dwell securely? They will not have a war against you. They dwell securely. They did not come to do you harm. And you nevertheless, as it were without any prior reason, will come to wage war against them.
"And you shall ascend, you shall come like a storm, you shall be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes and many peoples with you." Here he speaks to Gog, the land of Magog, and to all the nations with him. He tells him you are destined to ascend like a storm. "Like a storm," Rashi says, is like the darkness that covers the land. The Radak says "like a storm" is like an abundance of many waters that come suddenly, like a tsunami you will arrive. Now he says it will appear like a storm because of the multitude of horses and army and the great people that will come with you, like when they want to say by way of exaggeration about a large number that arrived, they tell you it grew dark from the great number that arrived. Thus too you will be like a cloud that covers the land. From the great multitude of people that will come, it will be like a cloud that covers the land. And today one can understand this better, for if we are speaking of a war that will be with airplanes, then one can certainly understand the analogy of a cloud covering the land. When many airplanes come, a great shadow is formed and it is like a cloud that covers the land.
But notice, the Malbim here has a deeper explanation. He says, does the cloud come for harm or for benefit? The cloud comes to protect, both from the sun and to give rain. So seemingly how does he compare him here to a cloud? He says you will as it were disguise your coming as a coming for good. Like a cloud, I came to benefit, I came to settle the land with population, as it were I did not come to do harm. I only came to bring benefit to this place, or under any other pretext.
"Thus says Hashem Elokim: And it shall come to pass on that day that things shall come up upon your heart, and you shall devise an evil scheme." But on that day, when is "on that day"? Precisely on that day when you ascend. That is to say, that before then you did not have an evil thought, but on that day an evil thought will come up upon your heart. That is to say, in truth at first when he comes it was not in order to conquer, it was not in order to do harm, and it could be that part of this will be in order to lull us to sleep. Yes, from Heaven. Yes, to disguise his coming as though he came for good, I came to settle this place, or under any other pretext. But then suddenly an evil thought will come up upon your heart.
"And you shall say: I will go up against a land of unwalled villages, I will come upon those who are at ease, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without a wall, and having neither bars nor gates." I will go up against a land of unwalled villages. What will you say to yourself? For here in this land there is no need to fight it. Why? Because when the land is difficult and the war against it is great, if you conquered it a medal is due to you. Honor is due to you. But in contrast, when the land is easy to conquer, no one will applaud Saddam Hussein for conquering Kuwait. What is Kuwait? What is Kuwait? It is your backyard, without an army, without anything. Maybe they have an army just to keep up appearances. No more than that. So is it valor to fight against them? But one who goes and fights against a fortified country, against a superpower, and overcomes it, here he acquires for himself a name and honor. So he says the land is difficult to conquer for three reasons. If, for example, it is fortified. When the land is fortified it is difficult to conquer it. But here he tells him the land will not be like that. For you will say I will go up against a land of unwalled villages. Perazot is like peratzot, a breached land, open, without a wall.
Fine, if the people are men of war, warriors, then you come and say I fought against warriors and I overcame them. But here he tells him you will come upon those who are at ease, dwelling securely. This is an army that even in a war against a few Hizballahniks failed. This is not some glorified army. Once there was a glorified army, but today it is an army of commissions of inquiry, of supreme court petitions. This is not an army of which you can say it is valor to fight against them. They do not prepare themselves with weapons against the enemy that afflicts them, because they dwell securely. Everyone is confident, ah there will be no war, it will be fine. There are not even flak jackets, the quartermaster's stores did not find flak jackets to give them. They had to take food from inside the houses in the last Lebanon war. That is to say, whoever relies on the army a bit ought to be somewhat stressed. We are calm because we trust in the Creator of the world. But he says this will not be an army against which you can come and say I fought against an army.
He tells you and also the cities, the cities themselves will not be surrounded by a wall. "All of them dwelling without a wall and having neither bars nor gates." The supreme court will place obstacles on building the wall around. There are no gates and bars. Here they will tell you no, here there is some Palestinian's field. So but here people die. Let them die, but so that the Palestinian does not have to make a detour, it will burden him when he harvests his olives once a year, it will burden him. This will be a place without a wall and bars and gates. For years they have been talking about the wall and the security establishment says that as much as this helps, materially one must make an effort. There is nothing to be done. But no, the supreme court decided not, so they will die. They will die, correct, but one cannot infringe upon the rights of the Palestinian to harvest his olives. He comes and tells him in essence, if so then you will not have great glory from this war. Great honor from fighting against such a land, you will not receive.
So what, what in essence is the point of you coming to this place? "To take spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against inhabited waste places and against a people gathered from the nations, acquiring livestock and possessions, dwelling at the navel of the earth." In essence your whole interest and your whole goal is only for the following three things. To take spoil, spoil, plunder, possession. Spoil means profits. Another thing, to turn your hand against inhabited waste places. To destroy the land so that the land will revert to being as it was before. It was inhabited waste places, you will want to turn your hand to return it to its former state. And a third thing, because of the people that is gathered from the nations. The meaning is, they came from all the nations, for since one person came from here and that one came from there and this one came from there, they have commerce with all the nations from which they came. And as is known, the Jewish people always was a people of merchants. A people of merchants. Look now, antisemitism awakened in America after the great collapse of the banks. Look, all the banks, their names are Jews. Lehman and all sorts of names of this. The names are Jews. Thirty percent of banking managers in the world are Jews. When the Jewish people in percentages is two per mil. Do you know what two per mil is? That is 0.2%. That is our share in the world. And in banking we have 30%. The Jewish people is a people of merchants. And there you want specifically to reach this land, why? Because the commerce of all the nations reaches there. That is to say, the land here will be an aspect of a commercial economic power. And therefore you will arrive specifically here because you want to, you claim that the commerce here destroys and corrupts and harms the entire world. Today, for example, the commerce in China destroys and harms and corrupts the entire world. From what is written here it is implied that apparently the global commercial center will move here.
Who will be satisfied? "Sheva and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its young lions shall say to you: Have you come to take spoil? Have you gathered your assembly to seize plunder? To carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and possessions, to take great spoil?" Sheva and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its young lions will tell you. Who are all its young lions? According to Rashi it means the sharp merchants among them, the shrewd, the clever ones. According to the Radak, its young lions are its kings and ministers. Yes, just as the young lion among the lions is king over all the other animals. And they are the ones who will come and tell you: Have you come to take spoil? In essence they will tell you what, is the whole purpose of you coming here in order to gather money? This is in essence a disgrace to a nation that goes out against another nation to war for the sake of a few oil deposits, for a few gold mines or diamond mines. You went to war for what? For money you went to war? Have you come to take spoil?
The Malbim says, notice there is a duplication here. Have you come to take spoil, to seize plunder. What is the difference between taking spoil and seizing plunder? The Malbim says, the spoil (shalal) is what remains on its own during the war. And this is what goes to the king. If during the war vehicles remained on the battlefield and rifles and the like remained, this goes to the king. As they would say back then, when the king would go out to wars they would go out before him and say "this is David's spoil." So it appears in Shmuel I chapter 30. "This is David's spoil." That is, this goes to David. Why? Because this is the spoil found in the battle. In contrast there is the plunder (bizah). The plunder is what the soldiers plunder, each for himself. They enter the houses, all kinds of places, and plunder what they find among those nations or in those houses of those places to which they arrived. Good, the soldiers plundered each for himself. Very good. So now he comes and tells him: Have you come to take spoil? Who, who is "you"? The king. For who receives the spoil that remains on the battlefield? The king. Have you come to take spoil? Have you come to seize plunder, who receives the plunder we said? The army. Therefore they tell him: Have you gathered your assembly to seize plunder? Do you understand the correspondence? The plunder the assemblies take, the soldiers take. Therefore he tells him: Did you promise them that there would be much plunder? Was it for this purpose that you gathered your assembly?
And with this they come and continue: to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and possessions, to take great spoil. Or they are asking him: Did you come like a merchant to carry off silver and gold and to take away livestock and possessions? And through this you want to do great commerce here? Namely by way of commerce. And here the Malbim says as though they are telling him cynically, what, is this alone your goal? You came like a merchant? Or did you come like a robber? If you came like a robber, then it is a disgrace to a nation that goes out to war for business. For this purpose you gathered your assembly and brought up the entire army? For did you come like some mere highway robber, or did you come like a merchant? Thus the surrounding nations will ask him.
Therefore, "prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: Thus says Hashem Elokim: On that day when My people Israel dwell securely, shall you not know it?" On that day, when you arrive. And he has two prophecies here. He tells him the evil that you will do to Israel will be in the future. And therefore he tells him "prophesy, son of man." And afterward he tells him the punishment that you will receive in the end of days, this is what he tells him "and say to Gog." It is written "prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog." Why is it not written "therefore say to Gog"? Why does he tell him here "prophesy, son of man"? What has he been doing until now? Has he not been prophesying? The Malbim says, "prophesy, son of man" tells him this: know that the prophecy is that they will do evil to the Jewish people in the future. But the punishment that you will receive, this is not a prophecy for the future, it is already decreed upon you. And therefore he tells him "and say to Gog." This is not in the language of prophecy, this is already a sealed and closed matter. This is already decreed upon you. When? We are speaking here about the exiles, we are speaking here about the Holocaust of European Jewry, about the persecutions of Chmielnicki and his associates, we are speaking about all the troubles that you will do. And then you will afflict them. And we are also speaking here about the punishment that you will receive in the end. Everything has an accounting, and therefore in the end "and say to Gog," what, what is the punishment that will be in the end? "On that day when My people Israel dwell securely, shall you not know it." So you will know what will be done with them.
"And you shall come from your place, from the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding horses, a great assembly and a mighty army." So you will come from the far north, and you, just as then you ascended like a cloud to take their land in order to rule over them, so too it will be, as it was with Rome in the exile of Rome, when they came in order to destroy the Beit HaMikdash and rule over us, so too it will be in the end of days. You will come here to the land, not in order to destroy it, but the final purpose will be so that My name will be sanctified in the world. So that everyone will see what happens to you, Gog, and everyone will see that you pay the price for how you afflicted us throughout all the generations, then through this you will know. What will you know? You will know that Hashem is God. You will know that Hashem exacts retribution from whoever transgresses His will.
"And you shall come up against My people Israel like a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the end of days, and I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog." Here he in essence tells him the true reason. Why will you come here? So that the nations will know Me. So that My name will become famous in the world. So that His blessed name will be sanctified. As it is written "may it be magnified and sanctified." When is Hashem's name magnified and sanctified in the world? When retribution is exacted from those who transgress His will. When you see the wicked one paying a price, here Hashem's name is magnified and sanctified in the world, for they see that behold Hashem executes justice upon the wicked. And then here he says "when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog." Why does he again mention Gog? He says, then when I am sanctified, when My name is sanctified in the world through Me exacting retribution from you, everyone will know, ah, so this is Gog. Everyone will then know this is what the prophecy wrote about him, this is the nation called Gog, that behold now Hashem exacts retribution from it, for behold this was written in advance.
"Thus says Hashem Elokim: Are you the one of whom I spoke in ancient days by the hand of My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days, years, that I would bring you against them?" Thus says Hashem Elokim, are you the one. What does this mean? The Malbim says, the name Gog and the nation Magog, these nations were known in Yechezkel's time, for he is speaking about a specific nation. Only over time their name was forgotten. And as is known, Sancheriv came and mixed up the nations. And the nations continued and got even more mixed up among themselves. So that today we do not know who Egypt is, who Put is, who Canaan is, who this is, we do not know who these nations are, because most of the nations got mixed up and intermingled with one another. Also Amalek, we do not know exactly who the Amalekite is. We know that the root of Amalek is found in Germany, but who exactly Amalek is, of this we have no precise details. And therefore he comes and tells him "thus says Hashem, are you the one," meaning that a state will already arrive where people will not remember who this is. And they will not know who that Gog is about whom the prophecy was. And only when you come upon the land in order to conquer it, and then they will see that the words of the prophet are being fulfilled, then everyone will know: are you the one, Gog? This is Gog about whom there was a prophecy from many days ago. And then in the end of days this matter will become clear and everyone will say: behold this was by the hand of My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days, years, that I would bring you against them. Behold this is the one about whom the prophecy is written. Behold this is the man about whom it was said that he is destined to come upon the Jewish people. "In those days, years," what is the meaning of "in those days, years"? The meaning is that in those days they prophesied that in many years' time you would arrive. For since Yechezkel several thousand years have passed, right? At least 2000 years. At least 2000 years have passed since then. So he tells him then they will say, for back then in those days they prophesied that in many years' time you would arrive. There is another explanation of "days, years," that shanim is from the word shnayim, two. Yes, the meaning is that there will be prophecy several times, they repeated and reiterated this prophecy several times.
"And it shall come to pass on that day, on the day Gog comes upon the land of Israel, says Hashem Elokim, that My fury shall rise in My nostrils." On that day when Gog comes upon the Jewish people, My fury shall rise in My nostrils. Fury (cheimah) is something stored in the heart. "In My nostrils" (be'api) means when it comes outward. Hashem says over long years, many generations, I had fury. But the fury, as we said, is internal. On the day Gog comes, My fury shall rise in My nostrils. The internal fury will rise outward and come out. As we explained that the nose is the external anger. Therefore when He says "My fury shall rise in My nostrils," this means that same fury that all along was cooking inside will come out. And therefore, when one expresses anger, they say smoke rose in his nostrils. Why? Because for the angry person his nose heats up, it seems as though smoke rises. So as it were Hashem tells him the internal anger that until now was pent up against everything the nations did against us, now this anger will come out and come to expression.
"And in My zeal, in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: Surely on that day there shall be a great shaking upon the land of Israel." He says then I spoke in My zeal. What is My zeal? A person who is zealous means he wants to avenge for an act that was done. In this case, to the Jewish people, I will be zealous for their honor. "In the fire of My wrath," evrah is a term of anger. I have spoken, surely on that day there shall be a great shaking. That is to say, surely you will see that on that day there will be a great shaking. What is the great shaking? This we will see in the next pasuk.
"And there shall shake before Me the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and the beasts of the field, and every creeping thing that creeps on the ground, and every man that is on the face of the earth; and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground." Here he describes what a shaking this will be. First of all the shaking, what shaking is being spoken of? So we have the plain meaning of the text, what is a shaking? Whenever it is written "shaking" it means an earthquake. Ra'ash is an earthquake. And so too it appears in Zechariah "and you shall flee before the earthquake as you fled" etc. So that means they had already had an earthquake and he tells them this shaking will be frightening and terrifying like then. That is one possibility. The Malbim says an additional interpretation. The Malbim says the shaking that will be, it is very possible that this is a metaphor, it is an earthquake, and it is not literally an earthquake but rather something that will shake the earth. Its meaning, he says, is from all the cannon and every weapon that will exist in the end of days there will be such a mighty noise that it will be equivalent to an earthquake. As you recall, we said that the Vilna Gaon says that the future war of Gog and Magog will be two minutes. Thus says the Vilna Gaon 200 years ago. This is well before they thought about, 250 years ago, before they thought about bombs and all, before Mr. Dynamite invented the bombs. So that in practice the only thing this could be is an atom. Some say 12 minutes, correct, there is an additional opinion. Rav Zilberstein also brings this opinion in Betuvcha Yabiu, he mentions it. Now, whoever examines this pasuk here cannot in any way understand that it is speaking of an earthquake. Prove to me that it is not speaking of an earthquake from pasuk 20. The birds of the sky. Are the birds of the sky affected by earthquakes? No. When can the birds of the sky be affected? If there is an atom then everyone is affected. The radiation is such that even the birds of the sky will begin to shake. And also the beasts of the field and also the fish of the sea. Radioactive fallout that descends into the sea kills everything. Even fish cannot live. And naturally fish too should not be frightened by an earthquake. Although if one makes an explosion in the sea then fish die, that is from the shockwave. But an earthquake should not do anything to them. So this is what he says from the language of the text, you see that in essence everyone will be harmed, even the birds of the sky, and this cannot have an explanation unless we speak of an atom. And later this is also seen more explicitly, when he describes in Sefer Zechariah what is destined to happen, how the people who were harmed by that war will look, then there are descriptions there that fit people who, may Hashem have mercy, experienced an atomic bomb.
"And I will summon against him the sword throughout all My mountains, says Hashem Elokim; every man's sword shall be against his brother." And I will summon against him, He says I will summon the sword against the mountains. Its meaning, the Malbim says, is by way of metaphor, that the mountains as it were will kill them. The mountains themselves I will summon so that they will be an aspect of a sword to strike the enemies who came against the Jewish people. And besides this, "every man's sword shall be against his brother." For as we explained, both nations from Edom and nations from the Arabs will come here. And in essence they will fight one another. The main war will be on the land of Israel, of Edom against the Arab nations, against Ishmael. And this is what he says "every man's sword shall be against his brother," that they, Edom and Ishmael, will fight each man against his brother. If we have merit we will be spectators from the side. If we do not have merit then also part of the Jewish people, God forbid, will be harmed, as we will see later in Sefer Zechariah. But in any case, according to what is brought here, we said that there are two prophecies, both here and in Zechariah, and in this prophecy harm to the Jewish people is not mentioned at all. In this prophecy it is not mentioned that God forbid the Jewish people will have any harm. The prophecy in Sefer Zechariah is a harsher prophecy regarding the Jewish people, and these are two planes, two processes, it could be this way, it could be that way, it depends on the Jewish people. There is no such thing as it not happening at all, it is a prophecy. There is no such thing as it not happening at all, only what, no, but this prophecy is not for evil to us, the main prophecy is for evil to the nations, "and I will enter into judgment with him." This is a prophecy for evil to those nations, to exact retribution from those nations that afflicted the Jewish people.
"And I will enter into judgment with him with pestilence and with blood; and an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone, I will rain upon him and upon his hordes and upon the many peoples that are with him." "And I will enter into judgment with him," Hashem says, with pestilence and with blood. The Malbim says let us note, pestilence and blood are natural harm. Pestilence is a plague. Blood means the sword. These are natural things. And they will be able to attribute this as coming from nature, they will still not recognize Hashem. And therefore He says "and I will enter into judgment with him." What is the meaning? I will as it were come with him to judgment, as if I judge with him, and he still does not recognize Me. And therefore Hashem says afterward I will bring an overflowing rain and great hailstones, fire and brimstone I will rain upon him. All this is already Heavenly punishments, these are punishments that are in the category of a miracle. Here there will already be no possibility to come and deny and say no, this is the way of nature, this is by chance. Here everyone will see an overflowing rain that brings down great hailstones, fire and brimstone, these are not natural things. And through this everyone will recognize that this is from Hashem, it is the finger of God. Upon him and upon his hordes and upon the many peoples that are with him. All those who came to be with him.
What are avnei elgavish (great hailstones)? Avnei elgavish means great stones, a type of stones. But Chazal expound avnei elgavish, do not read elgavish but rather al gav ish (upon the back of a man). What is "upon the back of a man"? Chazal say that when Hashem brought down the hail in Egypt, then Moshe pleaded that the hail should stop. What happened to that hail that was in the sky? It stood still. It remained there. When will this hail come down? Chazal say when the time of Gog and Magog arrives, then Hashem will release that hail that got stuck up above. And this is "al gavish, al gav ish, upon the back of a man." As it were, on the back of the man Moshe who prayed that it should not come down, as it were by his merit this hail still stands there, and when Gog comes then this hail will come down upon their heads.
"And I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and make Myself known before the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am Hashem." Through this I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself and become famous before the eyes of many peoples, and then everyone will recognize that I am Hashem. For before this, when there was only pestilence and blood, it still was not necessarily clear that it was from Hashem. But when there is an overflowing rain of great hailstones, fire and brimstone, here the name of the Creator will be magnified and sanctified in the world, so that they will know that Hashem is God. And this, by the way, is the source for the concept of Kaddish. The Kaddish is based on this pasuk. "And I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself." This is what is destined to happen in the time to come. And this is what we request, "may His great name be magnified and sanctified," that His great name will be magnified and sanctified as it is destined to happen in the future after the war of Gog and Magog.