The Concept of

Aschalta D'Geulah
By Rabbi Joshua Flug

For technical information regarding use of

.this document, press ctrl and click here
I. Introduction- A discussion about Zionism from a Torah perspective will often include the
topic of "Aschalta D'Geulah." This means that certain events in the development of the
State of Israel represent a beginning of the process of redemption. In this shiur outline,
we will explore the conept of aschalta d'geulah, present a discussion regarding what it is
and how it applies to the State of Israel.
II. The Concept of Aschalta D'Geulah in Talmudic Sources
a. The Gemara discusses why the beracha of "Ga'al Yisrael" is the seventh beracha of
Shemoneh Esrei and basis it on the tradition that the redemption will occur in the
seventh year (of the shemitah cycle). The Gemara then asks from a Beraisa that states
that the war will take place in the seventh year and the redemption in the eighth. The
Gemara answers that a war is considered an aschalta d'geulah. {}
i. It is not clear from the Gemara whether this particular war is considered the
beginning of the process or that every war is considered a potential beginning
of the process.
b. The Midrash writes that every time two nations fights, one can anticipate the coming
of Mashiach. We see this from Avraham Avinu who experienced redemption as a
result of the war of the kings. {}
i. The comments of the Midrash seem to indicate that all wars are considered an
aschalta d'geulah.
c. The Talmud Yerushalmi states that Makkas Bechoros/Yetzias Mitzrayim was the
beginning of the redemption. The redemption was not complete until kerias yam suf.
{}
d. The Talmud Yerushalmi states that the redemption of the Jewish People will take
place in a slow step-by-step process. {}
III. The Teachings of The Vilna Gaon (1720-1797)
a. The Vilna Gaon was a strong advocate of starting a settlement in Eretz Yisrael.
Although his personal attempts to live there failed, many of his students settled there
and their settlement continues to influence religious life in Eretz Yisrael. One of the
students of the Vilna Gaon, R. Hillel Rivlin of Shklov (1758-1838) recorded many of
the Vilna Gaon's positions on the redemptive process in his work Kol HaTor. While
much of it is based on Kabbalah, it was edited and reprinted so that the non-kabbalist
can understand the basic points. [Click here to access one version. Click here to
access an English translation.]
i. This work is cited often by Religious Zionists as a proof that their position is
based on the Vilna Gaon.
ii. R. Moshe Shternbuch wrote an essay questioning the authenticity of the work
[click here to access.]
b. These are some of the points that are presented in Kol HaTor relating to the concept
of Aschalta D'geulah:
i. The geulah will only take place if we start the process ourselves:
1. One of the more well known ideas of the Vilna Gaon is that there are
two mitzvos that one can fulfill with one's entire body: the mitzvah of
Sukkah and the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel. What is not as
well know is that the Vilna Gaon found a hint to this idea in the verse:
‫ויהי בשלם סוכו ומעונתו בציון‬. {} This was not just a nice vort, the Vilna
Gaon actually used this verse to help define his life's mission. The
Gematria of ‫ אליהו בן שלמה זלמן בן ישכר דוב‬is the same gematria as ‫בשלם‬
1200 =‫סוכו ומעונתו בציון‬. This was one indicator that the Vilna Gaon
felt that he must be a part of a new settlement in Eretz Yisrael.
2. The Vilna Gaon further stated that just as a sukkah is invalid if it is
built by itself, so too, Yerushalayim cannot be built by itself, but
requires us to initiate the process. This is the meaning of the Gemara's
statement that David is not going to come until Yerushalayim is
rebuilt. {&}
ii. The Third Option to Redemption
1. The Gemara notes that there verse that states that the redemption will
be hastened in its time {} is somewhat self contradictory. The Gemara
answers that if the Jewish People merit the redemption, it will be
hastened. If not, it will come its proper time. {}
2. The Vilna Gaon felt that despite the Gemara's interpretation, ‫אין מקרא‬
‫ יוצא מידי פשוטו‬and the intent of the verse is that there is a period of
time that is ripe for the redemption and G-d will hasten it during that
time. The Vilna Gaon felt that we are living in that time. {}
iii. The Redemption will come slowly:
1. We noted previously the opinion of the Talmud Yerushalmi that the
redemptive process will come in stages.
2. The Vilna Gaon felt even laying one stone in Yerushalayim is an
ashcalta d'geulah.
3. The students asked him: Why is there a need for aschalta d'geulah? If
we have reached the time for the geulah, why doesn't G-d perform the
geulah in one stage? He answered that we have not merited
redemption and are trying to hasten the geulah within its time. Since
we have not merited the redemption, it is going to involve a lot of
suffering. We can't handle all of the suffering necessary to have a
redemption come in one stage. {}
IV. The practical ramifications of Ashchalta D'Geulah
a. R. Hershel Schachter presents two halachic ramifications to the concept of Aschalta
D'Geulah:
i. R. Ya'akov of Lisa (1760-1832) writes that the day of an Aschalta D'Geulah
can be established as a Yom Tov. {}
ii. R. Chaim Elazar Shapiro (1871-1937) writes that it is forbidden to pray for a
war to end because the wars hasten the geulah process. {}
iii. R. Schachter writes that if one considers the founding of the State of Israel as
an aschalta d'geulah, one can create a day of celebration on Yom Ha'Atzmaut
and there is a prohibition to stop the process. This means that Israel may not
give up fighting the war until it is won (if one is winning the war) because
ending the war is a hamper to the redemption process. {}
V. The Opinions of those who don't consider the State of Israel an Aschalta D'Geulah
a. R. Reuven Grozovsky (1886-1958) writes that Rambam does not mention a concept
of aschalta d'geulah. According to Rambam the geulah occurs when Mashiach
performs kibbutz galuyos. {&}
b. R. Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994) presents a similar objection. He
contends that all of the sources to support the idea of aschalta d'geulah are aggadic in
nature and we should only examine the rulings of Rambam to make halachic
determinations on this matter. {}
c. R. Aharon Kotler (1891-1962) is quoted as saying that believing that the
establishment of the State of Israel is redemption is a lack of appreciation of what
redemption really is. He gives a mashal of two people who were living at the time of
churban habayis, one living in Yerushalayim and one was a framer living in the Galil.
The farmer, who is allowed to return to his home, considers that a redemption.
However, the one who was living in Yerushalayim sees that while he can return to his
home, there is no Beis HaMikdash with all of its glory. He does not see this as
redemption. {}
d. R. Yoel Teitelbaum (1887-1979) voiced very strong opposition to the founding of the
State of Israel. He considered establishing a state a violation of the "three oaths" of
which he wrote about extensively. He felt that the Jewish People should not fight the
nations of the world until Mashiach comes. Furthermore, we should not interpret the
success of Israel's wars as a sign that this is the beginning of the redemption. Rather,
this is a cause of strife and suffering. {}
 ‫‪ .8‬ישעיה ס‪:‬כב‬ ‫‪ .1‬מגילה יז‪:‬‬

‫‪ .9‬סנהדרין צח‪.‬‬

‫‪ .2‬בראשית רבה מב‪:‬ד‬

‫‪ .10‬קול התור פרק א'‬

‫‪ .3‬ירושלמי פסחים י‪:‬ו‬

‫‪ .11‬קול התור פרק א'‬

‫‪ .4‬ירושלמי יומא ג‪:‬ב‬

‫‪ .12‬מגילת סתרים אסתר ט‪:‬יט‬

‫ולכך עוש יו"ט שלפי דעתם שראו מחיית עמלק וחשבו‬ ‫‪ .5‬תהלים עו‪:‬ג‬
‫שהוא אתחלתא דגאולה יש לעשות יום טוב וכמו בגולה‬ ‫נתו‬
‫מעו ָ‬
‫ו ְ‬ ‫סוכו‬ ‫לם‬
‫ש ֵ‬
‫בְ ָ‬ ‫הי‬‫ו ַי ְ ִ‬
‫ראשונה‪.‬‬
‫ציון‪.‬‬
‫בְ ִ‬
‫‪ .6‬מגילה יז‪:‬‬

‫‪ .7‬קול התור פרק א'‬

 ‫‪ .13‬מנחת אלעזר ד‪:‬ה‬

‫‪ .15‬רמב"ם הל' מלכים יא‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .16‬בעיות הזמן עמ' קמג‬

‫‪ .17‬לקוטי שיחות חלק טו עמ' ‪492‬‬

‫‪ .14‬בעקבי הצאן ס' לג‬

‫‪ .18‬על משכנות הרועים עמ ק‪-‬קא‬

‫‪ .19‬הקדמה לקונטרס על הגאולה ועל התמורה‬