Are We in Gog and Magog? The Late Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu’s Answer to the Viral Question
As Israel faces a new security reality, the halakhic legacy of the late Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu offers guidance on surviving direct hits and the theological mystery of "Gog and Magog." His message: gratitutde is required, but predicting the End of Days remains "sealed."
The ongoing "Lion’s Roar" war is reviving profound halakhic (Jewish legal) questions originally brought before the late Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu over three decades ago. From the dilemma of how to bless a home that took a direct hit to the attempt to understand if current battles signal the End of Days, the Rabbi's legacy offers a timely roadmap.
Miracles in the Midst of Scuds
The year was 1992, shortly after the Gulf War. A rabbi from Bnei Brak sent an urgent letter to the office of then-Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, marveling at the "miracles and wonders" of a war where dozens of Scud missiles landed in residential areas without mass casualties.
The inquiry focused on four burning issues:
The Halakhic Rulings of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu
1. Personal Miracles and 'Hallel'
The Rabbi ruled that an individual who survives a direct hit on their home must recite the blessing "Blessed [be He] who performed a miracle for me" (Baruch She'asa Li Nes) upon returning to the site for the first time.
Furthermore, he established a directive for generations: every year, on the anniversary of the miracle, the survivor should recite the "Great Hallel" and the miracle blessing, though notably without using the formal Name of God (Shem u’Malchut).
2. Municipal Thanksgiving in Schools
Regarding public recognition, Rabbi Eliyahu encouraged Thanksgiving rallies in affected cities. He recommended gathering students and survivors to recite specific chapters of Psalms chosen for gratitude. However, he clarified that any recitation of Hallel in these public settings must be done without a formal blessing.
3. Predicting the End of Days: Gog and Magog
When addressed with the attempt to identify the war as the final stage of Redemption, the Rabbi took a cautious approach. He stated clearly:
"All those who calculate the 'End' are merely speculating."
He emphasized that the timing of the final redemption remains "sealed and hidden." Despite this, he concluded with a message of faith: "We are believers, the children of believers, that the Redemption will come very soon, in the sense of 'Today, if you but hearken to His voice."