Chapter I

והי׳ ביום ההוא יתקע בשופר גדול ובאו
האובדים בארץאשור והנדחים בארץ
מצרים והשתחוו לה׳ בהר הקודש בירושלים

"And it shall be on that day that a great shofar shall be sounded, and those who were lost in the land of Ashur and those who were banished in the land of Mitzrayim shall come and bow down to the L-rd on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim."1

This is a prophecy by Yeshayahu in G‑d's blessed name regarding the last days before the final Redemption, as it says in the preceding verse:2 "And you, children of Israel, shall be gathered up [from exile Rashi] one by one."

During the period of exile, the Jewish nation will be scattered all over the world, as it is written:3 " 'For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens', says G‑d." But when the time of Redemption comes, Jews from even the farthest reaches of the earth, even places where an extremely small number are found, will all be gathered together and included within the Jewish nation.

The Jews isolated in remote areas, especially if they're living without the company of any other Jews, will be very coarsened and sunk in worldly matters. They will be estranged from Judaism, and may be unwilling to leave their well-established homes and go with Moshiach to Eretz Yisroel. They may not even want to hear of the Redemption. Under the influence of evil friends or leaders, they will have become assimilated into the populace of the lands in which they are found. Some of them will have forgotten, or will have lost all desire to remember, their Jewish heritage. So how will G‑d's promise be fulfilled? What will bring these Jews to return to their people?

This matter is addressed by the second prophecy [quoted at the outset of the discourse] that the sound of the "great shofar" will make everyone tremble [and want to go with Moshiach to Eretz Yisroel].

First comes the prophecy4 that on the eve of Redemption, all of mankind will be in a state of extreme agitation due to the cataclysmic events of those days. In turn, this will cause even those Jews who had totally forgotten their heritage to remember that they are Jewish. [Then comes] the second prophecy, that the "great shofar" will rouse even the lost and banished, so that they too will desire to kneel before G‑d in Yerushalayim.

In summary: On the eve of Redemption, the whole world will be trembling. Even the most estranged Jews will remember that they are Jewish. The "great shofar" will awaken the essential spark of Judaism within every Jew, including the "lost and banished."

Chapter II

We must understand what is meant by the "great shofar." It is written:5 "The L-rd G‑d (Adnay Harayah) shall sound the shofar and go forth in a southerly storm wind." This prophecy by Zechariah also deals with the "latter days" of [this,] the final exile. [All that is mentioned in this prophecy is that G‑d will sound the shofar.] What is meant, then, by the sounding of the "great shofar"?

The matter is as follows: "The L-rd G‑d shall sound the shofar," alludes to the shofar which will announce the battle which G‑d will wage against the nations that were very sinful, especially those that dealt wrongfully with the Jewish people. The sound of this shofar will be heard when G‑d goes forth "in a southerly storm wind," i.e., when G‑d does battle and destroys the sinful nations. Two of G‑d's names are mentioned in this prophecy, that of Adnay and Havayah. The name Adnay denotes G‑d's justice, while Havayah is indicative of His mercy.6 Though battle and destruction are matters of stern justice, [yet the name Havayah is also mentioned, since] in truth, stern justice is also an act of mercy. A battle and its concomitant destruction does more than cleanse sinners; it also serves as a form of preparation for the complete Redemption through our righteous Moshiach.

The "great shofar" shall fan the essential Jewish spark within all Jews, so that each one, in accordance with his or her spiritual standing, will become better and more spiritually elevated in Torah and mitzvos life. When Moshiach comes, there will then be fulfilled that which is written:7 "You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." For the birthpangs of Moshiach will have cleansed the Jewish nation from all our accumulated [corporeal] grime. The "great shofar" shall awaken [within all the ability] to truly perceive G‑d's holiness. Even "lost and banished" Jews who have fallen so low that they are ashamed of the name "Jews" and are angered when reminded of their Jewish ancestry, doing everything in their power to distance themselves from Judaism, even such Jews will come to recognize, through the sound of the shofar and the "southerly storm winds," that they are Jewish.

We readily observe that this is so. The "birthpangs of Moshiach" have already had a moving effect on all, and to a certain degree have brought Jews closer to Judaism. We will become closer still. These tribulations are all categorized as afflictions preceding the coming of Moshiach. However, the "great shofar" is a manifestation of G‑d's fatherly and loving call that will reach all Jews, even those who are "lost and banished."

In summary: "The L-rd G‑d shall sound the shofar", refers to the shofar of battle, when G‑d "goes forth in a southerly storm wind" to destroy the sinful world and bring wayward Jews back to the fold. Adnay is [the Divine name denoting the] stern justice of the "birthpangs of Moshiach." Havayah is [the Divine name denoting] the merciful preparation for the complete Redemption. "Sounding the great shofar" refers to G‑d's loving call to repentance, which will be directed toward all Jews.

Chapter III

G‑d's loving call to repentance which follows the "birthpangs [preceding the coming] of Moshiach" will be so powerful that it will affect all Jews. It will arouse within those Jews who are already observant a superhuman devotion to Torah and mitzvos, as well as a passionate desire to progress in yiras shomayim, "fear of G‑d," love of G‑d and fellow Jew and development of good character traits. G‑d's call will reach even those Jews who have fallen into the morass of material desires, and have been "lost in the land of Ashur and banished in the land of Mitzrayim," i.e., mired in the deepest swamps of licentiousness which leads to murderous deeds. Even these Jews will be reached by the Heavenly call to repent, and within them will awaken the desire to lead a Jewish life replete with Torah and mitzvos. Their innermost desire [will then be] to kneel before G‑d in Yerushayalim.

[The passions and pleasures that lead man to] sin are divided into two general categories. They are: cool, sedate or detached, and burning, intense or passionately devoted. The source of the first is mainly intellectual, while the source of the latter is largely emotional. While it is true that both categories ultimately stem from one source, i.e., the delight received from material pleasure, there is a difference in how these delights are expressed, whether in a cool, sedate and detached manner or in a burning, intense and passionately devoted manner.

The effect of these two kinds of pleasure upon an individual are alluded to in the words, "those who were lost in the land of Ashur and those who were banished in the land of Mitzrayim." The cool, sedate and detached pleasures satiate the pleasure seeker. This satiation, in turn, draws him even further into the sea of pleasures, until he drowns in them. This is alluded to in the words "those who were lost in the land of Ashur," for the Hebrew word ashur means "pleasure" and "delight."8 He that devotes himself to pleasure is considered to be "lost in the land of Ashur."

The burning, intense and passionately devoted pleasures cause the pleasure seeker to thirst for ever-more intense delights, until he becomes mired in the nethermost pits of vice. This is alluded to in the words "banished in the land of Mitzrayim," for mitzrayim denotes the most vulgar and debased swamp of sin.9

The first step is that of the "birthpangs of Moshiach," at which time "the L-rd G‑d shall sound the shofar " so as to make all Jews tremble, especially those who have become estranged from Judaism. Then comes the "sounding of the great shofar," the Divine fatherly call of love to all Jews that they repent. This will rouse the essential spark of Jewishness within all Jews, including those who were "lost and banished." All will then go with our righteous Moshiach, [may it be very speedily], and "bow down to the L-rd on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim."

In summary: After the terrifying and frightful [events during the times of the] "birthpangs of Moshiach," there will emanate a powerful G‑dly call of love urging Jews to repent. This will affect all Jews, even the most estranged and those who are devoted to the basest, cool and sedate, or burning and intense corporeal pleasures. They too shall return to a life of Torah and mitzvos. Our righteous Moshiach will then speedily lead all Jews to the thoroughly cleansed Eretz Yisroel.