Noach | “An Olive Leaf, Torn in Its Mouth” — The Soul of Moshiach ben David

“In the Zohar, Parshas Shelach-Lecha (Vol. 3, 165) it is written about Noach’s dove—what is this: ‘an olive leaf, torn in its mouth’(Bereishis 8:11)? It is the soul of Moshiach ben David. Noach is the soul of Moshiach ben David!”

Words of the holy Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, delivered to the Shuvu Banim Kollel in Miami, at the time when the Tzaddik was in Tzalmon.

Hashem wanted Noach to bring down a Beis HaMikdash of fire—‘an olive leaf, torn in its mouth’(ibid.)—this is the soul of Melech HaMoshiach, because it is written (Tehillim 52:10–11) ‘But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the House of God; I have trusted in the kindness of God forever and ever’ (ibid. 10).

“‘I will thank You forever, because You have done it; and I will hope in Your Name, for it is good, in the presence of Your Chassidim’(ibid.). The Zohar says that this entire chapter is speaking about Noach, who was meant to bring down a Beis HaMikdash of fire—because the Ark was like the Beis HaMikdash, after Noach remained there for twelve months. The sleeping chamber was the Kodesh HaKodashim—just as when Yaakov entered Yitzchak, that was like the Kodesh HaKodashim, and then he received the ‘dew of Heaven’ (ibid. 27:28)—the power to resurrect the dead.”

“Noach lost the power to resurrect the dead. If Noach had not drunk the wine, he would not have lost the level of resurrecting the dead.”

“Why did Noach drink?”

“Because it was a vine-branch from Gan Eden—it came to him from Gan Eden. Suddenly he became confused: ‘But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the House of God’ (Tehillim 52:10). Even if you see a vine-branch in the House of God—do not touch it. Everything was from Gan Eden: the vine-branch was from Gan Eden; the olive leaf was from Gan Eden; the dove was Gan Eden. The Zohar says (164b) that the dove that returned was not the same dove that Noach sent—the dove was exchanged, and this was a dove from Gan Eden.”

“Because now we are in Gan Eden—pleasing Above and pleasing below: ‘You place upon his head a crown of fine gold’ (Tehillim 21:4)—the crown of Moshiach. This dove that brought the olive will bring the crown to Melech HaMoshiach.”

“The Chasam Sofer says that in every generation there is a Melech HaMoshiach—only we must merit it, like Noach. Noach merited to bring the dove—the one that will bring the crown to Melech HaMoshiach: ‘You place upon his head a crown of fine gold’ (ibid.), ‘a crown of fine gold’ is the crown of Moshiach. It is written in the sefer Kerenayim of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli that Moshiach will be revealed in the month of Teves: ‘You precede him with blessings of goodness’ (ibid.)—an acronym for Teves—‘You place upon his head a crown of fine gold.’”

“Because the month of Teves is the month of goodness. In the coming months, we now have sixty days to prepare Melech HaMoshiach. It is the 3rd of Teves—every one of us must prepare the matter of Moshiach: to prepare the Heichal, to prepare the palace for Melech HaMoshiach.”

“Because first Moshiach will come to Miami: ‘He asked life of You’ (ibid. 5), for Moshiach ben David needs to die—but if he travels to Uman, he will not die, because Moshiach also needs to travel to Uman. ‘Length of days’ (ibid.)—the letters spell kerem (vineyard). In Miami we will open a yeshivah—Kerem Miami—named for ‘Length of days.’ 260 = 10 × 26; kerem is ten Havayos; kerem = 260—‘Kerem Yisrael’—that the Geulah of Am Yisrael will begin from Miami, without any doubt.”