The Five Stages of Geulah (Final Redemption)

BS"D

The Final Redemption, Geulah in Hebrew, comes in five stages. We learn this in the Book of Ezekiel 37:15-28):

First Stage: The resurrection of the dead and return of the House of Israel to its homeland. These are not two stages, but one. The resurrection is in order to bring the people to the land.

Second Stage: The unification of the House of Israel. Yosef and Yehuda will be reconciled and at peace with each other.

Third Stage: A king from the House of David will reign over the unified House of Israel. He will be the anointed of G-d and his name will be David. He will lead the people in the ways of G-d.

Fourth Stage: G-d will make an eternal covenant of peace with the House of Israel.

Fifth Stage: The Third Temple will be built and the whole world will know that G-d is the one who sanctifies Israel when the Temple stands in their midst eternally.

The focal point here, particularly for the Ger, is the verse in Ezekiel 37:28: And the Goyim shall know that I am the Lord (YHVH) Who sanctifies Israel, when My Sanctuary is in their midst forever.

It does not say “all the Goyim,” it says, “the Goyim,” which means some of the Goyim. These are Goyim who observe the Seven Laws of Noah and have chosen the G-d of Jacob as their G-d, as it says (Isaiah 2:3), “Many peoples shall go and they shall say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the House of the G-d of Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths.’”

This is the Ger. This is not the Noahide. And this is not the Ger Toshav. This is only the Ger. What is the difference between the Ger and the Noahide or Ger Toshav? There are four primary differences:

1. Both the Noahide and the Ger Toshav have rejected idolatry, but have not chosen the G-d of Jacob as their G-d. The Ger has rejected idolatry and has also chosen G-d as his G-d.

2. The Ger is Biblical, created by G-d and mentioned in the Torah. The Noahide and the Ger Toshav are rabbinic constructs, legal fictions.

3. The Ger was born in Geulah. The Noahide and Ger Toshav are still in Galut.

4. The Noahide and the Ger Toshav are connected to the Tree of Life through the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Ger is connected directly to the Tree of Life.

If a non-Jew has not only rejected idolatry, but also believes in Hashem, the G-d of Israel, then he or she is a Ger. He is obligated to observe the Jewish Sabbath (not necessarily like a Jew). The Ger will be the one who comes to the Temple to learn the ways of the G-d of Jacob and walk in His paths. May we see it soon with the Third Temple standing in its place on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Amen.