An Explanation of the Haftarah Ki Tavo

An Explanation of the Haftarah Ki Tavo

10th of Elul, 5786 / Aug 23 2026

The Connection Between the Haftarah and the Parasha

This haftarah is the sixth of the seven haftarot of consolation, which are read beginning from the first Sabbath after Tisha B'Av.

Content of the Haftarah

Hashem comforts Zion and says to her: Arise, shine, and rejoice in your salvation, for the glory of Hashem rests upon you.

The nations and their kings will ascend to Zion, to learn from you, paths of life, all your children from the lands of their exile will gather and come to Zion. The nations will bring gold and a gift/offering to Hashem and to His nation, and also rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, their kings will ascend to serve the nation of Israel, and nations and a kingdom that will not ascend to serve Israel will perish and be destroyed.

From Lebanon they will bring the chosen trees for the building of the Holy Temple, the nations and their kings will be submissive before the children of Israel, and instead of Israel being hated and despised in the eyes of the nations, behold now they will be rulers and dominant over the whole world.

The nations will return to Israel double from the oppression and violence that they robbed and looted from them, and instead of Israel gathering near the wall to call people to go out to war, behold now they will gather to thank and praise Hashem for the salvations He performs for them.

From the greatness of the goodness and abundance that will be to Israel, behold the light of the sun and the moon will not be considered as anything, the nation of Israel will all be righteous and great, and Hashem will glory in them, the small tribe will grow a thousand times greater than what it is now, and Hashem will hasten the good things and the consolations with the coming of the redemption.

Yishayahu Chapter 60

[1] Hashem says to Her, to Jerusalem: ARISE, SHINE, meaning rejoice in the joy and good [according to Radak], FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME, [A] spiritual light, physical light, and the light of salvation. AND THE GLORY OF HASHEM the light of prophecy (according to Malbim) UPON YOU HAS SHONE UPON YOU [B].

[2] FOR BEHOLD, DARKNESS SHALL COVER THE EARTH, trouble will multiply [Radak], and He repeated and said: AND GROSS DARKNESS like a thick cloud [Radak] THE PEOPLES, the kingdoms and the rest of the nations; BUT UPON YOU HASHEM SHALL SHINE, meaning that the Shechinah will rest upon Israel [Targum Yonatan], AND HIS GLORY UPON YOU SHALL BE SEEN in a great revelation [according to Malbim].

[3] AND NATIONS SHALL WALK TO YOUR LIGHT, [C] that they will learn from you paths of life [according to Radak], AND KINGS BY THE BRILLIANCE OF YOUR SHINE, they will go to the light of Hashem [Malbim], wisdom and Torah.

[4] LIFT UP YOUR EYES ROUND ABOUT AND SEE: ALL THEY all the men of your peace [according to Metsudat David] GATHER THEMSELVES TOGETHER, THEY COME TO YOU; to learn Torah and the word of Hashem [Malbim]. YOUR SONS FROM AFAR SHALL COME, even to learn Torah, AND YOUR DAUGHTERS AT THE SIDE SHALL BE NURSED, the princesses and kingdoms will raise your sons on their side [Radak and Metsudat David].

[5] THEN YOU SHALL SEE AND BE RADIANT, when you see your children coming from every side your face will light up from great joy, AND YOUR HEART SHALL TREMBLE AND BE ENLARGED, from great joy and good, BECAUSE THE ABUNDANCE OF THE SEA on the side of the west [Metsudat David] SHALL BE TURNED UNTO YOU, for until now you were desolate, and now the matter will reverse so that a multitude of people will come [Radak according to Targum Yonatan], THE WEALTH OF THE NATIONS SHALL COME UNTO YOU [Malbim].

[6] A MULTITUDE OF CAMELS SHALL COVER YOU, an abundance and excess of camels will bring you a gift and cover the land for you like young camels coming FROM MIDIAN AND EPHAH [descendants of Midian] [Rashi]; THEY ALL FROM SHEBA SHALL COME, all the people from Sheba THEY SHALL BRING GOLD AND FRANKINCENSE, and spices of Frankincense as a gift to Hashem, and when they arrive in their land [D] AND SHALL PROCLAIM THE PRAISES OF HASHEM [Metsudat David].

[7] ALL THE FLOCKS OF KEDAR SHALL BE GATHERED TOGETHER UNTO YOU, the finest ones will be brought to you, THE RAMS OF NEBAIOTH SHALL MINISTER UNTO YOU, they will bring you a gift from them, and so THEY SHALL COME UP WITH ACCEPTANCE ON MY ALTAR, AND MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE [the Holy Temple] I WILL GLORIFY with choice offerings [Radak], with silver and gold [Metsudat David].

[8] WHO ARE THESE THAT FLY AS A CLOUD, who go quickly to their land like a cloud flying in speed [Metsudat David], AND AS THE DOVES TO THEIR LATTICES? [Radak], like doves hurrying to fly to the windows of their dove-cote, because they left their young there [Radak].

[9] SURELY THE ISLES SHALL WAIT FOR ME, [they] will gather and come to you [Metsudat David], AND THE SHIPS OF TARSHISH FIRST, called after the sea [E] which will awaken as in the beginning [in the days of Shlomo], TO BRING YOUR SONS FROM AFAR, to Israel THEIR SILVER AND THEIR GOLD WITH THEM as homage, UNTO THE NAME OF HASHEM YOUR L-RD, AND TO THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, BECAUSE HE HAS GLORIFIED YOU, who gave you this glory and splendor that the nations will serve you [Rashi and Radak].

[10] AND FOREIGNERS SHALL BUILD UP YOUR WALLS, the walls of your cities, AND THEIR KINGS SHALL MINISTER UNTO YOU, [shall serve you (Metsudat David)], then you will recognize that all that comes upon you was not by chance, FOR IN MY WRATH I SMOTE YOU, in my anger for your sins I smote you, and you were a maidservant to servants, to worshippers [of idols], BUT IN MY FAVOR HAVE I HAD MERCY ON YOU, that even the kings of the worshippers [of idols] will serve you [Radak].

11 AND YOUR GATES [F] SHALL BE OPENED CONTINUALLY; DAY AND NIGHT THEY SHALL NOT BE CLOSED, TO BRING TO YOU THE WEALTH OF THE NATIONS [Targum Yonatan] for there will be peace in the world, AND THEIR KINGS [G] [led in procession] [Radak]: who will come before the King Messiah as servants before their masters [Radak].

12 FOR THE NATION [Targum Yonatan] AND THE KINGDOM THAT WILL NOT SERVE YOU SHALL PERISH, AND THE NATIONS [Targum Yonatan] the many nations that do not serve you SHALL BE UTTERLY RUINED [Radak]: destruction upon destruction, ruin and sword [Radak].

13 THE GLORY the good trees of the forest OF LEBANON SHALL COME TO YOU, they will bring to you THE CYPRESS, THE FIR, AND THE BOX TREE TOGETHER [names of types of trees that grow in Lebanon (Rashi)] TOGETHER they will bring them to you for use in building the Temple, TO BEAUTIFY THE PLACE OF MY SANCTUARY, [H] aligned to the throne of glory AND THE PLACE OF MY FEET [Radak] which is the Holy of Holies, I WILL MAKE GLORIOUS by Myself, and not by human hands [Malbim].

14 AND THE SONS OF YOUR OPPRESSORS SHALL COME BOWING TO YOU, with bent posture, submission, and lowliness, because now their fathers have already died, [and due to your great importance (Malbim)] AND ALL WHO DESPISED disparaged YOU SHALL BOW DOWN AT THE SOLES OF YOUR FEET, upon the ground which is opposite the soles of your feet, [and some explain: very close to the ground (Metzudat David)] AND THEY SHALL CALL YOU THE CITY OF HASHEM, now that His glory will be seen in it [Radak], ZION that is desired by  THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL [Targum Yonatan].

15 WHEREAS YOU WERE FORSAKEN from your sons AND HATED by all the nations WITH NO ONE PASSING THROUGH your land, now in place of this I WILL MAKE YOU a great kingdom AN ETERNAL PRIDE, A JOY FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION They will rejoice over your success [Malbim]: all the generations [Metzudat David].

16 [By way of metaphor he said, "and you shall suck"] namely, you shall eat YOU SHALL ALSO SUCK THE MILK OF NATIONS, the good of the land of the nations, and double [the idea] and said, AND SUCK THE BREAST OF KINGS; and the metaphor is that you will extract the good of the nations [Radak] AND YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I, HASHEM, AM YOUR SAVIOR AND YOUR REDEEMER, THE MIGHTY ONE [language of strength (Metzudat Zion)] OF YAAKOV.

17 INSTEAD OF BRONZE that the nations took from you I WILL BRING to you in its place [Targum Yonatan] GOLD, AND INSTEAD OF IRON I WILL BRING SILVER, AND INSTEAD OF WOOD, BRONZE, AND INSTEAD OF STONES, IRON; the officers of the nations who collected taxes from you, now they will come to ask only for peace I WILL ALSO MAKE YOUR OFFICERS PEACE, AND YOUR TASKMASTERS and instead of the taskmasters and oppressors taking money, they will come to do charity with you [Metzudat David] RIGHTEOUSNESS.

18 VIOLENCE oppression and robbery from your enemies SHALL NO LONGER BE HEARD IN YOUR LAND, [within the state, a man against his fellow (Malbim)] and there will no longer be RUIN OR DESTRUCTION robbers and plunderers [Metzudat Zion] WITHIN YOUR BORDERS; [from an external enemy (Malbim)] AND YOU SHALL CALL YOUR WALLS SALVATION for they will not need to go up on the walls for war, AND YOUR GATES there will no longer be heard voices of war and they will not need to close them against the enemy, PRAISE but rather they will recount only the praises of Hashem [Radak].

19 YOU SHALL NO LONGER NEED [I] THE SUN FOR LIGHT BY DAY, NOR FOR BRIGHTNESS SHALL THE MOON GIVE LIGHT TO YOU, the shine of the moon at night will not be needed for light, rather the light of the Divine Presence, which is the light of HASHEM WILL BE TO YOU AN EVERLASTING LIGHT,[J] day and night AND YOUR L-RD YOUR GLORY you will glory in the glory of Hashem [Metzudat David].

20 YOUR SUN SHALL NO LONGER GO DOWN, [K][Metzudat Zion] meaning your kingdom will not be annulled [Targum Yonatan] NOR SHALL YOUR MOON WITHDRAW ITSELF, meaning its light will not be gathered in [Metzudat David], meaning your greatness will not cease and be lessened [Targum Yonatan], FOR HASHEM WILL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT, and it will no longer be annulled forever AND THE DAYS OF YOUR MOURNING SHALL BE ENDED and you will no longer mourn [Metzudat David].

21 AND YOUR NATION who remain in you SHALL ALL [L] BE RIGHTEOUS for the wicked will be consumed in the days of the Messiah [Metzudat David and Radak] and the righteous THEY SHALL INHERIT THE LAND FOREVER, the lower and the upper (Zohar, part 1, 179a) THE BRANCH OF MY PLANTING, [M] that I planted THE WORK OF MY HANDS, THAT I MAY BE GLORIFIED [N] in them, for all of them will be righteous [Metzudat David].

22 THE SMALLEST tribe in quantity SHALL BECOME multiplied by A THOUSAND, [O] AND THE SMALLEST in stature A MIGHTY NATION; to a large and strong nation in quality and might I, HASHEM, who has the ability in My hand WILL HASTEN [P] IT IN ITS TIME when the designated time comes I will do the matter quickly and fill my promise [Malbim].

NOTES & ANALYSIS

A. "Arise, shine, for your light has come" — Rabbi Yochanan said: A parable of a king who was walking on the way as the sun was setting, someone came and lit a candle for him, and it went out. Another came and lit a candle for him, and it went out. He said: From now on, I do not wait except for the light of morning. So, Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: We made a menorah for You in the days of Moshe our teacher, and it went out; in the days of Shlomo the king, and it went out. From now on, we wait for Your light, as it is stated (Psalms 36:10): "For with You is the source of life; in Your light we see light." And so, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: "Arise, shine, for your light has come."

Our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Israel was likened to an olive tree, as it is stated (Yirmiyahu 11:16): "A leafy olive tree, fair with goodly fruit, Hashem has called your name," and the Holy One, blessed be He, is likened to a lamp, as it is stated (Proverbs 20:27): "The lamp of Hashem is the soul of man." Just as the way of olive oil is to be put into a lamp and both illuminate as one, so the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Since My light is your light and your light is My light, I and you will go and illuminate Zion, as it is stated: "Arise, shine, for your light has come." Rabbi Hoshaya said: Jerusalem is destined to become a lantern for the nations of the world, and they will walk by its light. What is the reason? "And nations shall walk by your light" (verse 3). And our Sages, of blessed memory, said: As long as the light of the greater one exists, the light of the smaller one is not publicized. When the light of the greater one sets, the light of the smaller one is publicized. So, as long as the light of Eisav exists, the light of Yaakov is not publicized; when the light of Eisav sets, the light of Yaakov is publicized, that is what is stated: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Hashem has risen upon you."

Our Rabbis taught (learned): At the hour when the King Messiah comes, he stands on the roof of the Temple and proclaims to Israel, saying: Humble ones, the time of your redemption has arrived! And if you do not believe, see in my light that has risen upon you, and upon you alone it has risen and not upon the idolaters, that is what is stated: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Hashem has risen upon you." At that hour, the Holy One, blessed be He, flashes the light of the King Messiah and of Israel, as it is stated: "And nations shall walk by your light" (verse 3), and kings and rulers lick the dust under the feet of the King Messiah, as it is stated (Yishayahu 49:23): "And they shall lick the dust of your feet," and they all come and fall upon their faces before the King Messiah and before Israel and say: We will be for you and for Israel as servants (Yalkut Shimoni).

B. "Arise, shine, for your light has come" — There is a guarantee here that the Torah will return to its former light, even though throughout the days of the exile they said: The Torah will be forgotten from Israel in the future, it is specifically through the Torah that is here, and now it will return to its former light, and then "the glory of Hashem will rise upon you," as they said in the Midrash: A person who has good manners and scripture, they assign to him one angel to guard him, as it is stated: "Behold, I send an angel before you." [If he] reads Torah, Prophets, and Writings — they assign to him two angels, as it is stated (Psalms 91:11): "For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways." But if a person reads Torah, Prophets, and Writings, and learns Mishnah, Halachot, and Aggadot, the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself guards him, as it is stated (Psalms 121:7): " Hashem will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul." And therefore, now that the light of the Torah returns, the glory of Hashem will rise upon you. (Me'am Lo'ez)

And our Sages, of blessed memory, said regarding the verse (Amos 5:18): "Woe to you who desire the day of Hashem! Why is this day of Hashem to you? It is darkness, and not light" — A parable of a rooster and a bat (a life-form that spends the day in dark places) who were looking for light. The rooster said to the bat: I look forward to the light because the light is mine, but you, why do you need light? (Sanhedrin 98b): So, Israel looks forward to redemption, that the day of Hashem will be light for them, but the nations of the world, why do they look forward to it? For it is darkness to them and not light (Rashi, ibid.).

And in the time to come, Israel will merit the radiance of the face like Moshe, and the mnemonic sign for the matter: "upon you will shine" (עליך זרח) is in Gematria "Moshe" (משה).

C. "Arise, shine, for your light has come... And nations shall walk by your light" — The explanation of the verses is by way of a parable: A person set out on his way on a short day, and suddenly the day turned into evening, and darkness covered the earth, and he lost a very necessary item from him. And because of the darkness that covered the earth, he did not find the precious item that he lost, and he was unable to continue walking without the item he lost. Therefore, he resolved in his heart to sit to rest under the tree and wait until morning would shine.

And behold, an incident occurred that another person, who lived not far from this place, walked to his home at night, and from him too, fell a precious stone. And he too had nothing with which to illuminate the darkness to search for the stone, and he also decided to sit under the tree to wait until morning would shine. And so, he sat there until sleep overcame him and he slept. In the meantime, one of the members of his household (of the second man) came with a lamp to search for him and see where he was, and behold, he was lying under the tree and deep sleep had overcome him and he did not awaken from his sleep. So, he went on his way and returned to his home. Afterwards, he came again with the lamp to see what was with him, if he had awakened from his sleep, and again he went on his way. After several hours, his flesh became cold from the cold and he awakened from his sleep, and began to complain about his bitter fate, and said: Who will grant that the night pass and morning shine!

When the first man heard his words, he said to him: What is it to you that you complain? Had you awakened from your sleep, there would have been light for you and also for me, and both of us would have gained, since your relative came here several times with the lamp to awaken you from your slumber, but you did not want to awaken from your sleep.

And the moral of the parable is, behold, we received from our holy rabbis that many times there was a visitation in Heaven to visit us and redeem us, and had we arisen to awaken from the slumber that fell upon us to see in the illuminating light, not only would we have had light, but there would also have been light for the whole world.

And this is what the Scripture says: "Arise, shine" — arise from your sleep and illuminate the whole world, "for your light has come" — for several times Hashem's light attempted to come, "and the glory of Hashem has risen upon you." And it further explains that if you arise and awaken you will illuminate the whole world, "for behold, darkness shall cover the earth" among the foolish nations, "and upon you Hashem will shine, and His glory shall be seen upon you," and if you had arisen then, it would have been fulfilled, "And nations shall walk by your light" (Petach HaShaar).

D. And the Radak wrote: "And the praises of Hashem they shall proclaim" — in accordance with the Targum: that is to say, the camels, and the traders, and the gold, and the frankincense they will bring them as merchandise, also as tribute/homage to the King Messiah and to the House of Hashem. And the reason for "they shall proclaim" is according to what the nations of the world will have new stories of Hashem 's praises, for until that time Israel is the one that uniquely was recounting Hashem 's praises, and any new story is called "proclaiming (Mevaser)".

E. See Malbim on I Kings (10:22) regarding what is the sea of Tarshish.

F. "And your gates shall be open continually" — Not as it was in the days of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, as is found in Yoma (39b): Our Rabbis taught: Forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the lot [for the scapegoat] did not come up in the right hand, and the crimson thread did not turn white, and the western light did not burn; and the doors of the Sanctuary opened by themselves (at night they closed them, and in the morning they found them open) until Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai rebuked them, and said: Sanctuary, Sanctuary! Why do you terrify yourself? I know about you that your end is to be destroyed, and Zechariah the son of Iddo has already prophesied concerning you (Zechariah 11:1): "Open your doors, O Lebanon, that fire may devour your cedars." And this testified to the near and coming destruction. But now: the gates will not be closed at all, speedily in our days.

G. And Yonatan translated "נהוגים" as "Zekukim"— that is to say "bound in chains" (Radak); see Malbim, who explained it in another way.

H. "My sanctuary and the place of my feet I will honor" — the Hebrew Initials of the phrase Mikdashi, Umekom Raglie Achabed, spell out "Fear" (מורא , morah) to hint at the awe that a person must fear from the Temple, and also from the synagogue and the study hall, which are the place of His feet, blessed be He, right here in our land in our exile (Teshuat Olamim of the Remad Vali).

I. And like the words of Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai: All those forty years that Israel were in the wilderness, they did not need the light of the sun by day, nor the light of the moon by night. Rather, by the cloud they knew that the sun had set, and by the cloud they knew that the sun had risen. One looks into a barrel and knows what is inside it, into a pitcher (a metal vessel like a large cup, used for washing hands, also called natla) and knows what is inside it because of the cloud of the Shechinah among them, as it is stated (Exodus 40:38): "For the cloud of Hashem was upon the Tabernacle... before the eyes of all the house of Israel in all their journeys." And so, in the future to come it will be so, as it is stated: "Arise, shine, for your light has come." And it says: "The sun shall no longer be your light by day" (Me'am Lo'ez).

J. The Radak wrote: he compared by parable the salvation and the goodness to light, so great will be your light that is the light of Hashem... that the light of the sun and the light of the moon will not be considered as anything at all, and everything by way of a parable, as he said (Yishayahu 30:26): "And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days" (a matter that testifies to the abundance of goodness).

K. "Your sun shall no longer go down... and the days of your mourning shall be ended. And your nation, all of them righteous, shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified" — This is to be explained according to what is written in the Holy Zohar (Mishpatim) on the verse "and I will fulfill consolations to him and to his mourners," that these are the angels that accompany a person, when he returns in repentance, they console themselves.

And this is what the Scripture says, "and the days of your mourning shall be ended" — When will the days of mourning of the angels also be ended? At the time "and your people, all of them righteous," and then "the work of My hands, that I may be glorified," for good deeds will not be from sins, because one who returns in repentance out of love, sins are converted into merits, rather merits will be from the outset for a righteous person to glorify (Tenufa Chaim).

L. "All Israel have a portion in the World to Come" — in every Jew are planted inherent special powers from birth, by which they merit the World to Come. But those who only have the heritage of their forefathers, and did not merit them by his own toil, just as an heir cannot boast about properties inherited by his father and he did not exert effort in them — so he cannot boast in the World to Come with such a portion.

Only in this may the one who boasts glory, "the branch of My planting" — from that which he planted himself, through his own labor and effort, "the work of My hands, that I may be glorified" — in this he can boast. That which a person acquires through personal effort — this is the main thing in the service of Hashem. And this is the introduction to all matters of character traits, which are explained in "Masechet Avot" (Beit Avraham Slonim, page 136).

M. "And your nation, all of them righteous, shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting" — It is found in the holy books that if a person does not walk on the straight path, his soul returns and reincarnates into this world time and again, until it is refined and comes to its correction. This is what is hinted here in the verse: "And your people, all of them righteous" — and if you ask, how so? Do we not see that there are also wicked people? Therefore, it says: "the branch of My planting" — netzer (branch) and nit'ai (planted) many times (matai'i in plural form), meaning: the soul returns several times to this world, until even the wicked are transformed into righteous ones (Ma'ayanah Shel Torah).

N. "And your nation, all of them righteous, etc." — These are the righteous of the world, "shall inherit the land forever" — that they inherit the World to Come and for all eternity. "the branch of My planting" — this is the Messiah, who is called netzer (branch), as it is stated (Yishayahu 11:1): "And a shoot shall come forth from the stem of Yishai, and a branch shall sprout from his roots." "the work of My hands, that I may be glorified" — this is the goodness of the World to Come, as it is stated (Psalms 104:13): "From the fruit of Your works the earth is satisfied" (Batei Midrashot, part 2 — Midrash Alfa Betot Masecheta Satan).

And in the Tikkunim: "And who causes her to shine? And who makes known within her the Holy One, blessed be He? Who is it? One who keeps the Brit. And the secret of the matter: 'This is the gate to Hashem, the righteous shall enter through it.' This is the gate of the Tazddik, and they have permission to go there, and this is the one who is a Tzaddik, and with him Y,H,V,H the tetragrammaton; he merits the Shechinah and inherits her, and ascends through her to the King, who is the central pillar, who is King, and she is His kingdom. And the secret of the matter: 'And your nation, all of them righteous, shall inherit the land forever,' and this is the Shechinah, of which it is said: 'and the earth is My footstool'" (Tikkunei Zohar, page 65a).

And the Shelah, wrote: To save the beloved holy seed our relatives from destruction, to say, that one who is circumcised does not descend to Gehinnom, and it is the secret of "By the blood of your covenant I have sent forth your prisoners from the pit wherein is no water," and this is a narrow, tight well, a Nochria, an empty cistern with no water in it, but snakes and scorpions are in it, and anyone who is marked with the seal of the King is saved from it, because he is like the righteous who inherits the earth, the land of the living, the secret of the Garden of Eden of above. So therefore, "and your nation, all of them righteous, shall inherit the land forever," end of quote (HaShelah HaKadosh — Masechet Chullin — Perek Torah Or).

O. "The smallest shall become a thousand" — In the Midrash: Though your beginning was small, your latter end should greatly increase. The Holy One, blessed be He, said in this world: The righteous give birth to good ones and wicked ones, but in the World to Come all of them will be righteous and inherit the land, "the branch of My planting" (Yishayahu 60:21), and it says: "The smallest shall become a thousand, and the smallest (alt. translation, the young) a mighty nation; I Hashem will hasten it in its time" (ibid. 60:22), and so may it be His will, Amen (Midrash Tanchuma, Chayei Sarah, chapter 8).

And in the Holy Zohar it is written: At that time "the smallest shall become a thousand" from the left side, "and the smallest (alt. translation, the young) a mighty nation" from the right side, "I Hashem in its time will hasten it" from the side of the central pillar, and immediately Amalekites will be cut off from the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will sit upon His throne, and this is what is written:

שופ"ר,הול"ך אתנ"ח יתי"ב [rearranged letters representing a mystical formula], at that time that the Amalekites will be erased from the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will give rest to Israel, and sit upon His throne, as it was said regarding Him: "And the Ancient of Days sat, His garment was white as snow," to fulfill "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow" (Tikkunei Zohar, page 55a).

"The smallest shall become a thousand, etc." — Behold, the son of David does not come until all the souls in the spiritual entity called "Guf" are depleted, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said on the verse "And a redeemer shall come to Zion." It is also known that if Israel repents, the Redeemer comes immediately, as it is written: "Today if you will listen to His voice" (Psalms 95:7). And if the son of David does not come until all the souls are depleted, how will both be fulfilled? To this the verse said: "The smallest shall become a thousand and the smallest (alt. translation, the young) a mighty nation," and they will give birth to souls without number, and all the souls will be able to leave, since they repented, as mentioned in the verse before it, which is: "and your people, all of them righteous, and they shall inherit, etc." And it turns out that the redemption comes in its time, because all the souls have already gone out. And He [Hashem] says "I will hasten it," for by means of repentance, I will advance the time of redemption, and I will perform such a great miracle that the smallest shall become a thousand, and behold it is "in its time" and "I will hasten it" (Sha'ar HaPesukim).

"The smallest shall become a thousand" — Whoever diminishes himself during the time of exile, he will ascend to the level of Binah (Understanding), which is the aspect of the thousands, in the secret of Eleph (1000) of Binah, and in the secret of what is written: "Who will raise up Yaakov? For he is small," who, specifically, that is the secret of Binah. And whoever diminishes himself even more, he will ascend to the place of Chochmah (Wisdom) which is there the aspect of Atzmah, as is known, and this is the secret: "and the smallest (alt. translation, the young) a mighty nation." And what it says afterwards: "I Hashem in its time will hasten it," the secret is, because it is already known, everything has an appointed season, and there is a time for every matter, and so too towards the redemption, but since it is possible when its time has come and there is no merit in the generation, accusations increase and prevent it, heaven forbid, therefore the verse promised that when the fixed time comes,  the power of unification will be revealed suddenly and break all the accusations and hasten it in any case, and that is the secret: "I Hashem which hints at the revelation of unification at that time. With this is also well understood what is written regarding the King Messiah: "You set a crown of fine gold on his head," for there is a difficulty: what is his uniqueness, for do not all kings have a crown of fine gold? Rather, the secret of the matter is that "I (Gematria 61) Hashem (Gematria 26) " equals in numerical value (gematria) 87 (פז - fine gold), and it is the power of unification that rests upon the King Messiah when his appointed time comes, and by means of it he will be able to complete the redemption, and all the kings of all nations will bow to him and all the Gentiles shall serve him, which would not be possible without this, and it is the secret of "in its time" nearby (Teshuat Olamim of the Ramad Vali).

"The smallest shall become a thousand" — It is found in the Midrash: "One man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all these I have not found" — this is Avraham; and "a woman among all these I have not found" — this is Sarah. The explanation of the matters: if you join together good deeds of a thousand men together, then they will be (together) like Avraham, but a thousand women (combined) will not be like Sarah, and this is what the prophet said: for in the future all of them will be righteous, that even the smallest will become a thousand, the reverse from what it is until now, that there is a need to join a thousand men together (Sha'ar Bat Rabbim).

P. A parable: to what is the matter comparable? To a guest who stayed at an inn (a hotel), and there were set hours for meals there. And behold, a guest came before the time and requested food. The cook said to him: The time has not yet arrived. He pressed her and she gave him to eat. The guest ate the dish and it was not pleasant to his palate. And behold, the next day the cook advanced the mealtime, and the food was pleasant and delicious to the palate. The guest asked for the explanation of the matter. The cook said to him: Yesterday you were rushing and pressing, and therefore the food was not prepared as fully needed. But today, when I saw that the food was indeed ready and properly cooked, therefore I advanced the mealtime.

And the moral of the parable: If we force the end, this is not a complete redemption. Not so when the Holy One, blessed be He, hastens the end when Israel hasten to perfect themselves; and this too is with G-d's help, as it says (Yechezkel 36:26): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you" — then the redemption will be complete (Me'am Lo'ez).