476. Rabbi Shimon opened the discourse with the verse, "And I will remember my covenant with Jacob" (Vayikra 26:42). THE NAME JACOB IS WRITTEN in full; it includes the Vav. HE ASKS, Why? AND HE ANSWSERS, It appears from two sides. The first is the secret of Wisdom, NAMELY THE VAV, which is the secret of the grade of Chochmah where Jacob dwells. THE SECOND IS BECAUSE this passage refers to the exile of the children of Yisrael. While in captivity, they will be visited (also, 'redeemed') by the power of the letter Vav, which symbolizes the sixth millennium. Through the letter Vav, their exile is ended. THIS IS WHY JACOB IS SPELLED WITH VAV. THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL SHALL BE REDEEMED FROM EXILE BY THE VAV (= 6), WHICH REPRESENTS THE SIXTH MILLENNIUM.
477. And the visitation, according to the secret of the Vav, occurs at six and one-half moments. After the sixtieth year to the bar on the door of the sixth millenium - THE VAV, NAMELY TIFERET, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE MIDDLE BAR (OF THE TABERNACLE) THAT RUNS THROUGH THE BOARDS FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER, AND IS THEREFORE DESCRIBED AS THE "BAR OF THE DOOR" - shall Elohim of heaven visit the "Daughter of Jacob." And after six-and-a-half years have passed, she shall be remembered. THIS IS THE DURATION OF THE VISITATION. And from that time, another six years shall pass, WHICH IS THE DURATION OF THE REMEMBRANCE. This totals 72- and-a-half years.
478. In the year 66, the King Messiah will appear in the land of Galilee, AND HE IS CALLED MESSIAH BEN JOSEPH; HE WILL THEREFORE APPEAR IN THE GALILEE, IN THE POSSESSION OF JOSEPH. A star from the east will swallow up seven stars from the north, and a flame of black fire will be suspended from the heavens for sixty days. Wars will be begun in the world from the north, and two kings will fall in these wars.
479. And all the nations will be united against the Daughter of Jacob, in order to drive her out of this world. And of that time it is written, "And it is a time of trouble for Jacob, but out of it he shall be saved" (Yirmeyah 30:7). Then all the souls shall be gone from the body; they will have to come back and be renewed. And your proof is the verse, "All the souls of the house of Jacob that came into Egypt...were 66" (Beresheet 46:26).
480. In the 73rd year, THAT IS, SEVEN YEARS AFTER MESSIAH BEN JOSEPH WAS REVEALED, all the kings of the world shall assemble in the great city of Rome. And the Holy One, blessed be He, will shower fire and hail and meteoric stones upon them, until they are wiped out from the world. And only those kings who did not go to Rome will remain in the world. And they shall return and wage other wars. During this time, the King Messiah will declare himself throughout the whole world, and many nations will gather around him together with many armies from all corners of the world. And all the children of Yisrael will assemble together in their places.
481. When the century is completed, the Vav will join the Hei. And "they shall bring all your brethren out of all the nations for an offering to Hashem" (Yeshayah 66:20). THIS IS WHEN THEY SHALL BE GATHERED FROM THE DIASPORA. The children of Ishmael - WHO ARE THE HEAD (ALSO: LEADERS) OF ALL THE FORCES OF THE KLIPAH FROM THE RIGHT, AS ROME IS FOR THE LEFT - shall join together at that time with all the nations of the world (WHO HAVE NOT GONE TO ROME) and come to Jerusalem to wage war, as it is written, "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle" (Zecharyah 14:2); "The kings of the earth stand up and the rulers take counsel together, against Hashem and against his anointed" (Tehilim 2:2); and, "He that sits in heaven laughs, Hashem has them in derision" (Tehilim 2:4).
482. After ALL THE FORCES OF THE OTHER SIDE, THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, ARE WIPED OUT OF THE WORLD, the small Vav, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, will join THE HEI and renew old souls - NAMELY ALL THE SOULS THAT WERE IN A BODY SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD - in order to renew the world, WHICH IS MALCHUT. As it is written, "Let Hashem rejoice in His works," and, "May the glory of Hashem endure forever" (Tehilim 104:31), WHICH MEANS THAT in order FOR THE HEI to join THE VAV properly, "let Hashem rejoice in His works." Let Him bring HIS WORKS down, REFERRING TO THE RENEWED SOULS, into the world, so they all become new creatures and all the worlds are united.
483. Happy are all those who shall remain in the world at the end of the sixth millennium and enter the Shabbat, WHICH IS THE SEVENTH MILLENNIUM - Because that is a "day" for Hashem alone to join THE HEI properly, and cull new souls IN ORDER TO BRING THEM into the world. THIS REFERS TO THE SOULS THAT HAVE NOT YET COME INTO THE WORLD, together with THE RENEWED SOULS that have been there from the beginning, as it is written, "And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, everyone that is written for life in Jerusalem" (Yeshayah 4:3).