future tense MOSHIACH MUSINGS

The Talmud states: “When you see the Land of Israel producing its fruit in abundance, you will know that the Redemption is near, and you have no clearer indication of the end of exile than this.”

This amazing statement is based on a verse in Ezekiel (36:8): “And you, mountains of Israel, bring forth your branches; ripen your fruit for my children, for they are coming home soon.” The Targum (an Aramaic translation commentary) translates the end of this verse as: “their day of redemption is close.”

The land of Israel yields its fruit only to its children, the nation of Israel. When we are in exile, the land refuses to produce. No other nation was able to make anything grow here. The Land of Israel was a desolate wasteland for 1,900 years. Only in the last 50 60 years, when Jews started returning to and cultivating the land, did it gradually start yielding produce, and now we have such abundance that we can export of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

What can we do to help speed up the coming of Moshiach? We can make ourselves like trees:

A healthy tree continues to grow and grow. A healthy Jew must continuously grow spiritually. This is accomplished through studying Torah and performing mitzvot.

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, a senior editor at Chabad.org, is the author of Bringing Heaven Down to Earth and more recently Wisdom to Heal the Earth. To subscribe to regular updates of Rabbi Freeman's writing or purchase his books, visit Chabad.org. Follow him on Facebook @RabbiTzviFreeman.

The strength of the tree depends on how well it is rooted in the ground. The root of the Jew is his/her faith.

The beauty of a tree is the fruit it produces. Mitzvot and good deeds are our fruits.