Baba Sali and the Watch

Motek ↓

Wed, Aug 31 2005, 2:25 pm

in an interview with Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, chief rabbi of Tzfas and son of former Rishon L'Tzion, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, in Mishpacha magazine, issue #70, he was asked about the watch story going around and this is what he said:

"My father was very close to the Baba Sali zt'l. They would often study together. A few years before he was niftar, the Baba Sali gave my father a new Shabbos coat and told him that he was to save it carefully, because he would merit to see the coming of Moshiach and should wear the coat to greet him. The Baba Sali told my father that he himself would not live to see Moshiach; he cut off a piece of his hair and placed it in the pocket of the coat, saying that at least part of him would be present to welcome Moshiach.

"A few years later the Baba Sali was niftar (1984) and Rabbi Mordechai, together with all of us, are still waiting for Moshiach.

"One day, the Baba Sali's son came to my father and presented him with a watch. He explained that his holy father had come to him in a dream and told him that he should look in a certain drawer in a certain desk, where he would find this watch.

"He was to give it to my father and tell him that when the watch reached 12 o'clock, then Moshiach would come. At that time, the watch hands showed 10:40. Since then, my father keeps a very close eye on the watch and found that sometimes it goes and other times it just stops."

What time does it show now?

"11:58" Exclamation

Mommy912 ↓

Wed, Aug 31 2005, 2:37 pm

from http://www.yiddishkeit.org/Def.....e=827

About the watch (actually, two watches) which the Holy Baba Sali, ztzvk"l gave to Harav Mordechai Eliyahu, shlita (a question answered by his son, Harav Shmuel Eliyahu, shlita)

Question:
Not long ago I heard that [after he passed away] the Baba Sali, ztvk"l left a watch that doesn't work. I heard that at exactly 12:00 [on this watch] Moshiach will come, and that the time on the watch was then at 11:30 and that over the years the hands have moved and not long ago the watch came to 11:59, a minute before the coming of Moshiach. Is there a basis to this rumor?

Answer:
bs"d

Yes.

But there is much more to the story. I don't know if the watch was at the time you heard or what the time is today, but the Rav absolutely said "a minute to twelve".
But you should know that there are two watches, and I don't know why there are two, or what each one is for. But I saw with my own eyes the watch and I saw things occur around the watch that are beyond the natural.
So what does it all mean?
I didn't receive the watch, and only the one who received it knows how to explain what's going on with it.
In any event, I once asked my Rabbi and teacher, my father, shlita, and I received an answer:
"Krova yeshuati lavo" -- "My salvation is near to come".This is part of the prophecy of Yeshayahu (Isaiah 56:1):
"So says the Lord, 'Keep justice and practice righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My benevolence to be revealed.'"
In other words, if you want the watch to move ahead -- do what is written in the verse!

Best regards,
Harav Shmuel Eliyahu, shlita (son of Harav Mordechai Eliyahu, shlita)
source: http://www.moriya.org.il/shut/.....12744

↑ Motek ↓

Wed, Aug 31 2005, 3:22 pm

there's a program called Mabat L'Yahadut which is on motzoei Shabbos on Arutz 1

on a recent program, journalist Uri Revach was asked about his visit with R' Mordechai Eliyahu and the story of the 2 watches

he said that R' Mordechai said that there are two watches that the son of Baba Sali gave him because of a dream. Babai Sali had asked his son to give R' Eliyahu the gold watch. R' Mordechai put the silver watch on the gold watch, rachamim (silver) over din (gold). When he received the watches they were at 3:00.

the interview as I'm reading it is somewhat incoherent

later it says:

Baba Sali asked his son, in a dream, to give R' Mordechai the gold watch. A few months later he came again and said to give him the silver watch.

When asked when the watch will move to 12, I.e. Moshiach will come, R' Mordechai said:

"When it will happen? With all due respect to Moshiach, when he comes I will ask him one question: Why so late???? We've been waiting for you for so long!"

When asked what to do to hasten the Geula, R' Mordechai said:

Each person should think what good thing have I yet to do. What good thing can I do: tzedaka, chesed

Rivka ↓

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 5:17 am

I have not heard this story before, it sounds really amazing.

JEWISHMAMA

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 5:35 am

I´m kinda freaking out with this story as I know what a HUGE Rav the Baba Sali was and if he said something it was true.
So basically we have ´one minute´ until mashiach comes!!!!

↑ Mommy912

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 9:32 am

Does that watch move an hour backwards when they change the clock? Question

queen ↓

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 9:47 am

how do we know, maybe baba sali meant 12pm, and now it's only 'referring' to 12 am?????

sarahd

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 10:07 am

According to the Mishpacha interview with R' shmuel Eliyahu, Baba Sali appeared to his son in a dream and told him to tell R' Eliyahu (Mordechai) that when the hands reach 12:00, etc. I'm sure he would have specified if he meant another full revolution of the hour hand.

↑ queen ↓

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 11:22 am

yeah, but if twelve passes..... that's probably what they'll say.

stem

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 12:52 pm

My thoughts exactly, queen!

mompete

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 3:35 pm

Have a little faith! Smile

↑ queen

Thu, Sep 01 2005, 6:33 pm

I don't find it a case of having faith, but rather, things like this come up from time to time. While I was in elementary- somewhere a pora aduma was found. well, shortly after they found out it was disqualified..... until the right time (will we have prior warning?) all things (this included) are all speculations..... and NOT promises.

↑ Rivka ↓

Sat, Sep 03 2005, 7:38 pm

Well if it isn't then we can say it was a nice story. but we don't have to go by the watch, non of us have it. For all we know it can go back and fwds...imagine if he by mistake changes it when the clocks go fwd thinking it's his normal watch.

Aish ↓

Sun, Sep 04 2005, 2:28 am

Rivka wrote:

it wouldn't matter. it will probably turn back to the time it was before.
this is a holy watch!

↑ Rivka

Sun, Sep 04 2005, 5:27 pm

yes but if the hands hit 12....sounds a bit like the story of cinderella no??

↑ Aish ↓

Sun, Sep 04 2005, 7:00 pm

Rivka wrote:

yes but if the hands hit 12....sounds a bit like the story of cinderella no??

I dont think the Baba Sali knew the story of ciderella!

↑ Motek

Thu, Feb 02 2006, 9:20 am

4 Shevat is Baba Sali's yartzeit.

↑ Aish

Thu, Feb 02 2006, 10:02 am

Motek wrote:

4 Shevat is Baba Sali's yartzeit.

thanks for the reminder.

proudmom

Sun, Mar 05 2006, 12:51 am

mompete wrote:

Have a little faith! Smile

ditto

Ani maamim be'emunah shelaima beviyas hamoshiach ani ma'amim.