Welcome back to another episode of NachDaily covering the entire Tanach one perek at a time. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, and I am happy to be starting Sefer Doniel with everyone. Today we present an introduction and general overview of the sefer.

Sefer Doniel covers a significant portion of Jewish and world history. It begins with the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash and prophetically touches upon the Persian, Greek and Roman empires, including the rebuilding of the 2nd Temple. It ends with Doniel’s famous prophecies about the end of days, which include Mashiach, techiyas hameisim, revival of the dead, and Olam Habah.

In the last chapter, Doniel is given the actual date of Mashiach’s coming, although there’s debate among the Meforshim whether or not he actually understood its meaning. All agree though, that his words will be readily understood in the times of the ultimate Redemption.

The Medrash Socher Tov 31:7 tells us that there were only two people, Yaakov and Doniel to whom Hashem revealed the “keitz – end” of days.

It should be noted that there were many Tzaddikim who thought that they knew when Mashiach would come, and actually predicted specific dates. Among them were Rav Sadya Gaon, Rambam, Ramban, Rashi, R’ Bachya, the Malbim, and others.

I recently asked Rav Nosson Scherman about how these Torah giants were able to predict his arrival when it was possibly hidden from Doniel. Essentially, Rav Nosson Scherman answered, although Mashiach can come at any time, there are certain times in history when it seems more prudent for him to come. These Torah luminaries felt that telling people a specific date would increase their longing and hope for Mashiach. (It should be noted that although it was just a tool they used to bring hope to the nation, they themselves actually felt Mashiach was coming)

The first 6 chapters of sefer Doniel are essentially a chronology of the events that took place and his personal story. The last 6 chapters are prophetic visions.

Doniel was taken from Yerushalayim by Nevuchadnetzer at the age of 15, with his 13 year old friends, Chananya, Azarya and Mishael.

These boys were among the brightest and most promising of the Jewish nation, the future leaders. When Nevuchadnetzer destroyed the Beis Hamikdash, he took them back to Babylonia with him. Nevuchadnetzer’s idea was to assimilate the future leaders of the Jewish nation by educating them in his ways, leaving no hope for Am Yisrael to regenerate.

However, we know that the “Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers.” It was precisely these three young men who would bring God’s name back into the picture of world history, much like the gallows that Haman built to destroy Mordechai became his own downfall.

It was Doniel who regularly prayed 3 times a day and instituted that we not eat meals together with non-Jews. He allowed himself to be thrown into the lions’ den, only to subdue them with his power of prayer. Doniel was from the Davidic dynasty, from the tribe of Yehudah, whose symbol is a lion. It was precisely someone from Dovid Hamelech, who similarly excelled in prayer, who would roar to God to subdue the natural world.

Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya proclaimed God’s name by jumping into the kivshan h’aish, fiery furnace, in plain sight of Nevuchadnetzer and the nations of the world, rather than bow down to an idol.

There’s an awesome Midrash in Shir HaShirim regarding these three. Initially, they asked Doniel for advice. He told them to ask the great Yechezkel Hanavi.

Yechezkel said that he had a tradition from Yeshaya Hanavi to go into hiding until the danger passes. They feared, however, that the

world would assume that they had bowed, and wanted to openly defy Nevuchadnetzer’s orders in order to sanctify God’s name.

Yechezkel asked Hashem, Who told him to tell them, “I will not help them out and they should not expect a miracle.” Yechezkel told Chananya, Mishael and Azariah, “God will not protect you.”

“Nevertheless,” they responded, “we’re willing to lose our lives to sanctify God’s name!”

Immediately after they left, Hashem appeared to Yechezkel again, reassuring him that of course He will protect them, but that now they would go with perfect faith, not relying on miracles.

Undoubtedly, the public spectacle of them surviving the fire gave the Jews at that time strength and hope. After the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, Yerushalayim ravaged, and the Monarchy in shambles, the Jews had felt that perhaps God had chosen Nevuchadnetzer over them.

It was Doniel and his friends’ acts of defiance, display of perfect faith, and prophecies about the final redemption which lifted the Jews’ spirits for all generations.

As mentioned earlier, there are times in world history that are more opportune for Mashiach to come. Perhaps now is one of them. Relegated to our homes, taken away from our daily routines, we are re-learning to trust in Hashem, to focus on what really makes a difference in life, to yearn and long for the final Redemption.

As the Gemarah brings, in the month of Nissan we were redeemed, and in the month of Nissan we will be redeemed once again.

May we merit experiencing the coming of Mashiach. As we say, “Ani ma’amin be’emunah sh’leima b’viyas Hamashiach. V’af alpi she’yismameiyah im kol zeh achakeh lo, b’chol yom sheyavo – I believe in perfect faith in the coming of Mashiach. Even though he may be delayed, I will wait every day for him to come.”

I hope you enjoyed this episode of NachDaily. We’ll be beginning the sefer in the next shiur. May the merit of this class be an aliyas neshama for Raizel bas Sora Esther and Avraham Aharon ben Yisroel Yitzchak.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day!