"Regarding the children of Ammon, however, it says (verse 19), 'Do not provoke them'-with any kind of provocation, as a reward for the modesty shown by their ancestress [Lot’s younger daughter], who did not publicize her father’s conduct" ~ Rashi
"In this week's Parsha Podcast, we study together the secret of the joy of Moshiach (Messiah) that is all about the revelation of God in the world, and how it is awakened through the female aspect, as is represented by King David, the great grandfather of Moshiach. We also explore the aspect of song and prayer as that which transforms the anguish and sadness inherent in the female aspect, which is separation, into the joy of Moshiach." ~ Ari Goldwag
"When the Redemption comes out, so to speak, it's going to be through a taste of the joy of true recognition of Godliness in the world. Because of this open revelation of God, there is going to be a tremendous amount of joy in the future Messianic Age. 'Let the heavens rejoice; let the earth sing glad songs.' Through this will come the main redemption. The hills and the valleys will burst out in song. The concept of joy is the world of freedom." ~ Ari Goldwag
"There were two wonderful people that would come out of the land of Moav and the land of Ammon: one was Ruth the Moabite Princess; one of them was Na'amah the Ammonite Princess. These two people, Ruth and Na'amah, were the two people that would be the progenitors of King David and his children (David's son Shlomo married Na'amah) from whom Moshiach is going to come. The aspect, therefore, of the Messiah is going to come from them." ~ Ari Goldwag
"Where does Moshiach come from? Moshiach comes from a strange place: he comes from Moav; he comes from Ammon. The idea is that he comes from a place of darkness. The Messiah comes from a place which is not the most likely place: from Lot and his daughters. They had a relationship because they thought the world had been destroyed and that produced these children: Moav and Ammon. These two nations came from them. From Moav comes Rus. From Rus comes David. From David comes Moshiach; from King David comes the Messiah. And the idea is: from that darkness comes this incredible light." ~ Ari Goldwag
"The soul of Moshiach of the Messiah is drawn down to the world specifically through an awakening from the side of the female. In the concept of the Moshiach: where does the awakening come from? Where does the desire for the relationship come from? It comes from the aspect of the female. As we find in the Torah in regards to the daughters of Lot, when it came to those daughters, as we mentioned, so they were the ones who are the great, great, grandmothers of David ha'Melekh, from Rus, from Moav, and Moshiach, who is from Na'amah, from Ammon. And our sages tell us (this is the very important focal point): the daughters were the ones who saw that they believed that the world had been destroyed; therefore, it came from the side of the female; it came from their awakening; their desire to do what they perceived as the correct thing. And also regards to Y'hudah and Tamar: those two came together and had a child, twins, and who was the one who awakened it? It was Tamar. It came from the side of the female. She was the one who created the potential for Moshiach; Ruth, the Moabite Princess, married David ha'Melekh's great-great grandfather Boaz, so that came through her. What's the idea of the awakening coming from the female side? That concept is a transformation of anguish and groaning in joy. This is the main aspect of the Messiah. God is going to transform the mourning into rejoicing. And so, the idea of the female, the concept of the female (we're speaking of the female concept of anguish, of groaning, of separation, of lack of a relationship): when the female aspect, on its own, says, 'I want to have a relationship,' so that's the transformation of anguish and groaning into rejoicing; and transformation of exile into redemption. And so, the soul of David, of King David, and, therefore Moshiach, as well, the Messiah, as well comes from the female side of receiving. And all of the drawing down of this soul into the world is through that awakening; the female awakening: this is the power of King David is the aspect of the Messiah. He has the power through his inspired written prayers and through his singing and through his songs to transform everything into joy: he brings God into his life and into the world. This is the perfection and the magnification of joy. That's the main rectification in the time of the Messiah: the redemption is going to happen through this aspect of joy. King David merited to be included in life. 'Make known to me the ways of life.' He's asking for life. 'Fill me up with the joy of being in Your presence.' We refer to David as the King of Israel: he who lives forever... and the idea is that he transforms death into life. The Job of Moshiach is to revive the dead; to bring those who are dead back to life, not just physically, but even spiritually: those who seem the farthest from G-d. Moshiach will come and bring 'em all back into a relationship with G-d. And that's the ultimate simcha." ~ Ari Goldwag
