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The Erev Rav are the wicked among the Jewish nation, whose origins hail from the Egyptians aristocrats whom Moshe Rabbeinu converted and accepted into the Jewish nation during the Exodus from Egypt. They were also called the "mixed multitude" in the Torah and have been the instigators towards the sin of the golden calf. They were the ones who complained about everything and anything possible during the Jewish people's sojourn in the desert.
The Erev Rav will be in control and rule over the Jewish people in the final exile. (Zohar 1:25)
In the days of the footsteps of Moshiach, the descendants of the Erev Rav will stand at the head of the nation. This same Erev Rav will not only be the leaders of the government but will also stand at the head of the judicial system. As the Gemara says in Sanhedrin 9b: "The Son of Dovid will not come until there will be no more judges or officers among Israel, as it says, 'I will bring back your judges ... as in the beginning'" (Yeshaya 1:25-26). This proves that at that time, the judges will be worthy of replacement. (Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman)
The Son of Dovid will not come until those of haughty spirit will disappear from Israel. (Sanhedrin 9a)
We must recognize the falsehood of those who claim that first we had to accomplish our tasks --- coming to Israel, fighting for it, and ruling it -- and that only then will G-d do what is up to Him, and that with the passage of time fear of heaven and faith will increase. We must recognize that they are attributing to us something that is completely in G-d's hands and not in our control at all, for "G-d is the man of war", (Shemos 15:3) and it is He Who has brought all this about. (Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, zt"l)
The Vilna Gaon writes that the periods of return to the Land of Israel in the time before Moshiach will parallel the order of arrangements that Yaakov Avinu made for his family before their encounter with Esav, when they escaped Lavan.
וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וְאֶת-יַלְדֵיהֶן רִאשֹׁנָה וְאֶת-לֵאָה וִילָדֶיהָ אַחֲרֹנִים וְאֶת-רָחֵל וְאֶת-יוֹסֵף אַחֲרֹנִים And he placed the maidservants and their children first and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph last. (Bereishis 33:2)
The Gaon explains the phrase 'and he placed the maidservants and their children first' as the Erev Rav who are the leaders of the people. The immigrants of the 1st and 2nd Aliyah hailed from Russia and the rest of Europe without religion or faith. 'And Leah and her children after' is explained as the ignorant but virtuous people who are subjects of the Erev Rav. Unfortunately, Israel is attracted to them because of their success, and this is the reason why the exile is so long (Even Shelaima, chapter 11). 'And Rachel and Yosef last' refers to the Torah scholars, who are in the lowest position of all.
Hashem has decreed that the wicked among Israel will be destroyed before Moshiach will come.
Just as there was a Plague of Darkness in Egypt, there will be a similar plague in the end of days. The Vilna Gaon continues that the wicked of Israel will be selected during 3 days of pitch-black darkness, and suffer great troubles.For, behold, I will issue a command, and I will shake all the House of Israel among the nations, as one shakes a sifter ... By the sword, all the sinners of My people will die, those who say, "evil shall not approach or come ahead of us ..." On that day, I will raise up the fallen shelter of David ... and rebuild it as in days of old (Amos 9:9-11).
Behold, I will persuade her and take her out in the wilderness (Hoshea 2:16).There is a tradition in the Talmud that the judgment against the wicked will be accomplished between two waves of immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel.
Once the exiles will be gathered in, judgment will be carried out against the wicked, as it says, 'I will bring My hand back upon you and refine your dross like something most pure' (Yeshaya 1:25-26). And it says, 'I will restore your judges as before'. (Megilla 17b)The Ramban says that it is possible that there will be a long span of time between these two ingatherings of exiles, in which case there will be shepherds upon shepherds from all the nations by which to identify the wicked and purify Israel of them, to smelt them like silver is smelted in the furnace, as in Egypt (Writings of the Ramban, vol. 2, p. 516).
Source: The Ishmaelite Exile, by Rabbi Yechiel Weitzman
Additional Readings: Parashas Beshalach, Erev Rav: Return to Sender, What's Wrong with the Reform Movement, Israel in Danger, The Jewish Nation Didn't Learn a Lesson from the Holocaust
