I've been listening to shiurim on torahanytime.com
about Galus Yishmael, in which we're in right now, and hopefully the
last one.
Rabbi Avraham ben Chaim quotes the Kabbalists that we have
entered the 49th level of tuma'ah, and Moshiach should come soon so that
Hashem can redeem us before we reach the 50th level, which is total lost of
emunah (atheism). Just as our redemption from Mitzrayim was extremely
hastened, because waiting one more minute would have brought us down to
the 50th level and no hope for redemption, as the Jews would not have
wanted to leave even the 20% of them who left (according to Rashi). The
good news is that just as it only took us 49 days to climb from the 49th
level to the 1st level which led to Matan Torah,
it would also take us just as quick if not quicker to jump from the 49th
level of tum'ah which we are in now, to the top level of purity during the days of
Moshiach, and on that day, Hashem will be one and His name one.
