Mashiach Closer Than Ever
I heard from my chavrusa who heard from a grandchild of R’ Yaakov Yosef Herman zatzal that the Chofetz Chaim told him:
"I won’t be zoche to see Mashiach. You won’t be zoche. But You are going to see the generation that is going to see Mashiach."
Similarly, Rav Chaim Kanievsky zatzal told R’ Shragi Kalish that he (R’ Chaim) won’t be zoche to see, “but you will be zoche.”
Also, I don't know who R' Shragi Kalish is (will I be very embarrassed about that later?), but presumably, he's younger than Rav Chaim Kanievsky — and he's someone alive now.
Rav Kanievsky predicted that R' Shragi Kalish will merit seeing Mashiach.
It would be very interesting to know how old he is. For example, if R' Shragi Kalish is 101-years-old, that gives us a different time-frame than if he's age 32.
But what about the Chafetz Chaim's statement to Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman?
Rav Herman passed away in 1967.
If he saw the generation that will see Mashiach, that means the people born by at least 1967.
I was born after that, so he meant people older than me.
So at the very least, the Chafetz Chaim referred to people who are age 56 and older.
Meaning, the youngest possible person from the generation Rav Herman saw is now age 56.
Now, this could still mean Mashiach is years away. Like, what if the younger ones of the last generation "seen" by Rav Herman will be in their seventies when Mashiach comes?
(Also, I can't help wondering how Rav Herman felt upon hearing there was no chance of his living to see Mashiach? Remember, the Chafetz Chaim passed away in 1933. So Rav Herman heard this prediction before 1933. And then Rav Herman lived all those years knowing it wouldn't happen. But at least he knew it was close.)
Anyway, such similar predictions by such great Torah Sages mean something.
Basically, it means anyone reading this right now is part of the generation to greet Mashiach, b'ezrat Hashem.
If those who are above age 56 will merit to see, than all the more so for those of us younger than age 56.
When exactly will it happen?
Who knows?
But may it happen very, very soon b'rachamim, b'ezrat Hashem Yitbarach.