Israel passes the prophetic population of ten million
Israel is poised to reach a demographic milestone as the new year begins. The Central Bureau of Statistics announced that Israel’s population is expected to surpass 10 million in the next few weeks. 7.689 million (78.6%) Israelis identify as Jewish, and 2.095 million (21.4%) identify as Arab.
This represents a growth of 118,000 in the past year, at a rate of 1.9%. 183,000 babies were born in Israel over the past year and 55,000 people died.
33,000 Jewish immigrants came to Israel under the Law of Return but the immigration balance was negative, with some 10,000 people removed from the population registry.
The Jewish global population is growing. As of 2023, it was estimated to be at 15.7 million, or or less than 0.2% of the total world population. Today, over 85% of Jews live in Israel or the United States.
This demographic milestone represents a prophetic achievement described in the Book of Numbers.
When the Aron was to set out, Moshe would say: Advance, Hashem! May Your enemies be scattered, And may Your foes flee before You! And when it halted, he would say: Return, Hashem, You who are Yisrael’s myriads of thousands! Numbers 10:35-36
Biblical commentaries explain that a myriad (revava רבבה) is ten thousand. The plural used in this verse (revavot רִבְבוֹת) is ten thousand. One thousand multiplied by ten thousand is ten million.
Indeed, it is clear that Moses’ prophetic prayer is appearing today.
While this is certainly a reason for celebration, tragically, this is not the first time the Jewish people have passed this milestone. In 1939, the global population of Jewish people worldwide peaked at around 16.6 million. Six million Jews died in the Nazi death camps over the next few years. It has taken 70 years for the global Jewish population to return to its pre-Holocaust peak.
In 1939, the world had approximately two billion people worldwide. Between 60 million and 78 million people would die in World War II, representing about 3 percent of the total population. Today, the world population stands at 7.95 billion, almost four times its pre-WWII level.
Professor Sergio DellaPergola, perhaps the most well-known expert in Jewish demographics in the world today, has suggested that, had the Holocaust not taken place, the global Jewish population would have been at least 26 million and possibly as much as 32 million today.
No nation has suffered efforts at genocide as frequently or as dramatically as the Jewish people. Indeed, the word “genocide” did not exist before World War II and was coined in 1942 to describe the Holocaust. While the wholesale murder of Jews is a horrifying tragedy, it has deep spiritual implications. The Talmud (Tractate Yevamot 62a) states, “The son of David (i.e. the Messiah) will not come until all the souls are finished from entering bodies.”
This means that a set number of souls are supposed to come into this world, and when that number is reached, the Moshiach (messiah) will come.
The Talmud referred to a verse in Isaiah as its source.
For I will not always contend, I will not be angry forever: Nay, I who make spirits flag, Also create the breath of life. Isaiah 57:16
This concept has also been cited to emphasize the severe implications of abortion.
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