דניאל, פרק ח׳, פסוק כ״ו

At the conclusion of a profound heavenly revelation about the end of days, a dual message emerges: one of absolute certainty, and another of intentional secrecy. The heavenly vision concerning the end of days is an undeniable truth that will be fully realized [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. The imagery of passing from evening into morning carries deep symbolic weight, representing the dark, difficult period of exile that will inevitably be followed by the bright dawn of redemption [המלבי״ם].

Yet, despite the certainty of the events themselves, the exact timeline remains shrouded in mystery. The prophecy holds true even if the specific dates are entirely unclear to Daniel himself [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. In fact, the ultimate secret of the end of days belongs to God alone. Daniel never fully knew the true meaning, and any attempts by later scholars to calculate the exact time of redemption are likened to the mere chirping of birds. God actively prevents this timeline from being revealed, much like He stopped Jacob from sharing the end of days with his sons before his passing [יוסף אבן יחיא].

Because of this divine secrecy, Daniel receives a clear directive to hide the vision. It must be locked away in his heart, and not a single detail of what little he understood may be shared or explained to others [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, Daniel must completely abandon any personal investigation or attempt to uncover the exact time [יוסף אבן יחיא].

The necessity for such strict concealment is tied to the vast stretch of time before the events will unfold. This reality is not meant for the near future, but for a distant era hundreds or thousands of years away [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Beyond the sheer distance of time, there is a profound spiritual reason for hiding the timeline. If the Israelites were to know exactly how long their exile and waiting period would last, the reality of such a prolonged delay would drive them into deep despair. Their faith would shatter under the weight of the wait. Therefore, to protect their hope and preserve their belief, the specific details of the final redemption must remain securely hidden [המלבי״ם].