דניאל, פרק ט׳, פסוק כ״ז

A sweeping historical vision of the end times unfolds, revealing a tragic future of false treaties, intense conflict, and prolonged ruin. An angelic revelation warns Daniel of a massive war that will ultimately halt the sacred Temple service, replacing it with foreign worship until the long-awaited redemption finally arrives [שטיינזלץ].

The sequence of events begins with a deceptive peace agreement. A Roman leader, similar to Titus, will lure the Israelites with an enticing treaty offering tax exemptions and the promise of tranquility. This agreement is specifically directed at the princes and leaders of Israel [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון], though it may also reflect a brief era of general unity among the people [שטיינזלץ]. The treaty is designed to last for a cycle of seven years, corresponding to a single Sabbatical cycle, which marks the conclusion of the seventy-week period previously outlined in the prophecy [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, יוסף אבן יחיא].

However, the promise of peace is nothing more than a trap. Halfway through the seven-year period, the agreement is abruptly shattered. Hostilities escalate, and enemies lay siege to Jerusalem. Three years before the ultimate destruction, the daily sacrifices are forced to cease, a devastating process that culminates in the burning of the Temple [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, יוסף אבן יחיא].

Following the destruction, the holy site faces severe desecration through the introduction of idolatry. This foreign idol is characterized either as a mute, lifeless stone [רש״י, מצודת ציון] or as an active, destructive force [שטיינזלץ]. It is elevated to a prominent height, compared metaphorically to a bird soaring in the sky. This indicates that the idol will be placed high upon the Temple Mount, an event that historically materialized decades later when Hadrian erected a statue on the sacred grounds [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. Other interpretations suggest that the idol itself literally possesses wings [שטיינזלץ], or that the imagery serves as a vivid description of impure birds flying and nesting among the desolate ruins of the Temple [יוסף אבן יחיא].

Yet, this bleak reality is not permanent. The era of desolation will endure only until a predetermined destruction is suddenly and completely poured out [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Commentators disagree on the target of this final, crushing blow. The primary approach among commentators is that this ultimate ruin will strike the idols and their worshippers at the end of days during the Messianic era, or it will fall upon the destructive empire itself [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Conversely, another perspective suggests that God's sudden wrath is directed at the desolate Israelites or upon the ruined site of the Temple itself [יוסף אבן יחיא, שטיינזלץ].