זכריה, פרק י״ד, פסוק א׳

At the end of days, a dramatic culmination of history is destined to unfold in Jerusalem. This is a designated moment when historical circles are closed, the scales of justice are balanced, and immense wealth changes hands following a colossal military campaign. This specific time is uniquely reserved for God [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם], serving as the moment when His glory, power, and strict justice will be fully revealed to the entire world [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, צאינה וראינה]. It is a time cherished by God, bringing with it profound joy [רש״י, צוארי שלל]. Regarding the timing of this redemption, it represents an absolute, pre-set deadline. If the people of Israel do not merit an earlier redemption through their actions, this final date will arrive regardless, though it may be preceded by a period of severe distress and harsh purification before the ultimate salvation [אהבת יהונתן].

The central event of this era is the monumental war of Gog and Magog, drawing the nations of the world to gather at Jerusalem [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, רד״ק, צאינה וראינה]. While the primary approach among commentators is that these nations will unite to wage war against Israel, an alternative perspective suggests that the campaign will actually be a massive collision between the great superpowers of Edom and Ishmael. They will battle one another for dominance over Jerusalem, and through their mutual destruction, God will execute judgment upon the nations for the suffering they inflicted upon Israel throughout history [אברבנאל].

At the heart of this conflict lies the concept of immense plunder [מצודת ציון]. A sharp contrast exists regarding who will ultimately claim these spoils. One approach interprets the impending events as a severe warning: Jerusalem will be conquered, and enemy forces will breach its walls, looting its wealth and dividing the spoils directly within the city limits [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, many commentators view this as a profound promise of comfort for Israel. According to this perspective, the residents of Jerusalem will be the ones plundering the defeated enemy camps, dividing the vast spoils within their own city. Furthermore, this represents the ultimate restoration of all the wealth and property that the nations stole from Israel throughout the long years of destruction and exile, finally returning it to its rightful owners [רש״י, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, צאינה וראינה].

Unlike historical victories, this future distribution of wealth will be highly organized rather than a chaotic scramble. In past triumphs, such as the downfall of Sennacherib, the Israelites avoided an official division of the spoils, with individuals hastily grabbing what they could. This hesitation stemmed from fears that the enemy's camp contained stolen Jewish property, sacred funds, or tithes, as well as concerns over the corruption of those appointed over the treasury. In this future era, however, the spoils will clearly belong to the nations, and the appointed treasurers will be completely trustworthy. This will allow for a just, systematic, and equitable distribution of the wealth to every single individual [נחל שורק, אהבת יהונתן].

Beyond the material wealth, this distribution holds a profound spiritual dimension. The physical spoils symbolize the lost sparks of holiness and Torah that had fallen into the hands of impure forces. In the future, these sparks will be liberated and redistributed. Every individual of Israel will receive the specific spiritual portion that belongs to the very root of their soul, allowing them to deeply internalize this restored holiness within themselves [צוארי שלל].