YeranenYaakov: Rav Kanievsky: WE ARE REALLY NEAR THE END!!! One of the visitors of Rav Kanievsky on Wednesday was a person who heads a large chessed organization. The fellow was listing many of the tragic cases he has had to deal with recently, and asked for brachos for the sick people... During the conversation, the fellow asked Rav Kanievsky why there are so much tzurres nowadays. He says for many years he has been involved in this chessed organization, and he doesn't remember a period of time ever that was so full of tzurres. Also in the story is that the questioner told over that Rav Shteinman Shlit"a said once while visiting an Aveil that "there used to be a town orphan, but now, there are many orphans in each classroom. It's a terrifying situation." Rav Kanievsky said that it is known that in the generation of Mashiach Hashem will clean out the generation of its sins, and leave us "clean" in order to greet mashiach. How does he clean us out? Via tzurres. And that is the reason. Somebody present asked "Rebbe, but until when?" Rav Kanievsky closed his eyes and said, "Believe me, we are near the end. Really near the end." The Hebrew is: "תאמינו לי אנחנו כבר בסוף. ממש ממש בסוף