The matters of 22

 We're in the year 22 counting from Gimmel Tammuz, 5754. Below are some musings on the significance of the number 22 as elucidated by R. Elie Soble.



1. Yaakov was away from his parents for 22 years.

2. Yosef and Yakov were separated for 22 years. 

3. For 22 years Dovid Hamelech didn't have his Ruach Hakodesh. 

4. For 22 years Rabbi Akiva had to do a special avoda (described in Tana dbei Eliyahu). 

5. For 22 years one of the Neviem Yirmiyahu (?) was giving warning. 

6. After 22 years Yosef and Yehuda joined which is the sod of Geula. 

7.  When Yakov wanted to reveal the keitz (final deadline),  his Ruach hakodesh disappeared which is the final hint, that the final real keitz is tied to 22 years. This year the concealment ends.

What made Yosef be hidden for 22 years? He told his brothers he was the Melech and they didn't believe him. But in the end Yosef always has rachmonos.

The Rebbe explains in  sichos that  it is the Rebbetzin who binds together the Rebbe and the Previous Rebbe enabling the dirah btachtonim to manifest to fruition. The Previous Rebbe as described by the Rebbe as the Yosef of our generation. And there is a sicha which the Rebbe  describes the Previous Rebbe this way and explains how Yosef gave years of his life to Dovid HaMelech because he knew Moshiach Ben Dovid would return the favor and give life, techiya, to Moshiach Ben Yosaf.

8. It was Yechezkel whose Nevuo's spanned a 22 year period at the beginning warnings to the Bnei Yisroel - but then culminating in Nevuo's about wars and destruction in places to the North of Israel i.e.  Lebanon, Egypt, etc.

9.  Finally,  at the end of 22 years his Nevua was about the full Gilui of Moshiach. 

10. Rabbi Akiva's 22 years was that he had to learn from but also serve Nochum Ish Gam Zu,  the letters comprising the name Akiva are similar letters to Yaakov.

11. It is stated in the name of the Arizal Ha'Chai that these 22 years by Akiva were part of the tikkun for Yaakov's 22 years. These two Tzaddikim , R' Akiva and Nochum Ish Gam Zu - sat together for 22 years - what is one of the main teachings both have given us in their own way? How to deal with manifest adversity. Gam Zu L'tova and Kol D'a'vid Rachmona L'tav Avid.