2.

The idea of the sequence of subjugations in which Israel was oppressed by fou
r regimes is explained in the prophecy of Daniel. According to the words of the
sages, the roots of the subjugations lies in the act of creation. [The words] "u
nformed and void...darkness...the deep" which preceded "the spirit of God" as de
scribed in the second verse of the order of creation are the four oppresive regi
mes whose reign precedes the king messiah. "Unformed" is Babylonia, "void" is Pe
rsia, "darkness" is Greece, who darkened the eyes of Israel with her decrees; "t
he deep" is Edom. The regime of Edom is the oppressor of Israel presently. The t
hree preceding regimes were the oppressors of Israel in the past. If we come to
investigate the present subjugation under Edom, despite the fact that it began w
ith the difficult subjugations of the three preceding regimes, and it continued
unabated until our days, still there was nothing comparable in the subjugations
of Babylonia or Persia, rather the only analogy is with the Greek subjugation.