All holidays will be nullified in The Times of Moshiach

In the future - in the days of Moshiach - all holidays will be nullified, except for Purim (and also additional holidays according to various opinions and versions). Regarding the meaning of this nullification, various explanations have been given in the revealed Torah, in order to explain how this nullification does not contradict the eternality of the Torah. According to the explanation of Chassidic teachings, the intention is not that they will be completely nullified, but rather that the Divine light revealed on these holidays will not reach the level of light that will be revealed in the future - and therefore the joy in them will not be felt at all in relation to the great joy that will be then.

Nullification of the Holidays

The source for the nullification of the holidays in the days of Moshiach is in the statement of our Sages:

"All holidays are destined to be nullified, but the days of Purim will never be nullified. Rabbi Elazar said: Even Yom Kippur will never be nullified, as it says, 'And this shall be for you as an eternal statute.'"

Based on this, the Rambam also ruled:

"All books of the Prophets and all the Writings are destined to be nullified in the days of Moshiach except for the Megillah of Esther, which will remain established like the five books of Torah and like the laws of the Oral Torah that are never nullified. And even though all remembrance of troubles will be nullified, as it says: 'For the former troubles are forgotten and they are hidden from My eyes,' the days of Purim will not be nullified, as it says: 'And these days of Purim shall not pass from among the Jews, and their remembrance shall not cease from their descendants.'" — Rambam, Laws of Megillah, Chapter 2, Law 18

Time of Nullification

Simply understood, the time of this nullification will be in the days of Moshiach - as explicitly stated by the Rambam, and as the Rebbe also cites. However, according to the words of several commentators, it must be that this nullification will occur afterward - during the resurrection of the dead and in the seventh millennium.

Meaning of Cancellation

In Revealed Torah

Regarding the meaning of this cancellation, and how it does not contradict the fundamental principle of faith that the Torah is eternal and its commandments will never be nullified - many great Jewish scholars have discussed this extensively.

Some accepted the statement of our Sages literally, that the festivals will indeed be completely nullified, but nevertheless this does not contradict the eternality of the Torah. This is what the Sefer HaIkarim writes, that the eternality of the festivals is only "that we should not nullify them ourselves, but by the command of Hashem it is possible they will be nullified." This understanding can also be derived from the words of the Sdei Chemed.

Others explained it in various ways:

• Some explained that the time of the nullification of the festivals will be in a period when this world will not exist in its regular form, but in the World of Resurrection, which will be a spiritual world, and in it "mitzvos are nullified." Therefore, the Maharal explains that there is no contradiction to the eternality of the Torah, since the Torah itself established that there would be a time when the world would change from its current operation, and the mitzvos would not be practiced in their simple form. According to his approach, the festivals that will remain are Purim and Yom Kippur - both of which concern life beyond death (in Purim the Jews were saved from a death decree, and on Yom Kippur a person returns from his sins and merits to be saved from death to life), and they relate to the World of Resurrection whose essence is eternal life.
• Similarly, the Beis Yosef writes in his book Maggid Meisharim that the festivals will be nullified in the World of Resurrection, which will be a spiritual world where mitzvos will not apply (similar to angels who did not receive the Torah, since Moshe argued against them, "Is there an evil inclination among you?"). According to his approach, the festivals that will remain are Chanukah and Purim - since all the practical mitzvos of the festivals will be nullified, all the festivals will become days of praise and thanksgiving like Chanukah and Purim.
• The Rashba's opinion is that the nullification of the festivals means that the Jewish people might cause the joy of the festivals to cease through their sins, similar to what is stated in Eichah: "Hashem has caused festival and Shabbos to be forgotten in Tzion." And only for Purim (and according to an additional opinion, Yom Kippur) is there a promise from Hashem that it will not be nullified.
• Rabbi Chaim, the brother of the Maharal, explains that the nullification of the festivals means that the nations of the world might decree against observing the festivals, but they will not decree against Chanukah and Purim (which according to his approach are the festivals that will not be nullified).
• He further explains that the nullification of the festivals is not literal, but rather the nullification of their reasons - since the reason for celebrating the festivals is to remember the Exodus from Egypt, and after the Exodus from Egypt, their enslavement ended. But Chanukah and Purim were established to remember those who wanted to make us forget the Torah and mitzvos, and such people exist in every generation - therefore the reason for these festivals will not be nullified.
• Similar is the opinion of Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz - that the nullification of the festivals means that the miracles of salvation of the festivals will be forgotten among the many troubles, but the festivals that will not be forgotten are Purim and Yom Kippur, which are more elevated.
• The Radbaz also wrote that the nullification of the festivals means that their joy will not be felt in relation to the great joy and pleasure that will exist in the days of Moshiach; but Purim will not be forgotten, due to the great trouble that occurred then. Similarly, Yom Kippur will be felt since it involves affliction, and the affliction will certainly be felt in relation to the joy in the days of Moshiach.

In Chassidus

In Chassidic teachings, it is likewise explained that the nullification of the festivals means that their joy will not be felt in relation to the joy in the days of Moshiach (an example of this is brought from the words of our Sages: "What use is a candle in bright daylight?"). And the festivals that will not be nullified are those whose joy is so great that it will be felt even in the days of Moshiach.

But there is an even deeper level added to this, that the level of joy in the festivals derives from their spiritual essence: in all the festivals, a divine light that is measured and limited shines, while in the future a higher light that is beyond measure and limitation will shine. The festivals that will not be nullified are those in which the divine light is also unlimited. Accordingly, Chassidus explains the significance of the festivals mentioned in all opinions and versions: Purim, Yom Kippur, and Chanukah (as will be explained).

The Holidays that Will Not Be Abolished

Purim

Regarding the holiday of Purim, which will not be abolished in the future Messianic era, many explanations have been offered in the works of great Jewish scholars (mentioned above). The superiority of the joy of Purim over the joy of other festivals as an unlimited joy is also expressed in the fact that regarding other holidays, a person must be careful not to become intoxicated by drinking wine. Similarly, it was established as halacha that the court is commanded to appoint officers to supervise the limitation of joy, so that it does not lead to recklessness and negative consequences. But on Purim—on the contrary—there is an explicit obligation to drink without limitation and to become intoxicated, "until one does not know."

In Chassidic teachings, the superiority of Purim is explained according to its approach, that the Divine revelation within it is unlimited, and therefore it will be felt even in relation to the unlimited revelation of the future era.

The reason for this is because the events of Purim occurred specifically during the time of exile when the Divine light does not shine openly, and nevertheless the Jewish people stood firm with self-sacrifice; therefore, the holiday that resulted from this is more elevated than other festivals, and the Divine light that shines within it is an unlimited light.

Chanukah

In several places where the statement of our Sages regarding the abolition of festivals is brought, Chanukah is also included among the festivals that will not be abolished. The Rebbe cites this version simply many times, and connects it to the statement of the Ramban regarding the Chanukah lights: "These lights will never be abolished."

The reason for this is that the holiday of Chanukah was accomplished through the self-sacrifice of the Jews, and through the power of self-sacrifice a very lofty revelation is drawn down, which has the power to bring all the revelations of the Messianic era and the resurrection of the dead. Apparently, this explanation is similar to the explanation of the superiority of Purim.

Yom Kippur

According to Rabbi Elazar in the Midrash, Yom Kippur will also not be abolished in the future era. He learns this from the verse "And this shall be for you an eternal statute." This opinion is also stated simply in Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer, where it is derived from the verse "It is a Shabbat of Shabbats for you," which is interpreted: "Shabbat - this world, Shabbaton - the World to Come."

The Rashba explains the reason why it will not be abolished, according to his approach to the manner of abolition of festivals (as above), that the intention is that the Jewish people might abolish them through their sins. Based on this, he explains why Yom Kippur cannot be abolished through sin, since it atones for all sins; and according to Rabbi, even for those who do not repent. Therefore (according to the Rashba's version), Rabbi is the one who holds the opinion that Yom Kippur will not be abolished in the future.

In Chassidut, it is explained according to its approach - that the Divine revelation that shines on Yom Kippur is such that there is doubt whether it will be abolished in the future or not: On one hand, the revelation of Yom Kippur is also unlimited (which is why it states: "BEFORE Hashem you shall be purified," and as explained in Chassidut - before and higher than the revelation of the name Havayah). But on the other hand, this revelation remains too lofty without being drawn into vessels, which is why fasting is required to absorb the revelation; unlike the revelation of the future era (and also the revelation of Purim which will not be abolished), which despite being an unlimited revelation will be drawn and penetrate even the limitation of vessels.

Lag BaOmer

In a talk, the Rebbe says "it is possible to suggest" that Lag BaOmer will also be among the festivals that will not be abolished in the future, since the joy of Lag BaOmer is also greater than the joy of the festivals (as proven from the story about Rabbi Avraham HaLevi, a student of the Arizal - whom Rabbi Shimon was strict with for saying "Nachem" on Lag BaOmer, even though he used to say it on other festivals as well and was not punished).

The Chabad Holidays

In a talk, the Rebbe compares the joy of the redemption holiday of 12 Tammuz to the joy of Purim which will not be nullified:

An additional advantage of Purim over other holidays – that "all festivals will be nullified in the future, but the days of Purim will never be nullified."

The reason for this – because the holiday of Purim was established during the time of exile, a time of darkness and concealment, and came through the self-sacrifice of the Jewish people, and because of this self-sacrifice there are no limitations.

From this we can also understand regarding our matter – the redemption holiday of 12 Tammuz – since it is a holiday established during exile, a time of doubled and redoubled darkness, and came through self-sacrifice, the joy should be without limitations.

Similarly, the Rebbe brings the eternal establishment of the holiday of Chanukah which will not be nullified, as an example for 19 Kislev about which the Alter Rebbe expressed that "it will be established as a permanent festival in Israel." From this perhaps we can learn that 19 Kislev is also included among the holidays that will not be nullified.

See also

• The pig will become kosher in the future
• Mitzvot will be nullified in the future
• Kuntres Torah Chadasha Me'iti Tetze (Booklet on "A new Torah will come forth from Me")

Further Reading

• Alter Rebbe, Discourse "To Understand Why in the Future", Torah Or, Supplements to Megillat Esther
• Rebbe Maharash, Discourse "For the Jews" 5626
• The Rebbe: Discourse "For the Jews" 5712, Discourse "To Understand the Saying of Our Sages 'All Festivals'" 5716

Footnotes

1. Midrash Mishlei 9:2. Yalkut Shimoni Mishlei remez 944.
2. Sichat Purim 5728 (1968).
3. Maggid Meisharim Parshat Vayakhel. Tiferet Yisrael by Maharal chapter 53.
4. Ikarim 3:16. It appears that he follows his approach, that canceling a particular mitzvah (by Hashem) is not a contradiction to the eternity of the Torah as a whole, see there at length.
5. Kuntres HaKlalim, section Gimel, siman 76.
6. The Rebbe references some of these in Igrot Kodesh, volume 14, page 537.
7. Tiferet Yisrael ibid. And there he elaborates further on the matters of Purim and Yom Kippur, and the connection between them, see there.
8. Ibid.
9. Shabbat 89a.
10. 2:6.
11. Responsa of the Rashba 1:93. And there the questioner writes: "Many great commentators have explained this aggadah in my ears, but none of them have fully entered into it, inform me of its explanation."
12. Igeret HaTiyul, drush letter Mem. Sefer HaChaim, Sefer Parnasah chapter 7.
13. Manot HaLevi - Midrash Megillat Esther on the verse "And these days of Purim."
14. Responsa of the Radbaz 2:666, 828.
15. Torah Or Megillat Esther 94a, 119b. Discourse "LaYehudim" 5626 (1866), 5712 (1952). Discourse "LeHavin Maraz"l Kol HaMoadim" 5716 (1956). And more. Similarly before this - in Yosher Levav, Bayit Sheni, Cheder 4, chapter 1.
16. Chullin 60b.
17. Rambam Laws of Yom Tov 6:21. Tur and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 529:4. Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe ibid 13.
18. Quoted many times in the Rebbe's teachings; see Discourse "LaYehudim" 5712 (1952) mentioned above. Sichat Purim 5715 (1955), 5728 (1968). And more.
19. See Torah Or and the discourses mentioned above. Also see Discourse "Kol HaMoadim" 5721 (1961). And more.
20. Maggid Meisharim, Sefer HaChaim, and Igeret HaTiyul ibid. And so wrote the Manot HaLevi in his introduction.
21. See Likkutei Sichot vol. 5, p. 172 and note 4. Hitva'aduyot 5744 (1984) vol. 2, p. 687. And more.
22. Beginning of Parshat Behaalotcha.
23. Sichat Shabbat Parshat Miketz, Shabbat Chanukah 5718 (1957).
24. According to other versions - Rabbi Eliezer, or according to the Rashba's version mentioned below: Rebbi.
25. Midrash Mishlei and Yalkut Shimoni mentioned above.
26. Acharei Mot 16:34.
27. Chapter 46.
28. Emor 23:32.
29. Acharei 16:30.
30. Discourse "LeHavin Maraz"l Kol HaMoadim" 5716 (1956).
31. Sichat Lag BaOmer 5743 (1983) - Likkutei Sichot vol. 37 in the addenda, p. 140.
32. Shabbat Parshat Chukat-Balak, 12 Tammuz 5712 (1952).
33. Likkutei Sichot vol. 5 p. 172, translated to Hebrew in Shaarei HaMoadim.