Mitzvot Become Nullified in the Future Time

"Mitzvot become nullified in the future time" is a claim debated by the Amoraim in the Talmud. Among halachic authorities, the position of Rabbi Yochanan was accepted, who holds that mitzvot will be nullified in the future. Nevertheless, many great Jewish scholars struggled with explaining this concept and reconciling it with the fundamental principle that the Torah and mitzvot are never nullified, as well as defining the exact time and type of nullification of the mitzvot.

Chassidic teachings also address this matter, explaining that mitzvot in their essence are never nullified. There are only different layers in the meaning of the nullification of mitzvot, or a relative nullification in the level of G-dliness drawn down through the mitzvot, or the nullification of the command but not the mitzvah itself.

Source in the Words of the Sages edit

The discussion in Tractate Niddah concerns a garment in which kilayim (forbidden mixture of materials) became mixed to the point that it cannot be found. The Gemara brings a dispute between Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Yannai whether it is permitted to dress a deceased person in such a garment. Rabbi Yochanan's reason for permitting it is because he holds that mitzvot are nullified in the future time, while Rabbi Yannai forbids it. This is the language of the Gemara:

"The Rabbis taught: A garment in which kilayim was lost should not be sold to an idolater, nor should it be made into a saddle cloth for a donkey, but one may make shrouds for the dead from it. Rav Yosef said: This implies that mitzvot are nullified in the future time. Abaye said to him, or if you prefer, Rav Dimi: But Rabbi Mani said in the name of Rabbi Yannai: They only taught this regarding preparing the body for the eulogy, but for burial it is forbidden. He said to him: Wasn't it stated about this that Rabbi Yochanan said even for burial it is permitted? And Rabbi Yochanan follows his reasoning, as Rabbi Yochanan said: What is meant by the verse (Psalms 88:6), 'Free among the dead'? Once a person dies, he becomes free from mitzvot." — Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Niddah, 61b.

The Ra'avan and the Rokeach ruled according to Rabbi Yannai that mitzvot are not nullified in the future time, and therefore one should not bury a deceased person with kilayim garments. In contrast, many authorities ruled according to Rabbi Yochanan's view that mitzvot are nullified in the future time, including the Rambam (Laws of Kilayim 10:25), the Rosh (Laws of Kilayim of Garments, section 10), the Rashba, Tosafot, and the Tur.

Interpretation of the Time of Cancellation and Its Essence edit

The Tosafot explain that the commandments being canceled in the future includes the time after the resurrection of the dead when people will be exempt from the commandments. In contrast, the Rashba's approach is that the meaning of "in the future" refers only to the time of death, arguing that we find several places in the Shas where even a short and immediate time is also called "in the future." He explains that Rabbi Yochanan's intention is that the living person is not commanded regarding the mitzvot of the dead at the time of death (and Rabbi Yanai who disagrees believes that a person is commanded to separate the dead from prohibition, like an adult is commanded to separate a child from doing a forbidden act), but after the resurrection of the dead, there is no dispute that all the commandments will apply to them in full force. The Ritva explained similarly, as did the Ran in his name. Rabbi Yitzchak Abarbanel also wrote this. Some infer that the Rambam's reasoning for permitting the making of shrouds from kilayim (mixed fabrics) is "because there are no commandments upon the dead," which is exactly the Rashba's approach. (However, the Rebbe explains that it's possible the Rambam also holds like the Tosafot.) Several later authorities adopted the Rashba's explanation.

In connection with this approach, a discussion arises whether Rabbi Yochanan's statement that there will be a change in the status of mitzvot in the future is consistent with Shmuel's statement in Tractate Shabbat: "There is no difference between this world and the Messianic era except for the subjugation to foreign powers." The Tosafot in Tractate Bava Batra bring the approach of Rabbeinu Chaim Cohen that Shmuel and Rabbi Yochanan disagree with each other. However, the Rambam on one hand rules like Shmuel, and on the other hand rules like Rabbi Yochanan that it is permissible to bury the dead with kilayim. Some prove from here further evidence that the Rambam holds like the Rashba that the cancellation of mitzvot is only at the time of death. But in truth, some distinguish between the two periods of the Messianic era, that the cancellation of mitzvot will only be after the resurrection of the dead, while Shmuel's words refer to the first period. (See below in the paragraph "Time of Cancellation"). Some explain that Shmuel's words and those who disagree with him are not related to the fulfillment of mitzvot, and their words refer only to the state of the world and whether changes in nature will occur.

Time of Cancellation edit

The Ya'avetz proves that the time of the cancellation of mitzvot will be at the resurrection of the dead (and not immediately after the coming of Mashiach), and relies on the fact that in several Talmudic discussions it is evident that even after the coming of Mashiach mitzvot will be fulfilled. For example: from Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai's concern that prohibited eating new grain during the exile on the 16th of Nissan for fear that they would err out of habit when the Temple would be rebuilt. This proves that even after the coming of Mashiach and the building of the Temple, all the obligations of mitzvot will apply. The Alter Rebbe wrote according to this approach in his letter printed in the Tanya. Some wanted to reconcile the contradiction between Rabbi Yochanan's approach and his approach in Tractate Sanhedrin (mentioned below, that in the future they will give terumot to Aaron the Kohen), based on the explanation that the time of Aaron's resurrection will be at the beginning of the Messianic era before the resurrection of all Israel, and at this time they will still observe and fulfill all the mitzvot. And the cancellation of mitzvot will only be at the resurrection of the dead.

However, there are early authorities from whose words it seems that the time of cancellation will already be in the Messianic era; the Ramban in his commentary on the Torah explains that about the Messianic era, the Sages said: "And the years arrive, of which you will say 'I have no desire in them'" (Ecclesiastes 12:1), "these are the days of the Messiah, which have neither merit nor obligation." And there are those who believe that this is also according to Rashi, who explains that merit and obligation are poverty and wealth. And according to this approach, they necessarily hold like the approach of Rav Acha in the Jerusalem Talmud that the building of the Temple in the future will be before the Messianic era, and therefore Rabbi Yochanan decreed on the prohibition of the day of the waving. The Rebbe writes that one could say regarding the Ramban's approach "that sometimes even the duration of the resurrection of the dead is called the Messianic era and this is what he is talking about, though this is difficult."

There are various midrashim that designate periods in which certain mitzvot will be permitted, such as the prohibition of pig or the prohibition of niddah and the like. The Rebbe explains, based on what was explained above that the cancellation of all mitzvot will be after the resurrection of the dead, that these midrashim describe the period before the resurrection of the dead after the coming of Mashiach, a period in which the fulfillment of mitzvot will be complete and nevertheless some of the mitzvot will be permitted.

Meaning of Nullification edit

Throughout the generations, great Jewish leaders have engaged in interpreting this statement and its implications. In their words, they raised several points requiring clarification in Rabbi Yochanan's words. Rabbi Yochanan's approach seemingly contradicts what is explained in the Jerusalem Talmud: "Rabbi Yochanan said the Prophets and Writings will be nullified in the future, but the five books of the Torah will never be nullified... Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Even the Megillat Esther and the halachot will never be nullified... [as it says] (Habakkuk 3) 'His ways are eternal.'" And the Rambam brought this law in practice: "The laws of the Oral Torah will never be nullified."

Many later authorities noted that Rabbi Yochanan's approach apparently contradicts his own opinion brought in Tractate Sanhedrin, that the source for resurrection of the dead from the Torah is from the verse: "And you shall give from it the portion for Hashem to Aaron the Kohen." This implies that Aaron the Kohen will rise in the resurrection and receive terumot and maasrot (tithes).

They also pointed out that this approach seemingly contradicts the eternal nature of the Torah, as the Rambam states:

"It is clearly and explicitly stated in the Torah that it is a commandment that stands forever, for all eternity, with no changes, reductions, or additions, as it says (Deuteronomy 13:1): 'All the things that I command you, observe to do them. Do not add to it nor subtract from it.'... Thus you learn that all matters of Torah we are commanded to fulfill forever. And so it says, 'an eternal statute for your generations.'" — Laws of the Foundations of Torah, Chapter 9, Law 1.

Even according to the opinion that explains (Tosafot's approach) Rabbi Yochanan's view that mitzvot are nullified, meaning they are nullified after the resurrection, there are various opinions regarding the nature and meaning of this nullification:

Some say that even according to the view that mitzvot will be nullified in the future, only negative commandments will be nullified, while positive commandments will remain forever. Their explanation is that since in the future the prophecy "I will remove the spirit of impurity from the earth" will be fulfilled, consequently the kelipot (forces of impurity) will be nullified, and there will no longer be a need for negative commandments, only for positive ones. With this, they reconcile the contradiction in Rabbi Yochanan's words that in the future they will give terumot to Aaron the Kohen. However, many disagree with this approach. The Sdei Chemed notes that the Tosafot disagree with this view, as do many later authorities.

Eternal Nature of the Torah edit

Rabbi Yochanan's approach leads to another discussion about the contradiction between it and the principle of the Torah's eternality. Indeed, according to the Rashba's view that the nullification only occurs during death, there is no contradiction in Rabbi Yochanan's opinion. However, according to Tosafot's view that mitzvot will be nullified even after the resurrection of the dead, this seemingly contradicts the Torah's eternality. For this reason, the Yefeh Toar ruled like the Rashba, adding that even the mitzvot that will be nullified will only be so temporarily and for their specific time.

The Maharatz Chayot wrote that even according to Tosafot's view that they will be nullified during the resurrection, it will be "only at the moment of resurrection, but immediately afterwards it will obviously return to its prohibited status."

Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman explained this in two ways: The Torah will indeed remain as it was given, but just as there are certain situations where the Torah exempts a person from mitzvot, so too the nullification by Mashiach was already written in the Torah when it was given - and therefore the nullification of mitzvot is one of the Torah's laws. Another explanation is that just as a dead person is exempt from mitzvot at the time of his death, so too if the dead person rises in resurrection, he will remain exempt, and thus in the Messianic era the mitzvot will not be nullified, but the dead will be exempt from them - therefore this law was stated as a permission to bury the dead in shrouds of kilayim (forbidden mixtures) - since the exemption from mitzvot will only apply to the dead.

In Chassidut, it is explained that this nullification is not a cancellation and end, but rather a nullification and lack of significance. The meaning of this is the divine revelation that is drawn down through the fulfillment of mitzvot in our time, which in the future will be relatively meaningless, because the drawing down of light through mitzvot now is incomparable to the level of divinity that will be drawn through mitzvot in the future. One of the reasons for this is that mitzvot in our time are clothed in physical existence, whose vitality currently comes from kelipat nogah (a neutral husk), and therefore the drawing down through them is from a lower level of divinity. In the future, when a lofty divine light will illuminate the entire world, the revelation currently achieved through physical mitzvot will lose its significance. However, this applies only to the light drawn through the fulfillment of mitzvot, but the light drawn through studying the laws of Torah will not be nullified, as the Sages said they are eternal and exist forever. This is because the revelation in the law itself is more elevated than the drawing down through practical mitzvot, since the law itself is the divine will itself, which is beyond the revelation that will occur in the future. However, the mitzvot we fulfill now, although not significant compared to the future revelation, serve as preparation for drawing down the tremendous revelation that will shine in the future, because in truth, man's actions don't have the power to draw down this lofty light, and his actions are only vessels and preparation for it.

However, these explanations are according to the Rashba's opinion that mitzvot become practically nullified only at the time of death and not afterward. But Chassidut adds to this approach that although they are not practically nullified, the divine influence through them does not take up space. The Rebbe explains that this is also the view of the Alter Rebbe who writes in Tanya chapter 36 that the resurrection of the dead is part of the time for fulfilling mitzvot, and their complete nullification will only occur in the seventh millennium.

An additional explanation is brought in Chassidut that the nullification of practical mitzvot in the future is because the entire purpose of practical mitzvot is for the sake of birur (refinement), and then after the birur is complete, there will no longer be a purpose for mitzvot.

Even according to the opinion that the commandment will be nullified (Tosafot's approach), the Rebbe explains that this doesn't mean the mitzvah itself will be nullified, for the laws of the Oral Torah are never nullified because essentially the Divine Will, being the Will of the Holy One Blessed be He, cannot undergo change. Just as no change is possible in Him, so too no change is possible in His essential Will. The nullification of mitzvot means the nullification of the command but not the nullification of the mitzvah itself (the nullification of the command does not constitute a change in Him because the will in commanding is the externality of the Will). On the contrary, at that time, humans and the world will be permeated with G-d's Will until their unification with it will be to such an extent that a command will not be relevant because the mitzvot will be fulfilled automatically from their unification with the Supernal Will (similar to the concept of "a stone from the wall will cry out"). Unlike the time of exile when fulfillment of mitzvot is through commanding a person and the mitzvah is an additional reality that one must fulfill, in the future, the person and the mitzvah will be one reality.

External Links edit

Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyahu Medini - Divrei Chachamim letter 53, Sdei Chemed Klalim section M letter 218, Responsa Or Li. Omissions page 144, 3
The Rebbe, Kuntres "The Laws of the Oral Torah That Are Never Nullified", Tishrei 5752
Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Lesson on the topic of mitzvot being nullified in the future
Will we continue to fulfill all the mitzvot in the future?
Mitzvot are nullified in the future, HaMevaser Torah journal, Issue number 396, pages 4-5
The Mitzvot in the Future, HaTamim Issue 55 page 28