The Faith in Moshiach

The belief in Moshiach is the 12th of the thirteen principles enumerated by the Rambam, which involves believing in and waiting for the complete redemption that will come through Moshiach.

The faith in Moshiach is founded on numerous sources in the Torah, which is why the Rambam established that one who denies it is considered a "denier," because they deny the Torah, the prophecies of all the prophets, and the eternality of the Torah.

The Mitzvah

The belief in the coming of Moshiach (and the complete redemption) is an obligation upon every Jew.

The belief in the coming of Moshiach includes not only the belief in his arrival to redeem the Jewish people from exile, but also the belief in his existence as a king from the house of David who will restore the monarchy and laws to Israel, and the fulfillment of mitzvot will be complete in his days. Moreover, it includes the belief in the future state of the world that will enable the complete fulfillment of mitzvot, which is why the Rambam elaborated on this as well.

The Obligation to "Wait"

The obligation to believe in the coming of Moshiach also includes the obligation to wait for it at all times, as the Rambam states: "And anyone who does not believe in him or does not await his coming." As is explained, the obligation to "wait" is the belief that his coming is possible at any moment, meaning that the faith is not only that he will come sometime, but also to wait for it at all times. As the Rambam explains in his commentary on the Mishnayot, in addition to "believing and affirming that he will come," one should also "not think that he will be delayed" — one should not make calculations that would lead to pushing off the time of Moshiach's arrival. Since no fixed time has been set for his coming, this is proof that it can happen at any time, whether soon or distant. Therefore, part of the faith is to believe that he can come at any time. Furthermore, to have complete trust and to believe and have faith in his immediate arrival.

On this, our Sages said: "May the spirit of those who calculate the end be blown away," because these calculations cause the faith in his coming to be distanced, both faith in general—because when the end that one calculated passes and he has not actually arrived, one loses faith—and faith in his coming at any time—because since one has set a time for his coming, one will not believe that he will come before that time.

Foundation of Faith

The foundation of faith in the coming of Moshiach is in the verses of the Torah and in the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu, and this is the language of the Rambam:

"Anyone who does not believe in him, or who does not await his coming, is not only denying the other prophets, but is denying the Torah and Moshe Rabbeinu. For the Torah testifies about him, as it says: (Devarim 30:3) 'And Hashem your G-d will return your captivity and have mercy on you, and will return and gather you, etc.' (Devarim 30:4), 'If your dispersed ones are at the edge of the heavens, etc.' (Devarim 30:5), 'And Hashem will bring you.' These words that are explicitly stated in the Torah encompass all the things that were said by all the prophets. Also in the section of Bilaam it states, and there he prophesied about the two Moshiachs... Also regarding the cities of refuge it states... But regarding the words of the prophets, the matter needs no proof, as all the books are full of this matter." — Mishneh Torah of the Rambam, Laws of Kings, Chapter 11, 1-3.

There are poskim who learn that faith in redemption is derived from the first utterance of the Ten Commandments, "I am Hashem your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage" - "thus we must believe that Hashem will gather us and save us through Moshiach Tzidkeinu."

It emerges that faith in the coming of Moshiach is founded on the prophecy of the prophets, on the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu, on the testimony of the Torah, and it is also part of the 'mitzvot' of the Torah (the mitzvah of cities of refuge, whose completion will be with the coming of Moshiach). The reason that the coming of Moshiach was written and transmitted in each of these ways is because there is validity and virtue in each of them. The advantage of Moshe's prophecy and the Torah's testimony over the prophecy of the prophets is that the verification of the prophets' prophecy for us is based on the signs and wonders they performed, unlike the Torah and Moshe Rabbeinu, whose prophecy was definitively verified by all Israel, "for all Israel are witnesses" to his prophecy when they themselves saw him at the giving of the Torah ascending and speaking with G-d.

A prophet's prophecy in itself is subject to change, such as in the case where sins can cause the nullification of the prophecy (even when the prophecy was said to the public and is not nullified, this is only Hashem's decree that it not be nullified in order to distinguish between a true and false prophet, but the prophecy itself is not eternal). But the words of the Torah are not nullified because the Torah is Hashem's wisdom which is beyond time, and just as He is eternal, so His Torah is eternal. And the promise of Moshiach, in addition to its prophecy, is part of the testimony of the Torah. However, there is a stringency in the words of a prophet over the Torah, for one who transgresses the words of a prophet is liable to death regardless of the content of the prophecy. This is not the case with the words of the Torah, where there are differences between severe and light transgressions, and the punishments for them are different.

The coming of Moshiach is also a detail in the mitzvot of the Torah - the eternality of the mitzvot is the strongest, for in the Torah, even though it is eternal (unlike prophecy, which "in itself" is subject to changes as mentioned above), we still find that it is possible to interpret the words of the Torah spiritually, not according to their plain meaning. However, one who interprets the 'mitzvot' of the Torah not according to their plain meaning is a heretic and an apikores. Therefore, a person who denies the redemption and interprets the promises of redemption not according to their plain meaning is an apikores (for he denies the mitzvah of the Torah to allocate additional cities of refuge in the future).

In addition to faith from the testimony of the Torah and the prophets, the content of faith in redemption is faith in the eternality of the Torah - that one believes that a time will come when the fulfillment of the mitzvot will be perfect, because the eternality of the Torah is not only that its commandments will not change, but also that a time will come when its actual fulfillment will be perfect.

Foundation of Judaism

One who denies this faith is considered as denying the Torah and its Giver and all the prophets who prophesied about it. The Rambam explains that faith in Moshiach is one of the fundamentals of religion and is one of the 13 principles. There are those who disagree with the Rambam on this determination; according to them, this faith is not considered a fundamental principle of religion, but one who disputes it is a "denier" like one who denies other matters of the Torah.

Some have explained the Rambam's approach in several ways:

a. The days of Moshiach is a detail in "reward and punishment," which is one of the 13 principles. b. The purpose of the 13 principles is to negate the claims of those who complain about the lack of justice in a situation where a righteous person suffers and a wicked person enjoys. According to this interpretation, the twelfth principle (and the thirteenth - resurrection of the dead) complete the faith in Divine providence. c. Faith in Moshiach is considered a principle and foundation because it is based on verses of the Torah and on the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu. In addition, it is the prophecy of all the prophets. Therefore, it is a principle of the Torah, and one who denies it denies the entire Torah.

The Rebbe explains - that the Rambam's reason is based on his own definition of the King Moshiach - that the coming of Moshiach is not just a good promise that Hashem promised to come to the people of Israel, but it is a characteristic of the eternality of the Torah as mentioned above (that it will be fulfilled completely in the future). Therefore, it is an additional detail in the principles of religion that the Torah is eternal.

The claim of those who disagree is from the approach of Rabbi Hillel who said, "There is no Moshiach for Israel for they already consumed him in the days of Chizkiyah." Although the halacha was not decided according to him, and one who holds this view today is considered a denier according to the Rambam, nevertheless, if faith in Moshiach is a principle of the Torah, how could there be one who disagrees with this? And if one who disputes the existence of Moshiach is deemed a "denier," how did they quote Rabbi Hillel who disagreed with this, and moreover with the title 'Rabbi'?

Some claim that the term denier only applies to interpretations that his intention was to completely negate the coming of Moshiach (see what is explained in the entry "King Moshiach").

Some explain that even according to these interpretations, although his error was in the principles of religion, his status is not considered that of a denier since his error came from studying the verses, and his error occurred in the study of the text, and therefore he is considered compelled (inadvertent) and not considered as disagreeing with the principles of faith and a denier.

According to the interpretation that Rabbi Hillel's words did not come to negate the very coming of Moshiach but rather the reason for Moshiach's coming, according to their interpretation, he holds that the coming of Moshiach will not occur due to the merits of Israel because their merits were already lost in the time of Chizkiyahu, there is no proof or question from his words to this issue.

Counting the Mitzvot

The belief in the coming of Moshiach is not counted among the 613 mitzvot, despite being among the fundamentals of faith (and therefore Rambam did not write it in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah because he only wrote the fundamental 'mitzvot' and not the other principles that aren't mitzvot).

There are several explanations for this: Abarbanel explains that like most principles that are learned from verses in the Torah, belief in them is obligatory and they are fundamentals of faith. However, since they weren't written in the Torah using language of warning or commandment, they aren't considered a 'mitzvah.'

According to Rambam's explanation regarding the definition of Moshiach, it's like a general mitzvah that Rambam wrote in Sefer HaMitzvot in the fourth principle: "One should not count commandments that apply to all the Torah's mitzvot." Similarly with Moshiach, whose purpose relates to all the Torah's mitzvot as he will bring completeness in fulfilling all the mitzvot, therefore it isn't counted among the 613 mitzvot.

An additional explanation is that since after Moshiach's coming there will no longer be an obligation to believe, because the obligation to believe only applies during exile.

Proofs and Strengthening of Faith

The prophecy about Moshiach's coming was said by Bilaam and was written in the Torah in Moshe Rabbeinu's prophecy. In Rambam's words: "And there he prophesied about two anointed ones. About the first Moshiach who is David, who saved Israel from their enemies. And about the final Moshiach who will arise from his descendants, who will save Israel [in the end times]. And there it says: 'I see him, but not now' - this is David. 'I behold him, but not near' - this is Melech HaMoshiach. 'A star has gone forth from Jacob' - this is David. 'And a staff will arise from Israel' - this is Melech HaMoshiach..."

In these words, Rambam strengthens the validity of faith in Moshiach. After writing that the Torah testified about two anointed ones, and the first Moshiach, David, already existed, this strengthens faith in the coming of the final Moshiach, Melech HaMoshiach. This is because Moshiach is not a 'new' concept and has already existed in history. Also, since both were mentioned in one prophecy, and since the first half was fulfilled, certainly the second half regarding Melech HaMoshiach will be fulfilled.

In one of his talks, the Rebbe explains that most Jews aren't capable of developing anticipation for the redemption on their own because of the spiritual predictions, therefore Chazal elaborate on the physical predictions in order to awaken anticipation for the redemption.

Coming of Mashiach on Shabbat

The Talmudic Discussion

In the Gemara it states that one who vows to be a Nazir on the day when Mashiach comes is forbidden to drink wine forever, since Mashiach could come on any day; however, if he made this vow on Shabbat or Yom Tov, he is permitted to drink wine on that Shabbat, but is forbidden on future Shabbatot. The reasons given in the Gemara for why Mashiach cannot come on Shabbat are:

• Since "it is already promised to Israel that Eliyahu will not come on the eve of Shabbat or the eve of Yom Tov, because of the burden (as they would abandon their Shabbat preparations to go greet him - Rashi)." And since Eliyahu cannot announce the coming of Mashiach on erev Shabbat, Mashiach cannot come the following day on Shabbat.
• Since in order to redeem the Jewish people, Mashiach must reach the Great Sanhedrin in Tiberias, which he could only do by traveling a great distance miraculously. And there is a doubt whether the prohibition of traveling beyond the Shabbat boundary applies above ten tefachim or not.

The Rambam wrote based on the Gemara "that it is uncertain whether he [Mashiach] will come on Shabbat or Yom Tov, or not."

The Rebbe's Explanation

However, the Rebbe explains that despite this, we say in the "Ani Maamin" text - "I await him every day that he may come," including Shabbatot and Yamim Tovim. For several reasons:

• Since there is uncertainty whether Mashiach will come on Shabbat or not, the text was formulated in a way that would also fit the possibility that he may come; especially since it's possible that Eliyahu has already arrived at the Great Sanhedrin and resolved the doubt leniently.
• Since in the "Ani Maamin" text, the intention is not specifically about the complete coming of Mashiach to all of Israel, but about the essence of the redemption. Therefore, various stages in the beginning of the redemption could occur on Shabbat and Yom Tov according to all opinions - such as the revelation of Mashiach ben Yosef, or the coming of Eliyahu - and it is about these that the "Ani Maamin" text speaks.
• Even though the Gemara states that Eliyahu does not come on the eve of Shabbat or Yom Tov because of the burden - the Jewish people would not object if Eliyahu came even on erev Shabbat, even if it disturbed their Shabbat meal preparations.

See Also

• Melech HaMashiach (King Messiah)
• Geulah (Redemption)
• Tzipiya LaGeulah (Anticipation of Redemption)
• Techiyas HaMeisim (Resurrection of the Dead)

External Links

• Rabbi Moshe ben Yosef Trani - the Mabit - in his book 'Beit Elokim' Sha'ar HaYesodot Chapters Fifty and Fifty-One and onward - Explanation and proofs for faith.
• The Rebbe, Likkutei Sichos Volume 18 - Sicha on Parshat Balak (2) - The halachic definition of King Mashiach and the nature of faith (in Yiddish).
• The Rebbe, Likkutei Sichos Volume 34 - Sicha on Parshat Shoftim (3) - The faith in the coming of Mashiach and its certainty.