Editing Ben Koziba (section)

== Signs of Moshiach ==
In response to the question of how Rabbi Akiva believed in Ben Koziba's messiahship when he did not have the signs enumerated by the Rambam: a king from the House of David who is immersed in Torah and mitzvot, etc., and compels all of Israel, etc., and builds the Temple, etc.—the Rebbe answered in 5732 (1972): "Rabbi Akiva's opinion regarding King Ben Koziba does not contradict what the Rambam wrote in Hilchot Melachim at the end of Chapter 11—because Rabbi Akiva initially thought that this was the beginning of his revelation period."

At first, he had the signs that the Rambam writes that the King Moshiach must have, but ultimately he did not redeem Israel in practice.

Regarding the reason why he did not redeem Israel, there is a dispute among the Rishonim. Some believe it was because of sins, and some believe it was because the generation was not worthy of it, and the Rambam rules according to the second opinion: "And he was like all the worthy kings of the House of David who died."

To the question of why Hashem caused such a situation where someone would be presumed to be Moshiach but would not be the actual redeemer, the Rambam writes that it was a test in which many were to stand.

[[category:Moshiach topics]]
[[he:בר כוזיבא]]