Yemos Hamoshiach: Difference between revisions

'''Yemos HaMoshiach''' ('''The Days of Moshiach''') is a general term for the period when a king from the House of David will come, redeem the Jewish people and the entire world, build the Beis HaMikdash in Yerushalayim, gather all Jews to Eretz Yisroel, and restore the kingdom of David. The savior is called Melech HaMoshiach (King Messiah) based on the custom of anointing kings with the anointing oil. In the sources, additional events are mentioned that will occur during Yemos HaMoshiach, such as the announcement of redemption by Eliyahu HaNavi, the war of Gog and Magog, and Techiyas HaMeisim (resurrection of the dead). Some will occur before the coming of Moshiach, some after or during his coming, but it is not clear exactly when and how this will happen.

Yemos HaMoshiach is the time of the future redemption that will come through the redeemer called "Moshiach." During this time, the exile will end and the subjugation of Israel will be abolished, and the kingdom of the House of David will be restored to its former glory, and the Beis HaMikdash will be built. In halacha, Yemos HaMoshiach is mentioned regarding the time when the fulfillment of mitzvos will be complete, because all the laws that only apply when the Beis HaMikdash exists, or when all inhabitants of Eretz Yisroel are in it, and were suspended during the exile, will return to practice (and some will have their laws changed, through special teachings).

The prophecy about this time is written in the Torah regarding the redemption of Israel and the ingathering of the dispersed of Israel:<blockquote>"And Hashem your G-d will return your captivity and have mercy on you, and will return and gather you from all the peoples, where Hashem your G-d has scattered you. If your outcasts be at the ends of the heavens, from there will Hashem your G-d gather you, and from there will He take you. And Hashem your G-d will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will do you good, and multiply you above your fathers." — Devarim 30:3-5</blockquote>Also regarding the return of kingship, the prophecy is found in the Torah in the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu. In Parshas Balaam, he prophesied that in the future a king will arise who will lead the Jewish people and rule over all nations:<blockquote>"I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh; there shall step forth a star out of Yaakov, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moav, and break down all the sons of Shes. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession of his enemies; while Israel does valiantly." — Bamidbar 24:17-18</blockquote>Although Yemos HaMoshiach themselves are not Techiyas HaMeisim. Sometimes in the Torah Yemos HaMoshiach are mentioned together with Techiyas HaMeisim, thus they interpreted the verse: "And the Tirshasa said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a kohen with Urim and with Tummim," "which is like a person saying to his friend until the dead are resurrected and Moshiach ben David comes." Similarly, Yemos HaMoshiach are sometimes referred to as "Olam Haba" (the World to Come), or are mentioned in contrast to Olam Hazeh (this world), or in contrast to Olam Haba. Sometimes Yemos HaMoshiach are called by the term "L'asid Lavo" (in the future to come), and sometimes this title is said about the time after Yemos HaMoshiach.

The Rambam believes in his book that there will be no change in the world's natural order, and these are his words:<blockquote>"One should not think that in the Days of Moshiach anything from the natural order of the world will be nullified, or that there will be any innovation in the act of Creation, rather the world will continue according to its natural order. And that which is stated in Isaiah 'The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat' is a metaphor and riddle. The meaning is that Israel will dwell securely with the wicked gentiles who are compared to wolves and leopards, as it is said 'a wolf from the plains will plunder them and a leopard watches over their cities,' and they will all return to the true religion and will not steal or destroy, but will eat permissible food peacefully with Israel, as it is said 'and the lion, like cattle, will eat straw.' Similarly, all such statements regarding Moshiach are metaphors, and in the Days of King Moshiach everyone will know what each metaphor was referring to and what they hinted at. The Sages said: There is no difference between this world and the Days of Moshiach except for the subjugation to other kingdoms alone."</blockquote>The Raavad challenged the Rambam, based on the verse "I will rid the land of wild beasts" which indicates a change in the world's nature, and therefore according to his approach, there will be a change in the world's nature in the Days of Moshiach.

The Radbaz distinguished between the Land of Israel and other lands, from the verse "They will not harm or destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be filled". He learned that in the Land of Israel there will be a change in the world's nature, but not abroad.

Expanded concepts – '''Techiyat HaMeitim (Resurrection of the Dead), Olam Haba (World to Come), Dirah BaTachtonim (Dwelling in the Lower Realms).'''

* In the level of revelation: The revelation in the first period is the revelation of the Infinite Light (Ohr Ein Sof) that shone before the Tzimtzum (contraction). In the second period, a new revelation will be revealed—the Essential Concealment (He'elem Ha'atzmi) that was not revealed even before the Tzimtzum.

The Alter Rebbe writes in his Tanya that '''Yemot HaMoshiach''' (the Messianic Era) is not merely a period of reward payment as is commonly believed, but also the completion of a spiritual process occurring in the world. Therefore, it is the reason and purpose for which the world was created. And so he writes:<blockquote>"It is known that the Messianic Era, particularly when the dead will be resurrected, is the ultimate purpose and perfection of the creation of this world, for which it was created in the first place." — Tanya Chapter 36</blockquote>The Talmudic statement: "Rabbi Yochanan said the world was created only for Moshiach" can serve as an earlier source for this idea.

During exile, it was established in the Talmud that Torah study is more important than performing a mitzvah in cases where the mitzvah is not specifically incumbent upon him and can be performed by others: "Once Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders were reclining in the upper chamber of Beit Natzeh in Lod. This question was asked before them: Is study greater or action greater? Rabbi Tarfon answered saying: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva answered saying: Study is greater. Everyone answered and said: Study is greater - for it leads to action." Meaning: Study is more important because without it we would not know how to fulfill the mitzvot.

(A similar example that smallness is a relative definition can be brought from what is described in Tractate Shabbat (3b), that even giants in Torah can be in a given state "too small" to discuss certain tractates, and then it is better to turn to rabbis who master them better than they do.)

Regarding assistance and help in understanding the Torah, it is interesting to note the Rebbe's conclusion regarding authors of books from among the great Jewish scholars, based on the words of Rabbi Yonatan Eybeschutz: "The spirit of Hashem stirred within them to direct their tongue to halacha without the writer's intention, and Hashem's desire succeeded through them." From these words it emerges that there can be true subtleties of understanding in the works of great Jewish scholars that the authors themselves are not aware of, and others, greater than they, will reveal these to them! And just as, for example, in the written Torah there are matters that even Moses himself needs help from the Holy One, blessed be He, to understand. The Rebbe connects this fact to the idea that Moshiach will teach Torah to all of Israel, including Moses and the Patriarchs.

Evidence of such learning in the past was told by [[the Arizal]]. It happened to him one Shabbat that during a half-hour sleep, he received supernal Torah secrets from above that would require sixty or eighty years to reveal through speech or writing.

* Prayer in the Days of Moshiach

* Mount Sinai in the Days of Moshiach