"Shuvoo - The Path to Clarity - End-of-Days Conciousness."

COUNTDOWN TO REDEMPTION

This article is presented by Shuvoo with the permission of Rabbi Chaim Richman.

There is one thing which many of us are in absolute agreement upon...

...the fact that we are living in remarkable times, the beginning of the revelation of the times of the messiah, as G-d prepares the way for the complete restoration of His honor and kingdom amongst all men. This column will present our readers the opportunity to learn more about the traditional Jewish view of the days of the messiah and G-d’s great plan for all humanity when the Redemption arrives.

We will begin this column by discussing some basic principles of Jewish belief regarding the messiah and the Pre-Messianic Era.

First, it should be understood that the coming of the messiah - and the redemption of Israel which follows - is a very basic Jewish belief.

As far as how and when this is to come about, however, there are two possible outcomes. We are taught that G-d will bring about the Redemption in His own time. Essentially, this means that if all of Israel were to return to G-d, the messiah would appear and the final Redemption would be ushered in immediately. Otherwise, the Redemption will not occur until the final time decreed by G-d. This is the true meaning of the verse (Isaiah 60:22), “I, G-d, will accelerate it in its due time.” This means that if Israel is worthy, G-d will hasten the Redemption; if they are not - it will still come, since G-d has promised it uncontingent upon anything else - but only in its due time.

This is the explanation as to why we find two different Biblical descriptions of the advent of the Messianic Era which seem to contradict each other. For example, there are numerous passages which indicate that the messiah will arrive with miracles and glory, like this one: “In the night visions, I beheld the likeness of a human being who came with the clouds of heaven... and he was given... an everlasting dominion which will never pass away” (Daniel 7:13-14). But on the other hand, there are Biblical references which imply the opposite - namely, that the arrival of the messiah will be simple, low-key and unassuming... as in, “Behold, your king comes to you... humble and riding upon a donkey” (Zech. 9:9). These verses viewed together instruct us of the two basic ways in which the Messianic Era could begin, as we mentioned. If Israel is worthy, it will commence to the accompaniment of Heavenly miracles. Otherwise, the time will still arrive, but it will only manifest itself through the seemingly mundane process of historical events. Of course, in either scenario, it is none other than G-d Himself who guides the forces of history in order to bring about the Messianic Era. Although we are taught that the Redemption is a process, and will occur in stages, rather than all at once - we also know that the messiah can come suddenly... without any warning at all. His appearance will leave no room for doubt whatsoever - he will be accepted by everyone. However, all of these details, and other details related to the exact manner in which the messiah arrives, are the subject of many traditions. In the final analysis, no man really can say how these things will come about until they actually happen. This is because many of the events which will precede this era are factors that are known only to G-d. These things were purposefully left ambiguous by the great prophets, so that a person will wait for his arrival with simplicity and faith, and not engage in speculation, or attempt to calculate the date of his coming based on Scriptural analysis... this type of behavior is frowned upon by the great sages, simply because it undermines faith in G-d’s great Divine oath that these things will indeed come to pass in His timing... thus the Talmud states, “Anticipate his daily coming, as it is written, “Though he tarry, wait for him...” - based on the Scripture which states, “For there is still a vision for the appointed time. It speaks concerning the end, and does not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it, for it will surely come; it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3). Despite this, we do indeed maintain specific traditions which predict something of how this era will be...

For example, many of our traditions predict that there will be an extremely advanced technology in the Messianic Era... eventually resulting in the elimination of all disease, as the prophet Isaiah declared: “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame man will leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb will sing” (35:5-6).

Another important tradition states that prior to the coming of the messiah, the Jewish people will begin to return to the Land of Israel and resettle the land. Since Jerusalem is the holiest spot, it is the most important city that must be rebuilt. In fact, there is even a tradition that the ingathering of the exiles and the rebuilding of Jerusalem will together go hand in hand as the two signs of a prelude to the coming of the messiah... according to this tradition, first a small percentage of Jews will return to the Holy Land, and then Jerusalem will come under Jewish control and be rebuilt... then the majority of world Jewry will return to their homeland, as it is written: (Psalms 147) “G-d is rebuilding Jerusalem; He will gather the dispersed of Israel...”

There is a tradition that at the time of the Messianic Redemption, the Land of Israel will be cultivated after a long period of desolation. This is based on the prophecy, “O mountains of Israel, let your branches sprout forth; yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are at hand to come” (Ezekiel 36:8).

We have already mentioned the tradition that the ingathering of the exiles will precede the coming of the Messiah. There is another important reason why this must be: the advent of the Messianic Era will mark the return of prophecy amongst the Jewish people. According to the final words ever spoken by a prophet (Malachi), Elijah will return as a prophet and announce the coming of the Messiah: “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of G-d” (Mal. 3:23). This is necessary because the Messiah will be the king, and a king can only be anointed by a prophet. The Messiah himself will also be a prophet... the greatest of them all, second only to Moses (for the Torah teaches that Moses was the chief of all the prophets, both those who preceded him and those who follow him). In fact, the very fact of the appearance of the Messiah is in itself a sign that prophecy has been re-instated... for the term “coming of the Messiah” refers to the moment when the Messiah receives the spirit of prophecy and realizes his mission.

We see that the restoration of prophecy is an important factor in the progression of the revelation of the Messiah. But as we mentioned above, the ingathering of the exiles must precede this... for there are a number of conditions for prophecy to be resumed. First of all, prophecy can usually take place only in the Land of Israel, and not in any other land. But even the Land of Israel is not conducive to prophecy at all times. There is a rule that before the prophetic spirit can rest in the Land of Israel, it must be inhabited by the majority of the world’s Jews. Thus, before the Messianic Era commences, more than half of the Jewish people will have to live in the Land of Israel.

Another important event in the Messianic Era will be the building of the Holy Temple. If the Temple has not been rebuilt before the Messiah arrives, (for it is a distinct possibility that it will be rebuilt before he arrives), then it is this act which will establish the Messiah’s identity beyond the shadow of a doubt.

Regarding the Land of Israel, the commandment which G-d gave the Jewish people regarding its conquest remains in full force today: “Clear out the land and live in it” (Numbers 33:53). While there is a tradition that the Land of Israel will only be regained through great suffering, this has already been fulfilled in order to obtain that part of the Land which we now possess. The complete ingathering of the exiles will only be accomplished by the Messiah. This is what the prophet meant when he stated, “On that day, G-d will stretch forth His hand a second time to bring back the remnant of His people... He will hold up a banner for the nations, assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:11-12).

Tradition maintains that there will be great suffering right before the advent of the Messiah. The rabbis taught, “One-third of all the world’s woes will come in the generation before the Messiah.” There are also prophecies that there will be a “War of Gog and Magog” around Jerusalem. According to this tradition, when all the nations hear of the success of the Jewish people in rebuilding their Land, they will all gather to do battle against them near Jerusalem, led by “Gog, the king of Magog.” This battle is the final confrontation between good and evil. Its outcome: In Jerusalem, all evil will be vanquished forever.

The Messiah of whom we are speaking here is a direct descendant of King David, from the tribe of Judah. He is therefore known as Mashiach ben David, Messiah the son of David. However, there is also a tradition that prior to the appearance of the Davidic Messiah, there will be another Messiah. This Messiah is from the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph, and is thus known as Mashiach ben Yosef or Mashiach ben Ephraim. These “mashiachs” are a very important concept in the Jewish understanding of the unfolding historical process of ultimate Messianic Redemption, and it is only by understanding how the two fit together that we can understand the hand of Hashem in history, as His plan continues to unfold before our eyes.

The Messianic Era: Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David

In reality, there are two Messianic figures which are described in the written and oral traditions of Judaism: for the forerunner and harbinger of the final deliverer, the Messiah from the house of David, is the Mashiach ben Yosef... the Messiah from the house of Joseph. Belief in the appearance of the Mashiach ben Yosef is derived from Scripture and tradition, just as Mashiach ben David, who is descended from Judah. But what is the relationship between these two Messiahs, and how do they complement each other? Why is one Messiah not enough? What are the differences between them, and the similarities they share?

In the last “Restoration,” we mentioned the war which is prophesied to take place around Jerusalem - the war of “Gog and Magog.” There is a tradition, supported by Scripture, that in the end of time - when good and evil have their ultimate confrontation - that the enemies of Israel will only fall to a descendant of Joseph. So it is Mashiach ben Yosef who will lead Israel to victory in the final war for G-d’s honor, the war of Gog and Magog. This is the true meaning of the verse, “The house of Jacob will be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble. They will set them ablaze, and consume them; there will be no survivor of the house of Esau, for G-d has spoken (Ovadiah 1:18).

“Ephraim’s envy will depart and Judah’s adversaries will be cut off. Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will not harass Ephraim” (Isaiah 11:13)

The verse we see above was declared by the prophet Isaiah concerning the special relationship between the two Messiahs - the initial Messiah, ben Yosef, and the final Messiah, Mashiach ben David.

The simple meaning of this verse is that each figure has a specific role to play, and each one will perform his task without jealousy. This is also one meaning of the verse, “Son of man, take a stick, and write upon it, ‘For Judah, and the children of Israel, his companions.’ Then take another stick, and write upon it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel, his companions.’ Join them together into one stick, so that they are one in your hand” (Ez. 37:16-17).

According to tradition, this initial Messiah will lead the fight against the hostile forces of Gog and Magog, and he will be killed in battle. He will be mourned by all Israel, as it is written: “They shall look to Me because they have thrust him through, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his firstborn son” (Zech. 12:10).

Of course, there is so much depth to the holy Torah, the word of G-d, that there are many interpretations to Biblical verses on ever-increasing levels of depths, and all are essentially correct, though varying interpretations may disagree. This is one of the fascinating points of the Oral Tradition which explore the Torah’s depth - there are so many differing opinions and insights into the Scripture, yet they all work in harmony. As the rabbis put it, “These and these are the words of the living G-d.”

In this light we would mention that there is also another tradition, well-known to many of our readers, that these two verses also apply not only to the two personalities of the Joseph and Davidic Messiahs, but also to the reconciliation of Judah and Joseph/Ephraim on a national level as well... for it is widely held that the ten “lost” tribes (collectively known as ‘Ephraim’, and ‘Israel’ as opposed to ‘Judah’) who were exiled prior to the destruction of the First Temple were not really lost at all, but assimilated amongst the nations to such an extent that they totally lost their identity as Jews. There is overwhelming evidence throughout the Scriptures which substantiates this beyond any doubt, and it is particularly clear throughout the book of Hosea (“Ephraim, he has mingled himself amongst the peoples...” - 5:8). One of the major themes of every prophet of Israel is the fact that eventually, G-d will help these people to regain their identity, cleanse themselves from the twin sins of pride and idolatry, and reconcile with Judah, thus effectively re-uniting Ezekial’s “two sticks” and becoming one again with the Jewish people. “...and I will sift the House of Israel among all nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the least grain shall fall upon the earth” - Amos 9:9.

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