Shavua tov!
"We believe and affirm that the Messiah will come. One should not think he is detained. [Rather,] "If he should tarry, await him" (Habakkuk 2:3)
One is not to assign him a specific time of arrival, nor should one use Scripture to deduce when he is coming. For the Sages have said, "The souls of those who calculate the end will be shattered."
[One must also] believe that [the Messiah] will surpass all the kings who have ever ruled in terms of his grandeur, his greatness, and his honor. [Man should] exalt, love, and pray for him according to the prophecies prophesied about him by all the prophets from Moshe Rabbeinu to Malachi.
He who doubts or belittles [the Messiah's arrival] denies [the authority of the Torah, which explicitly promises his arrival] in the story of Bilaam and in Deuteronomy 30.
Included within this Principle is [the idea] that the king of Israel must come from the House of David and the seed of Solomon. Anyone who opposes this dynasty defies the Almighty and the words of His prophets.
-- Maimonides, 13 Principles of Faith
"Whoever doubts or minimizes his [the Messiah's] importance denies the Torah that attests to it."
-- Maimonides, Commentary to the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 10:1)
I'm hearing from a lot of people that their faith in the coming of Mashiach (along with their patience) is wearing thin. This is the most dangerous moment of the entire geulah process.
Any doubt that you harbor in your heart or mind about the coming of Mashiach can spell doom for you. Root it out NOW!
Our absolute faith in this essential event is what will elevate our souls back to Gan Eden.
Twice before in history has man stood at this precipiece.
The original man and woman started out in Gan Eden. God set up a test for them. Adam left Chava alone in the garden and the Satan came and sowed doubt in her mind. She did not wait for Adam's return to confer with him about what the Satan had told her. She acted on her own, ate of the forbidden fruit and you know the rest of the story.
At Har Sinai, those who accepted the Torah were elevated once again to the level of Adam HaRishon in Gan Eden. Moshe went up the mountain to receive the Tablets of the Law. When he failed to return exactly when expected, they began to doubt that he was ever coming back, so instead of continuing to wait, they commenced to build the Golden Calf and fell from their elevated status.
The final opportunity to rectify this error is upon us. We can see what these two previous tests had in common - doubt followed by a failure to wait - and from that we can extrapolate that these two elements will figure prominently in our final test as well.
In the little time that we have left, let us use it productively to strengthen our emunah in Hashem and His word. Know without any doubt that He will finish the work He started; that He keeps all His promises; and steadfastly wait for Him to fulfill it in His time.
Mashiach is surely coming. Wait for him!!
.אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּבִיאַת הַמָּשִֽׁיחַ, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיִּתְמַהְמֵֽהַּ, עִם כָּל זֶה אֲחַכֶּה לּוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁיָּבוֹא
"I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah, and, though he tarry, I will wait daily for his coming. "
This is a very very important message,
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Orna Nitzevet& Elyiahu
Those who are losing faith really never had the proper emunah. We have been waiting millenia for Moshiach's arrival, so why the doubts, chas v'sholom, now when we understand it already to be in its time (b'itah). It's all a process and only H' knows exactly how and when he will send us our righteous MBD. Truthfully, even now in its time, we should definitely not pinpoint a definite date because only H' knows. We have to do our part - teshuvah, chesed, tefilah and tzadoka which will surely hasten Moshiach Tzdkeinu's arrival. nili
ReplyDeleteFirst I would like to thank Devash fo all the hard work you put for this blog. I really appreciate it. Second I just wanted to say on Rav Amram Vaknin Facebook his shamosh recently wrote that on Saturday morning he had a dream of seeing mashiach. Mashiach also told him on Monday when you go to kever Yosef hatzadik grave you will see me. So don't lose hope moshiach is coming in the very near future.
ReplyDeleteI saw that post and it was my understanding that it was Adam Alioa, one of his followers who had the dream and the Rav told him to publicize it. Thanks for bringing it up. I was planning to wait and see what happened on Monday before saying anything about it, but perhaps Shamayim has other ideas.
DeleteHow is Rav Vaknin's page listed on fb? I can't find it.
DeleteThank you
Rav Vaknin's Facebook page
Deletesince the end of this crazy and wild world is almost here, what will you do after this because he may come around sukkot? and we will not know anything until after the star passes us.
ReplyDeletejack
BH
ReplyDeleteDvash, how can I suscribe to the Facebook of Rav Amram Vaknin? I never use Facebook.
Sara from Mexico City.
I don't know if you can see it if you are not logged into an account, but try the link above.
DeleteI've just been reminded also about those who tried to leave Egypt early and died in the desert.
ReplyDeleteI am unaware of ppl dying in the desert by trying to leave early. Please tell me more or where I can learn of this event. Our family has been trying to make Aliyah by September. At each turn there is a major obstacle that is impossible to overcome. However, Aliyah in the late spring will be smooth sailing. I fear spring will be too late. A hopeful thought has crossed my mind often, that perhaps HaShem has a miracle for the greater exodus and we will be a part of it.
ReplyDeleteThank you
I caution against trying to draw a parallel however between that time and this since there is no disagreement among the gedolim that we are now free to leave the lands of dispersion whenever we are ready. Some hold that it is a mitzvah which should be performed at the earliest possible opportunity. It is entirely possible that today a majority of world Jewry now lives in Eretz Yisrael. (I'm assuming, of course, that you and your family are Jewish.)
DeleteThe Jewish Encyclopaedia summarises the sources and the claims for this story:
"The tribe of Ephraim miscalculated the time of the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt, and left the country thirty years before the appointed time. They were met by a hostile host of Philistines, who offered them battle, in which the Ephraimites lost
300,000 men (according to Pesi?., 180,000; according to Pir?e R. El., 200,000). Their bones were strewn in heaps along the roads. According to the "Sefer ha-Yashar" (see Shemot), this event took place in the 180th year after the Israelites went to Egypt, when 30,000 infantry from the tribe of Ephraim left Egypt. The battle was waged near Gath. Because they rebelled against the word of God in leaving Egypt before the end of the captivity destined by God had arrived, all except ten were slain. The Philistines lost in the battle 20,000 men. The ten men who escaped from the battle returned to Egypt and related to their brethren what had happened to them. Ephraim, who was still alive, mourned over them many days. That the children of Israel might not see the bleached bones of the slain of Ephraim and return to Egypt, God led them to Canaan by circuitous ways (Ex. R. xx.). The slain Ephraimites were subsequently resuscitated by Ezekiel (Sanh. 92b). " (SOURCE:The Jewish Encyclopaedia, Ephraim,).