Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Shoshanna Walker <rosewalk AT concentric.net>]

Torah testifies about Mashiach in Deuteronomy 30: 3-5

1.  Mashiach shall restore the Beit HaMikdash in Jerusalem

Ezekiel 37: 26-28

2.  Through Mashiach shall be effected the ingathering of all the 
exiles of Israel

Deuteronomy 30: 3-5
Isaiah 11:11-12, 16
Isaiah 27:12
Isaiah 43:5-6
Isaiah 49: 8-9
Isaiah 60:4
Amos 9:14-15
Jeremiah 23:7-8
Jeremiah 30:2
Jeremiah 31:7
Ezekiel 34:11-13
Ezekiel 37:21
Ezekiel 39:25, 27-29
Zechariah 8: 7-8

This Divine promise of the return and restoration of Israel is 
unconditional, and will occur even if the people do not want to 
return:

Ezekiel 20: 32-37, 40 -42
Ezekiel 36: 22-25

3.  Mashiach is a human being, born in NORMAL fashion, of human 
parents (Or Hachama on Zohar II:7b;  + R. Chaim Vital).  The only 
qualifications about his origin is that he is a descendant of King 
David  (Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23: 5-6 and 33:14, Samuel II  7:12-16, 
Psalms 89) through the lineage of his son, Solomon (I Chronicles 
22:8-10, sources in Talmud, Rambam - ie; Oral Torah).  From his birth 
onwards, his righteousness will increase continuously, he will be 
extremely pious, living in close communion with G-d, and by virtue of 
his deeds he will be raised up to an exalted spiritual level (Isaiah 
11:2, Or Hachama on Zohar II:7b;  + R. Chaim Vital).

4.  Mashiach will cause all the world to serve G-d together (Rambam: 
Mishneh Torah Kings  11:4)

5.  Mashiach will be wiser than Solomon (Rambam: Mishneh Torah Repentance 9:2)


In order to avoid identifying the wrong man as Mashiach, Rambam 
incorporated in his Code of Jewish Law, criteria for establishing 
Mashiach's identity.

EXCERPTS from Rambam's Mishneh Torah: Laws concerning Kings, chapter 11:

1.  The Messianic King (Numbers 24:7) will arise in the future and 
restore the Davidic Kingdom to its former state and original 
sovereignty.  He will build the Sanctuary (ok here some sources 
differ, some believe G-d will build it) and gather the idspersed of 
Israel.  All the laws will be re-instituted in his days as they had 
been aforetimes (Isaiah 1:26 + Talmud and Rashi); sacrifices will be 
offered, and the Sabbatical years and Jubilee years will be observed 
fully as ordained by the Torah.

4.  If a king arises from the House of David who meditates on the 
Torah and occupies himself with the commandments like his ancestor 
David, in accordance with the written AND oral Torah, and he will 
prevail upon all of Israel to walk in [the ways of the Torah] and 
strengthen its breaches (That is, he will repair any breaches in the 
observance of the Torah), and he will fight the battles of G-d - it 
may be assumed that he is Mashiach. [ie defeating the oppressors and 
enemies of Israel].

If he did [these things] SUCCESSFULLY (and defeated all the nations 
around him), built the Sanctuary on its site and gathered the 
dispersed of Israel - he is definitely Mashiach  (the ACTUAL success 
in all this is the only proof for the identity of Mashiach).  He will 
then correct the entire world to serve G-d in unity, as it is said, 
- and here he quotes Zephania 3:9.

(If he did not succeed to that extent or was killed, it is clear that 
he is not the [Mashiach] promised by the Torah...for all the prophets 
said that Mashiach is the redeemer of Israel and their savior, and he 
gathers their dispersed and reinforces their commandments.