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  • From: Shoshanna Walker <rosewalk AT concentric.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Mashiach
  • Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 16:23:52 -0500

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.



































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