Friday, May 15, 2015

Anticipating the Geula


In his definitive work on Moshiach, Otzrot Acharit Hayamim, Rabbi Yehoshua Chayun of Bnei Brak quotes the Maharal: "The essence of yemos HaMashiach is the return of the world to its complete spiritual tikkun, as was in the time of Adam Harishon before the sin." 

In various places, such as Maseches Brachos it says: "There is no difference between the olam hazeh [this world] to Yemos Hamashaich [time of Moshiach] but for 'shi'abud malchuyos' [dominion of the nations].

The explanation for this given there, is that in Yemos HaMashiach, the way of the world will not change from its present state of nature to a way that goes against nature, etc., 'ein chadash tachas hashemesh' [there is nothing new under the sun]. Nevertheless, there will be a most awesome and wondrous change from its current shape and form, physically and spiritually, including the living, the inanimate, the vegetation, the desert and the people. And there is no contradiction here, for the world, as it will be in Acharis hayomim, is naught but a return to its original state before the aveira of Adam Harishon. 

Thus, indeed, 'ein chadash tachas hashemesh' for what was once is what will again be. 

There are many wondrous things written by Chaza"l about these times, but I will mention just two more: First, the biggest change in yemos Hamashiach is the cancellation of the yetzer hara [evil inclination]. The whole world will change immensely due to this great and wonderful chiddush. Animals will live in peace with each other  - can you imagine your neighborhood cats hanging out with the dogs and mice of the street?" There will be no money or financial dealings since there will be no more need for money. Hashem will directly give us our daily needs. 

One hint we have to the cancellation of money is in Maseches Sanhedrin 97, where it says, "ein ben Dovid ba ad shetichleh prutah min hakis [the son of David does not come until people's pockets are empty of even one penny]." 

We can understand this vital issue if we think carefully about what money has caused throughout the generations. All the gashmius and havalim [physicality and vanities] of the world start with money... and since there will be no more gashmius, everything will be purely for the sake of serving Hashem and for ruchnius [spirituality] -  there will thus be no more need for money, banks, etc. 

In the Nevuos [Prophets], we read that before Moshiach comes Hashem will take away all the gashmius.  His nation have so fallen in love with "es maahavecha". Therefore we can understand that a World of emes [truth] would have no need for gashmius and the likes and seeing as how it truly controls our lives, I'm sure we will not miss it when it is gone. 

Adapted from: Revach L'Neshama

9 comments:

Maggid said...

Beautifully Expressed . . Thank You!

Leah said...

Very inspiring! Very. I really see that things are happening quickly.

שלמה said...

But it says that just like in Egypt we left very wealthy, we're going to leave this exile even wealthier than before. So how do we reconcile?

Neshama said...

A certain amount of what is referred to as gashmiut will be necessary to function even after Mashiach arrives; perhaps he is referring to when we will be flying around , a soul without a body? As long as we have bodies we will need only necessary gashmiut.

Devorah Chayah said...

Beautiful. Thank you for posting!

Moriah said...

I Learned that making a living will be the same but easier. I'm thinking that we'll be impoverished due to the collapse of the banks and monetary system.

שלמה said...

the rebbe has many explanatory details about this topics

Anonymous said...

There are varied interpretations about souls w/o bodies. Also, the balance of years until the 7000th year will be like in Gan Eden, this world but like it was before the sin of Adam&Chava, pure bliss.

Unknown said...

Rebbe Nachman teaching on the Pirkei Avot "ein kemach ein Torah' says Mashiach will teach the deepest Torah so he will need the biggest 'kemach'- incredible great wealth (Likutei Moharan 60)

This is actually one halacha that is undisputed in the Rambam (Hilchot Melachim chapter 11) that " all delicacies will be abundant and available to all like the dust of the earth"

All the more emphasized according to the Ramban and the opinion of Chasidus that the ultimate goal is this physical world. In the same way that eating will not be 'necessary' in the Future World, since we will be nourished by the light of the Shechinah, nevertheless we will still engage in eating for the inner aspect of physicality- for example eating on Shabbos which is one of the great Mitzvot and eating to fulfill one's quota of hundred blessings per day etc.

The same concept applies to money which is connected to Korbanot (redeeming the sacrifices to transport them to Jerusalem etc.). Most authorities agree that there will still be Todah sacrifices in the Future World. The saying of the Sages that 'the mitzvot will be abrogated in the future' is not in its literal sense since the Torah is forever and the Mitzvot are forever- but rather that the revelations
from the mundane will outshine the kedusha of our present Mitzvot. (This is because what is 'lowest' has the highest source which will be revealed in the Future World)

All of this is especially relevant as we get ready to celebrate Matan Torah. The Midrash teaches that Moshe convinced the angels that
man was fitting to receive the essence of the Torah (since angels do learn a comparatively more limited version of Torah) precisely because we are physical beings and have Yetzer hara etc.

In other words when we transform the physical world and our animal souls by using them for Torah purposes- that is the whole concept of Mashiach: the building of a physical Beit haMikdash in the physical land of Eretz Israel bringing physical korbanot and with the resurrection of dead; meaning that the loftiest souls like Moshe Rabbeinu and the Avot, that have been elevating constantly in the higher spiritual worlds for over 3000 years, will still be resurrected in physical bodies because the experience of the rectified physical world will blow away all possible attainments of the spiritual Gan Eden.