Moshe's Donkey and Moshiach

Art by Elhanan Ben-Avraham

Moshe complains about the accusations hurled against him and says "Lo Chamor Echad Meihem Nasasi" -  I didn't even take a single donkey from them [Korach 16:15]. Rashi says this refers to when he came down to Mitzrayim to redeem them on a donkey, and he paid for it from his own money. Rav Shimon Schwab asks, why would Moshe think that he should have taken the money from Bnei Yisroel?

Rav Schwab answers that the gemara in Sanhedrin [98a] says that when the geula comes, if we are zocheh [if we merit it] Moshiach will arrive on clouds, if not then Moshiach will come come as a pauper on a donkey. Why? 

The whole world needs to know that Hashem is bringing the geula and Moshiach has no power by himself. If Bnei Yisroel are Maaminim [believers] and Ovdei Hashem [servants of Hashem] then Moshiach can come in grand fashion and we will all place thanks in Hashem and not Moshiach. But if we do not recognize Hashem's hand, then Hashem will need to send a Moshiach who is powerless and destitute to show that it is not his charisma, brains, or money that will release us from the galus.

Moshe was the Goel in Mitzrayim.  Bnei Yisroel was not Zocheh and Moshe came riding into town on a donkey lacking any pomp or grandeur. He came with the stick in his hand and the shirt on his back. To show his poverty he should have asked Bnei Yisroel to pay for his donkey. Even then he did not, since he did not want to take anything from any member of Klal Yisroel.

Source: Revach

"Moshiach is Arriving Very Soon"

Update: This is a must listen shiur.

Please read the comments first, as there is a link to listen to it in English via AI,  sent by Yisroel.

Someone asked me to help them watch this video with the sub-titles .... anyway I started to transcribe it, and so here is the beginning of the shiur transcribed, I will add more to it a bit later.  To see the sub-titles click on the Settings cog and navigate to English and click on the CC.  

Thank you to Dave for sending this link.

Rav Ron Chaya

The Yanuka said last week Moshiach is arriving very soon so we are preparing, we believe it !

Does Moshiach know he is Moshiach?

In the writings of the Ari, in the beginning he does not know he is Moshiach and then one day G-d reveals to him who will be Moshiach, and he tells no-one but after a while he tells a few Tzaddikim. 

We heard already two weeks ago that Moshiach has revealed himself to two hidden Tzaddikim, and they know he is Moshiach.  One of those is Rav Kook, we believe, and he believes he knows who Moshiach is.

Moshiach is waiting for the green light from G-d and when this happens he will reveal himself and he is going to do actions where all mankind will know He is Moshiach.  I don't know what he is going to do but it will go very quickly - there is something very interesting in Eruvin that says Moshiach cannot come on Shabbat because a day before the prophet Eliyahu must come and announce His coming.  If he comes on a Friday we are preparing for Shabbat and we are busy, who has time for that, especially if it's a winter Shabbat we don't have time, so it won't be a Friday.  As soon as Moshiach comes all the people will recognise him and will help us prepare for Shabbat..

When Moshiach comes it's immediate and very fast. When Moshiach comes we make four blessings.,,,

Created at Twilight

"But if Hashem will create a phenomenon, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them" [Korach 16:30]

Rashi cites the Gemara in Maseches Sanhedrin [110a]: "If the mouth of the earth is a creation from the six days of Creation," said Moshe Rabbeinu, "then fine. But if not, may Hashem create one!"

Why, asked the Chasam Sofer [R' Moshe Sofer], did Moshe Rabbeinu have any doubt as to whether or not the mouth of the earth had been created during the six days of Creation?  For Chazal state [Avot 5:9] explicitly:

Ten things were created at twilight on the eve of the first Sabbath:

the mouth of the earth

the mouth of the well

the mouth of the ass

the rainbow;

the manna;

Aaron's staff;

the Shamir, writing;

the inscription on the tablets of the Ten Commandments;

and the tablets themselves. 

How then could Moshe have overlooked this Mishnah?

One of the ten things enumerated by Chazal, answered the Chasam Sofer, was "Moshe's grave".  This grave, whose location is unknown, was also created at twilight of that erev Shabbos.

Hashem therefore concealed all ten things from Moshe so that he would not hear of his own passing.  Thus, Moshe had to request "If the mouth of the earth is a creation from the six days of Creation, then fine. But if not, may Hashem create one!"

Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein