Mashiach (The Messiah): "Until Moshiach comes, Judaism is simply a 'religion,' seemingly relegated to its houses of worship"
"We await the coming of Moshiach because we look forward to finally having peace and reaping the rewards of our millennia-long exile toil. But the Messianic Era isn't all about us and our benefit—it's primarily about a world set right, a world that will be a reflection of its Creator, a world where the rights and wrongs of the Torah are self-evident truths. Until Moshiach comes, Judaism is simply a 'religion,' seemingly relegated to its houses of worship, the tomes which preach its laws and ideologies, and the lives of its faithful adherents. During the Messianic Era, however, the truths of the Torah will be as self-evident as the laws of gravity and mathematics.”- N. Silberberg
Moshiach: Belief and Anticipation
By Naftali Silberberg
"Any individual who does not believe in [the coming of Moshiach], or does not await his arrival, is rejecting not only the prophets, but the Torah and Moses, too—for the Torah promises us regarding his arrival (Deuteronomy 30:3-5): 'G-d, your G-d, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you... Even if your exiles are at the end of the heavens... G-d, your G-d, will bring you [to the land which your forefathers possessed].'"
—Maimonides Laws of Kings 11:1
We await the coming of Moshiach because we look forward to finally having peace and reaping the rewards of our millennia-long exile toil. But the Messianic Era isn't all about us and our benefit—it's primarily about a world set right, a world that will be a reflection of its Creator, a world where the rights and wrongs of the Torah are self-evident truths. Until Moshiach comes, Judaism is simply a"religion," seemingly relegated to its houses of worship, the tomes which preach its laws and ideologies, and the lives of its faithful adherents. During the Messianic Era, however, the truths of the Torah will be as self-evident as the laws of gravity and mathematics.
Hence, in a deeper sense, belief in the Redemption is belief in the supreme truth of the Torah. The belief that the world was created by G-d who used the Torah as His blueprint, and that the day will come when this truth will be patently obvious.
Furthermore, as Maimonides mentions, it is not sufficient to merely believe in the coming of Moshiach, it is also of primary importance to"Await his arrival.”For it is clear that one who does not yearn for Moshiach's arrival is demonstrating a lack of belief too. Is it conceivable for one to believe that such a magnificent era will indeed be arriving and not eagerly await that day?
Yearning for the Redemption is of such importance that according to the Talmud (Shabbat 31a), one of the very first questions a soul is asked when facing the Heavenly Court is: "Did you yearn for the Salvation?”The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Psalms 736) says that"If the Jewish people have no merit other than their yearning for Redemption—they are worthy of being redeemed for that alone!"
Heightened Anticipation
Our nation has yearned for and awaited the Redemption for nearly 2,000 years now. The anticipation, however, reached a fevered pitch in recent years, following the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory's, announcement, in the early 1990s, that the Era of Redemption is upon us, and we must only increase in acts of goodness and kindness in order to be worthy to greet our redeemer.
The Rebbe pointed to various global phenomena that are clear indicators that the process of redemption has indeed started, and asked that we prepare ourselves for Redemption by beginning to"live with Moshiach," —living a life that is dominated by the values that will characterize the Messianic Era. One primary way this is accomplished is through studying about the Messianic Era. Studying about it makes it a reality in our lives, and allows us to live a life of redemption even in these last moments before we witness the complete and true redemption.
www.chabad.org/library/moshiach/article_cdo/aid/1121885/jewish/The-Basics.htm
By Naftali Silberberg
Rabbi Naftali Silberberg, a native of Detroit, is on the editorial team of Chabad.org. He resides in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife Chaya Mushka and their three children.
The Messianic Era
A. Restoration of the Bet Hamikdash
Mashiach shall restore the Bet Hamikdash in Jerusalem.1 This refers
to the third Bet Hamikdash that will stand forever, in fulfillment of
the Divine prophecy of Ezekiel 37:26-28: "I shall give My Sanctuary
in their midst forever. My dwelling-place shall be over them... The
nations shall know that I am G-d who sanctifies Israel, when My
Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forever.”2
B. Ingathering of the Exiles of Israel
Through Mashiach shall be effected the ingathering of all the exiles
of Israel:3
Deuteronomy 30:3-4: “G-d, your G-d, shall bring back your captivity...
and He will return and gather you from all the nations whither G-d,
your G-d, has scattered you. If your banished shall be at the utmost
end of the heavens, G-d, your G-d, shall gather you from there, and
He shall take you from there.”
Isaiah 11:11-12,16: "It shall be on that day that G-d shall again set
His hand for a second time to acquire the remnant of His people that
shall remain from Assyria and from Egypt, from Pathros and from Cush
and from Elam, from Shinar and from Chamat and from the islands of
the sea... There shall be a highway for the remnant of His people that
shall remain from Assyria, as there was for Israel on the day they
went up from the land of Egypt.”
Isaiah 43:5-6: "Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your seed
from the east and gather you from the west. I shall say to the north,
'Give up,' and to the south, 'Do not hold back, bring My sons from
far and My daughters from the end of the earth.'"
Amos 9:14-15: "I shall return the captivity of My people Israel and
they shall build the waste cities and settle... I shall plant them upon
their land, and they shall no more be plucked out of their land that
I have given them, says G-d, your G-d.”
Jeremiah 23:7-8: "Therefore behold, days shall come, says G-d, that
they shall no longer say, 'As G-d lives who has taken up the children
of Israel from the land of Egypt;' but 'As G-d lives who has taken up
and brought the seed of the House of Israel from the north country
and from all the countries where He had banished them,' and they
shall dwell in their land.”
Ezekiel 39:25, 27-29: .”..Now I shall bring back the captivity of Jacob
and I shall have compassion on the whole House of Israel, and I shall
be zealous for My holy Name... When I shall have returned them from the
nations and gathered them from the lands of their enemies... They shall
know that I am G-d, their G-d, in that I exiled them to the nations
and gathered them unto their land, and I will not leave any one of
them there. I will no more hide My face from them, as I will pour out
My spirit upon the House of Israel...”4
The Ten Tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiled by the
Assyrians before the destruction of the first Bet Hamikdash (II-
Kings, ch. 17), and dispersed beyond the river Sambation and the
'Mountains of Darkness,' will also return.5
This Divine promise of the return and restoration of Israel is
unconditional. It will occur even if the people should not want to
return:
"That which arises in your mind shall not come to pass, namely that
which you say, 'We shall be like the nations, like the families of
the countries, to serve wood and stone.' As I live, says the Lord G-
d, I shall surely rule over them with a mighty hand and with an
outstretched arm and with fury poured out. I shall take you out from
the nations and gather you from the lands in which you were
scattered, with a mighty hand, an outstretched arm and with fury
poured out... I shall pass you under the rod and bring you into the
covenant... For on My holy mountain, on the mountain of the height of
Israel, says the Lord G-d, there shall all of the whole House of
Israel serve Me... when I bring you out from the nations and gather you
from the lands where you were scattered, and I shall be sanctified in
you in the eyes of the nations. You shall know that I am G-d when I
bring you to the earth of Israel, to the land about which I raised My
hand to give it to your fathers.” (Ezekiel 20:32-37, 40-42)
"Therefore say to the House of Israel, Thus said the Lord G-d: I am
not doing (this) for your sake, House of Israel, but for My holy Name
which you profaned among the nations wither you came. I shall
sanctify My great Name that was profaned among the nations, that you
profaned in their midst, and the nations shall know that I am G-d,
says the Lord G-d, when I shall be sanctified in you before their
eyes. I shall take you from the nations, and I shall gather you from
all the lands, and I shall bring you to your land. I shall sprinkle
pure waters upon you and you shall be purified from all your sins,
and I will purify you from all your idols...” (Ezekiel 36:22-25)
C. End to Evil and Sin
The Messianic era will mark the end of evil and sin:
Ezekiel 37:23: "They shall not defile themselves anymore with their
idols and with their abominations and with all their transgressions...”
Zephaniah 3:13: "The remnant of Israel will not do any wrong, and
they will not speak lies nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in
their mouth.”
Zechariah 13:2: "It shall be in that day... that I shall cut off the
names of the idols from the earth and they shall no longer be
remembered; and I shall also remove from the earth the [false]
prophets and the spirit of impurity.”
Malachi 3:19: "For behold the day comes burning like a furnace, and
all the wanton sinners and everyone that does wickedness shall be
stubble... that to them shall not be left root and branch.”
Isaiah 60:21: "Your people shall all be righteous, they shall inherit
the land forever...”
Jeremiah 50:20: "In those days and in that time, says G-d, the
iniquity of Israel shall be searched for but it will not be, and the
sins of Judah but they shall not be found...”6
D. Awareness and Knowledge of G-d
The Messianic era will be a time of universal awareness, perception
and knowledge of G-d:
Isaiah 11:9: (cf. Habakuk 2:14): .”..the earth shall be full of
knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the sea.”
Isaiah 40:5: "The glory of G-d shall be revealed, and all flesh shall
see together that the mouth of G-d has spoken.”7
Isaiah 52:8: .”..for eye to eye they shall see as G-d returns to Zion.”
Jeremiah 31:32-33: .”..I shall put My teaching in their inward parts
and write it in their heart, and I shall be to them for G-d and they
shall be to Me for a people. They shall no longer teach one another,
and a man his brother, saying 'Know G-d,' for they shall all know Me
from the least of them to the greatest of them...”
The Divine spirit will be upon the people, endowing them with the
power of prophecy and vision:
Joel 3:1-2: .”..I shall pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your elders shall dream
dreams, your young shall see visions. In those days I shall pour out
My spirit also upon the servants and handmaids.”8
E. Universal Worship of G-d
Mashiach shall mend the whole world so that all shall serve G-d in
unity:9
Zephaniah 3:9: "For then I shall turn to the peoples a pure tongue
that all shall call upon the Name of G-d to serve Him with one
consent.”
Isaiah 2:2-3 and Michah 4:1-2: .”..The mountain of G-d's House shall be
established at the top of the mountains and it shall be raised above
the hills, and all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall
go and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of G-d, to the House
of the G-d of Jacob, and let him [Mashiach] teach us of His ways and
we shall go in His paths;' for from Zion shall go forth Torah, and
the word of G-d from Jerusalem.”10
Zechariah 9:16: .”..every one that is left of all the nations that came
against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to bow before the
King, G-d...”
Zechariah 14:9: “G-d shall be King over the entire earth. In that day
G-d shall be One and His Name One.”
F. Universal Peace and Harmony
The awareness and knowledge of G-d will remove the narrow-minded
dispositions that lead to strife and war. It will be an era of peace
and harmony in the Holy Land11 and throughout the world:
Isaiah 2:4 and Michah 4:3: .”..they shall beat their swords into
plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift
a sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more.”[Michah
4:4 continues: "Each man shall sit under his vine and under his fig-
tree, and none shall make them afraid...”]
Hosea 2:20: .”..I shall break from the earth the bow, the sword and
warfare, and I shall make them lie down securely.”
Zechariah 9:10: .”..the bow of war shall be cut off, and [Mashiach]
shall speak peace unto the nations...”
This new attitude of mankind will also be reflected in the animal world:
Isaiah 11:6-9: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard
shall lie with the kid, and a calf with a lion's cub and a fatling
together, and a small child shall lead them. The cow and the bear
shall graze, their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion
shall eat straw like cattle. An infant shall play over the hole of an
asp, and the weaned child shall put out his hand over the eyeball of
an adder. They will not harm or destroy on all My holy mountain, for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover
the sea.”
Isaiah 65:25: "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the
lion shall eat straw like cattle, dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not harm nor destroy in all My holy mountain, says G-d.”12
G. Resurrection of the Dead
"Your dead shall be revived, my corpses shall arise; awaken and sing
you who dwell in the dust, for a dew of lights is your dew...” (Isaiah
26:19)
"Behold I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, My
people; and I will bring you into the Land of Israel. You shall know
that I am G-d when I open your graves and when I revive you from your
graves, My people. I shall put My spirit into you and you will live,
and I will place you upon your land, and you will know that I, G-d,
have spoken and done, says G-d.” (Ezekiel 37:12-14)
"Many of them that sleep in the land of dust shall awake...” (Daniel
12:2)13
H. Blissful Utopia: End to Disease and Death
The Messianic era will witness ultimate physical and spiritual bliss.
All will be healed.14 The blind, the deaf and the dumb, the lame,
whosoever has any blemish or disability, shall be healed from all
their disabilities: "The eyes of the blind shall be clearsighted, and
the ears of the deaf shall be opened... the lame shall leap as a hart
and the tongue of the dumb shall sing...” (Isaiah 35:5-6).15 Death
itself shall cease, as it is said," Death shall be swallowed up
forever and G-d shall wipe the tears from every face...” (Isaiah 25:8)16
There will be a life of ease.17 Our physical needs will be taken care
of by others, as it is said," Strangers shall stand and feed your
flocks and aliens shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.”
(Isaiah 61:5)18
The earth will manifest extraordinary fertility, yielding an
overabundance of every kind of produce, and trees growing ripe fruits
every day.19 Zion's wilderness will be made"to be like Eden, and her
desert like the garden of G-d" (Isaiah 51:3).”I will call for the
grain and increase it... and I will increase the fruit of the tree and
the produce of the field...” (Ezekiel 36:29-30).”.. The plowman shall
overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; and
the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.”
(Amos 9:13)20
"At that time there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor
strife. All good things will be bestowed in abundance, and all
delicacies will be accessible like dust.”21
The wondrous events and conditions of the Messianic era will
completely overshadow all and any miracles that happened before then,
even those associated with the exodus from Egypt.22
Even so, these Divine blessings are not an end in themselves. They
are but a means towards a higher goal:
Our longing for the Messianic era is not for the sake of dominating
the world, to rule over the heathens, or to be exalted by the
nations. Nor is it that we might eat, drink and rejoice,23"have much
produce and wealth, ride horses and indulge in wine and song, as
thought by some confused people.”24
It is, rather, to have relief from the powers that presently do not
allow us to be preoccupied with Torah and mitzvot properly.25 Our
aspirations are to be free to devote ourselves to Torah and its
wisdom, with no one to oppress and disturb us. We long for that time
because there will be an assembly of the righteous, an era dominated
by goodness, wisdom, knowledge and truth. It will be a time when the
commandments of the Torah shall be observed without inertia, laziness
or compulsion (other version: "Worries, fear or compulsion").26
The sole preoccupation of the whole world will be to know G-d. The
Israelites will be great sages: they will know things that are
presently concealed, and will achieve knowledge of their Creator to
the utmost capacity of human beings, as it is said," The earth shall
be full of the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah
11:9)27
FOOTNOTES
1. From some sources it appears that Mashiach will build the third
Bet Hamikdash (Vayikra Rabba 9:6; Bamidbar Rabba 13:2; Shir Rabba end
of ch. 4 etc.; followed by Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 11:1 and 4). From
other sources it follows that the third Bet Hamikdash is built by the
Almighty Himself (Zohar I:28a, 114a, 183b and III:221a etc. [and cf.
Zohar II:240b!]; followed by Rashi and Tossafot on Sukah 41a, Rosh
Hashanah 30a, and Shevu'ot 15b). Cf. Torah Shelemah, Beshalach 15:17
(especially note 211); and Sha'rei Zohar on Sukah 41a (see there;
and R. Menachem M. Schneerson shalita, Likkutei Sichot Vol. XI, p. 98
note 61; Vol. XVII, p. 418; and Vol. XXVII, p. 204f.; for ways to
reconcile the two views).
2. See also Ezekiel ch. 40ff.; and cf. Isaiah 2:2f. cited below ch.
II-E.
3. See Bereishit Rabba 98:9; Midrash Hagadol on Genesis 49:11.
4. Additional sources for the ingathering of the exiles are: Isaiah
27:12, 49:8-9, and 60:4; Jeremiah 30:2 and 31:7; Ezekiel 34:11-13 and
37:21; Zechariah 8:7-8; etc.
5. Sanhedrin 110b; Bamidbar Rabba 16:25; Tanchuma, ed. Buber, Shlach-
Hossafot:6 (and see the editor's notes there); Pesikta Rabaty 32:10
(ed. Friedmann, ch. 31). Cf. Ramban, Sefer Hage'ulah , sha'r I.
6. For further details on the eradication of evil, the evil
inclination and Satan, see Sukah 52a; Eliyahu Rabba ch. 4; Bereishit
Rabba 48:11; Pesikta Rabaty 33:4; and Yalkut Shimoni, I:133, on
Genesis 33:13, p. 42a.
7.”In the present world, the Shechinah manifests Itself only to
certain individuals [prophets]; in the time to come, however, 'the
glory of G-d shall be revealed and all flesh shall see together...';"
Vayikra Rabba 1:14. The Messianic era will thus witness an empirical
manifestation of Divinity even as occurred with the revelation at
Sinai; see Tanchuma , Bamidbar: end of par. 17; and Tanya , ch. 36.
Cf. Sha'r Ha'emunah , ch. 25; and see note following.
8.”The Holy One, blessed is He, said: 'In the present world [only]
certain individuals prophesied; in the world to come, however, all
Israel will be made prophets, as it is said, 'It shall come to pass
afterwards that I shall pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy...';'"Tanchuma ,
Beha'lotecha: end of par. 16. Cf. Tikunei Zohar 18:36b; and above,
in the previous note.Note Igeret Teyman, end of ch. 3, that there
will be a restoration of prophecy even before the actual
manifestation of Mashiach. Cf. Likkutei Sichot, vol. II: Balak, p.
588f.
9. Hilchot Melachim 11:4
10. See also Isaiah 60:14; and Zechariah 8:23.
11. See Leviticus 25:18-19 and 26:5; Jeremiah 23:6 and 33:16;
Ezekiel 28:26 and 34:25-28; Joel 4:17.
12. See also Hosea 2:20
13. Resurrection of the Dead is another of the 13 fundamental
Principles of the Faith (Rambam, Article 13), distinct from that of
the Messianic redemption. It will occur after the redemption, the
very last event of the Messianic era (see Zohar I:139a), thus in a
way distinct from it. Even so, there are various stages in the
process of resurrection itself, with some individuals rising before
all others. Moses and Aaron, for example, will be present already in
the very early period, when the Bet Hamikdash will be re-established,
in order to guide the order and procedures of the Temple-service (see
Tossafot on Pesachim 114b; and cf. Devarim Rabba 3:17 and similar
passages). A number of other saints,too, will be revived at various
stages prior to the general resurrection of the dead (see R. Joseph
Albo, Ikkarim IV:35; R. David ibn Zimra, Teshuvot Radvaz III:no. 644;
R. Daniel Tirani, Ikrei Hadat (Ikrei Dinim), vol. II: Yoreh De'h
36:66; Sdei Chemed, Kuntres Hakelalim, s.v. mem:klal 218; and the
sources cited there).For the whole subject of the resurrection, see
especially Sanhedrin 90a-92b; Pirkei deR. Eliezer ch. 33-34; R.
Saadiah Gaon, Emunot Vede'ot, sect. VII; Rambam, Ma'mar Techiyat
Hametim; Ramban, Sha'r Hagemul; R. Chasdai Crescas, Or Hashem III:4,
ch. 1-4; and R. Menachem M. Schneerson shalita, Teshuvot Ubi'urim,
ch. 8 and 11 (offering a comprehensive and systematic analysis of
this subject).
14. Bereishit Rabba 20:56
15. Bereishit Rabba 95:1; Tanchuma, Vayigash:8 and Metzora:2 (and
see ed. Buber, Vayigash:9 and Metzora:7).
16. Pesachim 68a; Shemot Rabba 30:2. See also Midrash Tehilim 145:1.
17. Eliyahu Rabba ch. 4.
18. See also Isaiah 49:23 and 60:10-12.
19. Shabbat 30b; Ketuvot 111b.
20. Cf. Leviticus 26:5; and Joel 4:18, and see Vayikra Rabba 17:4,
and Pesikta deR. Kahana, ch. VII, p. 65bf., and the notes there. See
also Hosea 2:23f.Note that Amos 9:13 is one of the few Scriptural
verses that contain all the letters of the aleph-bet. On the
significance of this, see Hadar Zekeinim, R. Bachaya, and Ba'l
Haturim, on Exodus 16:16; and R. Bachaya and Ba'l Haturim on
Deuteronomy 4:34. Cf. below, note 99.
21. Hilchot Melachim 12:5. Cf. Midrash Tehilim 87:3 ("gold and
silver will be like dust").
22. Jeremiah 23:7-8; Berachot 12bf.Note that in Rambam's view the
Messianic era will not see a setting aside of the laws of nature,
but"The world will follow its normal course... 'The only difference
between the present world and the Messianic days is delivery from
servitude to foreign powers' (Berachot 34b).”The prophecies of super-
natural events and conditions are to be understood figuratively.
(Hilchot Melachim 12:1-2; and cf. Hilchot Teshuvah 9:2) Even so,
Rambam himself qualifies this view as a personal opinion and
interpretation, allowing for the possibility that everything may be
quite literal. (Ma'mar Techiyat Hametim, sect. 6. Cf. Hilchot
Melachim 12:2 that no one is in a position to know the details of the
events to occur until they have come to pass etc.)
As noted by the commentaries on Hilchot Melachim, Rambam's view is
fraught with many difficulties, as even he himself enumerates events
and conditions (not the least of which would be the resurrection of
the dead) which are clearly beyond the normal course of the laws of
nature (cf. notes 22, 41, 51 and 68). One resolution to this problem
is by distinguishing between two general periods in the Messianic
era: a first stage following an essentially natural order, and a
later stage marked by supra-natural events and conditions. See R.
Yitzchak Abarbanel, Yeshu'ot Meshicho, Iyun Hashlishi:ch. 7. For a
comprehensive analysis of this subject, see Likkutei Sichot, Vol.
XXVII, pp. 191-206. Cf. also Or Hachayim on Exodus 21:11 and Numbers
24:17!
23. Hilchot Melachim 12:44
24. Rambam, Perush HaMishnah, Introduction to Sanhedrin ch. 10.
25. Hilchot Teshuvah 9:26
26. Sources cited in notes 24-26.
27. Hilchot Melachim 12:5. Cf. Netzach Yisrael , ch. 42.
www.chabad.org/library/moshiach/article_cdo/aid/100899/jewish/The-Messianic-Era.\
htm
By J. Immanuel Schochet
Rabbi Immanuel Schochet has written and lectured extensively on the
history and philosophy of Chassidism and topical themes of Jewish
thought and ethics. He is a renowned authority on Jewish Philosophy
and Mysticism. He is rabbi of Cong. Beth Joseph, and professor-
emeritus of Philosophy at Humber College, in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada.
Sat Sep 4, 2010
Dear people of the Spirit,
Namaste - I bow to His Spirit (Ruach Elohim) who resides in you!
i will be posting some articles regarding the Messiah, whom the Jews have been
awaiting for millennia. It must be emphasized that the arrival of the Messiah to
the Jews is no different from the arrival of the Spirit-Paraclete to the
Christians to continue and conclude Jesus' teachings, or that of the arrival of
the Ruh to the Muslims who is supposed to collect, promulgate, recite and
explain in detail the Quranic verses, and thereby commence the Resurrection
(Al-Qiyamah).
All told, the Messiah is to inaugurate the age of salvation, specifically with
regard to the pouring out of God's Spirit upon all flesh:
NKJV Joel 2:28
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all
flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream
dreams, Your young men shall see visions.”
However, there is a precondition to the Messiah's arrival and declaration of the
age of salvation with the pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh i.e., it can
specifically take place only after the creation of Israel and the gathering
together of the Jewish diaspora from the many nations! Both the Torah and Quran
emphasize this explicit prerequisite. (But that is not a problem as Israel has
already been created and the Messiah has also arrived.)
The problem is that the patriarchal Jewish theologians/rabbis have given the
same masculinity to the Messiah. This goes against the feminine nature of the
Ruach-Elohim/Shekinah/Holy Spirit/Spirit-Paraclete/Ruh from whence the Messiah
originates:
"Where then do we go for direct textual evidence that the Holy Spirit was, in
the origins of Christianity, considered feminine? We go to the existing Greek
minuscules copied in the early part of the last millennium to find only
circumstantial evidence. Likewise, as we go to the earlier copied Greek uncials,
the Byzantine copies, the eastern Syriac Peshitta, and the Old Latin we find
some peripheral corroboration. Then when we go to the earlier copied Old Syriac
that predates the Peshitta we find a pearl of great price. In the most ancient
of the rare Old Syriac copies, the Siniatic Palimpsest, from the 4th or 5th
century, found in the Covenant of St. Catherine in the Sinia by Mrs. Anes Lewis
and transcribed by Syriac Professor R.L. Bensly of Cambridge University in 1892,
the words of Jesus in John 14:26 read:
But She—the Spirit, the Paraclete whom He will send to you, my Father, in my
name—She will teach you everything; She will remind you of that which I have
told you.
(Translation by Danny Mahar, author of Aramaic Made EZ)
In both the Hebrew and Aramaic language the word spirit is in the feminine
gender but in the Greek language it is neuter. It is the Greek neuter word,
pnuema, that was employed by the ancient Septuagint translators of the Hebrew
Old Testament when they translated the feminine ruach into Greek. The authors
who wrote in Greek were limited in expressing the Holy Spirit in the feminine by
the constraints of the language...
This concept of the feminine gender of the Holy Spirit is not new or original.
The early church had this belief and within the last several decades it has been
considered at large with acceptance by individuals of faith in all areas. It may
be that this writing is a unique synergism in understandings and that there are
some new considerations within what is written here to add to the accumulating
evidence. Whatever the case may be there is much more that is written and to be
written that patterns the feminine gender of the Holy Spirit through the breadth
of scripture.”
The Feminine Gender of the Holy Spirit
On the Orthodox Revision of the Gender of the Holy Spirit
A Journey Unto Revelation's End, by Steve Santini
Thus it would be preferred that the Messiah be understood not only as feminine,
but also as the Ruach-Elohim/Shekinah/Holy Spirit/Spirit-Paraclete/Ruh. Shri
Mataji is the incarnation of that Divine Feminine, the Messiah who inaugurates
the messianic age of salvation.
regards to all,
jagbir
The Messiah Shri Mataji
Sydney, Australia - March 21, 1983
"These are the times described in the Holy Bible as the Last Judgment and in the Koran as Qiyamah — the Resurrection Time. Astrologically it also called the Age of Aquarius, the time of rebirth and of great spiritual development on the Earth.”
The Messiah Shri Mataji
"The Last Judgment has started. We are facing the Last Judgment today. We are not aware of it. And all the satanic forces have come out like the wolves in sheep's clothes. And they are trying to attract you and you do not judge them. You only sit down and judge the Reality. It has started, it is a fact. It has started.”
The Messiah Shri Mataji
"Today, Sahaja Yoga has reached the state of Mahayoga, which is en-masse evolution manifested through it. It is this day's Yuga Dharma. It is the way the Last Judgment is taking place. Announce it to all the seekers of truth, to all the nations of the world, so that nobody misses the blessings of the Divine to achieve their meaning, their absolute, their spirit.”
The Messiah Shri Mataji
"Of course there are some absurd things which grew with misinterpretation and interference from unholy people, which are common in these religions. For example, Jews, Christian and Muslims believe that when they die their bodies will come out of their graves and they will all be resurrected at the Time of Resurrection, at the Time of Last Judgment, at the Time of Qiyamah. It is illogical to think what will remain inside those graves after five hundred years. Nobody wants to think and understand that it is not the body but the soul that will come out of these bodies, be born again as human beings and be saved through Qiyamah and Resurrection.”
The Messiah Shri Mataji
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