The thirteenth principle of the Jewish faith states our believe that the dead will be brought back to life.   This is known as resurrection or in Hebrew teḥiyat hametim. (“Resurrection” should not be confused with what ḥakhme haqabbala call gilgul neshamot , or reincarnation).

In his “ma-amar ‘al teḥiyat hametim” Maimonides explains:

“The concept of resurrection is well known among all Jews, and there are none who dispute it. It is mentioned many times in our prayers… prophets and sages.  The body and the soul will be reunited again after they have been separated by death. This concept if found in the book of Daniel (12:2): “Many who sleep in the dust shall awaken, some to everlasting life, some to everlasting shame and reproach”.

We have no specific details about how or when exactly teḥiyat hametim will take place.

For Maimonides, the resurrection of the dead is just for the righteous (ṣadiqim).   “It will be absurd for the wicked to be brought to life again, for even when they are alive they are consider dead”.   In the wise words of Rabbi Hayim Pereira Mendes. “The reward of the righteous in future life is spiritual happiness, the punishment of the wicked is exclusion from it.” Wicked people, do not recognize God and are not aware of the existential goal of this life: coming closer to Him (uldobqa bo). If given a new opportunity the wicked would waste his life in vanity, physical pleasures and material endeavors.

To better understand Maimonides idea, let us imagine a scenario close to teḥiyat hametim. If I’m now 80 years old, and I’m offered the elixir of youth to become again a 20 years old, what would I wish to do with my life now?   If I say: “Well, now that I know what is important in this life, and I’m given this new opportunity, I will dedicate myself to strengthen my connection with HaShem”, then, I qualify for Maimonides’ teḥiyat hametim!.  But if I say: “If I’m 20 again, I will party all day long” or something like that, then I don’t.

VERY IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS OF TEENAGERS

by Audrey Weitz

In the last chapter (Chapter 1000th) of his monumental book Mishne Tora, Maimonides conveys a very interesting idea about the Messianic times, which sheds light on the limits and credibility of Jewish oral tradition.

First (MT, Melakhim 12:1) Maimonides asserts that nature will not change in Messianic times. He also says (12:2) that apparently, it will be a war between Gog and Magog and before that a Prophet will come to guide the Jewish people in the right path and to establish peace on earth.

Then he explains: vekhol elu hadebarim…. “in all these matters [related to the messianic age] and similar to them [=events which will happen in the future], no man will be able to know how will they happen until they actually happen. Because although the Prophets wrote [metaphorically] about these matters, the meaningof what they said is unknown to us [debarim setumim] because our Rabbis do not have any tradition [kabbala = oral tradition] as to how these words should be understood. And that is why the Rabbis have different opinions on these matters.  In any case, the order in which these events will occur or their details, are not a foundation of our faith. [And since there is no tradition on these matters, and the Rabbis just speculated about the interpretation of the words of the Prophets] a person should therefore not involve himself in analyzing the Hagadot [=Rabbis parables] and Midrashim [=Rabbis interpretations] on these matters, because learning these subjects will not bring a person to love God or to fear God.  One should likewise refrain himself from calculatingwhen the Mashiaḥ will come. Our sages have warned us about this negative practice by saying: ‘May the souls of those who calculate the coming of the  Mashiaḥ be rot’. One must hope and believe in general that the Mashiaḥ will come, as we have explained”.

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All about the Mashiaḥ by Aryeh Kaplan z”l,  from Aish.com

Previously, we explained that according to Jewish tradition in the times of the Mashiaḥ the Jewish people will live in Israel in an independent state,  ruled by the Mashiaḥ, a descendant of King David.

Maimonides (in his Pirush haMishnayot and MT) writes;

“Our sages did not long for the Messianic age in order that the Jews might rule the world and dominate the gentiles.  They did not desire that the nations should honor them, etc. They only hope for one thing: to be free to involve themselves in the Tora and its wisdom. They wanted nothing to disturb them or distract them, so that they should be able to strive to become worthy of the life in World to Come (‘olam habba)”.

“Do not think that the ways of the world or the laws of nature will change in the Messianic times. This is not true. The world will continue as it is. It is true that the Prophet Isaiah predicted ‘The wolf will live with the sheep…’, this, however, is merely an allegory that the Jews [the sheep] will live safely, even with the nations that are like wolves [who wish to devour Israel]. War will no longer exist, as the prophet (Isaiah 2:4) says ‘Nation shall no longer lift up sword against nation’.”

“They will no be changes in nature. People will live longer lives but they will eventually get sick and die. The Mashiaḥ’s kingdom will last for a very long time, This is because mans lifetime will be vastly extended. Worries and troubles will no longer exist, and therefore people will live much longer. The Mashiaḥ, obviously, will also die (Isaiah 42:4), and his son will rule in his place.”

“It will be a time when the number of wise men will increase. ‘All the world will be filled with knowledge’ (Isaiah 11:9). The main occupation of humanity will only be to know God. The Jews will therefore become great sages, know many hidden things, and achieve the greatest understanding of God possible for a mortal human being.”

 

 

                                Arab Youths Harassing Two Hasidic Jews in Jerusalem

 

   Previously, we described what the characteristics of the Mashiaḥ are (see this). Today, within the 12th principle, we will touch upon the subject of messianic times, in other words, what do we Jews believe that will happen with us and with the world in the times of the Mashiaḥ?

Maimonides (Mishna Sanhedrin 10:1, written ca. 1160 CE) explains that : “In the messianic age, Jews will regain their independence and all return to the land of Israel. The Messiah will be a great King whose government will be in Zion (=Jerusalem).”

Besides political independence: “Nothing will change in the Messianic age…Rich and poor,strong and weak, will still exist in the Messianic age.It will be easier for people to make a living, however, and with very little effort they will be able to accomplish very much.”  

Maimonides also clarifies why the Jews desire so much the messianic age “We do not hope and long for the messianic age in order that we might have much grain and wealth. We do not want it so that we will be abel to ride horses and indulge in wine and songs, as those with confused ideas believe…. The main benefit of the Messianic age will be that we will no longer be under the subjugation of foreign governments who prevent us from keeping all the commandments.”  

In the words of rabbi Hayim Pereira Mendes (written ca. 1905):“The Messiah will be king in the sense of the Hebrew word, which means a “leader,” or “guide,” or “captain,” the head of our government so far as government is required for law and order. He will be identified with the restoration of Palestine to the Hebrews, and the reconstruction of the Hebrew nation, when “the Lord will set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people,” “will assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isa, xi, 11-12).”

by camera.org

Maimonides explains that if a Jewish political leader possesses these three characteristics he has the potential to be the Mashiaḥ. He has to be 1. A ascendent of King David. 2. A role Model in Tora observance and teaching. 3. A man involved militarily in the wars of Israel (see here ).

 Now, when would be known for sure that this person is the actual Mashiaḥ?  Maimonides says: (MT, Melakhim 11:5) “If he succeeded [in the wars], and he builds the Bet haMiqdash in its place [the Temple mount, Har haBayit] and he brings back to Israel the remnants of the Jewish Diaspora, then we know that he is the actual Mashiaḥ.  But, if he did not succeed, or if he died, then we know that he was not the Mashiaḥ but another one of the righteous and good Monarchs of the House of David, who passed away. “

Obviously, and unlike Christianity, we don’t believe in a Mashiaḥ that will die and then resurrect. Or that will be a son of God and a human female. (BTW, in the Tora  every Jew is explicitly described as a “son of God” . Deut. 14:1 says: banim atem laHaShem Elokekhem , “You are the children of HaShem your God”).

Going back to the events which will prove the condition of theMashiaḥ, Maimonides says:  (Idem, 11:1). “The torah itself testifies to this Messianic promise when it says (Deut. 30:3-5) “God, will have mercy on you, and gather you [again from all countries where He has scattered you]. Even if you remnants  are at the ends of the heavens, HaShem your God will gather you and bring you from there. HaShem your God will bring you to the land that your fathers inherited. You will settle in it again, and He will make you even more prosperous and numerous than than your ancestors”

(to be continued...)

As we explained last time, the Mashiaḥ will be a Jewish King, descendent of the house of King David. According to Maimonides (MT, Kings 11:4) “We may assume that an individual is the Messiah if he fulfills the following conditions. (1) He must be a King, from the house of David, (2) immersed in the Tora and its commandments like David his ancestor. He must also follow both, the written and the Oral Tora, lead all Jews back to the Tora, strengthening the observance of its laws and (3) fight God’s battles.”

“God’s battles” are not meant here in a figurative sense like a salvation army. “HaShem battles” are the military wars and battles that the Jewish people wages against its enemies. The sort of battles that the IDF fights every single day. The Mashiaḥtherefore will be a man of wisdom, a leader and role model in Tora, and also a military man who fights against Israel’s enemies.

Where does Maimonides take these ideas from?

In MT, Kings, 11:3 he writes : “Do not think that the Mashiaḥ will have to perform signs and miracles. He will not necessarily change the course of nature or bring the dead back to life [= teḥyiat hametim might not happen at this particular stage. Y.B.], or anything else like that. We thus find that Rabbi Akiba, the greatest sage of the Mishna, was willing to accept Bar Koziba (Bar Kokhba, the leader of the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire in 132 CE) as the Messiah until he was killed… it was only when he died that they realized …that he was not the true Messiah”

It is through an analysis of the characteristics of Bar Kokhba that Maimonides describes the prerequisites of the Mashiaḥ: what rabbi Akiba saw in Bar Kokhba, we should expect to find in the potential Mashiaḥ.

The Twelfth principle involves our belief in the coming of the Messiah and the Messianic age. The Messianic age will take place when the Jews will regain their independence and all return to the land of Israel.

According to Maimonides in his commentary to the Mishna “We should not set a time for his coming, not try to calculate when he will come from Scriptural passages. Our sages thus teach us “May the sprit of those who try to calculate the time of the end [i.e., the time of the coming of the Mashiach] rot”. Many times in the history of the Jewish people there were those who disregarded this warning and endeavored to set a time for the coming of the Messiah.  In many occasions those attempts brought terrible consequences.  In the times of the false Messiah, Shabetay Tzebi (1665-1666 CE), many Jews lost all their properties and put themselves in danger, following false hopes.  We should simply believe that the Mashiach will come, “if not today, B’H, tomorrow”.

The word “Messiah” (Mashiach in Hebrew) does not mean “savior” but “anointed”. In ancient Israel, when a King was appointed by the court and a prophet (see Mishne Tora, Kings, 1:3) he was anointed with a special oil (shemen hamishcha). When the prophet Shemuel appointed Shaul, the first King, the Scripture says: “And Shemuel took the jar of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him” (I Samuel, 10:1).   The Mashiach, therefore, will be a King, a political leader like Shaul, David or Solomon. He will be a leader who will be known by his “wisdom and understanding, his counsel and power, his knowledge of  HaShem, and his reverence for Him.”

The Mashiach will be a descendent of the house of King David. God promised King David that every King in Israel will come from him.

(to be continued)

Hurricane “Sandy” and Abraham Abinu

The Eleventh principle of Judaism asserts that God is Just. He rewards those who keep His commandments and punishes those who transgress them.

In the words of Rabbi Hayim Pereira-Mendes, God does not punish in the sense of vengeance but only for correction, in order that we shall forsake our sins and lead better lives.  We don’t always see with our own eyes the punishment of the wicked man and the reward of the righteous.  Our rabbis assert that God rewards and corrects sometimes in this life and sometimes in future life.  There is no necessarily and immediate external reward for an act of kindness, no automatic punishment for a transgression. Moreover, suffering is not sent to us only for punishment of a sin. It is often sent to motivate or train us to live better and nobler lives, to educate us to higher ideals, to lead us nearer to God.

The main assumption of this principle, the reason for the existence of divine reward and punishment, is that God has given us free-will to choose between good and evil, right and wrong.  We Jews do not believe in Predestination. If we were destined to do right or wrong and did not have the power to choose, there would be no merit in doing the right, and we could not be justly punished for doing the wrong. Only by repentance, sorrow for our sin, and by amendment of our conduct, we can be spared from the penalty of our transgressions.  Our rabbis explain that “the very remorse is itself a pain and part of our punishment. The loss of our own self-respect, the loss of the respect of others; the shame which our sin causes our families; the consciousness that we have offended God who loves us, all these are some of the penalties or punishments for sins committed.”

  Do you have Free-will?

His knowledge, obviously, is completely unlike our knowledge. We acquire knowledge while “His knowledge is not something that can be separated from His esence…He and His knowledge and existence are One… This concept is beyond the power of speech to express, and beyond the power of the ear to hear. There is no way the human mind can comprehend it” (Maimonides  MT, Yesode haTora 2:10).

What we do understand about God’s knowledge, and which concerns us the most, is that God knows us intimately. The Creator knows all the thoughts and actions of man, as it is said, “He Who created all their hearts, knows all their deeds.” (Psalm 33:15.)

In the words of Rabbi Hayim Pereira-Mendes : “Whatever we do or say or think, God knows.   It is useless for us to try and deceive God by false excuses. God knows our thoughts. God knows what conduct should be expected of us by reason of our intelligence or education or environment. The greater our intelligence, the better our education, the more enlightened our environment, the higher are the ideals of conduct expected from us by God and by man. God has given us the power of discerning between right and wrong. He knows that we possess that power. Therefore we must use it rightly and wisely.”

Beyond its philosophical value this principle signals primarily our ethical responsibility: we must live a life with the consciousness that God knows our thoughts, actions and intentions. We might easily deceive other human beings.  Hide our negative intentions or plans behind words or rhetoric.   But when it comes to God,  there are no lies, excuses or pretensions.  The more we become alert of God’s omniscience, the easiest to live a life of righteousness. And vice-versa.

The eleventh principle asserts our belief that God is just. He rewards those who keep His commandments and he punishes those who transgress them.

1. Virtue brings its own reward. Sin brings its own punishment.

2. God does not punish in the sense of vengeance but only for correction, in order that we shall forsake our sins and lead better lives.

3. God rewards and corrects sometimes in this life and sometimes in future life.

4. God sends the reward or penalty when He thinks best.

5. Therefore we must not wonder if a righteous man remains long unrewarded or if a wicked man remains long uncorrected.

6. Suffering is not sent to us only for punishment of sin. It is often sent to arouse us to better and nobler lives, to educate us to higher ideals, to lead us nearer to God.

8. God has given us Free-will, to choose between good and evil, or right and wrong.

9. If we were destined to do right or wrong and did not have the power to choose, there would be no merit in doing the right, and we could not be justly punished for doing the wrong.

10. We Hebrews therefore do not believe in Predestination.

11. Nor do we believe in anyone suffering in order that other sinner may be saved from the results of his own sin.

12. We Hebrews do not believe in vicarious atonement. (i.e., God punishing Mr. A to atone for the sins of Mr. B. Vicarious atonement is the Christian doctrine that says that Jesus’ death was the atonement for all humanity. From a Jewish–and Biblical–point of view every individual must repent from his or her ownsins. Y.B.).

√  Watch this video

√ Read the statement  given by the American Association of Neuroligical Surgeons.