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I have held off asking this question for a while because I have only seen the premise in parsha flyers at chabad but a chance look at Wikipedia gave me the sources (below).

It is said that certain mitzvos will be nullified in the time of the Mashaich.

How then, will God be able to communicate his will that certain mitzvos are nullified?

  1. If God sends a prophet, if a prophet attempts to nullify a mitzva, he is considered false prophet.
  2. If God uses a "voice from heaven," we already have a precedent that voices from heaven don't influence halacha (lo ba shamaim hi).
  3. If God makes everyone "know" that the Mitzvos are nullified, they still can't go against halacha or vote on it.

The majority view of classical rabbis was that the commandments will still be applicable and in force during the Messianic Age. However, a significant minority of rabbis held that most of the commandments will be nullified by, or in, the messianic era. Examples of such rabbinic views include:

  • that today we should observe the commandments (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Avodah Zarah 3a, 4b); because we will not observe them in the world to come (Rashi)
  • that in the future all sacrifices, with the exception of the Thanksgiving-sacrifice, will be discontinued (Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 9:7)
  • that all sacrifices will be annulled in the future (Tanchuma Emor 19, Vayikra Rabbah 9:7)
  • that God will permit what is now forbidden (Midrash Shochar Tov, Mizmor 146:5)
  • that most mitzvot will no longer be in force (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Niddah 61b and Tractate Shabbat 151b).
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  • @ezra There are numerous rabbinical mitzvoth that are done zecher lemikdash. There are various opinions whether many of these would apply once the mikdash is restored.
    – DanF
    Sep 15, 2017 at 19:21
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    A rabbinical mitzva is very simple to nullify post Mashiach. Just revive the Tannaim and they can vote on it. Sep 15, 2017 at 19:25
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    @ClintEastwood - And just because it's nullified doesn't mean we won't continue to observe it. The Avos weren't obligated in mitzvos but yet they observed them.
    – ezra
    Sep 15, 2017 at 19:27
  • Your middle three sources are Midrashim, which aren't exactly used directly for ruling on Halachos. And while I haven't investigated your two Talmudic quotes, just based on the snippet of the quote from the first source, I could very easily see it referring to the afterlife (the next world; when a person passes away) (although as mentioned earlier, I have not investigated these sources fully). Sep 15, 2017 at 20:13
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    Avodah Zarah 3a, 4b does not indicate that mitsvos will no longer be binding, only that the opportunity to fulfill them will cease. (as illustration, If their is no time, the time bound mitzvos are not applicable, without altering one iota of Halacha). This could about through incorporeality for annother example. Sep 15, 2017 at 20:24

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BTW this is a misunderstanding, check with Chabad teachings. Mitzvot batellim doesn't mean that we will start eating pig etc. It means that we will no longer have a yeitzer hara, so the performance of all mitzvot will become natural, like breathing. Hence the "obligation" part will simply fall away.

So therefore, Hashem will communicate this by shechting the yeitzer hara, and then we will feel it in our bones. No prophet necessary :)

The reason why Chabad do not entertain the idea that mitzvot will be annulled is because according to Kabbalah, the mitzvot are Hashem's absolute will, so to speak. He wants them, they are "natural to Him" so to speak, just like they are natural to the Jewish people's neshama. Hence, there can and never will be a time He doesn't want them.

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  • If for whatever reason I ate pork, would I be chayiv post moshiach? May 4 at 14:09
  • @ClintEastwood I don't know what chayiv means in that context, nor if this question is too hypothetical, but I am confident that it will bother Hashem if one were to do so just as much then as now.
    – Rabbi Kaii
    May 4 at 14:13
  • The pork example is a bit iffy in that we have an explicit Genarrah that the Yetzer Hara will be slaughtered and the chazir will become kosher May 4 at 18:21
  • @יהושעק it may be explicitly a gemara, but I wouldn't say that that aggadata is explicit :) (and I don't mean that in some kind of ex-split hoove pun or anything). Related to this discussion: judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/133142/…
    – Rabbi Kaii
    May 4 at 18:29

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