30
votes
How can the Rebbe be considered Moshiach?
I'm going to answer this question indirectly. I have had discussions with several Lubavitchers who have come up with some compelling (to them) reasoning how the Rebbe זצ"ל can be Moshiach, which leads ...
- 4,244
18
votes
If a virgin birth actually disqualifies a Messianic candidate, how then should Isaiah 7:14 be interpreted?
Yonatan ben Uziel, Radak, Metzudat David, and Ibn Ezra say that the sign is outlined in verse 15.
Yonatan Ben Uziel says on verse 15 and 16 the child is used as a time stamp of sorts. Basically ...
- 8,074
17
votes
Accepted
Belief that a dead man will be the Messiah - Kfira?
Let me break this down by question:
1. Are there any documented halachik authorities that rule that the belief in a dead Messiah is beyond the pale of permitted Jewish belief and therefore would ...
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17
votes
How can the Rebbe be considered Moshiach?
See Gil Students tremendous treatment entitled "Can The Rebbe Be Moshiach?"
In Chapter Five called What Counter-proofs can be
Brought? Rabbi Student brings the arguments that many meshichist ...
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17
votes
The claim that Midrash Genesis Rabbah 35 refers to a virgin birth of the messiah?
This midrash does not exist in Bereishit Rabba. Indeed, the verse referenced by the translation "Behold the man whose name is Zemach [branch], and he shall branch up out of his place" is ...
- 8,651
15
votes
What percentage of Chabad still believes their Rebbe is the Messiah?
Having lived and studied in Crown Heights for several months--before which I believed that a significant proportion of Lubavitchers, perhaps 40% or half, did not believe the Rebbe was Moshiach--I have ...
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14
votes
Accepted
Do any Jews, ancient or modern, hold that Michael the Arch-angel is the coming messiah?
This answer demonstrates that the messiah must be human. See also Sanhedrin 98a in the Babylonian talmud, which -- in the midst of a discussion of signs that the messiah has come -- calls the messiah ...
- 56k
13
votes
Accepted
Who First Knew of the Messiah
The first individual to know of the Messiah was Adam HaRishon. This is stated explicitly in Sanhedrin 38b in the name of Reish Lakish, by Yose ben Chalafta in Seder Olam Rabbah 30 and Rabbi Yehuda bar ...
- 12.3k
12
votes
How can we bring moshiach if no prior generation could?
According to this article at Chabad.org, based on the teachings of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe zy"a, each generation builds on the achievements of the previous generation. So that even though we may be ...
- 2,412
12
votes
Can Moshiach die?
The idea is that if someone died or was killed before fulfilling his messianic mission, such as was the case by Bar Kochba, who was thought to be the mashiach until this happened, then he is at most ...
- 20k
11
votes
Why don't Jews think Jesus is the messiah?
As a student of early Christology, Patristic theology, biblical hermeneutics, textual criticism of the bible, and the history of the bible and the early church, I can answer this question the way I ...
- 2,042
11
votes
How do I get myself to yearn for moshiach if I'm comfortable in the diaspora?
All of these things can help.
Most week days, you can/should say Psalm 137, (as opposed to Psalm 126), before Grace After Meals. Many booklets that contain Grace After Maals have this in them already....
- 8,074
11
votes
Before or during Jesus's time, what other notable Jews claimed to be or hinted at being the Messiah?
Famously Rabbi Akiva thought that Bar Kochba was the Messiah but I don't know whether Bar Kochba claimed that title for himself.
- 597
11
votes
Did Judaism Copy our Messiah Concept From Zoroastrianism
No, Judaism had a belief in moshiach before zoroastrianism was invented. While zoroastrianism is a very old religion it isn't older than Judaism. As for the Jewish belief in moshiach see Rambam:
...
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10
votes
Accepted
Before or during Jesus's time, what other notable Jews claimed to be or hinted at being the Messiah?
I decided to expand the scope of my answer a bit beyond the limits set in the question. I did so for a couple of reasons: the period of Jesus' life is a very narrow range; we don't have much ...
- 2,042
10
votes
Accepted
Are professor Daniel Boyarin's writings about the messiah supported in traditional Jewish sources?
The main point in the question seems to be:
The idea of a celestial and divine Messiah incarnate in Jesus the Nazarene would not be out of the Jewish tradition, for many Jews believed in the ...
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10
votes
Accepted
Mishna Berura's Time for Mashiach
This is probably based on what the Mishnah Berurah writes in the Beiur Halacha in siman 427, but I don't think it is entirely accurate.
The discussion there is about calculating the molad for future ...
- 48k
9
votes
If a virgin birth actually disqualifies a Messianic candidate, how then should Isaiah 7:14 be interpreted?
Since the question presented in the title is a very broad one, I will focus on the more specific one presented in the text while touching upon other issues.
The question asked was why it is so ...
- 13.1k
9
votes
Accepted
Am I Supposed to Believe that the Messiah is coming today, or that he is coming generally
There is a question asked, to which I have heard two answers:
Chazal teach us that there are many times when Moshiach will not come, such as on Shabbos or Yom Tov (Eruvin 43b). So how can one expect ...
- 57.4k
9
votes
Accepted
Do Rome and Persia's kingdoms still exist?
Many meforshim understand that when the Gemara refers to Rome it is referring to the Christian nations. See here for example in the Ramban in Sefer HaGeulah - start from last word on the sixth line. ...
- 1,319
9
votes
Jerusalem Sand at a Burial
The Rema in Yoreh Deah 363:1 writes:
יש נוהגין לתת מעפר א"י בקבר (א"ז) (ויש למנהג זה על מה שיסמוכו) (מדרש תנחומא פ' ויחי)
Some have the custom to place some earth from the Land of Israel in ...
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8
votes
What sources did people use to support Shabbtai Tsvi's messianism after he died?
The main argument of the Shebbatai's disciples was that his apostasy, his conversion to islam, as well his death was supposed to happen.
His Apostasy
Sabbatai‘s followers were instructed to reject ...
- 6,682
8
votes
Accepted
Must Mashiach have Jewish ancestry, or just Davidic?
In order to inherit and be part of a tribe a person must be be the child of a Jewish couple (both father and mother Jewish) to begin with. For example the blasphemer in the Bible is the son of a ...
- 41.9k
8
votes
Someone who doesn't believe the Lubavitcher Rebbe is Messiah is an apostate?
Let's answer one at a time.
Major rabbis have signed a [document][1] declaring Rabbi Schneerson as Messiah, so do other Jews who do not hold this position become apostates?
Let's see what the Rambam ...
- 42k
8
votes
Do Jews believe in Armilus (The Jewish Anti-Messiah)?
This article provides a good synopsis of Armilus in Jewish thought.
Targum Jonathan, Saadia Gaon, and Ben Ish Chai (page 23) all mention him as a personality in messianic times. Another possible ...
- 8,074
8
votes
Accepted
Conception/Delivery Same Time
The source is probably the Talmud (Shabbos 30b):
כי הא דיתיב רבן גמליאל וקא דריש עתידה אשה שתלד בכל יום שנאמר (ירמיהו לא, ח) הרה ויולדת יחדיו
Rabban Gamliel was sitting and he interpreted a ...
- 6,375
8
votes
Accepted
The Halachic Reasoning Behind the Neturei Karta
This question is far too broad to answer here but the essence of what they follow is based upon the teachings of Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum.
There are two primary sources that lay out their approach. The ...
- 12.3k
8
votes
What will happen to secular unafilliated Jews in the time of Mashiach?
According to Maimonides, who is the only major Halachic commentator to rule on these matters, the Moshiach (the Messiah) will teach all people and encourage them to serve G-d. They will be inspired by ...
- 847
8
votes
Accepted
Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 98b: an interpretation in a messianic sense of the figure of the "suffering servant" of Isaiah 52-53?
A messianic interpretation of the "suffering servant" passages was known in Jewish tradition, as you point out from Sanhedrin 98b. This interpretation is also found in the Targum on the verse, as well ...
- 23.8k
7
votes
Accepted
Will Moshiach know that he is Moshiach?
The Chatam Sofer in his responsa section 6:98 (collected answers) states explicitly that Moshiach will not know that he is Moshiach until the time for the redemption is at hand.
והנה בהא דביאת בן ...
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