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 ...
- 9,777
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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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 ...
- 14.3k
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 ...
- 20.4k
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:
...
- 4,313
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 ...
- 35.4k
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 ...
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9
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 ...
- 14.3k
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. ...
- 1,459
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 ...
- 30.3k
9
votes
Accepted
Why will the Galilee be destroyed? - Sanhedrin 97a
Shir haShirim Rabbah (2:61, p. 121), also records the same tradition concerning the destruction of the Galilee. A commentary thereon, באור כנפי יונה (by Rabbi Jonah Etilzohn), cites the Meor Enayim of ...
- 6,482
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 ...
- 6,864
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 ...
- 8,210
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 ...
- 6,487
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 ...
- 902
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 ...
- 24k
7
votes
Is Solomon wiser than Moshiach?
The Rambam in hilchos teshuva chapter 9 halacha 2 actually writes that Moshiach will be smarter than Solomon and also on a level of prophecy close to Moshe.
מפני שאותו המלך שיעמוד מזרע דוד בעל חכמה ...
- 33.4k
7
votes
Seforim on Moshiach
There is an interesting series of two volumes -as of now- titled 'Yemot HaMashiach BeHalachah' by R. AYB Gerlitski. He did a great comprehensive work, encyclopedic style, on all different relevant ...
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7
votes
What does Mishneh Torah mean when it says all books of Prophets and Writings will be anuled in the times of the Messiah?
The source for this is Resh Lakish, quoted in yerushalmi megilah 1:5.
R. Qafih explains that Rambam understands that passage to mean that the suffering and troubles recounted in the prophets will ...
- 35.4k
7
votes
Accepted
How is Isaiah 66:17 to be understood if pork will become kosher when the Messiah comes?
The full quote from the Ritva is very interesting, but also makes your question a non question.
תשעה נטלו חזירים. יש שפירשו עמלק כדכתיב בו יכרסמנה חזיר מיער ועליהם אמרו בהגדה למה נקרא שמו חזיר ...
- 33.4k
7
votes
Accepted
Is it true that Rabbi Moshe Dovid Valle (aka the Ramad Vali, Ramdu) said that the Jesus was a failed Mashiach ben Yosef? Please provide sources
Yes. See Sefer Halikutim, part 1, p. 242:
"ומב"ד בא לעשות שלום בעולם ולא מלחמה, הפך ליש"ו הנוצרי שאמר מעצמו: לא באתי לעשות שלום בעולם אלא מלחמה. וגם הוא בודאי היה סוד משיח בן יוסף, אע&...
- 24.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Prophecies referring to the final redemption
Don Yitzchak Abarbanel wrote a book that is the answer to this question. He organizes all of the prophecies in Tana"ch that he holds to be foretelling Mashi'ach by person, starting with Bil'am, in ...
- 23.7k
6
votes
So what happens to Judaism if Moshiach doesn't come by the year 6000?
It would mean absolutely nothing. All it would mean is that we (living in what we think is year 6000) either miscounted or (those who wrote the medrash) misinterpreted what was going on. Many people ...
- 42.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Does Moshiach bear our sins, in any sense?
The source may be Sanhedrin 98a.
ר' יהושע בן לוי אשכח לאליהו דהוי קיימי אפיתחא דמערתא דרבי שמעון בן יוחאי אמר ליה אתינא לעלמא דאתי אמר ליה אם ירצה אדון הזה אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי שנים ראיתי וקול ג' ...
- 1,723
6
votes
Will we be obligated to bring many chatats when the temple is rebuilt?
As Scimonster mentioned the Gemara in Shabbos appears to address this. "קרא והטה וכתב על פנקסו אני ישמעאל בן אלישע קריתי והטיתי נר בשבת לכשיבנה בהמ"ק אביא חטאת שמנה" (Shabbat 12b)
Rabbi Yishmael ...
- 2,461
6
votes
Can Moshiach die?
According to Rambam in pirush hamishnayos to Sanhedrin, Moshiach will die after he fulfills his job. See the first source here
The main benefit of that time (the Messianic Age) will be that they (...
- 33.4k
6
votes
Will we keep Mitzvoth when Moshiach comes? If not, isn't this vs. the Torah?
The Gemara (Nidda 61b) cites R' Yosef, that מצות בטילות לעתיד לבא.
ת"ר
בגד שאבד בו כלאים הרי זה לא ימכרנו לעובד כוכבים ולא יעשנו מרדעת לחמור
אבל עושה ממנו תכריכין למת. אמר רב יוסף
זאת אומרת ...
- 7,935
6
votes
Accepted
Can we hasten Moshiach's coming through the mitzvah of ואהבת לרעך כמוך?
This idea can be found in Medrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 1:
וְכֵן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא שֶׁאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגְאֲלִין עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֻּלָּן אֲגֻדָּה אַחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה וּבָעֵת הַהִיא ...
- 3,849
6
votes
Does Techiyat Hameisim, resurrection, apply to Non-Jews as well?
The short answer is yes, they will be resurrected. See from Sukkah 52b:
The Gemara continues homiletically interpreting verses that relate to the end of days. It is stated: “And this shall be peace:...
- 14.3k
6
votes
Daniel 9 pre-Jesus of Nazareth interpretations
Note, that there are 27 books in the Greek Testament, and NONE of them quote Daniel 9!
Not any of the authors of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
Not in the letters of Paul. Not in the letters of ...
- 4,892
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