29
votes
Accepted
Can a Gentile theist be saved?
Judaism doesn't have a notion of "being saved". What we know is what is required of a righteous gentile. The Rambam (one of the greatest codifiers of Jewish law) writes explicitly (Mishne Torah ...
- 48k
12
votes
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Is there a source that says only 1/5th of the Jews will make it past the messiah?
Sanhedrin 111a
תניא רבי סימאי אומר נאמר ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם ונאמר והבאתי אתכם מקיש יציאתן ממצרים לביאתן לארץ מה ביאתן לארץ שנים מס' ריבוא אף יציאתן ממצרים שנים מס' ריבוא אמר רבא וכן לימות המשיח שנא' ...
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10
votes
What does Avot 6:6 mean when it invokes redemption?
The Maharal in Or Chadash on Megilas Esther explains that Hashem performs miracles in order to create a Kiddush Hashem. However, if the person involved in the rescue will take the credit then there is ...
- 4,988
10
votes
Accepted
What does Avot 6:6 mean when it invokes redemption?
In general, גאולה (redemption) seems to mean restoring something to its proper place, as in: returning an enslaved person to his family/home, or likewise, returning an ancestral property to its ...
- 17.7k
9
votes
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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
7
votes
How will the Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, etc come to recognize the G-d of Israel when the Messiah comes
Rambam in Hilchos Melachim 11:4 writes:
אך מחשבות בורא עולם אין כוח באדם להשיגם כי לא דרכינו דרכיו ולא
מחשבותינו מחשבותיו וכל הדברים האלו של ישוע הנצרי ושל זה הישמעאלי שעמד
אחריו אינן אלא לישר ...
- 49.1k
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
Shmoneh Esrei: Why are there so many brachot for the redemption era?
The Raavan (cited by Avudarham at the end of Shemoneh Esrei) writes that there are two groups of 6 blessings that make up the middle section (with sh'ma koleinu being a general summary not in either ...
- 58.3k
6
votes
How many Jews were in Egypt before the Exodus?
R. Judah Loewe explains in his commentary to this passage that the Talmud is referring to all the people who died in Egypt over the entire course of time the Israelites were there:
והם כל הדורות ...
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5
votes
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משיח in 23 years? Is there a ראשון that is of this opinion?
Ramban on Shir Hashirim might be what you are looking for (second column, about 10 lines from the top). Specifically, it's the Ramban on האלף לך שלמה (Song of Songs 8:11).
My translation would be ...
- 3,698
5
votes
What does Avot 6:6 mean when it invokes redemption?
Based on R' Samson Raphael Hirsch's commentary on Shemot 6:2-5 and his citation there of Isaiah 52:6, I'd like to suggest that the ultimate Redemption can be identified with attribution of God as the ...
- 47.8k
5
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What does Avot 6:6 mean when it invokes redemption?
Tora T'mima to Ester 2:22 (note 44) explains that
the intent is obvious: From anything said in the name of its sayer, it's possible that over time some honorable matter will come about that one ...
- 73.7k
5
votes
Mashiach in year 6000?
It is fairly widespread, but not normative in the sense that is an objective teaching of Judaism that is incumbent on all faithful to believe. There's also some evidence that one should not believe it....
- 1,497
5
votes
Did any rabbis address the theological possibility/implications of nuclear extinction?
The Vilna Gaon (quoted by Dayan Abramsky) famously said: "the war of Gog and Magog will last 12 minutes. A third of the world will die, a third will suffer from plague and a third will survive."
...
- 7,925
5
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Did any rabbis address the theological possibility/implications of nuclear extinction?
In a public address by Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe z"l (circa 1981), at which I was present, he told the crowd, that he can assure them that there will never be nuclear extinction.
He explained, that he is ...
- 4,892
5
votes
Why is only Chabad very into Moshiach?
The OP asks, “Why is only Chabad very into Moshiach?”
The answer is that the question is based on a false premise.
All those who follow true Judaism, are also “into Moshiach”, however they differ in ...
- 4,892
5
votes
Accepted
Relationship between Amalek and Gog/Magog?
I've only found one relevant source at the moment:
The Pri Tzaddik writes on Nasso 15:2:
"...ואחר כל זה יהיה עוד מלחמת גוג ומגוג על משיח בן יוסף כי גומ"ג הוא מזרע עמלק..."
Translation:...
- 24.9k
5
votes
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Source of the Rambam's statement?
It's here:
שכשיחשבו העכו"ם שאומה זו לא יהיה לה לעולם ממשלה ולא יגאלו מן השיעבוד שהם בו וכל החכמים כלם פה אחד בעצה זאת וגם הקוסמים בעלי הכחות יפר הקב"ה מחשבותם וסברתם הנכחשת ואז יגלה המשיח ...
- 30.3k
4
votes
Accepted
Mashiach in year 6000?
The phrase "1,000 years is but a day" allows people to connect the existence of the world to the seven days of creation. Thus, each millenium in the existence of the world is the equivalent of a "day" ...
- 42.9k
4
votes
Why do Jews believe they can hasten the coming of the messiah
All of the other answers are incredibly missing the point. This is an explicit Gemara (Sanhedrin 98a), based on Yeshaya 60:22.
אמר רבי אלכסנדרי רבי יהושע בן לוי רמי כתיב (ישעיהו ס, כב) בעתה וכתיב ...
- 34.1k
4
votes
Accepted
What berachos should be made when Moshiach comes?
R Shlomo Aviner answers your question (here) citing R Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Shut Minchat Shlomo, last responsum in vol. 1) who writes that
One is obligated to recite four blessings when
the Messiah ...
- 48k
4
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Prophecy regarding conversion to Judaism
In answer to the first question it says clearly in Yeshaya 2:2-3 the following:
וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים נָכ֨וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֜ה הַ֤ר בֵּית־יְהוָה֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֖א מִגְּבָע֑וֹת ...
- 30.3k
4
votes
Relationship between Amalek and Gog/Magog?
They are definitely not related, as Magog is listed among the sons of Japheth, the son of Noah. Amalek is listed as a grandson of Esau, who was descended from Noah's son Shem.
- 8,045
4
votes
Accepted
Sefer אפיקי מים on Sanhedrin 97a
Let's backtrack.
The Gemara in Bechoros (8b) describes a debate between Rebbi Yehoshua ben Chananya and the Roman Emporer as to the period of pregnancy of a snake. R' Yehoshua ben Chananya holds that ...
- 784
4
votes
Accepted
Spared from the pains of the birthpangs of Moshiach
This is an observation that the Chofetz Chaim addresses in his Likkutim in his Kuntres on Talmid Torah (see here) where he brings the Gemara from Sanhedrin. However, whilst he points out the ...
- 30.3k
3
votes
Where is there a discussion of which decisions or laws will become invalid כאשר יבוא המשיח?
There are many discussions of such issues so I will only refer to primary sources of Chazal. Regarding mitzvot/laws, see BT Nid. (61b) and PT (Meg. 1:5). The famous statement of the abolition of the ...
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3
votes
Accepted
In the Messianic Age, will there be a period of time where people can repent for their mistaken worship of false religions?
The simple answer is yes. This is the primary subject of Rambam's Hilchot Melachim, 11:4 through the end of chapter 12.
Like it says:
וִיתַקֵּן אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה' בְּיַחַד ...
- 14.3k
3
votes
Accepted
Making an exact date for the arrival of Moshiach
Rambam writes in Hilkhot Melakhim (12:5) that a person shouldnt reckon the time of the messiah's arrival:
ולעולם לא יתעסק אדם בדברי ההגדות, ולא יאריך בדברי מדרשות האמורים בעניינים אלו וכיוצא בהן...-...
- 35.4k
3
votes
Accepted
When the Messiah comes, will the decisions/laws of Chazal still be in effect?
One of the ways one knows a prophet is false is if he attempts to overturn a halakhah on a permanent basis. (See Rambam, Yesodei haTorah 9:4, Chinukh mitvah #517.) A prophet could be told to make a ...
- 9,418
3
votes
Accepted
Seforim Hakedoshim on the Third Beis HaMikdosh
See this article, and especially this quote from the Talmud Yerushalmi:
On the day that the Holy Temple was destroyed, a Jew was plowing his field when his cow suddenly called out. An Arab was ...
- 43.9k
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