I Await His Coming Every Day Analytical Studies by the Lubavitcher Rebbe of the Rambam’s Rulings on Mashiach

Devarim 19:8-9.

At this point, the uncensored original text continued as follows: “Whoever adds to [the mitzvos] or detracts from
them, or misinterprets the Torah, implying that the mitzvos are not intended to be understood literally, is surely a
wicked impostor and a heretic.”

The whole of the following passage was deleted from most of the editions published since the Venice edition of 1574.

“If he did not succeed to this degree or was killed, he surely is not [the redeemer] promised by the Torah. [Rather,] he
should be considered to be like all the other proper and legitimate kings of the Davidic dynasty who died. G-d caused

him to arise only in order to test the multitude. As it is written (Daniel 11:35), ‘Some of the wise men will stumble, to
purge, to refine and to clarify, until the appointed final time, for it is yet to come.’

[At this point the Rambam proceeds to describe the results of one historical instance of this process:] “...Can there be

a greater stumbling block than [such teachings]? All the prophets spoke of Mashiach as the redeemer of Israel and

their savior, who would gather their dispersed ones and strengthen their [observance of the] mitzvos. In contrast, [this

innovator] caused the Jews to be slain by the sword, their remnants to be scattered and humiliated, the Torah to be

altered, and the majority of the world to serve a god other than the L-rd.

“Nevertheless, the intent of the Creator of the world is not within the power of man to comprehend, for [to
paraphrase Yeshayahu 55:8] His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts, our thoughts. [Ultimately,] all the deeds

of [this innovator] and that Ishmaelite who rose after him will only serve to pave the way for the coming

of Mashiach and for the improvement of the entire world, [motivating the nations] to serve G-d together, as it is

written [Zephaniah 3:9], ‘I will make the peoples pure of speech so that they will all call upon the Name of G-d and
serve Him with one purpose.’

“How will this come about? The entire world has already become filled with talk of [the supposed] Messiah, as well
as of the Torah and the mitzvos. These matters have been spread among the furthermost islands and among many

spiritually insensitive nations, who discuss these matters as well as the mitzvos of the Torah. Some of them say:
‘These commandments were true, but are not in force in the present age; they are not applicable for all time.’ Others
say: ‘Implied in the commandments are hidden concepts that cannot be understood simply; the Messiah has already
come and revealed them.’

“When the true Messianic king will arise and prove successful, his [position becoming] exalted and uplifted, they will
all return and realize that their ancestors endowed them with a false heritage; their prophets and ancestors caused
them to err.”

Zephaniah, loc. cit.

Yeshayahu 11:6.

Yirmeyahu 5:6.

Yeshayahu 11:7.

Berachos 34b.

[Yechezkel ch. 38.]

Malachi 3:23.

[The name of the prophet is occasionally spelled, as in this verse, without the final letter vav.]

Malachi 3:24.

Sanhedrin 97b.

Malachi 3:3.

Ezra 2:63.

Yeshayahu 11:9.

The Function Of Mashiach

The Restoration of the Davidic Monarchy and the Perfect Observance of the Laws
of the Torah

Dual Prophecies

Early

in his discussion of the subject of Mashiach in

the Mishneh Torah, theRambam writes:

Whoever does not believe in him, or does not await his coming, denies not

only [the statements of] the other prophets, but also [those of] the Torah and

ofMoshe, our teacher, for the Torah attests to his coming,

stating,

“And G-d will bring back your captivity.”

The Rambam, however, does not content himself with a single prooftext, and

continues:

There is also a reference [to Mashiach] in the passage concerning Bilaam,

who prophesies about the two anointed [kings]: the first anointed [king], David,

who saved Israel from her oppressors, and the final anointed [king] who will

arise from among his descendants and save Israel [at the End of Days].

That

passage states:

arise

in Yisrael” — This refers to King Mashiach.

“He shall crush all of Moab’s princes” — This refers to David, (as it is

written,

“He smote Moab and measured them with a line”); “he shall break

down all ofSet

h’s descendants” — This refers to King Mashiach, (about whom

it is written,

“He will rule from sea to sea”).

“Edom will be demolished” — This refers to David, (as it is written,

“Edom

became the servants of David”); “his enemy, Seir, will be destroyed” — This

refers to King Mashiach, (as it is written,

“Saviors will ascend Mount Zion [to

judge the mountain of

Esau....]”).

This extensive exegesis of the Torah’s prophecies is totally out of character for

the Mishneh Torah. As the Rambam explains at length towards the end of his

introduction to the Mishneh Torah, he structured it as a work

of Halachah,Jewish law. For this reason he generally refrains from any lengthy

quotation and exegesis of passages from the Torah. Seemingly, to bring
support for the above law that “Whoever does not believe

in [Mashiach]

denies...,” it would have been sufficient to state, “Similarly, in the

passage concerning Bilaam, prophecies are made concerning

Mashiach.” Why

did the Rambam find it necessary to expound the passage at length and to

describe both the anointed kings, David and Mashiach, explaining in detail

how the various component phrases of the prophecy allude to each of them?

The Parallel between David and Mashiach

This difficulty can be resolved on the basis of another question: Why would it

not suffice to cite

the verse, “And G-d will bring back...”? What does the

mention of Bilaam’s prophecy add?

By way of answer: The verse that promises that “G-d will bring back...” clearly

indicates that the Jews will be redeemed from exile; it does not, however,

mention Mashiach.

To clarify that the Torah refers specifically to an anointed

king (Melech HaMashiach),

Bilaam’s prophecy must be quoted. Furthermore,

by explaining how it refers to “the two anointed [kings],” David

and Mashiach,the Rambam is reinforcing our belief in Mashiach by citing a

precedent from our history. The role of Mashiach, it thus transpires, is not new

— as witness King David, who is mentioned in the same prophecy, and whose

activities paralleled those to be undertaken by Mashiach. Hence, just as the

portion of the prophecy relating to King David was fulfilled, we can rest

assured that the portion relating to Mashiach at the End of Days will likewise

be fulfilled.

This explanation is, however, insufficient. Here the Rambam is not setting out

to prove to us that Mashiach will come, but rather, that the Torah itself attests

to his coming. If so, why does the Rambam find it necessary to speak of

“the

two

anointed [kings]?” Why does he proceed to explain the verses at length,

analyzing their four pairs of phrases, and specifying which half of each verse

alludes to King David?

What, moreover, is the significance of referring to David as an anointed king?

Was not King Saul

also anointed, and indeed referred to as “G-d’s

anointed”?

And if the intent of the Rambam is to mention the respective

saviors of the early and the later epochs, surely it would have been more

appropriate to pair MosheRabbeinu, the first redeemer of the Jewish people,

with Mashiach, the ultimate redeemer. Besides, King David did not rescue his

generation from exile, while Moshe did. Furthermore, when

describing

Mashiach’s level of prophecy, theRambam compares him to

Moshe.

Further questions are prompted by the following halachah, which states:

Similarly, in regard to the Cities of Refuge, it is stated,

“When G-d will expand

your borders... you shall add three more cities.” This command has never

been fulfilled. [Surely,] G-d did not give this command in vain, [and thus the

intent was that it be fulfilled after the coming of Mashiach].

The Rambam himself divided the Mishneh Torah into halachos, individual

laws, and he was very precise in making this division. Why did he not include

the above support

— from the commandment to add three Cities of Refuge —

in the same halachah as the first two prooftexts he cited? And if his intent was

to divide the various items of supporting evidence into separate halachos, why

were the first two prooftexts included in the same halachah?

The Role of a Jewish Monarch

These questions can be resolved within the context of the explanation of a

more general issue, namely, the location of Hilchos Melachim at the

conclusion of the Mishneh Torah. At the beginning of

these halachos,

the Rambam

had stated that “Israel was commanded to fulfill

three mitzvos when they entered the [Holy] Land

— to appoint a king..., to

destroy the descendants of Amalek..., and to build [G-

d’s] Chosen House.”

Accordingly, it would appear appropriate to record the laws governing the

appointment of a king at a much earlier stage within the Mishneh Torah.

The Rambam nevertheless chose to make these halachos the conclusion and

summation of the Mishneh Torah, his compendium of the entire Oral Law. With

this he emphasizes that the ultimate and complete performance of all

themitzvos of the Torah will be attained when a king rules over Israel. It is then

that we will fulfill the mitzvos of waging the wars of G-d, destroying Amalek,

and building the Beis HaMikdash. Similarly, our observance of the Torah and

itsmitzvos will be enhanced in its totality. For, as the Rambam writes at the

conclusion of ch. 4, “[The king’s] purpose and intent should be to elevate the
true faith.”

This conception of the monarchy found full expression in King David, who

united the entire Jewish people, completed the conquest of Eretz

Yisrael,secured peace for our nation,

and began the preparations for the

building of the Beis HaMikdash in Jerusalem.

Mashiach: The Ultimate Jewish Monarch

Within this context we can appreciate the

Rambam’s conception

of Mashiach,and understand why the two chapters dealing with Mashiach were

chosen as the conclusion of Hilchos Melachim and of the Mishneh Torah as a

whole.

The Rambam opens his discussion of Mashiach with the following

statement:

In the future, the King Mashiach will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty,

restoring it to its initial sovereignty.

This implies that by restoring the Jewish monarchy, the Mashiach will make

possible the complete observance of the Torah and its mitzvos, as we see

from the continuation of the above quotation:

He will rebuild the [Beis Ha]Mikdash and gather in the dispersed remnant of

Israel. Then, in his days, all the statutes will be reinstituted as in former times.

We will offer sacrifices and observe the Sabbatical and Jubilee years

according to all their particulars set forth in the Torah.

The Rambam thus defines Mashiach as a king, who will not only redeem the

Jews from exile, but also restore the observance of the Torah and

the mitzvosto its complete state. All the elements of Torah observance which

were lacking in exile

— because the entire Jewish people did not live in Eretz

Yisrael and because the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed

— will be renewed.

Our faith and our yearning for Mashiach

— as the Rambam continues,

“Whoever does not believe in him, or does not await his coming...” — should

therefore focus not only on his coming, but also on his restoration of the

Davidic dynasty and on the complete observance of the Torah and its mitzvos.

In this context, we can understand the

Rambam’s intent in citing the prooftexts

mentioned above for support. The verse that promises the Jewish people that

“G-d will bring back your captivity” indicates that there will be an ingathering of

the dispersed remnant of Israel. This will make it possible for the Davidic

dynasty to be reinstated and for the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos to

be restored in its totality.

The Rambam now continues to support the conception of Mashiach as the

epitome of Jewish monarchy by citing a prophecy which establishes a parallel

between Mashiach and King David. This indicates how Mashiach

will “renew

the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its initial sovereignty.” Furthermore, this

prophecy indicates how the various characteristics of monarchy expressed by

King David will be mirrored and amplified by Mashiach.

The above concept enables us to understand why the Rambam continues:

Whoever does not believe in him, or does not await his coming, denies not

only [the statements of] the other prophets, but also [those of] the Torah and of

Moshe, our teacher.

With this, the Rambam emphasizes that the conception of

Mashiach’s coming

and the Era of the Redemption which he will bring about, as centering around

the complete observance of the Torah and its mitzvos, has its source in the

Torah itself. Indeed, it is one of the fundamental principles of the Torah, for

there must ultimately be an era in which the Torah will be observed perfectly.
Thus, the prophets’ description of the Era of Mashiach merely restates and

highlights the statements of the Torah.

The Ultimate in Observance

We can now understand why the Rambam devotes a separate halachah to the

designation of the three supplementary Cities of Refuge. For this indicates a

further state of completeness in the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos, a

state that will be reached only in the Era of the Redemption. Not only will

themitzvah of establishing Cities of Refuge be observed as in previous times: it

will be observed in a more perfected manner than ever before. The

commandment to establish these new cities indicates how the Torah itself

points to a future era when the observance of its mitzvos will be complete.

Observance and Miracles

Considering the above, we can understand the continuation of the Rambam

’s

statements in halachah 3:

One should not entertain the notion that the King Mashiach must work

miracles and wonders, bring about new phenomena within the world, resurrect

the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is [definitely] not true.

[A proof can be brought from the fact that] Rabbi Akiva, one of the greatest

Sages of the Mishnah, was one of the supporters of King Ben Kosiva, and

would describe him as the King Mashiach.... The Sages did not ask him for

any signs or wonders.

[Rather,] this is the main thrust of the matter: This

Torah, with its statutes and laws, is everlasting. We may neither add to them

nor detract from them.

Two concepts are implied by the

Rambam’s words: (a) The mission

ofMashiach is not to work wonders; and (b) his performance of wonders or his

failure to do so should not be used as criteria to establish his identity.

Since the intent of

Mashiach’s coming is to bring about a complete state of

Torah observance, it is out of the question to conceive that he must be a

miracle worker. If anything, changing the natural order is somewhat in
contradiction to the concept that “This Torah, with its statutes and laws, is
everlasting.” The performance of such wonders should therefore not constitute

a means of evaluating whether or not a particular person is in fact Mashiach.

The Criteria for Mashiach

How can we judge whether a person is truly Mashiach?

— By observing

whether or not he fulfills the purpose stated above, the restoration and

establishment of the complete observance of the Torah and its mitzvos. In this

context, we can appreciate the criteria enumerated by

the Rambam in halachah4 for determining the identity of Mashiach:

If a king will arise from the House of David who delves deeply in the study of

the Torah and, like David his ancestor, observes its mitzvos as prescribed by

the Written Law and the Oral Law; if he [i.e., by his personal excellence within

the realm of Torah] will compel all of Israel to walk in [the way of the Torah]

and repair the breaches [i.e., in its observance among the entire Jewish

people]; and if he will fight the wars of G-d [i.e., thus removing all obstacles to

Torah observance in the world at large];

— we may, with assurance, consider

himMashiach.

The Rambam then continues:

If he succeeds in the above, builds the [Beis Ha]Mikdash on its site, and

gathers in the dispersed remnant of Israel, he is definitely the Mashiach.

By this stage, when it becomes possible to observe the Torah and

its mitzvos in their totality, the Era of the Redemption will have actually

begun.

Four Prophecies: Four Phases of Mashiach

To focus on the

Rambam’s statements in the first halachah more closely: It

can be explained that the four sets of prophecies quoted by

the Rambam reflect the four criteria mentioned in halachah 4, as they were

exemplified in King David (in a lesser sense) and as they will be exemplified

in Mashiach.

The

first set of prophecies (“I see it, but not now; I perceive it, but not in the

near future”) refers to the very existence of King David and of Mashiach — “A
king will arise from the House of David.”
The second set of prophecies (“A star shall go forth from Yaakov, and a staff
shall arise in Yisrael”) refers to the activities of King David and of Mashiach in

relation to the Jewish people

— “He will compel all of Israel to walk in the way

[of the Torah].”

In this, the prophecies referring to Mashiach surpass those referring to King

David. “A staff” is a means of asserting one’s

authority,

indicating

Mashiach’sinfluence over the people as a whole; “a star,”

in contrast, merely indicates one’s personal greatness. Moreover, the phrase
referring to King David speaks of the Jews as “Yaakov”, while the phrase

referring to Mashiach

calls them “Yisrael”, [and it is explained elsewhere that it

is the latter name which underscores their greatest merits

The third set of prophecies (“He shall crush all of Moab’s princes; he shall
break down all of Seth’s descendants”) refers to the wars fought by David and

to be fought by Mashiach

— “[He will] fight the wars of G-d.”

Here, too, we see that the prophecy referring to Mashiach is superior to that

referring to David. “Crushing” can be interpreted as referring to a single victory,
while “breaking down” implies that one has established and fully asserted
one’s authority. Furthermore, David will be victorious over “the princes of
Moab,” one nation, while Mashiach will dominate “all of Seth’s descendants,”

many peoples.

The fourth set of prophecies (“Edom will be demolished; his enemy, Seir, will
be destroyed”) refers to the ultimate activities performed by David

and Mashiach in the world at large. As halachah 4 concludes,

“He will then

perfect the entire world, [motivating all the nations] to serve G-

d together.” This

is indicated by the prooftext cited by the Rambam

which concludes, “And the

sovereignty will be the L-

rd’s.” At that time, all the nations of the world will

themselves appreciate G-

d’s sovereignty and accept Mashiach as king.

* * *

May our study of the laws of Mashiach

— an active expression of our yearning

for his coming

— strengthen our faith and hasten his actual coming. And may

this take place in the immediate future.

Footnotes

[The present study is a somewhat abbreviated translation of a text entitled (in Hebrew), “The Restoration of the
Davidic Monarchy and the Perfect Observance of the Laws of the Torah”(Chiddushim U’Biurim BeShas, Vol. II, p.
262). This text is compounded from sichos which the Rebbe Shlita delivered on Yud-Beis Tammuz, Motzaei Shabbos

Parshas Balak and Parshas Pinchas, 5738 (1978), and which appear in Yiddish in Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVIII, as the

secondsichah for Parshas Balak.]

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 11:1.

Devarim 30:3.

In the uncensored texts of the Mishneh Torah, this phrase reads “and save Israel from the hands of Esav’s
descendants.”

Bamidbar 24:17-18.

II Shmuel 8:2.

Zechariah 9:10.

Cf. II Shmuel 8:6 and 8:14.

Ovadiah 1:21.

This question is reinforced by the fact that when discussing our obligation to believe in Mashiachin his Commentary

to the Mishnah (Introduction to ch. 10 of Sanhedrin), the Rambam merely states, “The Torah has attested to his

existence in the passage concerning Bilaam and in the passage beginning Atem Nitzavim.” Generally, the Rambam is

far more concise in his mention of a concept in the Mishneh Torah than in his Commentary to the Mishnah.

Sanhedrin 99a discusses the proposition that, although there will be an Era of Redemption, this Redemption will not

be led by a Mashiach. Instead, “The Holy One, blessed be He, will rule over [the people of Israel] Himself; He will
redeem them.” By citing the references from Bilaam’s prophecies, the Rambam clearly indicates the fundamental
nature of the belief, not only in a Messianic Age, but in Mashiach himself. (See also the Chasam Sofer, Yoreh

Deah, Responsum 356, who explains how a person who ascribes to the above-mentioned proposition now, after the
Sages have rejected it, “denies the entire Torah.”)

A similar explanation is found in the commentary of Kiryas Sefer to this halachah.

I Shmuel 24:6. There is, however, a difference between the anointment of King Saul, which was performed with a

cruse, and that of King David, which was performed with a horn (Megillah 14a).

See Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuvah 9:2, and Iggeres Teiman, the beginning of ch. 4.

Devarim 19:8-9.

Hilchos Melachim 1:1.

II Shmuel 7:1, cited by the Rambam, Hilchos Melachim 1:2.

See I Divrei HaYamim, chs. 28 and 29.

Significantly, in one early printing of the Mishneh Torah, these two chapters appear under the heading Hilchos
Melachim U’Milchamos U’Melech HaMashiach (“The Laws of Kings and of War, and of the Messianic King”).

[This conforms with the Rambam’s conception of the purpose of prophecy as a whole, as stated in Hilchos Yesodei

HaTorah 9:2.]

[As explained in the essay entitled “Two Periods Within the Era of Redemption,” which appears below,
the Raavad and other authorities take issue with the Rambam on this point and maintain that Mashiach will work

miracles.]

See also the letter of the Rebbe Rashab (Igrois Koidesh 130) which mentions two phases in the revelation

of Mashiach — his activities before the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash and the Ingathering of the Exiles, when he

will not yet have been crowned as the Mashiach, and his subsequent coronation.

See Rashi on the above verse.

[Likkutei Torah, Parshas Balak 70c ff.]

25.

Indeed, according to Targum Onkelos, it refers to dominion over “all nations.” This interpretation is borne out by the

prooftext cited by the Rambam, “He will rule from sea to sea.”

26.

This clause concludes the fourth halachah in the printed editions of the Mishneh Torah, which were emended by

various censors; the original manuscript version of this halachah is considerably longer. [See footnote 12 to the text

of ch. 11 on p. 18 above.]

The Redemption: An Eternal Promise

The Nature of the Biblical Sources that Foretell the Ultimate Redemption

Three Diverse Sources

The

belief in the coming of Mashiach is a fundamental element of the Jewish

faith. Thus, the Rambam writes:

Whoever does not believe in him, or does not await his coming, denies not

only [the statements of] the other prophets, but also [those of] the Torah and

ofMoshe, our teacher, for the Torah attests to his coming, stating,

“And the

L-rd your G-d

will bring back your captivity.”

Not content with a single prooftext, the Rambam continues:

There is also a reference [to Mashiach] in the passage concerning

Bilaam,

who prophesies about the two anointed [kings]: the first anointed

[king], David, who saved Israel from her oppressors, and the final anointed

[king] who will arise from among his descendants and save Israel [at the End

of Days].

After quoting and analyzing several references to Mashiach

in Bilaam’s

prophecy,

the Rambam begins a second halachah with these words:

Similarly, in regard to the Cities of Refuge, it is stated,

“When G-d will expand

your borders... you shall add three more cities.” This command has never

been fulfilled. [Surely,] G-d did not give this command in vain, [and thus the

intent was that it be fulfilled after the coming of Mashiach]. There is no need to

cite prooftexts on the concept [of the Mashiach] from the words of the

prophets, for all [their] books are filled with it.

The Complementary Nature of the First Two Supporting Texts

The necessity for the two supporting texts quoted by the Rambam in the

firsthalachah is obvious: The first verse quoted by the Rambam explicitly

speaks of the Redemption, but not of the Mashiach personally. It is thus

complemented by the allusions in Bilaam’s prophecy which, though allegorical

in nature, clearly indicate the existence of a person who will bring about the

Redemption of the Jewish people.

Conversely, the allusions in Bilaam’s prophecy do not suffice alone. Since

theRambam

wants to demonstrate that “Whoever does not believe

in [Mashiach]

... denies... the Torah” and that “The Torah attests to his coming,”

his authority must be more explicit. Prophetic allegories cannot serve this

purpose sufficiently.

Two points, however, still require clarification:

(a) Why did the Rambam need further corroboration from the commandment

to establish three new Cities of Refuge? And what is the nature of the added

support this subject contributes?

(b) Why did he cite this evidence in a separate halachah? Since his division

ofhalachos is extremely precise, one would have expected him to include it in

the same halachah as the previous two prooftexts.

Mashiach’s Coming as an Intrinsic Element of a Mitzvah

The contribution added by the proof from the Cities of Refuge can be

explained as follows: The requirement to set aside three additional Cities of

Refuge after

Mashiach’s coming establishes his appearance as a condition for

the fulfillment of one of the mitzvos of the Torah.

The promise of

Mashiach’s coming is thus reinforced, since “The Torah clearly

and explicitly states that it [i.e., the Torah itself] is [G-

d’s] commandment

incumbent [upon us] for all eternity. There is no possibility of its being
changed, expanded or diminished.”

The Rambam writes similarly when

discussing the function of Mashiach in Hilchos Melachim.

This is the main thrust of the matter: This Torah, with its statutes and laws, is

everlasting. We may neither add to them nor detract from them. Whoever adds

to [the mitzvos] or detracts from them, or misinterprets the Torah, implying that

the mitzvos are not intended to be understood literally, is surely a wicked

impostor and a heretic.

Although every teaching of the Torah communicates eternal truth,

the mitzvosreflect a truth whose literal expression is unalterable.

Therefore,

by emphasizing that

Mashiach’s coming is a prerequisite for the fulfillment of

amitzvah, the Rambam makes it clear that the Redemption will actually occur.

This concept is alluded to in the very wording chosen by

the Rambam:

“[Surely,] G-d did not give this command in vain.” I.e., here the

emphasis is on the

Mashiach’s coming insofar as it is a component of one of

the Torah’s commandments, and hence there is no possibility here for change.
The Eternal Relevance of the Torah’s Mitzvos

To explain in greater depth: It is written,

“I will appoint a prophet...and I will

place My words in his mouth and he will speak....”

Since a prophet conveys G-

d’s words and not his own, the words he speaks

and the prophecies he utters are eternally true. Nevertheless, there is a

possibility that these truths will not become manifest as actual fact. For

example, prophecies of divine retribution will not necessarily come to fruition.

Since in His abundant compassion G-d forgives the penitent, a predicted

punishment may be averted.

Similarly, prophecies of good which were not

made public by a prophet, but rather remain as communications related to him

privately by G-d, may be

aborted “as a result of sin.”

This implies that, even in a case when a prophecy will surely come to fruition,

as in the case of prophecies foretelling good things,

this does not mean that

there is no possibility for change in regard to the prophecy, but merely that in

actual fact there will be no change. In contrast, as mentioned above, the

commandments of the Torah are everlasting and unchangeable by definition.

The Torah indeed includes prophecies of

Mashiach’s coming, prophecies

which will surely be fulfilled.

Nevertheless, by emphasizing

that

Mashiach’s coming is also an intrinsic element of

a mitzvah, the Rambam stresses further that the coming of Mashiach is an

eternal and fundamental truth.

Mitzvos Cannot Deviate from their Plain Meaning

There is, however, still room for question. There is a difference between the

eternal nature of the Five Books of the Torah itself and that of the other books

of the Tanach. The Rambam writes:

All the books of the Prophets

(Nevi’im) and all the Sacred

Writings (Kesuvim)will ultimately be annulled in the Era of

the Mashiach, except for the Book ofEsther. This Book will continue to exist

together with the Five Books of the Torah and the halachos of the Oral Law

which will never be retracted.

If so, since the promise of

Mashiach’s coming is embodied within the Torah,

what additional measure of eternality can be contributed by its inclusion as an

element of a mitzvah?

There is, however, a difference between the eternality of the mitzvos of the

Torah and the other dimensions of the Written Torah. In regard to these other

dimensions, it is possible that their eternal relevance will be expressed only on

a spiritual level, in the lessons that they can teach us in our service of G-d. For

example, the question is asked: Since the narratives of the Torah describe

historical events which transpired centuries ago, what is their eternal

relevance? And the answer is given that they contain significant lessons

relevant to all aspects of our lives.

In contrast, though the mitzvos of the Torah also contain many meaningful

lessons, their eternal relevance is primarily reflected in the obligation to

actually perform them according to their straightforward meaning. (This is

implied in the

Rambam’s statements cited above: “Whoever...misinterprets the

Torah, implying that the mitzvos are not intended to be understood literally, is

surely a wicked impostor and a heretic.”

It can be inferred that these sharp

words apply only in regard to a person who applies a non-literal interpretation

tomitzvos, though not to other dimensions of the Torah.)

To relate these concepts to the question at hand. All the prophecies recorded

by the Torah are of eternal relevance. Nevertheless, if the conduct of the

Jewish people is not appropriate, it is possible that a prophecy will not become

manifest in an actual manner. For example, we find that in their interpretation

of the verse,

“Until Your people pass over, O L-rd, until the people You

acqu

ire pass over,” our Sages comment:

Miracles should well have been performed for the Jewish people in the era of

[the Return to Zion led by] Ezra as were performed for them in the era

ofYehoshua.... Sins, however, prevented this.

Since this prophecy, though recorded in the Torah, was not actually fulfilled,

we can conclude that though the Torah’s truth is eternal, the truth of a

prophecy may be relevant only in a spiritual sense, and will not necessarily

become manifest tangibly.

Similarly, were

Mashiach’s coming to be only recorded as a prophecy, it might

then be possible for one to conclude that perhaps, [heaven forbid,] the Jewish
people’s conduct will not be worthy of Mashiach and the prophecies of his

coming would remain relevant only in a spiritual context.

Since,

however,

Mashiach’s coming is a necessary prerequisite for the fulfillment of

the mitzvahof setting aside Cities of Refuge, we can be assured that it will

become manifest in a literal way, without any change.

And to emphasize this concept, the Rambam allocates a separate halachah to

the Cities of Refuge. The first two texts cited in support of the belief in the

coming of Mashiach are both prophecies, and it is therefore appropriate to pair

them together in a single halachah. The proof from the Cities of Refuge,

however, with its own distinctive strength, stands in a halachah of its own.

Prophecy: A Message Directed to Man

On the other hand, something is gained by quoting prophecies as supporting

evidence. Although in general the commandments of the Torah have greater

authority than the words of a prophet,

prophecy enjoys a certain superiority.

Thus, though there are varying levels of punishment for the transgression of a

commandment of Torah law, there is only one punishment for disobeying the

command of a prophet. Even when the command violated is seemingly

insignificant, such a transgression warrants the death penalty.

Why is such a severe punishment given?

—Because prophecy is more closely

related to man. The words of a prop

het are perceived by the prophet’s

heart

and cogently communicated to others as a direct message from G-d.

Violating such a command is thus a blatant act of rebellion against G-d and

hence deserving of such a penalty.

Similarly, even prophecies which do not convey directives for our conduct are

messages to us from G-d with which we share a personal connection. And for

this reason, by emphasizing that

Mashiach’s coming is a prophecy,

theRambam complements his explanation of how fundamental this concept is.

The Era of the Redemption: A Refuge for the Jewish People

One might ask: Why is it that, of all the commandments of the Torah, it is the

commandment to set aside Cities of Refuge that is intrinsically related to the

coming of the Mashiach?

It can be explained that there is a thematic relationship between the two. The

Cities of Refuge serve

— in the dimension of space — as a haven, where a

person who has accidentally killed a fellow man can live free from danger.

Similarly, in the dimension of time, the Era of the Redemption will be a haven

for the entire Jewish people, when they will not be disturbed by any

undesirable influences:

In that Era there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor competition...

The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d.

May this be realized in the immediate future.

FOOTNOTES

[In the present text, the Rebbe Shlita examines the Rambam’s choice of prooftexts for the belief in the coming

of Mashiach, in the meantime clarifying concepts such as the following: what is meant by the everlasting nature of

the mitzvos; how the coming of Mashiach is a prerequisite for the practical fulfillment of one of the commandments

of the Torah; whether all prophecies are necessarily fulfilled; and how a prophetic command can at the same time be

formally less authoritative yet actually more weighty than a verse drawn from the Five Books of the Chumash.

This discussion is adapted from talks which the Rebbe Shlita delivered on Shabbos Parshas Devarim and Rosh

Chodesh Elul, 5746, and on Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Pinchas, 5738. The original fully-documented and annotated

Hebrew version appeared in Likkutei Sichos for Shabbos Parshas Shoftim, 5749.]

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 11:1.

Devarim 30:3.

Bamidbar 24:17-18.

See the opening passage of the above essay entitled “The Function of Mashiach.”

Devarim 19:8-9.

This concept is discussed in the above-mentioned essay, in the section entitled, “The Parallel between David

and Mashiach.” See footnotes there.

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 9:1. Note similar statements elsewhere in the Mishneh Torah (Hilchos

Teshuvah 3:8 and Hilchos Maaseh HaKorbanos 2:13), and in the Rambam’sCommentary to the Mishnah (both in the

Introduction to the text as a whole and in the Introduction to ch. 10 of Tractate Sanhedrin, in Principle 9 of his

Thirteen Principles of Faith).

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 11:3.

These last lines do not appear in the censored editions of the Mishneh Torah, and have been added here on the

authority of the above-mentioned Yemenite manuscript.

A study of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah brings to light a distinction between mitzvos and other Torah truths. Although in

his Commentary to the Mishnah (Introduction to ch. 10 of Tractate Sanhedrin), the Rambam enumerates thirteen

fundamental principles of faith, many of them are not mentioned in Hilchos Yesodei Torah, “The Laws Concerning
the Foundations of the Torah.”

In resolution of this difficulty, Rabbi Yitzchak Abarbanel (Rosh Amanah, ch. 9) explains that theMishneh Torah sets

out to define Jewish law, not Jewish philosophy. Hilchos Yesodei Torahtherefore enumerates only those fundamental

principles that are mitzvos, commandments which we are obligated to actually observe.

Devarim 18:18, cited by the Rambam in his discussion of prophecy in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah9:2.

Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 10:4.

[In the Introduction to his Commentary on the Mishnah, the Rambam mentions our Sages’

discussion (Berachos 4b) of the fear that gripped the Patriarch Yaakov before his encounter with Esav. Our Sages
question Yaakov’s reaction, noting that G-d had already promised that He would stand by him in whatever he
did (Bereishis 32:8). If so, why was Yaakov afraid?

They explain that, in his modesty, Yaakov feared that his sins had made him unworthy of the fulfillment of G-d’s

blessing. Similarly, the Rambam asks, why can we not say that all prophecies foretelling good things are conditional

on our conduct, and if we do not merit their fulfillment, the good will not materialize?

In reply, the Rambam differentiates between a promise made by G-d to a prophet in private (as in Yaakov’s case) and

a prophecy that has been made public. In the former instance, the person’s conduct may cause G-d to withhold His

promise of good. In contrast, once a prophecy has been publicly proclaimed, G-d will never withhold its fulfillment,

for were He to do so, we would be left without any barometer with which to test a prophet’s truth. (I.e., an individual

could always argue that his prophecy was not fulfilled because his listeners were found unworthy of it.)]

Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah, loc. cit.

Furthermore, in this instance, there is no possibility that the prophecies will be annulled by sin because “The Torah
has already promised that, ultimately, the Jews will repent in the final days of their exile, and immediately thereafter,

they will be redeemed” (Hilchos Teshuvah 7:5). TheRambam there goes on to cite prooftexts (Devarim 30:1-3,

significantly in the same passage as the verse concerning the Redemption cited in Hilchos Melachim) which indicate

that the Torah promises that the Jews will repent and thus cleanse themselves of all sin.

Hilchos Megillah 2:18, based on the Talmud Yerushalmi, Megillah 1:5.

Although on an obvious level, the Rambam’s critique was aimed at one particular ideology, there is no reason to

restrict his words to that limited scope.

Shmos 15:16.

Berachos 4a.

[As has been pointed out by various classical commentators on the Rambam, the nonfulfillment of this prophecy is

problematic for, as mentioned above, the Rambam states (in the Introduction to his Commentary on the Mishnah) that

a prophecy whose content is positive will always be fulfilled. The Lechem Mishnah, Avodas HaMelech, and other

commentaries propose several possible resolutions of this difficulty.]

Indeed, an opinion of this nature is ventured in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 99a), though it is not accepted by the majority
of the Sages. See footnote 11 to the above essay entitled “The Function of Mashiach” (p. 32).

See Chagigah 10b.

Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 9:2.

25.

Hilchos Teshuvah 3:8.

Two Periods Within The Era Of The Redemption

The Prophecies Concerning Mashiach

Prophecies as Allegories

The

Rambam sets out the following principles in regard to the Era of the

Redemption:

One should not entertain the notion that in the Era of Mashiach any element of

the natural order will be nullified, or that there will be any innovation in the

work of creation. Rather, the world will continue according to its pattern.

Although Yeshayahu

states, “The wolf will dwell with the lamb...,” these

[words] are an allegory and a riddle. They mean that Israel will dwell securely

together with the wicked gentiles who are likened to wolves and leopards.... [In

this Era, all nations] will return to the true faith and no longer plunder or

destroy....

Similarly, other prophecies of this nature concerning Mashiach are analogies.

In the Era of the King Mashiach, everyone will realize what was implied by

these analogies and allusions.

Our Sages taught:

“There will be no difference between the current age and

the Era of Mashiach except [our emancipation from] subjugation to the [gentile]

kingdoms.”

Actual Miracles in the Era of the Redemption

On the surface, there are several Midrashim which would appear to contradict

the

Rambam’s principle that the Era of the Redemption will not inaugurate a

new and miraculous world order. For example, Toras Kohanim

teaches: “What

Scriptural text teaches us that shade

trees will ultimately produce fruit?

— The

following:

‘The trees of the field will produce their fruit.’”

A similar concept is found at the conclusion of Tractate Kesubbos,

which

states:

Rav

Chiya bar Ashi said in the name of Rav: “Ultimately all the shade trees

inEretz Yisrael will bear fruit, as it is written,

‘The trees will bear fruit and the

vine and the fig trees will give forth their strength.’”

These statements appear to contradict the principle stated by the Rambam, for

surely the yielding of fruit by a shade tree represents a change in the natural

order. Nevertheless, it is possible to explain that our Sages also spoke in

allegories, so that the term “fruit trees” could be interpreted as a reference

toTorah

scholars and “shade trees” to the unlearned.

On closer analysis of the passages, however, such an interpretation is

untenable.

The above-mentioned passage in Toras Kohanim comprises the

exegesis of several verses which speak of an abundance of material blessings
in a very literal sense. For example, on the same verse quoted above, “The

earth will give forth its produce and the trees of the field will produce their
fruit,”Toras Kohanim explains: “The earth will not give forth produce as it does

now, but rather as it did in the time of Adam, the first man. On the very day he
sowed, crops were produced.” Similarly, when the passage in Kesubbos is

considered in its totality, it is obvious that

our Sages’ statements were meant

to be understood literally.

For these reasons, the

Rambam’s statements were not accepted by all

authorities. In his gloss on Hilchos Melachim, the Raavad takes issue with

theRambam,

stating, “Behold: the Torah writes,

‘And I will remove predators

from the earth,’ implying that this prophecy is surely not an allegory, but rather
a description of what will actually take place.”

One Possible Resolution: The Uniqueness of Eretz Yisrael

The Radbaz on the Mishneh Torah takes note of the

Raavad’s statement and

comments:

This does not represent a contradiction: just as the other verses are allegories,

this is also an allegory....

What one should believe is the following. The [prophecies] will be fulfilled in a

literal manner in Eretz Yisrael. [This is implied by the verse,

] “They shall do

no evil, nor shall they destroy throughout My holy mountain, because the

land[i.e., the

Land of renown] will be filled with knowledge.” Similarly, it is

written, “I will remove predators from the land.”
In other lands, in contrast, “the world will continue according to its pattern.” [In

these lands] the prophecies will be fulfilled in an allegorical sense, as it is

written,

“Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war

any more.” In Eretz Yisrael, however, the prophecies will be fulfilled in both a

literal and an allegorical sense.

A Rejection of This Explanation

The statements of the Radbaz, however, do not appear to represent a

complete resolution of the issue:

(a) The

Rambam’s above-quoted statement, “One should not entertain the

notion that in the Era of Mashiach any element of the natural order will be

nullified, or that there will be any innovation in the work of creation,” seems to

imply that throughout the entire world, the natural order will continue to prevail.

The institution of a miraculous order within Eretz Yisrael would surely appear

to be an “innovation in the work of creation.”

(b) The

Rambam’s conception of the Era of the Redemption is also reflected in

the previous chapter of Hilchos Melachim. There the Rambam writes:

One should not entertain the notion that the King Mashiach must work

miracles and wonders, bring about new phenomena within the world, resurrect

the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is [definitely] not true.

[A proof can be brought from the fact that] Rabbi Akiva, one of the greatest

Sages of the Mishnah, was one of the supporters of King Ben Koziva, and

would describe him as the King Mashiach....

The Sages did not ask him for

any signs or wonders.
Since Bar Kochba’s revolt took place in Eretz Yisrael, it would appear that

theRambam maintains that the natural order will continue to prevail during the

Era of the Redemption even in the Holy Land.

An Alternative Resolution: Back to Eden

The author of Avodas HaKodesh

offers a different interpretation to the

concept that the natural order will continue to prevail in the Era of the

Redemption. He holds that the intent is that G-d will not bring about a new

order that transcends nature. All creatures will, however, return to the nature

with which they had been originally endowed at the beginning of creation,

before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge.

Based on this conception, the seemingly miraculous prophecies of the Era of

the Redemption mentioned above do not pose a contradiction to

the

Rambam’sthesis. Before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, all trees bore

fruit, and there were no predators. The sin debased the spiritual composition of

the entire world, bringing about these negative characteristics. In the Era of the

Redemption, however, these will be eradicated,

and the world will revert to its

original nature. Thus, the natural order will not cease to exist in the Era of the

Redemption. On the contrary, G-

d’s true intent for the natural order will be

revealed.

The Rejection of This Thesis

This is, however, difficult to explain within the context of the

Rambam’s stance.

His statement that “One should not entertain the notion...that there will be any
innovation in the work of creation,” apparently implies that the current natural

order will continue. Seemingly, it does not matter exactly when the potential to

produce fruit was taken from the shade trees, nor when certain beasts were

endowed with a predatory nature. From the Rambam

’s statements, it appears

that since this is their nature at present, this nature will continue to prevail.

Thus, it is still difficult to comprehend how the Rambam will reconcile his

principle that the natural order will not be repealed in the Era of the

Redemption, with the statements of our Sages which appear to indicate that

ultimately, the Era of the Redemption will initiate a new world order, in which

nature will give way to miracles.

Two Apparent Self-Contradictions

The Lechem Mishneh further emphasizes the difficulty with

the

Rambam’sthesis, noting several places within the Mishneh Torah itself

where the Rambamrenders decisions that run contrary to this principle. For

example:

(a) The

Rambam’s thesis is based on the following Talmudic passage:

Rabbi Chiya bar Abba states in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: “The prophets

all prophesied only regarding the Era of the Mashiach. The World to Come, in

contrast, [is described by the verse]:

‘G-d, no eye but Yours has seen.’”

This conflicts with [the opinion of]

Shmuel, who maintains: “There will be no

difference between the current age and the Era of Mashiach except [our

emancipation from] subjugation to the [gentile] kingdoms.”
Rabbi Chiya bar Abba is stating that the prophets’ visions all refer to the Era

ofMashiach, and it is in this Era that the miracles which they prophesied will

take place. The World to Come, in contrast, represents a higher level of

existence which even the eye of prophetic vision could not conceive. Shmuel,

in contrast, differs from this view. He maintains that the miracles foretold by

the prophets will not take place in the Era of Mashiach, for at that time the

natural order of the world will continue to prevail as in the present.

The Lechem Mishneh notes that here, in Hilchos

Melachim,

the Rambam

identifies with Shmuel’s view, while

in Hilchos Teshuvah

he identifies with the view of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba.

(b) The Mishnah teaches:

A person should not go out [to the public domain on Shabbos] carrying a

sword or a bow.... If he does so, he is liable to bring a sin offering.

Rabbi Eliezer

says, “These articles are ornaments [and hence, like jewelry, are

considered as garments which may be worn on Shabbos

].” Our Sages say:

“On the contrary, they are shameful, for it is written,

‘And they shall beat their

swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks... and they shall
not learn war any more’”; [i.e., were they to be ornaments, they would not have

to be transfigured in the Era of the Redemption].

In the

Talmud’s discussion of the issue, our Sages associate this difference of

opinion with the difference of opinion between Rabbi Chiya bar Abba and

Shmuel mentioned above. There is a question among the Sages as to whether

Rabbi Eliezer

accepts Rabbi Chiya bar Abba’s view or not. It is obvious,

however, that the ruling of the Sages is not in accordance with Shmuel’s view.

Nevertheless, although the Rambam

subscribes to Shmuel’s opinion in regard

to the Redemption, in regard to the Shabbos laws he accepts the ruling of the

Sages.

Is the Resurrection Not a Miracle?!

The above difficulties can be resolved within the context of the resolution of

another question, of broader scope. One of the

Rambam’s Thirteen Principles

of Faith is the belief in the Resurrection of the Dead

which will take place

after the coming of Mashiach. If so, how can the Rambam say that the natural

order of the world will not be altered in the Era of the Mashiach?

What

innovation could be more cataclysmic than the Resurrection of the Dead?

In Conclusion:

Two Periods Within the Era of the Redemption

It would therefore appear that the Rambam maintains that there will be two

periods

within the Era of the Redemption: (a) one period associated with the

coming of Mashiach, when the natural order will continue to prevail, and (b) a

subsequent period which will see miracles that depart from the natural order,

including the Resurrection of the Dead.

In this context, we can understand the implications of the

Rambam’s reference

to Bar Kochba as proof that Mashiach need not work miracles. This clarifies

that the coming of Mashiach will not bring about a new world order, and hence

his ability or inability to work miracles is not at all significant in regard to his

role among the Jewish people.

According to the Rambam, Mashiach will restore the monarchy, build the Beis

HaMikdash, and gather in the Jewish people, thus creating an environment in

which the Jewish people will be able to observe the Torah and its mitzvos in a

perfect manner. Furthermore, he will remove any obstacles to this end in the
world at large. As a consequence, the Jewish people will “be free [to involve

themselves] in Torah and its wisdom, without anyone to oppress or disturb

them. At that time there will be neither famine nor war... [and] the occupation

of the entire world will be solely to know G-

d.”

I.e., while the natural order of

the world prevails, the Jewish people and the world at large will be elevated to

a perfect state of knowledge and practice.

This is the purpose

Mashiach’scoming.

In this context, we can understand the

Rambam’s approach to the prophecies

of the Torah and the statements of our Sages which appear to indicate that

there will be a change in the world order in the Era of Redemption. Those

prophecies which are connected with Mashiach personally or the immediate

effects of his coming in the world at large, the Rambam interprets as

allegories, for in this

period “the world will continue according to its pattern.”

In contrast, prophecies that G-

d will “remove predators from the earth” and

cause shade trees to produce fruit, which speak of the Era of the Redemption

as a whole, need not be interpreted as allegories. They will be fulfilled in a

literal sense in the latter period of the Era of the Redemption, the period in

which the dead will be resurrected.

Resolving the Difficulties in the Rambam’s Statements

In this context, we can explain the two problematic issues raised by

the Lechem Mishneh. Firstly, in regard to the laws

of Shabbos: Since ultimately there will be an era when the natural order will

change, the Rambam concludes that weapons are not ornaments and a

person who carries them in the public domain is liable.

Similarly, in regard to the difference of opinion between Rav Chiya bar Abba

and Shmuel: From the statement of the Talmud that Rav Chiya bar Abba

differs from Shmuel, it appears that Rav Chiya bar Abba himself maintains that

miracles will take place in the beginning of the Era of the Redemption. In

regard to this, the Rambam

differs and accepts Shmuel’s view. On the other

hand: Since ultimately, in the later period of the Era of the Redemption, all the

prophecies of miracles

— even those intended to be understood in a literal

sense

— will be fulfilled, it is fitting for the Rambam to borrow Rav Chiya bar

Abba’s statement that “The prophets all prophesied only regarding the Era of

the Mashiach

,...” in order to emphasize the uniqueness of the World to Come.

What Will Bring About the Advent of the Miraculous Era?

There is still a certain difficulty with the

Rambam’s decision. Since the coming

ofMashiach will not necessitate a departure from the natural order, what event

will? What is the cause that will lead to the Resurrection of the Dead and the

beginning of a miraculous order of existence?

There is a further difficulty which is raised by the

Rambam’s own statements

concerning the Era of the Redemption. In Iggeres Techiyas

HaMeisim theRambam writes that his own statements in the Mishneh Torah

—

that the prophecies concerning the Redemption are allegorical in nature

— do

not represent a definite and final ruling on the matter; indeed, it is quite

possible that the prophecies will be realized in a literal sense. According to the

explanation above, this statement is problematic. These prophecies are to be

understood as allegories, because Mashiach is intended to bring about a state

of redemption within the natural context of the world. And this state of

redemption, which finds expression in the complete observance of the Torah

and its mitzvos within the context of our material existence, is the purpose of

his coming. The revelation of a miraculous order would appear to contradict

this ideal.

The Resolution: Meriting and Not Meriting

These difficulties can be resolved by elucidating the following Talmudic

passage:

It is written:

“Behold, one like a son of man came on the clouds of heaven”;

however, it is also written,

“[Your king will come...] like a poor man riding on a

donkey.” If [the Jewish people] are found worthy of it, [Mashiach] will come “on
the clouds of heaven”; if they do not merit, he will come “like a poor man riding
on a donkey.”

Similarly, in many other contexts, it can be explained that there are two

possible paths of conduct for Mashiach. If the Jewish people are meritorious,

he will take the one path; if, heaven forbid, merits are lacking, he will come by

the other path. For example, several sources

state that the

Third Beis HaMikdash is completely built and will descend from the heavens.

In contrast, there are other sources

(and this opinion is adopted by

the Rambam

) which maintain that the Third Beis HaMikdash will be built

by Mashiach. Here, too, it can be explained that if the Jews are found worthy,

they will be granted a heavenlyBeis HaMikdash; if not, the Beis HaMikdash will

have to be built by mortal effort.

The Possibility of Miracles

In the Mishneh Torah, which is a text of Halachah, Torah law,

the Rambamchooses to describe the Redemption in terms that will surely be

fulfilled. Since the merits of the Jewish people depend on free will, who can tell

what they will ultimately be found worthy of? The Rambam therefore states

that the natural order will continue to prevail. The possibility, however, remains

that the collective spiritual attainments of the Jewish people will bring about a

miraculous world order.

On this basis, we can understand what will lead to the advent of the second

period in the Era of the Redemption. Once “the occupation of the entire world

[including the gentile nations] will be solely to know G-

d” and the Jews will be

perfect in their observance of the Torah and its mitzvos, the Jews will surely

have attained the level at which they are considered to have “merited”. This

will then allow for the advent of a miraculous order, including the Resurrection

of the Dead.

Thus, in the Mishneh Torah the Rambam describes the Redemption within the

context of the natural order, for this, at the very least, will come to pass.

Nevertheless, in Iggeres Techiyas HaMeisim, he writes that the possibility

exists that the Jews will in fact “merit”, in which case the prophecies of

miracles will materialize in a literal manner at the very beginning of the Era of

the Redemption.

* * *

May we witness the fulfilment

of these prophecies when, “As in the days of

your exodus

from Egypt, I will show you wonders.”

FOOTNOTES

[The following text resolves a number of apparent contradictions within the Rambam’s various discussions of the

character, both natural and miraculous, of the Era of the Redemption. It is a somewhat abbreviated translation of a

text first published in Chiddushim U’Biurim BeShas, Vol. II, p. 277. This text telescopes a number of talks which the

Rebbe Shlita delivered in the course of the month of Nissan, 5733 (1973), and which appear in Yiddish in Likkutei

Sichos, Vol. XXVII, in connection with Parshas Behar-Bechukosai.]

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 12:1-2. Similar statements are found in Hilchos Teshuvah 9:2 and

the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah, in the Introduction to ch. 10 of Sanhedrin.

Yeshayahu 11:6.

Berachos 34b.

[This term has been used to denote ilanei srak (lit., “barren trees”).]

Vayikra 26:4. In his commentary on this verse, Rashi cites the interpretation of Toras Kohanim.

Kesubbos 112b.

Yoel 2:22.

See Taanis 7a, which refers to Torah sages and the unlearned with a similar analogy.

In general, it is difficult to accept the thesis that our Sages’ statements were intended as allegories. In contrast to the
prophets, who frequently spoke in allegory, our Sages generally spoke directly. Thus, unless there is a clear indication

to the contrary, their words should be understood straightforwardly.

Vayikra 26:6.

Yeshayahu 11:9.

Ibid. 2:4.

Hilchos Melachim 11:3.

Significantly, the Raavad also takes issue with the Rambam on this matter. Basing himself onSanhedrin 93b, he
maintains that after the Sages heard of Bar Kochba’s pretensions to be theMashiach, they investigated whether or not
he had miraculous power. When he failed to demonstrate such powers, they had him killed.

The Rambam (see also Hilchos Taanis 5:3) favors the view stated in Eichah Rabbah commenting on verse 2:2 and in

the Jerusalem Talmud, Taanis 4:5, that Bar Kochba was killed by gentiles.

(Despite the differences between the Rambam and the Raavad, it is possible to reconcile the sources on which these

two opinions are based. It was in fact the Romans who actually killed Bar Kochba, as is stated in the latter two

sources. Nevertheless, they were able to defeat and kill him only because the Sages withdrew their support of him.)

Furthermore, Bar Kochba’s contemporaries were even willing to sacrifice their lives in war in support of him.

6. Vol. II, ch. 38.

[This will be accomplished through our service in refining and elevating the material substance of the world in the era

prior to Mashiach’s coming.]

Berachos 34b.

Yeshayahu 64:3.

The difficulty with the Rambam’s stand is compounded by the fact that in Hilchos Teshuvah itself (ch.

9, halachah 2), the Rambam also cites Shmuel’s opinion.

Hilchos Teshuvah 8:7.

Shabbos 63a.

Yeshayahu 2:4.

Rashi, Shabbos, loc. cit.

25.

Hilchos Shabbos 19:1.

26.

See his Commentary to the Mishnah, in the Introduction to ch. 10 of Tractate Sanhedrin, Principle 13.

In the Mishneh Torah (Hilchos Teshuvah 3:6), the Rambam also emphasizes the importance of the belief in the

Resurrection, stating that a person who denies this belief will not be granted a portion in the World to Come.

27.

The question is reinforced by the Rambam’s definition of “the World to Come” as the spiritual world of the souls

which follows life in this world.

According to the view of the Raavad, the Ramban, and the sages of the Kabbalah and Chassidus,the term “the World
to Come” applies to the era after the Resurrection. This conception allows for the possibility of explaining that in the
Era of Mashiach, the natural order will continue to prevail. The Era of the World to Come, by contrast, will be

characterized by miracles.

The above explanation cannot be offered according to the Rambam’s position, for he defines the World to Come as

the world of the souls. Thus there is even greater force behind the question raised above: How can it be said that there

will be no changes within the natural order in the era ofMashiach, if that era includes the Resurrection?

28.

[The Shelah holds likewise that the view of Shmuel presupposes two such periods. See footnote 66 to the Hebrew

original of this essay, in Dvar Malchus, No. 12.]

29.

[See the above essay on “The Function of Mashiach,” which explains that, if anything, the conception

of Mashiach as a miracle-worker runs contrary to the Rambam’s appreciation of the role of Mashiach.]

30.

Hilchos Melachim 12:4-5.

31.

[From a conceptual perspective, we can appreciate the necessity for distinguishing two periods within the Era of the

Redemption. The Era of the Redemption is the time during which G-d’s sovereignty over our material world will be

revealed. Were it necessary for the Era of the Redemption to involve miracles, this would imply that G-d’s

sovereignty could not (so to speak) be revealed in the world’s present context. It would thus appear that the natural

order stands in contradiction to the manifestation of His Kingship.

Therefore, the Era of the Redemption must include a period when the natural order remains, yet “the occupation of
the entire world will be solely to know G-d.” This will clearly indicate that our material frame of reference does not

stand in opposition to the manifestation of G-d’s sovereignty. Nevertheless, such a period does not represent the

ultimate expression of G-dliness.

Our Sages (Midrash Tanchuma, Naso 7:1; and see Tanya, ch. 33) describe this world as G-d’s dwelling place. Just as

a person expresses himself freely in his own home, similarly, G-d’s essence will be revealed within our material

world. This implies the revelation, not only of those limited dimensions of G-dliness that can be enclothed within the

confines of the natural order, but also the expression of the transcendent aspects of G-dliness whose manifestation

will suspend the natural order. These transcendent qualities will be revealed in the second period of the Era of the

Redemption, when the natural order gives way to miracles. See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XII,Parshas Tazria, p. 73 ff.]

32.

As an example of this principle, the Rambam cites the prophecy, “the wolf will dwell with the lamb.” He concludes

that this prophecy is an allegory because it amplifies the allegorical prophecy of an earlier verse, “A shoot will
emerge from the stem of Yishai,” which describes Mashiach’s coming.

It could be suggested that the Rambam chooses this prophecy as an example, because the analogue which it

communicates reflects one of the central themes he seeks to emphasize concerning the Era of the Redemption — that

the Jews will not be disturbed by the gentile nations in this Era, and will therefore be able to devote their energies to

the study of Torah and the knowledge of G-d.

33.

This also sheds light on another apparent contradiction in the Rambam’s rulings. After recording the difference of

opinion between Rav Chiya bar Abba and Shmuel, the Talmud quotes the following difference of opinion.

Rabbi Chiya bar Abba states...: “The prophets all prophesied only regarding baalei teshuvah,penitents. In contrast,
the perfectly righteous [are described by the verse]: “G-d, no eye but Yours has seen.”

This conflicts with [the opinion of] Rabbi Abbahu who maintains: “In the place of baalei teshuvah,the righteous
cannot stand.”

The fact the Talmud mentions these two differences of opinion in connection with each other appears to indicate that

they are interrelated. As mentioned, the Rambam quotes Rav Chiya bar Abba’s statements in regard to the Era of the

Redemption, and yet we find that in Hilchos Teshuvah 7:4, the Rambam cites Rabbi Abbahu’s view. Nevertheless,

based on the explanation above, we can conclude that there is no contradiction between the Rambam’s two

statements. Although the Rambam borrows Rav Chiya bar Abba’s words, which differ from those of Shmuel, he

favors the latter’s view. There is thus no difficulty with his acceptance of Rabbi Abbahu’s position.

Sanhedrin 98a.

Daniel 7:13.

Zechariah 9:9.

Rashi, Sukkah 41a, and others.

38.

The Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 1:11.

39.

Hilchos Melachim 11:4.

40.

On a deeper level, it can be explained that the purpose of Mashiach’s coming, as stated above, is to bring about a

perfect observance of the Torah and its mitzvos within our material world. When, however, the Jewish people have

been found worthy, Mashiach will also demonstrate the unique relationship that G-d shares with them by revealing

miracles.

41.

Michah 7:15. [Though the above sichah was delivered some years ago, this verse has pointed contemporary

relevance, as the Rebbe Shlita has indicated on numerous occasions. See the booklet published by Sichos In English,

entitled I Will Show You Wonders: Public Statements of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M.

Schneerson, Shlita, Before and During the Gulf Crisis.

The Coming Of The Prophet Eliyahu

The Role of Eliyahu HaNavi on the Eve of the Ultimate Redemption

A Prophet Will Arise

Describing

the Era of the Redemption, the Rambam writes:

The simple meaning of the words of the prophets appears to imply that the

War of Gog and Magog

will take place at the beginning of the Messianic Age.

Before the War of Gog and Magog, a prophet will arise to rectify

Israel’s

conduct and prepare their hearts [for the Redemption], as it is

written:

“Behold, I am sending you Eliyah(u)

[the prophet, before the advent

of the great and awesome Day of G-

d].”

He will not come [in order] to declare the pure, impure, nor to declare the

impure, pure; nor [will he come in order] to disqualify the lineage of those

presumed to be of flawless descent, nor to validate lineage which is presumed

to be blemished. Rather, [he will come in order] to establish peace in the

world; as [the above prophecy] continues,

“He will bring back the hearts of the

fathers to the children.”

Some of the Sages say that Eliyahu will appear [immediately] before the

coming of Mashiach.

Diff

iculties in the Rambam’s Wording

There are two difficulties in the wording chosen by the Rambam in the

abovehalachah.

(a) The first becomes obvious from a comparison with the following halachah:

During the Era of the King Mashiach...

the entire [nation’s] line of descent will

be established on the basis of his words.... He will define the lineage of

theIsraelites according to their tribe alone; i.e., he will make known each
person’s tribal origin, stating that “This one is from one tribe” and “This one is
from another tribe.” However, concerning a person who is presumed to be of
unblemished lineage, he will not state that “He is illegitimate,” or “He is of slave
lineage,” for the law rules that once a family has become intermingled [within

the entire Jewish people], they may remain intermingled.

Thus, in regard to Mashiach, the Rambam

writes that “he will

not

state” whether a person’s lineage is blemished or not, while in regard to

Eliyahu, the Rambam

writes that “he will not come [in order] ... to disqualify....”

Why does theRambam

include the words “come to”? Would it not have been

appropriate to use the same expression that was used in regard to Mashiach?

(b) The second difficulty concerns the

Rambam’s mention of the time Eliyahu

will appear. He cites two opinions: one, that Eliyahu will make his appearance

in the initial days of the Era of the Redemption, even before the War of Gog

and Magog, and one that Eliyahu will appear immediately before the coming

ofMashiach.

On the surface, since both opinions agree in regard to the purpose of Eliyah

u’s

coming, namely, to “establish peace in the world,” the sequence within

thehalachah appears problematic. First, the Rambam cites one opinion

concerning the time at which Eliyahu will come; he then describes

the purpose he will fulfill; and finally, he mentions a second opinion concerning

the time at which he will come. Would one not expect the Rambam to place

side by side the two opinions concerning the time of Eliyahu’s coming, and

then to conclude by describing the purpose of his coming?

When Can There Be a Difference of Opinion Among Our Sages?

These difficulties can be resolved within the context of the resolution of a

problem of larger scope. According to Talmudic tradition, there cannot be a

difference of opinion among the Sages over a point of fact,

be it past or

future.

[To explain: Whenever there is a difference of opinion among the Sages, we

say, “Both these and those are the words of the living G-d.”

It is not that one

opinion is right and the other wrong. Both opinions result from the application

of sets of principles that are acceptable within Torah law. In practice, only one

opinion is followed, but both positions are meaningful in the realm of divine

service.

When is this explanation tenable?

— In regard to a difference of opinion over a

particular law or practice. In regard to an event which happened in the past or

which will happen in the future, there cannot be two opinions. The event

transpired

— or will transpire — as it actually did or will. This is a fact

concerning which there can only be one correct opinion.]

It would thus seem that the time of Eliyahu’s arrival cannot be a subject for

debate among the Sages, for this difference of opinion concerns a fact, albeit

one which has not taken place.

Analyzing the Rambam’s Source

A similar question arises concerning the mishnah

from which

the Rambamderives his conception of the purpose for

Mashiach’s coming:

Rabbi Yehoshua

declared: “I have received a tradition from Rabban Yochanan

be Zakkai, who heard from his master, who in turn received from his master

thehalachah conveyed to Moshe on [Mount] Sinai

— that Eliyahu will not come

to declare the [lineage of those families which is in doubt] as pure or impure,

nor to have them included [among the families whose lineage is accepted as

pure] or excluded [from them]. [He will come] to exclude those [families] whose

lineage had been accepted by force and to include those [families] whose

lineage had been rejected by force....”

Rabbi Yehudah

states: “[Eliyahu will come] to include a family whose lineage

had been rejected by force, but not to exclude those [families] whose lineage

had been ac

cepted by force.”

Rabbi Shimon

states: “[He will come] to heal dissension.” The Sages state:

“[He will come] not to include nor to exclude [families], but rather to establish
peace, as it is written, ‘Behold, I am sending you Eliyah(u) the prophet.... He

will bring back the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the

children to their fathers.’”

It is the view of the Sages that the Rambam adopts as the halachah.

Clarifying the Rambam’s Interpretation

This teaching presents a difficulty. In the introduction to his Commentary to

theMishnah, the Rambam

explains that the term, “a halachah conveyed to

Moshe on [Mount] Sinai,” implies a tradition accepted universally without
debate. If so, since the purpose of Eliyahu’s coming derives from
“a halachah conveyed to Moshe on [Mount] Sinai,” how can the Sages differ

on it?

In his commentary on the above-quoted mishnah, the Rambam addresses

himself to this question and explains:

A precise statement to this effect was not heard from our teacher Moshe. In

general terms, however, Moshe informed the Jewish people about the coming

of Mashiach, as is explicitly stated in the Torah, for example in the following

passages: “If your scattered remnants are in the furthest reaches of the
heavens...,”

and “G-d, your L-rd, will bring back your captivity....”

He also

told them... that

[Mashiach’s] arrival will be preceded by the appearance of a

person who will prepare the ground for him. This person will be Eliyahu. He will

neither add to the Torah nor detract from it, but will eliminate wrongdoing. On

this matter there is no difference of opinion.... There is, however, a difference

of opinion concerning the particular kinds of wrongdoing that Eliyahu will

eliminate, [and to this question various Sages address themselves].

The

Rambam’s explanation, however, is incomplete. Although he has resolved

the difficulty about a difference of opinion concerning “a halachah conveyed to

Moshe on [Mount] Sinai,” the above mishnah is still problematic, since the

difference of opinion between the Sages concerns a fact, i.e., the nature of the

tasks which Eliyahu will undertake.

The Dual Nature of Eliyahu’s Functions

The above questions can be resolved by drawing the following distinction.

There are two types of activities to be undertaken by Eliyahu: (a) those that

reflect his function in preparing the world for

Mashiach’s coming; (b) those that

reflect his individual service of G-d. Just as he was involved in many significant

activities (prophecies to Ahab, the confrontation with the false prophets of Baal

at Mount Carmel, and so on) as described in the Tanach

and in

theMidrashim, he will again be active in various ways when he reappears

before

Mashiach’s arrival. These activities, however, will not be part of his

function in eliminating wrongdoing in the world in preparation for the ultimate

Redemption.
The Purpose of Eliyahu’s Coming

Based on the above, we can appreciate the nature of the difference of opinion

in the mishnah cited above. The Sages all agree that the prophet Eliyahu will

carry out all the activities mentioned in the mishnah. The question is: What will

he come to do? I.e., what is the purpose of his coming? What kinds of

wrongdoing or confusion must be eliminated so that the world will be prepared

for the Redemption?

Thus several of the Sages maintain that this preparation requires that the

familial lineage of the Jewish people be clarified. The final opinion cited by

theMishnah, that of the Sages, agrees that Eliyahu will also deal with these

questions, but does not consider this to be the purpose of his coming. Why,

then, will Eliyahu come?

— “To bring about peace in the world.”

The Rambam

accepts this latter view. This is why he writes that “He will not

come to

declare the pure, impure....” He cannot say that Eliyahu will

not declare the pure, impure, because in particular situations he will in fact

make such declarations. This, however, does not represent the purpose of his

coming. That purpose is

— “to bring about peace in the world.”

Resolving the Above Difficulties

In this context, we can also resolve the difficulty concerning

the

Rambam’sstatements regarding the time of Eliyahu’s coming. There are

Sages who maintain that even Eliyahu’s efforts to eliminate wrongdoing and to

bridge the gap between fathers and sons, thus bringing peace to the world, are

part of his individual achievements and do not reflect his mission in preparing

the world for

Mashiach’s coming. Seen in this light, his function is solely to

herald

Mashiach’scoming; as Rashi states,

“Before the son of David comes,

Eliyahu will come to announc

e....”

Thus we can understand the order of the statements in this passage. First

theRambam states that Eliyahu will arise before the War of Gog and Magog.

At this time he will make significant endeavors to uplift and refine the Jewish

people. This is an explicit prophecy

— “Behold, I am sending you Eliyah(u) the

prophet, before the advent of the great and awesome Day of G-

d” — and

therefore accepted as a fact by all the Sages.

Secondly, the Rambam paraphrases the

Mishnah’s description of the purpose

Eliyahu’s coming, namely, to eliminate wrongdoing. In this regard he cites

the Sages who speak of Eliyahu’s function in bringing about peace — “bringing
back the hearts of the fathers to the children...,” as the above-mentioned

prophecy continues.

Finally, the Rambam mentions another opinion among the Sages which

considers Eliyahu’s endeavors in the cause of peace as one matter, and his

function in regard to the Redemption (namely, to herald the coming

ofMashiach) as something separate and unique. And to fulfill that latter

function, Eliyahu will come

— i.e., at this point the purpose of his appearance

within the context of the Redemption will be fulfilled

— immediately

before Mashiach.

Bringing Mashiach by Spreading Peace

In the final analysis, Eliyahu’s endeavors to establish peace among the Jewish

people are clearly interrelated with his heralding of

Mashiach’s arrival. For

peace, unity, and brotherly love are the means of hastening the coming of the

Redemption. Our Sages teach that the exile was caused by unwarranted

hatred.

Undoing the cause of the exile, hatred, will thus erase its effect, the

exile itself.

The harmony introduced by Mashiach will strike waves throughout the world at

large, as the Rambam writes:

He will then perfect the entire world, [motivating all the nations] to serve G-d

together, as it is written,

“I will make the peoples pure of speech so that they

will all call upon the Name of G-

d and serve Him with one purpose.”

Ultimately, writes the Rambam, as the climax to the entire Mishneh Torah:

The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d..., as it is

written,

“For the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters

cover the ocean bed.”

Footnotes

[The following discussion analyzes the varying views on the function and time of the coming of the prophet Eliyahu.

It is an adapted version of a hadran, a concluding discourse — in this case, a discourse on the closing passages

of Hilchos Melachim, with which the Rebbe marked the festive conclusion of the annual study cycle of the

entire Mishneh Torah, at the farbrengen of Yud Shvat, 5747. The Hebrew original appeared at the time as Siyum

HaRambam, MiSichos Yud Shvat 5747.]

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 12:2.

[Yechezkel ch. 38.]

Malachi 3:23.

[The name of the prophet is occasionally spelled, as in this verse, without the final letter vav.]

Malachi 3:24.

Hilchos Melachim 12:3.

[See Kiddushin 71a.]

In addition to maintaining consistency, employing the same expression used in regard toMashiach would appear to be

desirable for another reason. In his introduction to the Mishneh Torah, the Rambam states his intent to use “clear and
concise wording.” If the words “come to” are unnecessary, using them would counter this intent.

[From Eruvin 43b, the source for the second opinion, it appears that Eliyahu will appear only one day

before Mashiach’s coming, while according to the first opinion, which is based on the conclusion of Eduyos, he will

appear a considerable time before Mashiach, and work to prepare the world to accept him.]

[In the original, plugta bimetzius.] See Sdei Chemed, Maareches HaMem, Klal 164. [See alsoLikkutei Sichos, Vol.

XVIII, p. 214.]

[Eruvin 13b.]

The conclusion of Tractate Eduyos.

Devarim 30:4.

Loc. cit., v. 3.

I Melachim 17:1 ff.

Eruvin 43b.

Yoma 9b; see also Gittin 55b ff.

Hilchos Melachim 11:4.

Zephaniah 3:9.

Hilchos Melachim 12:5.

Yeshayahu 11:9.

The Ultimate Good Of The Era Of The Redemption

Aspiring to a Knowledge of G-d

Two Windows to the Future

Concluding

his description of the Era of the Redemption

in Hilchos Melachim,the Rambam writes:

In that Era there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor competition,

for good things will flow in abundance and all the delights will be as freely

available as dust. The occupation of the entire world will be solely to

know G-d.

This passage appears to echo a principle stated by

the Rambam in HilchosTeshuvah:

The Torah has promised us that if we observe its [commandments] with joy...

[G-d] will remove all the obstacles that prevent us from such observance, such

as illness, war, hunger, and the like. Similarly, He will grant us all [types of]

good things to reinforce our observance of the Torah...so that we will not

spend our entire lifetime occupied in [securing] our bodily needs, but rather,

will sit unburdened, and [thus have the opportunity to] grow wise through

scholarship and to perform mitzvos.

The Rambam

’s intent in this passage of Hilchos Teshuvah is to explain the

divine scales of reward and punishment. When a person observes the Torah

and its mitzvos, G-d brings about circumstances that will provide him with

material benefits so that he, in turn, will be able to expand and upgrade his

observance. In the Era of the Redemption, therefore, when we will observe the

Torah and its mitzvos in a consummate manner, we will be granted divine

blessings in abundance.

Differences Between the Above Two Sources

Although in conception the two passages cited above are complementary,

close analysis discovers several differences between the wording used in

each: (a) When the Rambam describes in Hilchos Teshuvah how G-d will

remove various impediments to our observance of the Torah, illness is listed

as the first

— and thus, the primary — hindrance, while in Hilchos Melachim it

is not mentioned. (b) In Hilchos Melachim the Rambam writes that the world

will be free of “envy and competition,” while in Hilchos Teshuvah this subject is

absent. (c) In Hilchos Melachim the Rambam

mentions “delights”, which he

does not do in Hilchos Teshuvah.

In this connection, it is noteworthy that the use of a poetic phrase in Hilchos

Melachim

(“all the delights will be as freely available as dust”) is not at all in

character for the Rambam in the straightforward halachic context of Mishneh

Torah.

Halachah

— The Medium by which the World is Refined

The above difficulties can be resolved by focusing on the Rambam

’s intent in

composing the Mishneh Torah, and also on the fact that he chose to conclude

the text with Hilchos Melachim, and in particular, with the coming of

theMashiach.

As he writes in his Introduction, the Rambam conceived of the Mishneh

Torahas a work of Halachah, Torah law. What is the intent of Halachah?

— To

refine the world at large so that it will exist in harmony with G-

d’s will. There

have been times during which this intent has been put into practice by Jewish

kings. In the most complete sense, it will be realized in the Era of the

Redemption, when the observance of all the mitzvos associated with the Beis

HaMikdash will be restored and our people will devote all their energies to this

goal.

Similarly, the effect of the mitzvos in the world at large will be complete.

There will be no pressures or disturbances hindering the observance of the
Torah. Furthermore, “Knowledge, wisdom, and truth will be abundant,”

and an

all-pervading atmosphere of perfection will encompass every element of

existence.

This is the state described at the conclusion of Hilchos Melachim.

In contrast,

the passage from Hilchos Teshuvah originally cited describes a state in which

the Jewish people’s observance and the effects of this observance on the

world at large have not attained the perfection of the Era of the Redemption.

Perfect Observance will bring Perfect Health

On this basis, we can begin to resolve the difficulties raised above. Firstly,

there is no need to state that there will be no illness in the Era of the

Redemption; this is self-evident.

In Hilchos Deos,

where the Rambam outlines a course of conduct designed to

bring a person physical health, he promises:

“I guarantee that anyone who

conducts himself in the ways which I have prescribed will never fall ill.” In the

Era of the Redemption, as part of the complete observance of the Torah and

itsmitzvos, people will follow these rules of health, so that illness will be

unknown.

Since Hilchos Teshuvah, in contrast, describes a less perfect state, there is

the possibility that a person will be motivated by his desires and fail to conduct

himself according to the rules of health. Concerning such a state, therefore, it

needs to be stated that G-

d will “remove...illness” in order to enable a man to

fully observe the Torah.

Erasing Envy

In Hilchos Melachim,

the Rambam explains that there is a relationship of

cause and effect between the removal of the obstacles and the generous flow

of divine beneficence: “There will be neither famine (lit., ‘hunger’) nor war,

neither envy nor competition, for good things will flow in abun

dance.”

For this relationship to be effective, not only must a man receive divine

blessings, but he must also be conscious of them. Otherwise, he may fall prey
to “envy and competition.” Furthermore, his envy might cause him to feel —

albeit in an allegorical sense

— “hunger”, a craving desire for his colleague’s

possessions which might ultimately lead to conflict.

For this reason, the Rambam emphasizes that in the Era of the Redemption,

“good things will flow in abundance and all the delights will be...freely
available.” The “good things” and the “delights” will be consciously appreciated

by their recipients

— for otherwise, these terms would be inappropriate. And

because of the manifold nature of these blessings, “there will be neither famine

nor w

ar, neither envy nor competition.”

Possessing Delights Without Being Possessed by Them

Being involved in material delights in the Era of the Redemption is, however,

somewhat problematic. At a time when humanity and the world at large will be

refined and elevated to a state of perfection, it is difficult to conceive that a

man would choose to invest his time in physical delights, matters that

the Rambamdescribes

as “meaningless nonsense.”

The Rambam reso

lves this difficulty by stating that the delights will be “as

freely available

as dust.” Although they will be accessible to man — and he will

partake of them for the sake of his health and physical welfare

— he will

consider them like “dust”, i.e., as being utterly worthless.

Though we will live

in an era of material prosperity, our attention will not be focused on it. Rather,
“the occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d.”

Imperfection in the Present Era

In Hilchos Teshuvah, in contrast, the Rambam

does not mention “delights”.

Since Hilchos Teshuvah describes a state in which man and the world at large

are still in need of refinement, an individual may not have cultivated himself to

e degree that he considers superfluous luxuries to be “as dust.” On the

contrary, there is the possibility that were he granted them, his involvement in

physical pleasures would even hamper his observance of the Torah and

itsmitzvos. Therefore, although the Rambam emphasizes that a person will

receive abundant divine blessings as a reward for past observance and as an

encouragement for observance in the future, these blessings will not

necessarily include “delights”.

Moreover, since the delights will not be possessed by everyone, the possibility

remains for “envy and competition,” which could lead in turn to “famine and
war.” Nevertheless, the Rambam assures us, although these undesirable traits

will exist in the world at large, G-d will prevent them from affecting those

individuals who devote themselves to the observance of the Torah.

Perfection in the Study of the Torah

As a result of the rich multitude of divine blessings in the Era of the
Redemption, “the occupation of the entire world

will be solely to know G-

d.”

This implies two concepts:
(a) Because “good things will flow in abundance and all the delights will
be...freely available,” a man will not have to work for his livelihood. In the

present era, in contrast, as the Rambam writes in Hilchos Talmud Torah:

Anyone who decides that he should engage in the study of Torah without

working and be supported by charity desecrates the Name of G-d.... It is most

meritorious for a person to derive his livelihood from his own labor.

Although it is proper to “minimize one’s business activity,”

the nature of our

environment is such that we are all required to devote a certain amount of time

to earning a livelihood. In the Era of the Redemption, in contrast, this will not

be necessary and we will be able to direct all of our energies to the study of

the Torah.

(b) More particularly, our energies will be

directed to “the knowledge of G-d.”

At present, our study of the Torah has many different objectives, most obvious

among them, a knowledge of how to perform the mitzvos. In the Era of the

Redemption our study of the Torah will have a single goal,

the knowledge of

G-d.

In that Era we will still observe the mitzvos; indeed, it is then that our

observance will attain perfection, as mentioned above. Nevertheless, since

nothing will disturb our Torah study, we will be able to learn how to observe

themitzvos perfectly in a relatively short time. Thereafter, our attention will be

devoted to the deeper dimensions of Torah study.

An Outpouring of Divine Knowledge

As the Rambam continues:

The Jews will therefore be great sages and know the hidden matters, and will

attain an understanding of their Creator to the [full]

extent of mortal potential;

as it is written,

“For the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the

waters cover the ocean bed.”

By quoting this prooftext,

the Rambam highlights the manner in which the

knowledge of G-d will permeate the world and the thought processes of every

individual person. To understand the simile: The vast variety of creatures that

live on the dry land are readily discernible as separate entities. A vast

multitude of creatures likewise inhabit the ocean. Nevertheless, when looking

at the ocean, what we see is the ocean as a whole and not the particular

entities which it contains.

Similarly, although in the Era of the Redemption the

world will continue to exist, individual creatures will lose consciousness of their

separate identity and will be suffused with the knowledge of G-d.

However, this state of being will not negate the world’s existence. On the

contrary, it will affirm the true existence of the world, for

“All the beings of the

heavens, the earth, and whatever is between them came into existence solely
from the truth of His Being.”

Aspiring to a Knowledge of G-d

In Tanya

it is explained that the future revelations of the Era of the

Redemption are dependent on our divine service in the present time of exile.

Since reward and punishment are structured according to the principle

“measure for measure,” our efforts to bring about the future revelation of a

universal knowledge of G-d should resemble, albeit in microcosm, the state to

be attained in that Era. Thus, to the fullest extent possible at present, our

energies must be directed towards gaining a knowledge of G-d. And this

endeavor will hasten the advent of the Era when that knowledge will permeate

the entire world.

May this goal be realized in the immediate future.

FOOTNOTES

[The following text examines questions such as: the place of an idyllic depiction of the Messianic age

in Rambam’s strictly legal work; the bond between physical health and spiritual wellbeing; grading the various
possible motivations for studying Torah; and the aspiration to “know G-d.” This discussion is adapted
from hadranim (“concluding discourses”) on Mishneh Torah which the Rebbe Shlita delivered in the years 5735

[1975] and 5745 [1985]. These discourses were first published in their fully documented and annotated Hebrew

editions as (a) Hadran [5735] al...Sefer Mishneh Torah LehaRambam (Kehot, N.Y.; 5750), and (b) Likkutei

Sichos:...Hadran [5745] al Sefer Mishneh Torah LehaRambam (Kehot, N.Y.; 5745). They have since reappeared,

together with other studies in a series of hadranim, as components of Kuntreis Shalmei Chagigah: Hadranim al

HaRambam (Kehot, Kfar Chabad; 5750).]

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 12:5.

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Teshuvah 9:1.

Op. cit., halachah 2. [See the above essay on “The Function of Mashiach,” where this theme is developed.]

Hilchos Teshuvah, loc. cit.; see also Hilchos Melachim 12:4.

Considering the above, we can understand why the Rambam chose to conclude the Mishneh Torah with a description

of the Era of the Redemption rather than with a description of the World to Come.

The Rambam (in contrast to the Ramban, whose view is accepted in the teachings of Chassidus) considers the World

to Come as the ultimate good and the most complete reward man will receive (see Hilchos Teshuvah 8:1-2, 9:2).

Nevertheless, he conceives of the World to Come as the world of the souls, a spiritual realm where it will be

impossible to observe the mitzvos. Therefore, as a conclusion to the Mishneh Torah, which is a text

of Halachah, Torah law, he chooses to describe the Era of the Redemption, the age when the observance of Torah

law and its effects in the world at large will reach their ultimate perfection.

Ch. 4.

Loc. cit., halachah 20.

This contrasts to Hilchos Teshuvah, where this relationship of cause and effect is not stressed. [In the Hadran of the

year 5735 which serves as the source for this passage, the Rebbe Shlitaaddresses himself to the difference between

the Rambam’s statements in both places.]

Hilchos Teshuvah 8:6.

In Hilchos Chametz U’Matzah 2:2, the Rambam writes that when renouncing our ownership of anychametz, we
should say that we consider it to be “like the dust of the earth,” because dust has no value whatsoever.

From the expression “the entire world,” and particularly from the contrast to the next clause of thehalachah which
specifies “the Jews,” it appears that this phrase includes gentiles as well. Since, as the Rambam quotes
in halachah 11:4, we will ultimately witness the fulfillment of the prophecy(Zephaniah 3:9), that “I will make the

peoples pure of speech so that they will all call upon the Name of G-d,” even non-Jews will be devoted solely to
seeking “the knowledge of G-d.”

3:10-11.

Avos 4:12; Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:8.

We see a parallel to this concept in the conclusion of Hilchos Teshuvah. There the Rambamspeaks of an all-

encompassing love for G-d that surpasses any other desire, even a desire for spiritual attainments such as securing for

oneself a portion in the World to Come.

These two concepts are interrelated, because studying Torah for the sake of the “the knowledge of G-d” will lead a

person to devote all of his energies to this goal and to seek no other occupation.

Hilchos Melachim 12:5.

This must be the Rambam’s meaning, for otherwise he would be simply stating the obvious, namely, that the potential

of mortals is limited.

Yeshayahu 11:9.

More particularly, the concept to be explained depends on the final words of the verse, “as the waters cover....”

Significantly, when quoting this verse in Hilchos Teshuvah 9:2, the Rambamomits the conclusion of the verse.

[See Hadran, 5735, for an explanation.]

Furthermore, in the context of the laws governing immersion in a mikveh, Tractate Mikvaos 6:7 cites the view of

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel that a sea-creature is not considered to be an intervening substance between a person

and the sea water. According to this opinion, not only do the creatures of the ocean appear to be of no account, but in

truth their essential nature does not really differ from its own. This further reinforces the concept which follows in the

text above.

Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 1:1.

Ch. 37.