The Messiah part 3

The section of Talmud which I brought in part 2 could be the basis of hundreds of books. Let's look at some of the themes, and their Biblical backgrounds. We tend to lump things together that aren't necessarily connected; or are they? In the Torah itself, as I have stated, there are only veiled "hints" of the idea of Mashiach. In Jacob's blessing to his sons, he says of Judah "the scepter shall not depart from Judah...until Shiloh comes". (Genesis 49:10). Who, or what, is Shiloh? We know that it is a place about 20 miles north of Jerusalem. But is the verse speaking of a place...or a person? Furthermore, the word "Shiloh" can also be understood as a variant of "shelo" (his), thus rendering the verse "until he to whom it (the scepter) belongs shall come". It is thus rendered in the ancient Targumim (Jewish Aramaic translations of the Torah) as well as most modern Christian versions. We tend to read into that the idea of Mashiach, but the verse is actually quite enigmatic. If it DOES mean the Mashiach, all we can learn from it is that he will be a powerful ruler. The other Torah reference (possibly) is to be found in the words of the wicked sorcerer Bilaam.(Nuimbers 24):
17I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the foreheads of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18Edom shall be dispossessed;
Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
Israel is doing valiantly.
19And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
and destroy the survivors of cities!”
Again, the prophecy is of a military leader, who will bring death and destruction upon the Nations. Israel will rule the world! But nowhere is the word "Messiah" mentioned here. Nevertheless, a downtrodden people could see in this verse a future reversal of their portion. But nowhere do we see here a promise of light, love and spiritual redemption, which we generally associate with a Messiah. Interestingly, "A star from Jacob" inspired a second-century rebel against Roman rule, Rabbi Akiva was certain that this was the long-awaited Mashiach. He gave him the name "Bar Kochba" (son of a star). One of R. Akiva's colleagues said to him however "Akiva, grass will grow from your cheeks, and the Son of David will not yet have come". How could Rabbi Akiva make such a mistake? This will be discussed in a future installment.
Contrary to this, we have in the Prophets, especially Isaiah, a vision of a great and wise leader, who will bring peace and spirituality not only to Israel, but to the entire world. Can these visions be reconciled? And what of the prophets who talk about the "Day of the L-rd" in horrifying terms? (Amos 5)
18 Woe to you who long
for the day of the Lord!
Why do you long for the day of the Lord?
That day will be darkness, not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
and rested his hand on the wall
only to have a snake bite him.
20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light—
pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness?
21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
Are these sources speaking of the same event? We can easily see in the Talmudic passages from Sanhedrin that some of the rabbis yearned for Mashiach, while others dreaded his arrival. Can we put all of this together? Stay tuned.

The Messiah part 2

Nearly all rabbinic opinion about the Messiah is to be found in a few pages of the Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin. I am reproducing them here in their entirety. Please pay special attention to the vast differences of opinion inherent in these statements. In future posts, I will go into many of the details, their meanings and implications.
(Sanhedrin 97a)
'Thus hath R. Johanan said: in the generation when the son of David [i.e., Messiah] will come, scholars will be few in number, and as for the rest, their eyes will fail through sorrow and grief. Multitudes of trouble and evil decrees will be promulgated anew, each new evil coming with haste before the other has ended.'
Our Rabbis taught: in the seven year cycle at the end of which the son of David will come-in the first year, this verse will be fulfilled: And I will cause it to rain upon one city and cause it not to rain upon another city;2 in the second, the arrows of hunger will be sent forth;3 in the third, a great famine, in the course of which men, women, and children, pious men and saints4 will die, and the Torah will be forgotten by its students; in the fourth, partial plenty;5 in the fifth, great plenty, when men will eat, drink and rejoice, and the Torah will return to its disciples; in the sixth, [Heavenly] sounds;6 in the seventh, wars; and at the conclusion of the septennate the son of David will come. R. Joseph demurred: But so many septennates have passed, yet has he not come! — Abaye retorted: Were there then [Heavenly] sounds in the sixth and wars in the seventh! Moreover, have they [sc. the troubles] been in this order7 !
[Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord,' wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.]8 it has been taught, R. Judah said: in the generation when the son of David comes, the house of assembly9 will be for harlots, Galilee in ruins, Gablan lie desolate,10 the border inhabitants11 wander about from city to city, receiving no hospitality, the wisdom of scribes in disfavour, God-fearing men despised, people12 be dog-faced,13 and truth entirely lacking, as it is written, Yea, truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.14 What is meant by 'yea, truth faileth [ne'edereth15 ]'? — The Scholars of the School of Rab16 said: This teaches that it will split up into separate groups17 and depart.18 What is the meaning of 'and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey [mishtollel19 ]'? — The School of R. Shila said: He who departs from evil will be dubbed a fool by his fellow-men.20
Raba said: I used to think at first that there is no truth in the world.21 Whereupon one of the Rabbis, by name of R. Tabuth — others say, by name of R. Tabyomi — who, even if he were given all the treasures of the world, would not lie, told me that he once came to a place called Kushta,22 in which no one ever told lies, and where no man ever died before his time. Now, he married one of their women, by whom he had two sons. One day his wife was sitting and washing her hair, when a neighbour came and knocked at the door. Thinking to himself that it would not be etiquette [to tell her that his wife was washing herself], he called out, 'She is not here.' [As a punishment for this] his two sons died. Then people of that town came to him and questioned him, 'What is the cause of this?' So he related to them what had happened. 'We pray thee,' they answered, 'quit this town, and do not incite Death against us.'23
It has been taught: R. Nehorai said: in the generation when Messiah comes, young men will insult the old, and old men will stand before the young [to give them honour]; daughters will rise up against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. The people shall be dog-faced, and a son will not be abashed in his father's presence.
It has been taught, R. Nehemiah said: in the generation of Messiah's coming impudence will increase, esteem be perverted,24 the vine yield its fruit, yet shall wine be dear,25 and the Kingdom will be converted to heresy26 with none to rebuke them. This supports R. Isaac, who said: The son of David will not come until the whole world is converted to the belief of the heretics. Raba said: What verse [proves this]? it is all turned white: he is clean.27
Our Rabbis taught: For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself of his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left:28 the son of David will not come until denunciators are in abundance.29 Another interpretation [of their power is gone]: until scholars are few. Another interpretation: until the [last] perutah has gone from the purse. Yet another interpretation: until the redemption is despaired of, for it is written, there is none shut up or left, as — were it possible [to say so] — Israel had neither Supporter nor Helper. Even as R. Zera, who, whenever he chanced upon scholars engaged thereon [I.e., in calculating the time of the Messiah's coming], would say to them: I beg of you, do not postpone it, for it has been taught: Three come unawares:30 Messiah, a found article and a scorpion.31
R. Kattina said: Six thousand years shall the world exist, and one [thousand, the seventh], it shall be desolate, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.32 Abaye said: it will be desolate two [thousand], as it is said, After two days will he revive us: in the third day, he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.33
It has been taught in accordance with R. Kattina: Just as the seventh year is one year of release in seven, so is the world: one thousand years out of seven shall be fallow, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day,' and it is further said, A Psalm and song for the Sabbath day,34 meaning the day that is altogether Sabbath — 35 and it is also said, For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past.36
The Tanna debe Eliyyahu teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand there was desolation;37 two thousand years the Torah flourished;38 and the next two thousand years is the Messianic era,39

Sanhedrin 97b

but through our many iniquities all these years have been lost.1
Elijah said to Rab Judah, the brother of R. Salia the pious: 'The world shall exist not less than eighty five jubilees,2 and in the last jubilee the son of David will come.'3 He asked him, 'At the beginning or at the end?'4 — He replied, 'I do not know.' 'Shall [this period] be completed or not?'5 — 'I do not know,' he answered. R. Ashi said: He spoke thus to him, 'Before that, do not expect him; afterwards thou mayest await him.'6
R. Hanan b. Tahlifa sent [word] to R. Joseph: I once met a man who possessed a scroll written in Hebrew in Assyrian characters.7 I said to him: 'Whence has this come to thee?' He replied, 'I hired myself as a mercenary in the Roman army, and found it amongst the Roman archives. In it is stated that four thousand, two hundred and thirty8-one years after the creation the world will be orphaned.9 [As to the years following,] some of them will be spent in the war of the great sea monsters,10 and some in the war of Gog and Magog, and the remaining [period] will be the Messianic era, whilst the Holy One, blessed be He, will renew his world only after seven thousand years.' R. Abba the son of Raba said: The statement was after five thousand years.
It has been taught; R. Nathan said: This verse pierces and descends to the very abyss:11 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though he tarry, wait for him; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.12 Not as our Masters, who interpreted the verse, until a time and times and the dividing of time;13 nor as R. Simlai who expounded, Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink a third time;14 nor as R. Akiba who expounded, Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth:15 but the first dynasty [sc. the Hasmonean] shall last seventy years, the second [the Herodian], fifty two, and the reign of Bar Koziba16 two and a half years.17
What is meant by 'but at the end it shall speak [we-yafeah] and not lie?' — R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan: Blasted be18 the bones of those who calculate the end.19 For they would say, since the predetermined time has arrived, and yet he has not come, he will never come. But [even so], wait for him, as it is written, Though he tarry, wait for him. Should you say, We look forward [to his coming] but He does not: therefore Scripture saith, And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you.20 But since we look forward to it, and He does likewise, what delays [his coming]? — The Attribute of Justice delays it.21 But since the Attribute of Justice delays it, why do we await it? — To be rewarded [for hoping], as it is written, blessed are all they that wait for him.22
Abaye said: The world must contain not less than thirty-six righteous men in each generation who are vouchsafed [the sight of] the Shechinah's countenance, for it is written, Blessed are all they that wait lo23 [for him]; the numerical value of 'lo' is thirty-six. But that is not so, for did not Raba say: The row [of righteous men immediately] before the Holy One, blessed be He, consists of eighteen thousand,24 for it is written, it shall be eighteen thousand round about?25 — That is no difficulty: the former number [thirty-six] refers to those who see Him through a bright speculum, the latter to those who contemplate him through a dim one.26 But are there as many? Did not Hezekiah say in the name of R. Jeremiah on the authority of R. Simeon b. Yohai: I have seen the sons of heaven,27 and they are but few; if there are a thousand, I and my son are included; if a hundred, I and my son are included; and if only two, they are myself and my son? — There is no difficulty: the former number [thirty-six] refers to those who enter [within the barrier to contemplate the Shechinah] with permission; the latter [uncertain number] to those who may enter without permission.
Rab said: All the predestined dates [for redemption] have passed, and the matter [now] depends only on repentance and good deeds. But Samuel maintained: it is sufficient for a mourner to keep his [period of] mourning.28 This matter is disputed by Tannaim: R. Eliezer said: if Israel repent, they will be redeemed; if not, they will not be redeemed. R. Joshua said to him, if they do not repent, will they not be redeemed! But the Holy One, blessed be He, will set up a king over them, whose decrees shall be as cruel as Haman's, whereby Israel shall engage in repentance, and he will thus bring them back to the right path.29 Another [Baraitha] taught: R. Eliezer said: if Israel repent, they will be redeemed, as it is written, Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.30 R. Joshua said to him, But is it not written, ye have sold yourselves for naught; and ye shall be redeemed without money?31 Ye have sold yourselves for naught, for idolatry; and ye shall be redeemed without money — without repentance and good deeds. R. Eliezer retorted to R. Joshua, But is it not written, Return unto me, and I will return unto you?32 R. Joshua rejoined — But is it not written, For I am master over you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion?33 R. Eliezer replied, But it is written, in returning and rest shall ye be saved.34 R. Joshua replied, But is it not written, Thus saith the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nations abhorreth, to a servant of rulers,

Folio 98a

Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship?1 R. Eliezer countered, But is it not written, if thou wilt return,2 O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me?3 R. Joshua answered, But it is elsewhere written, And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times and a half' and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.4 At this R. Eliezer remained silent.
R. Abba also said: There can be no more manifest [sign of] redemption than this: viz., what is said, But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel, for they are at hand to come.5 R. Eleazar said: Than this too, as it is written, For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction.6 What is meant by, 'neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction?' — Rab said: Even for scholars, who are promised peace,7 as it is written, Great peace have they which love thy law,8 'There [shall] be no peace on account of the affliction.' Samuel said, 'Until all prices are equal.'9
R. Hanina said: The Son of David will not come until a fish is sought for an invalid and cannot be procured, as it is written, Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil;10 whilst it is written,11 in that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth.12
R. Hama b. Hanina said: The son of David will not come until even the pettiest kingdom ceases [to have power] over Israel,13 as it is written, He shall both cut off the sprigs14 with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches;15 and this is followed by, in that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people that is scattered and peeled.16
Ze'iri said in R. Hanina's name: The son of David will not come until there are no conceited men in Israel, as it is written, For then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride:17 which is followed by, I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall take refuge in the name of the Lord.18
R. Simlai said in the name of R. Eleazar, son of R. Simeon: The son of David will not come until all judges and officers are gone from Israel, as it is written, And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at first.19
'Ulla said: Jerusalem shall be redeemed only by righteousness,20 as it is written, Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.21
R. Papa said: When the haughty cease to exist [in Israel] the magi22 shall cease [among the Persians]; when the judges cease to exist [in Israel], the chiliarchi23 shall cease likewise. Now, 'when the haughty cease to exist, the magi shall also cease,' as it is written, And I will purely purge away thy haughty ones24 and take away all thy tin.25 'When the judges cease to exist, the chiliarchi shall cease likewise, as it is written, The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy.26
R. Johanan said: When you see a generation ever dwindling, hope for him [the Messiah], as it is written, And the afflicted people thou wilt save.27 R. Johanan said: When thou seest a generation overwhelmed by many troubles as by a river, await him, as it is written, when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him;28 which is followed by, And the Redeemer shall come to Zion.29
R. Johanan also said: The son of David will come only in a generation that is either altogether righteous or altogether wicked. 'in a generation that is altogether righteous,' — as it is written, Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever.30 'Or altogether wicked,' — as it is written, And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor;31 and it is [elsewhere] written, For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it.32
R. Alexandri said: R. Joshua b. Levi pointed out a contradiction. it is written, in its time [will the Messiah come], whilst it is also written, I [the Lord] will hasten it!33 — if they are worthy, I will hasten it: if not, [he will come] at the due time. R. Alexandri said: R. Joshua opposed two verses: it is written, And behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven34 whilst [elsewhere] it is written, [behold, thy king cometh unto thee … ] lowly, and riding upon an ass!35 — if they are meritorious, [he will come] with the clouds of heaven;36 if not, lowly and riding upon an ass. King Shapur [I] said to Samuel, 'Ye maintain that the Messiah will come upon an ass: I will rather send him a white horse of mine.'37 He replied, 'Have you a hundred-hued steed?'38
R. Joshua b. Levi met Elijah standing by the entrance of R. Simeon b. Yohai's tomb. He asked him: 'Have I a portion in the world to come?' He replied, 'if this Master desires it.'39 R. Joshua b. Levi said, 'I saw two, but heard the voice of a third.'40 He then asked him, 'When will the Messiah come?' — 'Go and ask him himself,' was his reply. 'Where is he sitting?' — 'At the entrance.'41 And by what sign may I recognise him?' — 'He is sitting among the poor lepers: all of them untie [them]42 all at once, and rebandage them together,43 whereas he unties and rebandages each separately, [before treating the next], thinking, should I be wanted, [it being time for my appearance as the Messiah] I must not be delayed [through having to bandage a number of sores].' So he went to him and greeted him, saying, 'peace upon thee, Master and Teacher.' 'peace upon thee, O son of Levi,' he replied. 'When wilt thou come Master?' asked he, 'To-day', was his answer. On his returning to Elijah, the latter enquired, 'What did he say to thee?' — 'peace Upon thee, O son of Levi,' he answered. Thereupon he [Elijah] observed, 'He thereby assured thee and thy father of [a portion in] the world to come.' 'He spoke falsely to me,' he rejoined, 'stating that he would come to-day, but has not.' He [Elijah] answered him, 'This is what he said to thee, To-day, if ye will hear his voice.'44
The disciples of R. Jose b. Kisma asked him, 'When will the Messiah come?' — He answered, 'I fear lest ye demand a sign of me [that my answer is correct].' They assured him, 'We will demand no sign of you.' So he answered them, 'When this gate45 falls down, is rebuilt, falls again, and is again rebuilt, and then falls a third time, before it can be rebuilt the son of David will come.' They said to him, 'Master, give us a sign.' He protested, 'Did ye not assure me that ye would not demand a sign?' They replied, 'Even so, [we desire one].' He said to them. 'if so, let the waters of the grotto of Paneas turn into blood;' and they turned into blood. When he lay dying he said to them, 'place my coffin deep [in the earth],

Sanhedrin 98b

for there is not one palm-tree in Babylon to which a Persian horse will not be tethered, nor one coffin in Palestine out of which a Median horse will not eat straw.'1
Rab said: The son of David will not come until the [Roman] power enfolds Israel2 for nine months, as it is written, Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.3
'Ulla said; Let him [The Messiah] come, but let me not see him.4
Rabbah said likewise: Let him come, but let me not see him. R. Joseph said: Let him come, and may I be worthy of sitting in the shadow of his ass's saddle.5 Abaye enquired of Rabbah: 'What is your reason [for not wishing to see him]? Shall we say, because of the birth pangs [preceding the advent] of the Messiah?6 But it has been taught, R. Eleazar's disciples asked him: 'What must a man do to be spared the pangs of the Messiah?' [He answered,] 'Let him engage in study and benevolence; and you Master do both.' He replied: '[I fear] lest sin cause it,7 in accordance with [the teaching of] R. Jacob b. Idi, who opposed [two verses] [viz.,] it is written, And, Behold, I am with thee, and 'will guard thee in all places whither thou goest:8 but it is written, Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed'9 — He was afraid that sin might cause [the nullification of God's promise]. Even as it was taught, Till thy people pass over, O Lord.'10 this refers to the first entry [into Palestine]; till thy people pass over, which thou hast purchased:11 this refers to their second entry. Hence you may reason: The Israelites were as worthy of a miracle being wrought for them at the second entry as at the first, but that sin caused it [not to happen].
R. Johanan said likewise: Let him come, and let me not see him. Resh Lakish said to him: Why so? Shall we say, because it is written, As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him,' or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him?12 But come, and I will shew you its like even in this world. When one goes out into the field and meets a bailiff,13 it is as though he had met a lion. When he enters the town, and is accosted by a tax-collector, it is as though he had met a bear. On entering his house and finding his sons and daughters in the throes of hunger, it is as though he were bitten by a serpent!14 — But [his unwillingness to see the Messiah] is because it is written, Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man [geber]15 with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?16 What is meant by 'wherefore do I see every geber?' — Raba b. Isaac said in Rab's name: it refers to Him to whom all geburah17
[strength] belongs.18 And what is the meaning of 'and all faces are turned into paleness?' — R. Johanan said: [This refers to God's] heavenly family [I.e., the angels] and his earthly family [I.e., Israel,] when God says, These [the Gentiles] are my handiwork, and so are these [the Jews]; how shall I destroy the former on account of the latter?19 R. Papa said: Thus men say, 'When the ox runs and falls, the horse is put into his stall.'20
R. Giddal said in Rab's name: The Jews are destined to eat [their fill] in the days of the Messiah.21 R. Joseph demurred: is this not obvious; who else then should eat — Hilek and Bilek?22 — This was said in opposition to R. Hillel, who maintained that there will be no Messiah for Israel, since they have already enjoyed him during the reign of Hezekiah.23
Rab said: The world was created only on David's account .24 Samuel said: On Moses account;25 R. Johanan said: For the sake of the Messiah. What is his [the Messiah's] name? — The School of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written, until Shiloh come.26 The School of R. Yannai said: His name is Yinnon, for it is written, His name shall endure for ever:27 e'er the sun was, his name is Yinnon.28 The School of R. Haninah maintained: His name is Haninah, as it is written, Where I will not give you Haninah.29 Others say: His name is Menahem the son of Hezekiah, for it is written, Because Menahem ['the comforter'], that would relieve my soul,

is far.30 The Rabbis said: His name is 'the leper scholar,' as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.31
R. Nahman said: if he [the Messiah] is of those living [to day], it might be one like myself, as it is written, And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governors shall proceed from the midst of them.32 Rab said: if he is of the living, it would be our holy Master;33 if of the dead, it would have been Daniel the most desirable man.34 Rab Judah said in Rab's name: The Holy One, blessed be He, will raise up another David for us,35 as it is written, But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them:36 not 'I raised up', but 'I will raise up' is said. R. Papa said to Abaye: But it is written, And my servant David shall be their prince [nasi] for ever?37 — E.g., an emperor and a viceroy.38
R. Simlai expounded: What is meant by, Woe unto you, that desire the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light?39 This may be compared to a cock and a bat who were hopefully waiting for the light [i.e., dawn]. The cock said to the bat, 'I look forward to the light, because I have sight; but of what use is the light to thee?'40

Folio 99a

And thus a Min1 said to R. Abbahu: 'When will the Messiah come?' He replied, 'When darkness covers those people.'2 'You curse me, he exclaimed. He retorted, 'it is but a verse: For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall shine upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.'3
It has been taught: R. Eliezer said: The days of the Messiah will last forty years, as it is written, Forty years long shall I take hold of the generation.4 R. Eleazar b. Azariah said: Seventy years, as it is written, And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king.5 Now, who is the one [uniquely distinguished] king? The Messiah, of course. Rabbi said: Three generations; for it is written, They shall fear thee with the sun, and before the moon [they shall fear thee], a generation and generations.6
R. Hillel7 said: There shall be no Messiah for Israel,8 because they have already enjoyed him in the days of Hezekiah. R. Joseph said: May God forgive him [for saying so]. Now, when did Hezekiah flourish? During the first Temple. Yet Zechariah, prophesying in the days of the second, proclaimed, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, thy king cometh unto thee! he is just, and having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.9
Another [Baraitha] taught: R. Eliezer said: The days of the Messiah will be forty years. Here it is written, And he afflicted thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna;10 whilst elsewhere it is written, Make us glad, according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us.11 R. Dosa said: Four hundred years. It is here written, And they shall serve them,' and they shall afflict them four hundred years;12 whilst elsewhere it is written, Make us glad, according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us. Rabbi said: Three hundred and sixtyfive years, even as the days of the solar year, as it is written, For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redemption is come.13 What is meant by 'the day of vengeance is in mine heart'? — R. Johanan said: I have [so to speak] revealed it to my heart, but not to my [outer] limbs.14 Abimi the son of R. Abbahu learned: The days of Israel's Messiah shall be seven thousand years, as it is written, And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.15 Rab Judah said in Samuel's name: The days of the Messiah shall endure as long as from the Creation until now, as it is written, [That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give to them,] as the days of heaven upon the earth.16 R. Nahman b. Isaac said: As long as from Noah's days until our own, as it is written, For this is as the waters of Noah, which are mine, so I have sworn etc.17
R. Hiyya b. Abba said in R. Johanan's name: All the prophets prophesied [all the good things] only in respect of the Messianic era; but as for the world to come 'the eye hath not seen, O Lord, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.'18 Now, he disagrees with Samuel, who said: This world differs from [that of] the days of the Messiah only in respect of servitude to [foreign] powers.
R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in R. Johanan's name: All the prophets prophesied only for repentant sinners; but as for the perfectly righteous [who had never sinned at all], 'the eye hath not seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.' Now he differs from R. Abbahu, who said: The place occupied by repentant sinners cannot be attained even by the completely righteous, for it is written, Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near:19 thus, first he that is 'far off', then he that is 'near'. Now what is meant by 'far off'? — originally far off;20 and what is meant by 'near'? — originally near [and still so].21 But R. Johanan interprets: 'him that is far off' — that is [and has been] far from sin; 'him that is near' — that was near to sin, but is now far off.
R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in R. Johanan's name: All the prophets prophesied only in respect of him who marries his daughter to a scholar, or engages in business on behalf of a scholar,22 or benefits a scholar with his possessions; but as for scholars themselves, — 'the eye hath not seen, O God, beside thee etc.' What does 'the eye hath not seen' refer to? — R. Joshua b. Levi said: To the wine that has been kept [maturing] with its grapes since the six days of Creation. Resh Lakish said: To Eden, which no eye has ever seen; and should you demur, Where then did Adam live? in the Garden. And should you object, The Garden and Eden are one: therefore Scripture teaches, And a river issued from Eden to water the garden.23

There you have it. Please look it over. Let me reiterate the view of RAMBAM, that these things are simply the views of individual rabbis, and there is no tradition of what is to be.To be discussed.

The Messiah part 1

As I have stated before, there is almost no topic about which there is only one Jewish view. Does Judaism make belief in a Messiah a cornerstone of its ideology? Then why is it not mentioned specifically in the Torah? There are several places that hint at the idea, but all of these are subject to interpretation. But, if it is an Article of Faith, why is it not spelled out? To be sure, it is in the Prophets, but there are apparently wide differences in their understanding of what, exactly, this means. Even in the Talmud, this concept only takes up about 1/2 of one percent of the discussions; somewhat more if we interpret the expression "Olam HaBa" (the World to Come) as pertaining to the Messianic era, rather than life after death (as is RAMBAM's position). Is the Messianic Era the same as the Messiah? We find differing views among the rabbis of the Talmud. One view is that he already came, and was non other than King Hezekiah. This view is rejected by the others, but they do not agree as to who he will be, and what is the nature of his mission. RAMBAM says that we do not know, and that each rabbi in the Talmud was merely giving his own interpretation of Scripture. At that time, he warns us against aggadah in this and other areas. RAMBAM's view of the Messiah, along with some of the rabbis of the Talmud, is of a very human one, who will fight the battles of HaShem and usher in an era of peace and prosperity. Israel will be restored to her Land, and the Temple will be rebuilt. In fact, he makes this the sign that a person is actually the Messiah, although he gives some other signs that the person MIGHT be the Messiah..Will this era be forever, or only a temporary "Golden Age"? Will he be a "super rebbe"; a spiritual leader who will make all aware of the presence of G-d? (this is the apparent meaning of many of the verses in Isaiah) Or will he be a fierce warrior, exacting vengeance on the Nations for thousands of years of hate and persecution? Will we have a world that is fundamentally changed, or which simply has taken a different and better direction? Are we to await his arrival every moment, or, as RAMBAM says, believe that these things will come to pass at some, unspecified, time in the future? What is Mashiach ben Yosef? (Messiah Son Of Joseph) who is never mentioned in Scripture, and only fleetingly mentioned in Talmud? We seek him in vain in the writings of RAMBAM. Is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah to be identified with the Messiah? Is the Messiah an actual person, or a process? All of these views are expressed in our sources. Can we ever say anything definitive about a concept, as opposed to  a halachah? I bristle when I find people writing "it is widely accepted". By whom, and on what basis? What is clear in all Jewish sources is that the Messiah will be human, not a Divine being. What I will NOT do in this series is debate non-Jewish concepts of the Messiah, which are clearly Hellenistic ideas which were "read in" to our sources. I hope to clarify all of the above questions, as fairly and objectively as I possibly can.

All Rabbis are NOT Created Equal part 6

The original formula for ordination consisted of the phrase "Yoreh Yoreh, Yadin Yadin" (shall he rule in cases of permissibility and non-permissibility? He shall rule. Shall he judge Jewish criminal and civil law? He shall judge." This formula was maintained in the "new" ordination of the fourteenth century. Eventually, in places that needed a rabbi for purely halachic rulings, with issues of damages and debts being adjudicated in the courts of large cities, ordination of Yoreh Yoreh alone was often given. After a period of general Talmudic study, the candidate would be taught one area of ritual law, usually the laws of Kashrut, which are very complex. Once the candidate could successfully navigate the ins and outs of this area, it was felt that he could, on his own, continue learning and apply the same principles to other areas. This system still exists in Orthodox circles. Most Orthodox rabbis have Yoreh Yoreh smichah, while the more accomplished students also receive Yadin Yadin. It is important to understand that even a rabbi with Yoreh Yoreh has only been trained in one area of halachah, and may have continued on his own...or may not have. Your local Orthodox Rabbi (LOR) may be only barely competent. Communities may accept this status, if they are confident in his integrity that he will bring any questions that arise to an expert. In Israel, the standards for smichah under the auspices of the Chief Rabbinate are far higher, with the candidate required to be be tested in many areas of Jewish law.In the early twentieth century, qualified rabbis were few and far between in the United States. Many communities lacked any kind of Jewish leadership. Prominent rabbis began to issue a sort of honorary smichah, with the title "Rav U'Manhig" (rabbi and leader). No authority to rule in Jewish law was implied. But the candidate was seen as having sufficient knowledge to guide an unlearned community, bringing real questions to more qualified rabbis. As I pointed out in my first installment in this series,  smichah was classically granted by a respected rabbi, with the Yeshiva only giving a preliminary ordination, pending a period of internship, culminating in a recognized ordination. However, this became reversed in twentieth-century America. Rabbis were giving ordination as a favor, or sometimes even for money. There were, to be sure, great rabbis who only ordained students after rigorous testing, but not all were so honest. More and more, the Orthodox community turned away from accepting private ordination, and sought only musmachim (ordainees) of bona fide institutions. Institutions also differed greatly in their standards. One can hear that someone had received smichah from a "good" yeshiva, or one that was "not so good". The problem became worse in the mid and late 1960s, with many "mushroom yeshivot" springing up, with their primary purpose being the evasion of the military draft Many of these automatically gave a smichah after a few years, in many cases without the necessity of the candidate even attending classes. How is a congregation of laymen to know? For this purpose, there is a professional organization called the Rabbinical Council of America. I have many qualms about that organization, but it has served to insure that congregations turning to them for guidance in choosing a rabbi, will get someone who has a decent, if not spectacular, level of knowledge and integrity. Unfortunately, it is run by the same people who run Yeshiva University. Their musmachim are automatically members. Graduates of other Yeshivot need to "know somebody" to get in. So, when we hear someone referring to himself as a "rabbi", we must know if he actually has received ANY smichah, and, if he has, from whom? Has the smichah been granted by a recognized institution? If it is private, on what basis did he receive it? Is it only honorary? Was he tested? Did he purchase it? Most congregations will no longer employ a rabbi without an institutional smichah. But there are outlying, small communities that have no choice. Beyond that, there are "seminaries" in which one can get ordained after a two-week course. This phenomenon is not found in Orthodox communities, but is quite common in small non-Orthodox communities that cannot afford a trained rabbi. There are, however, Orthodox online seminaries, of differing degrees of serious learning. Many of these "rabbis" are making it up as they go along. Still worse, are those "rabbis" ordained for free online by the Universal Life Church. Many of them aren't even Jewish. Charlatans are being exposed and "weeded out", but we have a long way to go. Next, I will discuss the situation of "online rabbis". Stay tuned.

All Rabbis are NOT Created Equal part 5

I have already discussed the ideologies of the various non-halachic forms of Judaism in my series "Orthodox and non-Orthodox Judaism". These differing ideologies produced many new concepts of what is a rabbi, as well as great differences in their training. As we have seen, Reform, from its inception, largely rejected the ritual commands of the Torah, stressing the ethical laws only. It also, from the 1700s to the 1930s, tried to mimic Christian styles of worship, and make religion a private matter. Classical Reform even went so far, in many places, as to adopt a Sunday Sabbath! Rabbis' training was primarily in Bible from a historical and archaeological perspective, as well as history, with a smattering of Talmud. Great emphasis was placed on formal philosophy, both Jewish and non-Jewish. The ideas of religious philosophers were greatly emphasized. Rabbis and congregations had great leeway in deciding what they would or would not observe. Since the 1930s, Reform has become ever more inclusive of traditional Jewish ideas and values, albeit not as obligatory halachah. Reform rabbinical schools, since that time, have included more study of Talmud, as well as at least an overview of halachah. There are even classes on Kabbalah and Hasidism. When they reject the observance of one law or another, they now attempt to at least present some Jewish explanation. In my experience with rabbis of various kinds, I have generally found Reform rabbis much more open to considering and discussing Orthodox and Hasidic ideas than Conservative rabbis. They are not committed to the idea that only THEY have it right. I have often been asked to address Reform congregations and groups, and have been warmly received. Although they do not observe anything like I do, they are generally open to new ideas. One must remember, however, that although Reform is open, it gives no place to the sense of obligatory observance that more traditional Jews have. The rabbi, then, is NOT the arbiter of law. Reform rabbis have little training in halachah, and only a smattering of Talmud. They would, in no way be considered rabbinically qualified from an Orthodox perspective.
Conservative is another story. It has its roots in the German Wissenscahft school, The emphasis was clearly on history and the development of ideas, rather than on the ideas themselves. The Conservative rabbinate is, in my experience, very elitist. They are convinced that only they have the answers, with Reform and Orthodox hopelessly chasing their tails. Rabbinical studies are primarily on the study of Bible and how it evolved, and the in-depth study of Talmud; not in terms of its contents, but rather the underlying social and political currents that formed it. One twentieth-century Conservative scholar, who felt that they had actually gone too far in this, quipped: "if you want to know what Abayei (third century) said, go to Yeshiva University. If you want to know what he wore, come to us". Since the 1950s, and much more so since the 1980s, Conservative rabbis have used this idea of historical development not only as hindsight, but as foresight. If we are seeing Judaism as the result of historical development, we can further that development by making new laws and practices, declaring even Biblical laws as no longer being applicable, due to shifting social norms. One much more traditional scholar of my acquaintance, who was on their Committee for Laws and Standards, would often say derisively "OK, what are we abolishing today?" In the field, there are many different types of Conservative rabbis. Some are more didactic. Some are more social-conscience oriented. Some are very political. Some are genuinely spiritual. Some are defenders of Tradition. In smaller, outlying communities, Conservative rabbis must also accommodate Orthodox Jews, too few in number to form their own synagogues. In these places, Conservative is barely distinguishable from Orthodox. There is a huge spectrum of beliefs and practices, some very close to Orthodox, some very close to Reform. Alas, those trained in the recent two decades are likely to see all religions as of equal value, with our preference for Judaism being merely cultural. Many remain traditional, to one degree or another. Whereas Reform has been moving over the last decades closer to the Right, Conservative has been drifting more to the Left. Although I have met Conservative rabbis who were open to discussion, this has been the exception rather than the rule. There is, in my opinion, an exaggerated concept of "Hasagat Gevul" (Literally, invading borders, essentially "turf") that bristles at other rabbis or groups trespassing on what they feel is their territory. Conservative has, in the last 40 years, gone from the largest faction in American Jewry to the smallest. Why this is so is subject to interpretation. The most common explanation is that in the mid-twentieth century, there was a generation that had grown up with at least the trappings of traditional Judaism, that sought a happy compromise between being Jewish and being a modern American. A generation later, Jewish tradition had mostly been forgotten, and was seen as irrelevant.
In my next installment, I shall deal with new concepts and practices of ordination in the Orthodox community, including "honorary" ordination. Is it a good or a bad thing? I will also touch upon the scandalous subject of purchased ordination. Next time!

All Rabbis are NOT Created Equal part 4

As Hasidism spread through Eastern Europe, it developed into many different shapes, both in form and substance. I have described elsewhere many of these differences. But one thing that stands out is the divergent approach to rabbinic leadership. For the  first two generations, in the mid 18th century, until the early 19th century, things were pretty much as I described in my previous post. Dynasties of rebbes came in after this, largely established by willful tampering with texts in 1814. In some cases, these were amazing individuals, each preserving the unique insights and approaches of their for-bearers. Some, on the other hand, were quite ordinary men, doing their best to maintain the communities their ancestors had founded. Often, after a Rebbe's death, all of his sons, and many of his close students, would become rebbes in their own right; some scrupulously continuing their groups direction, some boldly founding new directions. In the third generation of leadership, the geographic center of Hasidism had moved from the central Ukraine to Galitzia; a large section of Poland, much of which now comprises the Western Ukraine. The Rebbes of Galitzia founded a number of unique forms of Hasidism. But they were all characterized by great figures who were intimately concerned with the lives of their followers. Often, they would travel the countryside, seeking out those in physical or spiritual need. They would encourage, uplift, and even raise money for those in distress. They were, in essence, the souls of their communities. They were always available to those in distress, feeling their pains as well as their people's joys. Often, they were known and loved by their personal names, with few, if any, rabbinic titles. Further east, in Ukraine, where the movement started, the picture was not nearly as rosy. There were, to be sure, great men among the rebbes, but something sinister had come in. Some rebbes gained, or inherited, their own "turf", covering vast areas of land. Other rebbes living in those areas were under their power and control. A challenge to their authority, or a show of independent thinking, could lead not only to strife, but even to violence. Many of these men were no longer spiritual heads, but more like strongmen, maintaining their positions through fear and intimidation. The wealthy  supported them financially. In return, there were many marriages between the children of rebbes and the children of the wealthy. I want to stress again that there were many exceptions to this trend, but a trend it was. This is the background to the fierce persecution of the Breslover Hasidim from the 1820s on. While the view of the people towards the Galitzian rebbes was one of a friend, confidant and father, the Ukrainian rebbes were mostly seen as wielders of both spiritual and worldly power. In White Russia,Chabad was the predominant form of Hasidism. The rebbes of Chabad did not outwardly show exuberance as their colleagues in Ukraine. Rather, they were medittative, contemplative, and concerned with connection to G-d, and committed to an inner struggle of each person's conquest of good over evil. As the movement was very large, each individual Hasid had little personal contact with the rebbe. A system of "mashpi'im" ("influencers") arose, where more spiritually advanced Hasidim were available to the public for guidance in all matters, with only major issues referred to the rebbe, who became sort of a Moses figure. The first Chabad Rebbe had even written a book, the Tanya, that outlined the spiritual struggles of a person, and how to deal with them. He writes in his introduction that those who know, must help and guide those who don't. He even criticizes those Hasidim who go to rebbes with mundane problems. Upon his death in 1812, a great dispute arose as to whether a new rebbe was needed. Although the first two rebbes of Chabad dealt primarily with a spiritual elite, the third generation saw a reaching out to the larger community, for which Chabad became famous ever since. Already in the mid-nineteenth century, they were training Hasidim to go out to distant areas in order to guide the often neglected common people. In Hungary, a very different leadership arose. Hasidism arrived late in Hungary, roughly at the same time as Reform. The hostility between the Hasidim and their opponents, so rampant in other areas, did not occur there, as they faced a common "enemy", in the shape of those who wished to redefine Judaism. Hasidism was seen not as a revolution against the old forms, but as a nuanced variation on a theme. In fact, most Hungarian rabbis simply became rebbes when Hasidism came in. But they were a different kind of rebbe. They were self-deprecating. They were opposed to any near deification by their followers. They were sharing the communities' problems and concerns. They were examples to their followers of how to keep themselves Jewish in the same way their ancestors were, despite a rapidly changing world. They embodied, as it were, the community! In Hungarian Hasidic circles, the emphasis is on community rather than the rebbe. He is respected, but not taken over-seriously. It is well known that there was a great deal of hostility between the rebbes of Satmar and Lubavitch. Although some of it was politics, at the heart was their feeling that the Chabad rebbes had allowed too much of a personality cult to arise. A very telling story illustrates this beautifully. At a public gathering, a young man went up to Rabbi Yoel, the Satmar Rebbe, and told him that he had noticed that the Rebbe had neglected to say a blessing after a cup of tea. The Satmar Rebbe smiled, and said thank you, but I said the blessing quietly. A prominent rabbi who was present, protested the young man's impertinence. The Rebbe said "No, this is what I want. I don't want them to say I'm infallible. If they do, they will soon say my table is the altar, they will put a pig on it and call it a sacrifice, and say I am the High Priest".I was privileged to have had several audiences with both the Lubavitcher and Satmar Rebbes. The greatness of each is embedded in my mind, as well as the vast differences. All of these differences can be seen reflected in the modern rabbinate. There are loving father figures, no-nonsense enforcers, those who maintain a  community's local tradition at all costs, and those who demand obedience and respect.I will now turn to the coming of Reform. The difference in the understanding of the place of a rabbi in non-Orthodox Judaism will be my next installment.