A student wrote:
When I was in Israel this past summer, I spent a lot of time thinking about kibbutz galuyot and the days of Mashiach. However, I cannot help but wonder: how can we truly want and yearn for Mashiach when we have so many other things that we are busy with and things we look forward to? For instance, do we really want Mashiach to come when a sibling is getting married in a month? Or, on a lighter note, when the baseball playoff races are just heating up? Can we want Mashiach to come, but only at a convenient time when we don't have anything planned? My main question is: while we are all learning Torah and the ideal is to do this in Israel in the times of Mashiach, what will happen to all of what we have prepared and look forward to in this world?
This is a question which used to bother me a great deal. Is Mashiach going to come right after I graduate college, just at the right time for me to join all of klal yisrael on the eagle's wings on the date that I had planned to fly with Nefesh b'Nefesh? And, on the flipside, what if it doesn't? If it comes earlier, will I ever go to college? And if it comes later...?
The question has a basic assumption which is important to point out and break down: what is actually going to happen when Mashiach comes? What's that time period going to be like? How do we know?
The navi talks about the time that the wolf and the sheep will get along and play with each other, and that has become the most brilliant example of the peace which yemot hamashiach will bring about. But...what does that mean? Does it mean all nations will be at peace with each other? I hope so. Does it also mean the food chain stop and we'll all be vegetarians? Maybe. Does it mean every day will have perfect weather and we'll never need raincoats and umbrellas and somehow at the same time crops will grow beautiful produce? I don't see how that could be...
The Rambam doesn't like the idea of everything natural being suspended. He interprets the psukim in the navi which seem to indicate that as being allegorical. World peace between nations, yes. Peace between the wolves and the sheep? No.
What do you think about the Rambam's understanding, anonymous asker?
Do you agree with the Rambam's understanding?
In your view, will there be a playoff season?
1 comment:
Wow, a lot to say on this. For now, I'll just point out that with the Yankees on the brink of elimination, and Burnett on the mound, it seems like a pretty good time for Mashiach to come.
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