Beth HaDerech; Messianic Jewish Congregation, Toronto, Canada

Mashiach is coming – Get busy!

The great Torah commentator and philosopher, Don Yitzchak Abarbanel (1437-1508), who wrote three lengthy works about the Scriptural prophecies and our Sages; sayings concerning Mashiach and the Geula, writes in Yeshuot Meshicho (Jerusalem, 5753, p.104) that it is possible that Mashiach will be taken from this world and brought into the heavenly; Garden of Eden; continuing: You should not find it difficult [to understand] that the King Mashiach will be among those who arise in the Resurrection, quoting the above Talmudic passage (Sanhedrin 98b) as proof that this can be so. Here we see the same three stages of revelation, concealment and revelation. The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 11:3) says that the future Redeemer will be revealed, then concealed, then revealed again. This is quoted by Rabbeinu Bachayei and by the Chasam Sofer on the Torah (both at end of Parshas Shmot). The latter writes: This is a great test that the Redeemer is concealed [Moshe] . . . and so it will be at the time of our righteous Mashiach [that] he will be concealed after [his] revelation, as mentioned in the Midrash. So it is with our Maran Rabbeinu Yeshua HaMashiach whom came once to do the role of the Mashiach ben Yosef (the Suffering Servant, son of Yosef), and was hidden, soon to come back to us, bringing the final redemption, in the clouds of heaven as...