The messianic era

Found 5 Search results

1. "Kumi Ori"

   Haftarot: Ki Tavo

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   This haftara describes the replacement of the natural illumination of the world with divine-spiritual light - the light of God. The change will affect the righteous and the entire nation, as well as the attitude of other nations toward Am Yisrael, when everyone will be focused on recognizing God as the light of the world.

2. Ramban on Parshat Nitzavim - Transcending Free Will

   Rabbi Ezra Bick |

   In this shiur, we examine a famous, yet perplexing comment by Ramban on the description of the teshuva process detailed in Parashat Nitzavim. After the people repent and return to God, and God returns them to the Land of Israel, God will “circumcise the heart” of the people so that they will each follow God with full heart and soul. What does this phrase mean, and why does this stage appear AFTER the teshuva process? To answer this question, more questions arise as we explore concepts of desire, free will, moral vs. metaphysical perfection, and the true meaning of complete teshuva.

   Ramban posits that in the messianic era, it will be human nature to do good, without having to fight a simultaneous conflicting desire. But will there be any desire? What would it mean to be human without free will? Free will is a morally ideal state, but does it come at the expense of a metaphysically ideal state? Ramban’s vision of the future involves a state resulting from true teshuva: not only resolving to DO good, but to BECOME good. Once one becomes good, it is not as possible to choose to do evil, or to desire to do evil. The diminishing of conflicting desires comes from becoming good, and becoming close to God in a world with a greater manifestation of God’s presence. 

3. Does Teshuva Diminish Free Will?

   HaTanakh.com Staff

4. Zechariah 9-10

   Matan Al Haperek

   Rabbi David Sabato

   The first unit in perek 9 includes a prophecy about the cities of the enemy to the North (1-8). At the center of the perek we find a wonderful and unique vision of the future arrival of the king to Jerusalem, bringing peace to the entire world (9-10). The perek ends with the redemption of the nation and the ingathering of the exiles, and tells of the blessing and prosperity which will come to Israel (11-17).

   Perek 10 begins with the nation crying out to ask for rain from God, and not from the pagan gods (1-2). The bulk of the chapter is devoted to a prophecy of the victory of the house of Yehuda and the house of Yosef, which are compared to a war horse which defeats its enemies (3-7). In the last section (8-12) the ingathering of the exiles and the defeat of the superpowers, Assyria and Egypt, are described. 

5. Shavuot: Messianic Origins

   Rabbi Jay Kelman