The 13 principles of Judaism. # 12: The Jewish Messiah

Maimonides explains that if a Jewish political leader possesses these three characteristics he has the potential to be the Mashiaḥ. He has to be 1. A ascendent of King David. 2. A role Model in Tora observance and teaching. 3. A man involved militarily in the wars of Israel (see here ).

 Now, when would be known for sure that this person is the actual Mashiaḥ?  Maimonides says: (MT, Melakhim 11:5) "If he succeeded [in the wars], and he builds the Bet haMiqdash in its place [the Temple mount, Har haBayit] and he brings back to Israel the remnants of the Jewish Diaspora, then we know that he is the actual Mashiaḥ.  But, if he did not succeed, or if he died, then we know that he was not the Mashiaḥ but another one of the righteous and good Monarchs of the House of David, who passed away. "

Obviously, and unlike Christianity, we don't believe in a Mashiaḥ that will die and then resurrect. Or that will be a son of God and a human female. (BTW, in the Tora  every Jew is explicitly described as a "son of God" . Deut. 14:1 says: banim atem laHaShem Elokekhem , "You are the children of HaShem your God"). 

Going back to the events which will prove the condition of theMashiaḥ, Maimonides says:  (Idem, 11:1). "The torah itself testifies to this Messianic promise when it says (Deut. 30:3-5) "God, will have mercy on you, and gather you [again from all countries where He has scattered you]. Even if you remnants  are at the ends of the heavens, HaShem your God will gather you and bring you from there. HaShem your God will bring you to the land that your fathers inherited. You will settle in it again, and He will make you even more prosperous and numerous than than your ancestors"

(to be continued...)

Ping-Pong, 11 years old Estee Ackerman, and a Jewish version of Chariots of Fire. 

READ   Devotion Wins Out,  from the NY Post

SEPHARDIC RABBIS: Refael Aharon ben Shimon (1847-1928)

As we said last week (see here) Rabbi Ben Shimon wrote many responsas about the new inventions of his time. As the highest authority in his community he had to pronounce a ruling on those issues. 

  

In a rare and exquisite passage in one of his responsa (oraḥ ḥayim , 8, p.23) of his book umiṣur debash, he was asked about the usage of matches (a new popular invention in those days) in Yom Tob. Before he build the case against or in favor of using matches in Yom Tob, he writes the following [my own, free translation]:

"What a difficult task is for a Rabbi today to answer this kind of questions. New inventions in all areas of life are so many in our generation... Human knowledge has increased through the investigation and the new discoveries of the principles of Creation, and with it, man's industrial and technical capabilities. Every day there are innovations which were inconceivable for our ancestors or even for our own elders. It is a very difficult task for a Rabbi to find the proper answers to questions about these new technological inventions. To determine, for example, if they could be used on Shabbat or Yom Tob.  Because it is very laborious to compare these new inventions with the elements mentioned in our holy Talmud [1500 years ago], which is the guide of our lives and the source for establishing what is permitted and what is forbidden. Only through a great patient effort, and with a clear and calm mind, and with enough available time--free from all other troubles--it will be viable to analyze these innovations and compare the classic principles with the new discoveries. Searching with candles every comparable detail which could be found in the Talmud --which is like a deep ocean-- to arrive, perhaps, to a practical conclusion and final ruling. And in addition to all this, once a conclusion is reached, one has to have a special merit to be spared from the critics, those whose expertise is to condemn, because they were trained to criticize arguments, and not to build them... "

Picture of Rabbi Refael Aharon ben Shimon

                               

AN EXCEPTIONAL MOMENT OF TRUTH 

AT THE U.N. DISCUSSING ISRAEL .

(Do not expect to see  THIS VIDEO in mainstream media...)

TEFILA: zoqef kefufim, the Rabbis' version of Homo Erectus

כשעומד מברך: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם, זוקף כפופים

When a person stands up straight --when he or she wakes up in the morning-- recites the blessing, zoqef kefufim,  "Blessed are You, HaShem our God, King of the universe, Who raises up those who are bowed down".

The words zoqef kefufim are found in Tehilim (146:8). There, King David praised God for helping the suffering righteous, out of His love for them.  HaShem defends them, feeds them, delivers them and among other things, He helps them to stand up (zoqef), when they are so exhausted, humiliated, troubled or oppressed that their bent backs (kefufim) can not stay straight.  

Also, in the famous Psalms, Tehila leDavid (145. aka, ashre yoshebe betekha) David haMelekh praises HaShem Who supports all those who are about to fall, and straightens up all those who are bent down, providing them food and sustenance.  

In birkot hashachar, the Rabbis used this Biblical expression, zoqef kefufim, and applied it beyond the concept of people who need God's help to come up from their suffering.  It is all of us who also use HaShem's help to stand up every morning. Following the idea of seeing God's intervention in every micro-activity we perform each morning, when we get out of our bed and stand erected on the floor we express our praise to HaShem saying this blessing. When sleeping, most people (see here)  adopt a fetal position, i.e.,  lying curled on one side with legs bent.  Therefore, we praise HaShem for the fact that we can stand in an erected position, which according to rabbi Hayim Palagge (yafe laleb), is one of the features that distinguish us, human beings, from animals.  

 Practical advise "How to get out of bed when you really can't"  from Wikihow.com