Russia’s chief rabbi predicts the imminent coming of a Messiah

Interfax ^ | 09 August 2005

[jb6]

Moscow, August 9, Interfax - Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar believes the Earth will soon see the coming a Messiah to reward everyone according to his deserts.

‘We know that he (Messiah - IF) is very near at hand, but he needs not only to be born but also to come. The Messiah may well have been born already, but unless he is ordered by God he cannot reveal himself with God’s help and change the world for the better’, the rabbi said in an interview published by the Gazeta daily on Tuesday.

Lazar explained this assumptions about the imminent coming of a Messiah by the fact that “the world today is in a state described by our sages as ‘hevley mashiah’, that is, labour that precedes the coming of a Messiah’.

‘It is a time’, he explained, ‘when many good things are created in the world and the progress of science and technology has made it possible to solve many human problems, to overcome diseases, famine, etc., on one hand. On the other hand, it is for the first time since God created human beings that humans have taken hold of such means of destruction that the whole of our race and even the globe itself can be destroyed instantly’.

‘We are living on the verge of history; it can be felt everywhere’, Rabbi Lazar is convinced. Recalling the comparison made by philosopher Maimonides who likened the world to scales, Lazar assumed that ‘perhaps God is waiting for only one deed to be put on the good scale to order the Messiah to reveal himself’.

Speaking about it, Russia’s chief rabbi called upon everyone ‘to add this good deed as one’s contribution may prove decisive’.

[RightWhale]

The Grand Inquisitor would lock him up.

[Alouette]

HURRY UP PLEASE!

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel/Russian Jewry ping list.

Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.

[Alexander Rubin]

Are you sure the guy you're addressing is a Christian? What if he's a Hindu?

[Jeremiah Jr]

Yeshua being killed in the middle of the week..

Middle of the week = middle of a Shemita cycle. April 5, 30 C.E. / 16 Nisan 3790.

To determine which year is a shemita divide by 7, the last shemita year was 5761.

There is no 7 year tribulation, three and a half (time, times and half a time) for the Messiah and three and a half for the ruler.

Why Didn't The Red Ribbon on the Head of the Scapegoat Turn White in 30 C.E.?

Excerpt:

Nevertheless, it is essential that we examine this well-worn argument with which you were confronted. In Tractate Yoma 39b, the Talmud quotes a Baraisa1 that discusses numerous remarkable phenomena that occurred in the Temple during the Yom Kippur service. More specifically, the Talmud states that there was a strip of scarlet-dyed wool tied to the head of the scapegoat which would turn white in the presence of the large crowd gathered at the Temple on the Day of Atonement. The Jewish people perceived this miraculous transformation as a heavenly sign that their sins were forgiven. The Talmud relates, however, that 40 years before the destruction of the second Temple the scarlet colored strip of wool did not turn white. The text of the Talmud which missionaries quote states,

The Rabbis taught that forty years prior to the destruction of the Temple the lot did not come up in the [high priest’s] right hand nor did the tongue of scarlet wool become white . . . .

http://www.outreachjudaism.org/Yomkippur.html

[hosepipe]

AH... but is he coming back pissed off and loaded for bear..
-OR- as a wimpy love everybody RINO or tree hugger..

Thats the question..

[GestehenSieUndGibtAuf]

"obey his laws as best I can"

What if your obedience to his laws is not good enough?

Do have to obey the laws 10%,30%,70% or 90% what is enough and how do you know when you have been obedient enough? Does a bell go off at a certain number? ;-)

[tomahawk]

Ditto.

Our Mashiach is coming, the question is when.

[timsbella]

Excuse me, but the act of including a hyphen in the name of G-d shows reverence. Your attitude conveys disrespect.

More than a few Freeps have questioned me on this, and my reply is thus. In Hebrew text, the name of G-d is never written fully. Some Jews choose to carry this over into English. For myself, it helps me to be mindful of the creator.

We all pray to the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as did your Christ. We all agree that Moses brought the commandments down from Sinai. By virtue of the fact that we read this post, I think in our hearts we all agree we need to act as though time is short and G-d is more watchful than ever.

Christians and Jews mustn't quibble, we must hold together.

And with this, I wish you all a Good Shabbos (who posted there were no good Fridays? - they're ALL good).

Shalom und sei gesund,

Bella

[familyop]

Some nice people showed me the following, under "Writing the Name..." ...hope that helps.

http://jewfaq.org/name.htm

[familyop]

I could probably learn much from your patience and way with words, Alexander Rubin.

[timsbella]

And I must second these statements. As ever, well said.

[Alexander Rubin]

Well, then I must face the consequences. Can you do any better? Can you truly say you know the will of G-d better than I do?

Man can not presume to know the mind of the Lord, nor his essence.

Although, the bell would be nice. "DING! Congratulations. Your...mitzvot and good deeds quotient is now completed...Please prepare for heaven. Thank you, and have a nice eternity."

[Alexander Rubin]

Thank you. I strive to be the best man I can, and most of the time, I report mediocre success! Huzzah for adequacy! ;)

[Reborn]

Christians and Jews mustn't quibble, we must hold together.

AMEN!!! I am a Christian Zionist who agrees with this, and I believe that we should all be allowed to practice our beliefs without being FORCED to embrace anyone else's beliefs. Forced beliefs doesn't equal FREEDOM! When the Messiah comes, He will straighten it all out! :-) Alexander, your answers on here have been beautiful. Thank you for your compassion for the MUSLIM Christian ZEALOTS that will sometimes try to FORCE our beliefs upon you. And pray for them. IF it is by FORCE then it isn't by FREEDOM/LIFE/and LOVE, and therefore it isn't by G-d. :-)

[Alexander Rubin]

No problem. They're good people, and when you consider it, they really haven't done anything evil to me or others, and in fact, their intentions are good, and born out of a love of G-d; thus, it's my responsibility to be compassionate, to allow them the freedom of their beliefs,

The way I figure it, I am responsible for myself ultimately. Thus, my duty is to control my actions, not theirs, unless it affects others negatively. Which I don't believe it does. It might be irritating, but not harmful.

Now, if they are Islamofascist terrorists (and I do believe good Muslims exist, for the record, although I would caution that the Koran has some -seriously- disturbing passages and messages) and seek to destroy others, then it is all of our duty to stop them, any way we can, from destroying G-d's earth.

[newfreep]

Thanks familyop - I learned something today. I still feel it is more proper to write God and avoid the perception that one is ashamed to spell or say "God". That's just me, though.

Again, thanks for the link, my friend.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Dan 9:25 "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.....

>>>This was from the decree of Artaxerxes (Mar. 14, 445BC) in the book of Nehemiah (chapt 2) 173,880 days later and right on time Yeshua the Messiah rode into Jerusalem on the foal of an ass being proclaimed "King".<<<

Atraxerxes didn't dispatch angels. YHVH does. And, Yahshua announced his arrival and purpose in Luke chapter 4, which had nothing to do with a donkey ride, but everything to do with showing up on time, as per Nehemiah chapter ONE.

Daniel 9:23-25

23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Daniel's prayer in chapter 9 = Selichot, like here:

Mass Prayer Against Expulsion at Foot of Holy Temple Mount
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1460065/posts

Cf. Nehemiah 1:1-6

***

If anything is indicative of the timing of the Messiah's arrival, it'll be in the same pattern as set forth in Daniel 9, timed from the Selichot (forgiveness) prayers, or specifically as in Nehemiah's case (as explained in Dan 9:25), the prayers for the restoration of Jerusalem.

If Elijah is expected to return (regardless of whether one considers that a past event with John the Baptist, and/or a future appearance at Pesach), then so could Messiah. Whichever, it seems prudent to be on the lookout for events such as a

Mass Prayer Rally Against Expulsion Fills Jerusalem´s Old City

rather than what some Christian authors say. If they are unable to perceive from their own Scripture (the NT) that YHVH is one and not a man (who must necessarily worship himself if he is YHVH), then I am going to avoid anything they peddle.

Daniel 9:1-3

1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet (see below), that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Jeremiah 29:10-13

10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jewish worshippers gather during a prayer service at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005. Tens of thousands of opponents of Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, scheduled to start on Aug. 17, gathered for a prayer service at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews are permitted to pray. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Nehemiah 1:1-6

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.

[Lurking Libertarian]

What kind of a man would I be if I left my own faith and that of my fathers, and the faith of the Patriarchs, Moses, the Judges, the Prophets, the Kings and Jesus himself. ;) My duty to carry on tradition.

Amen!

[familyop]

"What if your obedience to his laws is not good enough? Do have to obey the laws 10%,30%,70% or 90% what is enough and how do you know when you have been obedient enough?"

Alexander Rubin can answer that better than I can. But IMO, a Christian cannot answer that for himself with regard to the topic of variations between Christian and Jewish beliefs adequately without self-study of quite a few original references (including at least several different bible translations).

I am not Jewish but am involved in the lifetime study of Christianity and Judaism (and in my own conversion). The study started with the New Testament. See, for example, the word errors in Hebrews 9:7 (King James), then read Hebrews 9:7-12.

Now look at the original Greek text for the word agnoema. ...unintentional sins. There were many other questions that I sought to find the answers to--for example, where Jesus started reciting laws to a man who asked him as to how to get to heaven. And there has been (and will be) much, much more study.

I've studied many of the documents and comments of the Church (Roman Catholic Church) "fathers."

Again, I've not even begun to be qualified to speak for Jews (much less rabbis). But the best that I can tell, so far, in Jewish scriptures (not only referring to "writings" here), redemption comes historically from sacrifice for sin (unintentional sins), repentance (the only way after intentional sins) and charity. G-d will determine as to who has done enough to have a place in the world to come (see disclaimer about me not having begun any formal study of Judaism), but people of any of several religions can possibly do it. Hopefully, some Jewish friends will correct/help me with that--especially on "sacrifice," as my study has far to go.

Trying to do what is righteous and studying much to find out seems to be a step in the right direction (which many Christian fundamentalists also believe to be true). ...enormous amount of study yet for me to learn more about all of that, but I want to find the truth for sure.

...hope that helps, with my past Christian insight (former Southern Baptist) and all. And BTW, I'm very much a believer and very conservative. ...just changing.

[familyop]

You're very welcome!