Each and every day, we focus on a dream whose realization our nation has been awaiting for close to two thousand years. The anticipation has reached a fevered pitch in recent years, following the announcement by the Lubavitcher Rebbe that the Era of Redemption is upon us and we must only increase in acts of goodness and kindness in order to be worthy to greet our redeemer.
Many wonder if there are any indications of Moshiach’s arrival. Does our generation seem any more Messianic than the ones which preceded it? Is the hand of G-d more readily visible today than yesteryear?
A person who is in the thick of the woods “can’t see the forest for the trees.” This is also true about the Redemption; the signs of Redemption are so apparent, and so much part of our lives, that many don’t even notice them.
The Talmud and Midrash are bursting with fantastic legends concerning the long-anticipated Messianic Era. It is safe to presume that in generations past many of these forecasts were viewed as implausible myths, the product of an overactive imagination. However, in the last century or so, many of these legends are no longer relegated to the realm of the impossible. In the generation before Moshiach’s arrival, G-d has allowed modern science to pave the way for that special day.
Let’s examine some of the Biblical prophecies and Midrashic statements concerning the Messianic Era:
– “Moshiach will teach Torah to the entire nation, from the wisest to the simplest.” Years ago this was inconceivable. How can one person, as great as he may be, teach Torah to millions of people? Today, with the plethora of media available to anyone, it is very easy to envision such a scenario. Telephones and wireless telephones, Radio and XM radio, TV and satellite TV, and most importantly the advent of the internet, make it easy for one person to communicate with the entire world. Moshiach, the consummate blogger – there’s a thought for you!
– In the Messianic Era “there will be no war or strife because all delicacies will be commonplace like dust.” In times bygone, a civilization didn’t exist which didn’t have droves of dirt-poor citizens who suffered constant malnutrition, and people dying of hunger wasn’t a rare occurrence. Today, in the United States, as well as many other developed countries, it has been demonstrated over a period of decades that no person must die of hunger. The average underprivileged person in today’s society is better off than the affluent person of the 1800s. There are tomatoes and cucumbers in his refrigerator whether it is winter or summer, his children can attend school, and his house is cool in the summer months. The system isn’t perfect – if it were we wouldn’t need Moshiach! – but we can already envision a day when indeed every person is cared for. The resources certainly exist, and we have the means of transporting them throughout the world, wherever they may be needed.
– “The [Jews] will fly [to Israel] on the heavenly clouds.” Another prophecy which certainly was considered mythical before the Wright Brothers nudged our world a little closer to Moshiach’s times!
A person who lived 150 years ago, if brought back to life today and witnessing the marvels which modern science has uncovered within G-d’s creation, would be certain that the Messiah has already arrived. Now it is time for us to wake up to this reality, and prepare ourselves for the special moment. Indeed, we will be the ones who will experience the fulfillment of the dream of the ages!
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