Moshiach – The Ultimate Coach

QUESTION: I am a a Jew from Melbourne Australia who strongly believes in the moshiach. My question is, what will happen when moshiach comes? Will the world light up? Will we be able to see G-d all of a sudden? I am aware of the fact that Moshiach will gather in the exiles to Eretz Yisrael but what will be the initial ‘practical’ effect of moshiach in more down to earth terms? This question has always bothered me so if you could answer it I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your time and effort.

ANSWER: A truism which has been heard quite frequently in recent times, is that the more we see the world changing, the more the world seems to have remain the same. Alongside, and often due to, the strides made in the scientific arena and all the improvements it has made for our existence there is an equal movement in the opposite direction: Things are getting worse than ever before. Reading the newspapers and magazines, looking around our own neighborhoods, we are witness to a tremendous upheaval in our society.

But this is the state of affairs the way it is now – before Moshiach. But with the coming of Moshiach, Maimonides, one of the greatest Jewish authorities of all time, writes there will be no more jealousy, no more hate, no more conflict between peoples, no more wars among nations, no more friction between the different races and ethnic groups. People will find peace and harmony not only with others but also within themselves. No more inner turmoil.

Sounds like a dream world? How does this tremendous change of nature occur?

Every person, Judaism teaches us, is in essence good. All the negativity that we associate with the human condition is not the real us; they are a result of all the external influences, including the suffering and hardship we endure. All of this conceals the innate goodness which comes from within. When Moshiach will come G-d will enable us to remove the external cover so that our true inner goodness will be allowed to surface. Hate, jealousy, laziness; arrogance, anger among all other human frailties which are in essence mere additions to our core of humanity will disappear as we are given opportunity to express our real essence.

G-d will likewise eliminate illness and hunger, all the inherent goodness in nature will surface in all areas of life, in fact the world will realize the ultimate reason for which it was created, any sensible person believes that G-d’s world was not indented for all the pain and suffering which we’ve experienced is the past, and indeed Judaism has taught us that what has transpired from creation until the present, is all part of a process. As the student who goes to school, stays up all night studying, takes the exams, and all this while trying to cope emotionally and socially with life, for the ultimate purpose of getting a degree, which will enable the graduate to make it in life, similarly all the suffering now, is only part of a process which will become clear when Moshiach comes.

The peace and harmony we will experience then, is a manifestation of a more g-dly state which will prevail. All of mankind will recognize that G-d is the creator who put all of us in this universe to fulfill his or her purpose. And then we will have the ability to appreciate, and have the desire to fulfill, that purpose. And there could be no greater feeling of achievement and fulfillment, then the knowledge that one is living up to the purpose for which he or she was created. There can be no more profound feeling of satisfaction then one’s own legitimization — that I belong, that I have a purpose, and that I live up to that purpose. The hope for Moshiach is the hope to realize our G-d given potential. And that is the hope of all hopes.

QUESTION: I am a a Jew from Melbourne Australia who strongly believes in the moshiach. My question is, what will happen when moshiach comes? Will the world light up? Will we be able to see G-d all of a sudden? I am aware of the fact that Moshiach will gather in the exiles to Eretz Yisrael but what will be the initial ‘practical’ effect of moshiach in more down to earth terms? This question has always bothered me so if you could answer it I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your time and effort.