Why Believe in a Messiah?

Summary

This video explores why belief in Moshiach (the Messiah) is central to Jewish faith by addressing the philosophical problem of evil in the world. The speaker explains that God, being entirely good, did not intend for the world to remain in its current state of suffering and evil. Instead, God’s ultimate plan involves a perfect, redeemed world (the world of Moshiach) where evil, sickness, and crime no longer exist. However, this perfect world must be earned rather than given freely, a concept called “bread of shame” (lechem shemalka).

The speaker emphasizes that by living through struggle, overcoming pain, and seizing opportunities in our current world, we participate in earning the future world of Moshiach. When that redemption comes, the extraordinary benefits and pleasure will be so profound that all past suffering will fade into insignificance—just as the Jewish people’s 210 years of Egyptian slavery were condensed into just four verses of Torah compared to the extensive account of the Exodus itself.

The video concludes by noting that every positive action, mitzvah (commandment), and good deed performed today is recorded and preserved, awaiting the time of Moshiach’s arrival. This reinforces the idea that our current efforts contribute meaningfully to the eventual redemption.

Key Takeaways

• The existence of evil and suffering in the world is explained through the concept that God intends to create a perfect world, but humans must earn it rather than receive it undeserved (bread of shame)
• The redemptive world of Moshiach will be so extraordinary that past suffering will be rendered insignificant by comparison
• Every positive action and mitzvah performed today is preserved and contributes toward the future redemption
• The disproportionate biblical focus on the Exodus versus Egyptian slavery demonstrates how redemption overshadows and diminishes the memory of prior suffering
• Belief in Moshiach provides theodicy—a framework for reconciling God’s goodness with the apparent evil and suffering in our current world

Key Questions Addressed

• Why does a good God allow a world filled with evil, suffering, and struggle?
• What is the purpose of the current imperfect world if God intends to create a perfect one?
• Why is the concept of Moshiach central to Jewish belief?
• Why does the Torah devote disproportionately few verses to the slavery in Egypt compared to the Exodus?
• How do our actions today relate to the future redemption?

Keywords

Moshiach, Messiah, Redemption, Evil, Suffering, Theodicy, Bread of Shame (Lechem Shemalka), Perfect World, Mitzvot, Exile, Exodus, Egyptian Slavery, God’s Goodness, Jewish Faith, Torah