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’.

[bearsgirl90]

Tens of thousands of opponents of Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, scheduled to start on Aug. 17,

Is it "only a coincidence" this happens to fall right around Tisha B'Av?
I think not.

[WHBates]

And you infer from that what?

I'm sure your have the decoder ring and the rabbi does not?

Just want to know and I mean not disrespect.

[Happy2BMe]

PINGS

[familyop]

"If you don't mind my asking, how would accepting Jesus as Messiah betray your faith?

Additionally, what do you see as the scriptural conditions for the arrival of the messiah?"

I'm not really qualified to answer for others, PetroniusMaximus, but the following should help to answer that question. Compare them with your own Bible, if you like.

From Judaica Press Complete Tanach [Apologies to Jewish friends who would rather see another version cited, but the only other one that I know of is down for the coming day. And BTW, it's still early afternoon where I am. And everyone, have a good weekend!]

Thanks to chabad.org

Please don't deface or discard any of the content of the pages behind the following links.

Yeshayahu - Chapter 2 [Isaiah 2 - See 1-3]
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=15933

Yeshayahu - Chapter 11
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=15942

Yeshayahu - Chapter 42
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=15973

Yirmiyahu [Jeremiah] - Chapter 23
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16020

Yirmiyahu - Chapter 30
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16027

Yirmiyahu - Chapter 33
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16030

Yirmiyahu - Chapter 48
[See 47] http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16045

Yirmiyahu - Chapter 49
[See 39] http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16046

Yechezkiel [Ezekiel] - Chapter 38
[See 16] http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16136

Hoshea [Hosea] - Chapter 4
[See 4 and 5] http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16158

Michah [Micah] - Chapter 4
http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16190

Tzefaniah [Zephaniah] - Chapter 3
[See 9] http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16202

Zechariah - Chapter 14
[See 9] http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16218

Daniel - Chapter 10
[See 14] http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=16493

[OB1kNOb]

"And you infer from that what? I'm sure your have the decoder ring and the rabbi does not? Just want to know and I mean not disrespect."

Friend, you say I have the decoder ring and then you try to tell me you mean no disrespect? Forgive my scepticism.

I'm not inferring anything, I simply quoted Jesus. I think He spoke clearly enough for all to understand.

[SJackson]

"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?"

A short answer, regardless of their inflated egos, freepers don't get to judge. Bruising, I know.

Can you post after death, maybe I'll write a vanity.

[madison10]

I hate to tell this guy, but he's about 2,000 years behind the times.

He's not "behind the times" as a Jew. Christians believe the Messiah has come once & will come again. Jews believe the Messiah is yet to come. The Rabbi is in step with the Jewish belief.

[madison10]

uhhhh, it's spelled "God" without the hyphen.

It's not a hyphen...it's a blank space: G _D. Jews do not do speak, or write out the word of G-d Or Y-H It is too holy.

[familyop]

The reason that my answer was long (and most, including myself, agree that we don't get to judge), is that many Christians believe that there will be no judgement at all for them. There is also a canard floating around the Net stating that Jews in general don't believe in a world to come at all (besides the myth stating that Jews have to be perfect).

My purpose (with repeated disclaimer) was to convey various beliefs and study hints on the issue.

[L,TOWM]

I perceive, sir, that you - a devout G-d fearing Jew, with respect for Christian's and love for G-d - are a perfect candidate to become one of the 144,000.

[M. Espinola]

Tonight! Tonight would be wonderful.

[M. Espinola]

"It's not a hyphen...it's a blank space: G _D. Jews do not do speak, or write out the word of G-d Or Y-H It is too holy.It's not a hyphen...it's a blank space: G _D. Jews do not do speak, or write out the word of G-d Or Y-H It is too holy."

Correct.

[WHBates]

And your Quote was inferring what?

Sorry

Oh inscrutable One. I'm not questioning Jesus, I'm questioning you. Your the one that applied the reference, so apply it.

[Revolting cat!]

There is dozen or so Jesuses coming in across our southern border every day...

[Revolting cat!]

Last week I hired Jesus to mow my lawn.

[paulat]

"uhhhh, it's spelled "God" without the hyphen."

...uhhhh, are you really as ignorant as you appear?

[newfreep]

uhhhh....you really need to read all the posts before exhibiting such a lack of social skills.

[PetroniusMaximus]

***A short answer, regardless of their inflated egos, freepers don't get to judge. Bruising, I know.***


Your answer was just a little too short to be accurate. I don't believe GestehenSieUndGibtAuf was seeking to "judge" anyone (correct me if I'm wrong GestehenSieUndGibtAuf ) but obeying the injunction of the NT of calling people to judge themselves.

"But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment."

(Additionally, you'r rephrasing of the mantra "Who are we to judge" is a little 90's - don'tcha think!)

:)

[paulat]

uhhhh....you really need to read all the posts before exhibiting such a lack of social skills.

...uhhhh, I DID...I read through them all from people who are a lot kinder than I am. I thought your original "uhhhh" was incredibly rude and ignorant.

[Alexander Rubin]

Thank you. ;)