What is the significance of the year 6000 in the Jewish calendar?
By Baruch S. Davidson
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Question:
I heard from a rabbi that the year 6000 will be the last year, the year when Moshiach will arrive and usher in the redemption. I thought we do not know when the "last" year will be, so why this prediction?
Answer:
The Talmud tells us that this world, as we know it, will last for six thousand years, with the seventh millennium ushering in the cosmic Shabbat, the Messianic Era. Six days a week we work, and on the Shabbat we rest and enjoy the fruits of our labor; the same is true with millenniums.
However, it is certainly possible for Moshiach to come earlier. And we believe, hope, and pray each day that this is the day when Moshiach will come. This is also analogous to the weekly Shabbat, which we have the prerogative of ushering in early on Friday afternoon (click here for more on this topic).
So yes, we don't know exactly when Moshiach will come, but we do know that it will be before the year 6000. (Currently, as I write this response, we are in the year 5768 [2007-8].)
I would only like to add that the anticipation of Moshiach's arrival at any moment has considerably heightened in recent years in light of the pronouncement by the Lubavitcher Rebbe that Moshiach's arrival is very very imminent!
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I think of the writing down of Torah by men in this way: Say there was a president of a company and he had an important letter to be written. He would call in his best secretary and have that person take down what he wanted to say through dictation. Then, the secretary would write or type up that letter for the president. Of course, before signing or authorising the letter, the President would make sure that it was accurately written and that his point had gotten across correctly.
It makes sense to me this way. It is what my Papa told me when I was very young and asked how Ha'Shem had written all those words.
Does this simple answer, given to a child many years ago, make sense to you as well?
I believe that every word in Torah was inspired by our Almighty G-d.
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Thanks for your response but I should say that I *do* believe that the Torah was written by G-d. I also used to think it was written by man but then after studying it and working with various rabbis, I have to understand that it simply could not have been written by men. (The Talmud was *written down* by men but also came from G-d in the form of the Oral law.)
This, of course, is a separate and very complex discussion. If you have not already, I would encourage you to discuss your doubts with a Rabbi with whom you feel comfortable.
If after studying it and discusing it with a Rabbi, you still think it was written by men, then fair enough.
In Judaism, actions are more important than faith, anyway. Better to be an atheist and treat others well than believe in G-d and treat others poorly.
Happy Chanukah!
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I agree, Andrew.
I'm not basing my faith in Judaism or the Torah on the Talmud, which was written by Rabbis, not G-d.
And if and when 6,000 comes and goes without maschiach (hopefully not), people will think Judaism is false simply because the Rabbis in the Talmud wrote it...
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