What is the significance of the year 6000 in the Jewish calendar?

Scholars have found a discrepancy between the traditional and academic date of the destruction of the First Temple arising as a result of Jewish sages missing out the reign lengths of several Persian kings during the Persian Empire's rule over Israel. Modern scholars tally 14 Persian kings whose combined reigns total 207 years. By contrast, ancient Jewish sages only mention four Persian kings totaling 52 years. If you add the missing 207 years to 5784, we would be in the year 5,991 (assuming no further miss calendar distortions which I understand do exist). Thus, the year 6000 almost upon us. Reply

When did ancient Torah scholars figure out that events in the Torah revealed that the year was such then that today is the 58th century? Maybe better put: When did Jews first decide on the dating from creation? Reply

which hebrew year are we in right now in relation to the 6000 year cycle? Reply

Our creator does do thing's in "7"s. But like labor pains start with mild contractions spaced far apart then slowly progress and start to get more painful, lasting longer, and closer together until the contractions are very close together and extremely painful. That is how it will be. Pertaining to earthquakes, floods, plagues of hail, plagues of locusts, volcanos etc.. We are to stay awake, do not fall asleep spiritually and keep our eyes and ears open. Keep watching. Reply

Is the Jewish Year 5776 actually accurate? Is there argument amongst the Rabbi's whether the year 5776 is accurate? I thought I read somewhere that it could be off by 125 years? Reply

Dangerous Prediction The guaranteed statement that Moschiach will arrive in the year 6000 or before, seems to me to be a dangerous one...the problem of course is, should it not come true, it leaves open the argument that everything else in the Talmud is false as well, and that would be devastating and tragic, especially for all those who over the millennia have unquestioning believed everything they were told, read, and practice...truly devastating, and more awful for those alive at the time when it is supposed to happen and never see it come to pass...very difficult to rationalize away the predicament Reply

In response to the questions at the bottom of these comments about what if the year 6,000 comes and Moshiach does not come... Take a look back at all the prophesies in the Torah, most all of them have come to pass exactly as written and promised by G-d. Do you think G-d will allow this most precious promise, of the Moshiach, to come and go without being fulfilled? Our lives and faith is all based on this promise and so all the Prophets looked for His coming tool.

Moshiach may come early, but He will come as G-d spoke it through His Prophets. Reply

fight till death Moshiach will surely come if the almighty has promised. He NEVER fails to fulfill his promise. Whether Moshiach comes or not we will fight till death, meaning not fighting in a war with weapons but doing good deeds and undoing bad deeds as much as there is strength in our bodies, encouraging others in behaving the same. Heaven is here itself if all of us learn to live in peace and harmony. I know it is difficult but if we all crush our arrogance and pride and love humility and compassion then nothing is unachievable. Everything is possible if we strive to remove negative emotions from our life. Reply

Talmud reference "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."

Just out of curiosity: Where in would the Talmud would that be? Reply

Temple I remember hearing that Israel has the bricks and all the materials and plans and people and clothes and instruments to rebuilt the temple in under a year working 24/6.

So it can be very, very soon.

Who knows what will happen.. Reply

Moshiach Anonymous in 231 yrs you wouldn`t know and you know why!

so let us pray now and let us do the mitzvos then perhaps he will come before the prediction

Regards, Reply

The year 6,000 If Moshiach doesn't come in the next 231 years I will stop believing in all of this. Reply

6,000 years Uh I don't mean to sound mean anything but I think we're all forgetting something? Messiah will appear when the Temple gets rebuilt ! Well actually when Elijah walks up to the steps of the Temple and Hasidic Jews bless Him that's when Messiah appears in all His glory ! Reply

What if it doesn't happen? If Mashiach doesn't come within the next 231 years or so, does that mean our understanding was wrong, or does that invalidate Judaism, or some other alternative? Basically, what would be the reaction should this promise not come to pass? Reply

A further question What about the sages references to 50,000 jubilee cycles? Does this not contradict R. Katina's "Y6K" teaching? Reply

On the writing of Torah 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. Reply

Response to Robert 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! Reply

Agree with Andrew 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... Reply