Where Is It Written That We Must Yearn for Moshiach?

Question:

I would like to know where it is written in the Torah that we should await and yearn for the arrival of a leader who will be the Moshiach.

Response:

There are many verses in the Torah (you can see some of them in this list of source texts) which predict the coming of Moshiach. None of them state explicitly, “Thou shalt await the arrival of Moshiach every day!” Nevertheless, hundreds of commands throughout the Torah are screaming just that.

What do I mean? The Torah gives us 613 mitzvot to do. Many of these mitzvot are to be done in the Temple in Jerusalem. Others are applicable only when all or most of the Jewish people are living in the Jewish land. Altogether, the majority of these mitzvot cannot be fulfilled as long as we as a nation are scattered all over the Diaspora and there is no Temple in Jerusalem—and the only way that this can be repaired is through the promised leader and sage to whom we refer as the Moshiach.

So you see that every one of these unfulfilled mitzvot is silently screaming, “Bring the Moshiach so that you can fulfill me! I know that Moshiach will once again build the Temple, so that I will be revived!”

And if so, should not the heart of a sensitive Jew cry and yearn in the same way?

By Menachem Posner

Rabbi Menachem Posner serves as managing editor at Chabad.org, the world’s largest Jewish informational website. He has been writing, researching, and editing for Chabad.org since 2006, when he received his rabbinic degree from Central Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch. He lives in Chicago, Ill., with his family.

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7 Comments

Gershon McGreevey Wichita, KS April 19, 2012

To Marty in Denver About Jacob wresting the angel, you need to understand the the word used in the original Hebrew, elohim, can mean many things. In some instances it is quite obviously a reference to God and should be translated as such. In other cases, it simply means "strong ones" and can refer to strung humans, spiritual beings, or God Himself. Reply

Gavriel Eliezer ben Ze'ev Gershon Largo, FL April 18, 2012

Ain't No Such Thing! If the anonymous writer in CA is going to worry about something, it should not be "Palestinians" cause there ain't no such thing. There were Arabs and Jews living in the part of Ottoman Turkey called Palestine (my Mother in law was one) but they weren't palestinians and their descendants aren't either. The Jewish descendants are now Israelis (or Yordim!) and the Arab ones are still Arabs. Those who left in 1948 and 1967 are emigrants, period. Since the Trans-Jordan part of the Mandate became Jordan, they have 4/5ths of the Mandate to settle in as an Arab land. Leave the Cis-Jordan part which is the 1967-present to us as Jews for the State of Israel, and we will have secure borders to await the coming of Moshiach!!!!! Reply

Marty Denver April 18, 2012

Perspectives on the Messiah I think if G-d wanted us to focus on the messiah, it would have been clearly stated in the Torah. It frightens me when I reflect on the emphasis we place on the messiah or when we invite his forerunner, Elijah, to our seder. It's too Christian for me, that is, it has an air of overlapping man with G-d. But the Torah’s description of Jacob’s wrestling match: “You’ve wrestled with G-d...” so does that mean G-d will manifest himself on earth? References to the messiah are so nebulous, perhaps to give us hope while demanding that we place our emphasis on our behavior now.
He will come at his appointed time and the Tanach doesn't say we can hasten or delay his coming.It's a fascinating subject and I continue to explore the concept. For example, both the Rambam and Rashi refer to two messiahs. Why 2 and what will be the role of each one? And the Tanach refers to King Cyrus as the messiah, Isaiah 45:1. It’s intriguing that a non-Jew can be the messiah; I rejoice in the all inclusiveness. Reply

Anonymous Camarillo, CA via chabadcamarillo.com November 2, 2009

Moshiach and the Palestinians If the coming of Moshiach results in a large increase in the number of Jews living in the historical Israel (which includes the West Bank and Gaza), either because of migration or reincarnation, then the Palestinians may have to relocate or be killed. Is not wanting that to happen to them a valid reason for not wanting the coming of Moshiach? Reply

Itche Brooklyn October 27, 2009

Sources in Scripture Habakkuk 2, 3 "For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it declareth of the end, and doth not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.' "
Zephaniah 3, 8-9 "Therefore wait ye for Me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.
For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent."
Daniel 12, 12-13 "Happy is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
But go thou thy way till the end be; and thou shalt rest, and shalt stand up to thy lot, at the end of the days.'" Reply

gershon mcgreevy October 14, 2009

Hello, seems to me that the person was looking for a source in scripture! Reply

Anonymous October 14, 2009

The source is actually the gemara in shabbos 31a - tzipisa l'yoshua, etc. Reply

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