Vayechi - Genesis 47:28-50:26

Repairing the World

The Messianic Era: world peace, brotherhood of man. It's lovely rhetoric; but surely, after a 20th century in which 'humanity' murdered more people than the previous 19 centuries combined, how can we Jews possibly believe that redemption can happen? Is God really just going to send this guy on a white donkey one day and suddenly everything will be sorted out? That seems naive and wishful thinking.

In this week's Torah portion, Jacob prophesies the date of the Messianic Era. He is not, however, permitted to tell his children. Why? Surely, there could be nothing more encouraging for the Jewish people throughout the ages than if we were to know there was a set time at which things would turn around. Why not give us that hope?

The point is that we Jews do not look at the Messianic era as something supernatural that God will impose upon the world. Rather, it is an ideal toward which the world must strive. We were given an imperfect world in order to perfect it. It's all too easy to blame God for the world's problems. It's human nature to shift the blame to others. The truth is, however, that for the vast majority of the horrors, we have only ourselves to blame.

We human beings are so concerned for with our own lives and our own worries that rarely do we bother to think about what can be done to perfect the world around us. So the world remains a mess and then, when there are problems, we blame God for creating a lousy world! It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

To think that the Messiah will be zapped into this world by God and suddenly all will miraculously change is childish fantasy. But to think that we cannot repair the world is adult cynicism.

Jacob could not give us a date because once a date is given, it is no longer in our hands. And Judaism says that it is entirely within our hands. The Messianic age is ours to create, not just to sit around and wait for. So let's get started.

I think it was Steinsaltz who talked about that the life span of the average human being which is up to 120 years, he mentioned that the messiah will be an average person who cannot accomplish it all on his own. So that is why the Jewish people must do their part to bring about the messianic age. I believe he also mentioned that in order to be ordained king..a prophet must anoint him. The prophet obviously must be alive during this future kings life span so that is equivalent to two moshiacs. Things must be in place, I wonder if the cities of refuge will be one of those things and the temple is ready or not? Right now all design and schematics of a temple are done, just not the land for it.

I recently got a commentary for modernn men. The commentary for vayechi was interesting. The writer analized the blessings and or curses, Jacob gave, and how they reflected the type of man he was. He deff. Was not a man who shared his emotions. Most men are like that. Instead Jacob, like tons of men, burried his emotions, and on his deathbed, he finally got it off his chest. Such as the anger he had for Simion and Levi who killed decietfully.

The lession I saw, was that it may not be good to do the same.

Ps;
I know this is late. I just wanted to share.

Thanks for the share Yaakov!

How true!