The Messianic Era
Belief in the coming of the Messiah and the messianic era has been a principle of faith for the Jewish people throughout the Jewish textual tradition. Liturgy includes yearning for the messianic era, and prophets and later commentaries and texts explore what that era will look like. Some describe the era as cosmic in nature with supernatural elements, while others view it as more limited in scope and focus on rational outcomes. In all of these, however, exists a hope for a better future.
Notable Sources
All Sources
A
A Vision of Universal PeaceTANAKH
A Vision of Universal Peace
TANAKH
Many prophets share a vision of messianic times. Micah, a prophet from the eighth century BCE, envisions a time when there will be no war and everyone will recognize God’s sovereignty.
Universal SovereigntyLITURGY
Universal Sovereignty
LITURGY
Aleinu originates in the musaf Amidah for Rosh Hashanah and was transferred to daily liturgy in the medieval period. The second paragraph envisions a world where everyone recognizes God’s sovereignty.
A Cosmic SabbaticalTALMUD
A Cosmic Sabbatical
TALMUD
The sabbatical year is the seventh year of a seven-year cycle, during which the land rests — no crops are planted or harvested — and can renew itself. In the Babylonian Talmud, tractate Sanhedrin, the rabbis compare the messianic era to the sabbatical year.
Ten Novelties of the Future EraMIDRASH
Ten Novelties of the Future Era
MIDRASH
The messianic era is often contrasted with the present world. While the book of Ecclesiastes famously states that “there is nothing new under the sun,” Shemot Rabbah, a medieval midrash on the book of Exodus, lists 10 novelties that God will introduce in the messianic era.
Restoring the Temple RitesMISHNAH
Restoring the Temple Rites
MISHNAH
The Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law, from the early third-century land of Israel, discusses the procedures for bringing daily offerings in the Temple. Tractate Tamid ends by expressing a hope for a future when the Temple is rebuilt.
Divine Rewards for the RighteousTALMUD
Divine Rewards for the Righteous
TALMUD
What awards await the righteous in the messianic era? The Babylonian Talmud, in tractate Bava Batra, describes the feast prepared from the mythical beast Leviathan and the sukkah prepared from its skin.
A Rational Vision of the Messianic EraHALAKHAH
A Rational Vision of the Messianic Era
HALAKHAH
Rambam is known for his rational interpretation of the Torah. In his famed 12th-century code of Jewish law Mishneh Torah, Rambam describes the messianic era as one where natural laws are still in effect.
Heart's Transformation UnveiledCOMMENTARY
Heart's Transformation Unveiled
COMMENTARY
Humans are distinguished by their free will and the choice to do good or evil. Ramban, a 13th-century Spanish commentator and rabbi, describes the change in human nature in the messianic era.
The Cycle of Repair and RedemptionKABBALAH
The Cycle of Repair and Redemption
KABBALAH
According to Lurianic Kabbalah, in order to create the world, God needed to withdraw God’s presence to make room for the world; the vessels into which God withdrew shattered, scattering sparks across the world. Moses Chaim Luzzatto — better known as Ramchal — explains the messianic era as a rectification of the destruction in his 18th-century kabbalistic work Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah.
Unity in ExileJEWISH THOUGHT
Unity in Exile
JEWISH THOUGHT
The dispersion of the Jewish people in exile contains the seeds of their future unification and redemption. In his 16th-century work Netzach Yisrael, Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague, better known by the acronym Maharal, discusses the similarities and differences between the words “galah” (exile) and “ga’al” (redemption).
Yearning for RedemptionLITURGY
Yearning for Redemption
LITURGY
Rambam’s thirteen principles of faith include a belief in the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead in messianic times. Some have the custom of reciting these principles daily at the end of the morning liturgy.
Elijah's Role in Future RedemptionMISHNAH
Elijah's Role in Future Redemption
MISHNAH
Stories abound about Elijah the prophet heralding the messianic era. Tractate Eduyot in the Mishnah, the first codification of Jewish law from the early third-century land of Israel, presents a debate about Elijah’s role when messianic times arrive.
A New Purpose for Torah and CommandmentsCHASIDUT
A New Purpose for Torah and Commandments
CHASIDUT
According to Lurianic Kabbalah, once the divine sparks have all been returned to God, the messianic era will begin. Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad Chasidut, explains that the very nature of learning Torah will shift in the messianic era.
Nature Enforcing Divine LawMIDRASH
Nature Enforcing Divine Law
MIDRASH
The messianic era is often thought of as a time of repentance and return to God. In Midrash Tehillim, a medieval midrash on the book of Psalms, the messianic world is presented as a place where even the natural world will help Jews keep the commandments.
A Global ExodusKABBALAH
A Global Exodus
KABBALAH
The Exodus from Egypt serves as a paradigm for redemption in Jewish thought. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, compares the messianic era to the Exodus.
The Elusive Time of RedemptionCOMMENTARY
The Elusive Time of Redemption
COMMENTARY
Many people have attempted to calculate when the messianic era will arrive. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century northern French rabbi and commentator, discusses one such calculation for the messianic era.
Anticipating RedemptionMUSAR
Anticipating Redemption
MUSAR
Faith in the messianic era has historically empowered the Jewish people to endure hardships and remain steadfast in their religious convictions. Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan, known as the Chafetz Chaim, discusses the importance of this faith in maintaining religious observance.
Preparing for Redemption in ExileMIDRASH
Preparing for Redemption in Exile
MIDRASH
Throughout Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), even when the people of Israel are exiled from the land of Israel, God promises to return them to the land if they repent. The Yalkut Shimoni, a medieval compilation of midrashic interpretations, emphasizes the importance of maintaining Jewish practices during exile as preparation for redemption.
The Future Nullification of CommandmentsTALMUD
The Future Nullification of Commandments
TALMUD
Shatnez is a forbidden mixture of certain items, including a garment made of wool and linen. Rav Yosef, a Bablyonian rabbi in talmudic times, infers from the laws of shatnez that in the messianic era, the commandments in the Torah will be nullified.
Building the Future Temple TogetherCHASIDUT
Building the Future Temple Together
CHASIDUT
Rebuilding the Temple is a signature element of messianic times throughout rabbinic literature. Rebbe Yehuda Leib Alter of Ger, in his Chasidic commentary Sefat Emet, discusses rebuilding the Temple as a gradual process across generations.