Some Jews expect not one... but two Messiahs

Saturday, 13 November 2010

The first Messiah: "will wage wars and all of Israel will be gathered together"

"The Bible anticipated only a single Messiah. Jewish mysticism anticipated two Messiahs. According to the Cabbala the two Messiahs will differ in character. The first Messiah, a militant figure called "son of Joseph," will prepare the material preconditions for redemption. The second Messiah will be a spiritual "son of David" who will redeem the world by spectacular miracle-making."

Professor Israel Shahak of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

"Besides the monotheistic belief, the assumptions about the special covenantal relation between God and the Jewish people, and the expression of this covenant in Torah & mitzvah, there is one other fundamental structure of the Jewish religion. This is the belief in historic redemption, the messianic era brought about by a messianic figure or figures."

The Jews: Their Religious Beliefs & Practices (1999 Edition)

"Our Sacred Sages had a tradition that in the beginning [of the End Times] there would arise a Messiah [i.e. Anointed Saviour] from the house of Joseph who will reign over the Ten Tribes. He will wage wars and all of Israel will be gathered together under his banner. [This will continue] until later on, a descendant of David will appear and he will reign over them.... A transformation will take place. The Ten Tribes and the stick of Joseph will draw themselves closer unto the stick of Judah, and this too, will be through the agency of a Prophet and by miracles."

Malbim (1809 - 1879)

"When the death of the Messiah became an established tenet in Talmudic times, this was felt to be irreconcilable with the belief in the Messiah as Redeemer who would usher in the blissful millennium of the Messianic Age. The dilemma was solved by splitting the person of the Messiah in two: one of them, called Messiah ben Joseph, was to raise the armies of Israel against their enemies, and, after many victories and miracles, would fall victim Gog and Magog. The other, Messiah ben David, will come after him (in some legends will bring him back to life, which psychologically hints at the identity of the two), and will lead Israel to the ultimate victory, the triumph, and the Messianic era of bliss."

The Messiah texts By Raphael Patai

Saturday, 13 November 2010

Some Jews expect not one... but two Messiahs

"When a Jew, in America or in South Africa, talks to his Jewish companions about 'our' government, he means the government of Israel."

- David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister