Share a midrash

[William H.]

"Midrash is a method of interpreting biblical stories that goes beyond simple distillation of religious, legal, or moral teachings. It fills in gaps left in the biblical narrative regarding events and personalities that are only hinted at." (the word  מִדְרַשׁ "Midrash" is used in 2 Chron.13:22; 24:27)

We were told to reason together concerning the Word of G-D. I often find myself in debate groups where people often state give a personal midrash (or interpretation/ commentary) and state it as undeniable fact and basically dare others to disagree with their interpretations (or teachings). We are to be Very careful as not to add to or take away from G-D's Word. May this thread at least help us to learn how to share with others without raising up our own understandings in a way that we Lord them over others. When people do that real growth and reasoning together cant be had. Once a nice Jewish lady told me she wished people would say IMV (In My View) IMO (In My Opinion) or The Way I See it,... more often than the common debate tactics we see being used. 

Anyway, This thread is a place to share insight on Passages or even single verses (or words) that may be saying more than what can be picked up at first glance. Many people understand this when mentioning "Parables". I was once told that there are 7 layers of truth to every message (statement) given by G-D. I truly believe that truth seekers dig deep and find many layers of truth and often times when reading the Word each time they are given new insight!

This thread title maybe very general and kind of a method used in every portion of this site but wanted to start this thread for those who like to get into the Meat of the Word and hope that it isnt a door unto too many imaginations, leaven, or traditions of men. G-D bless your walk and studies.

Feel free to discuss The "Jewish" Midrash (rabbinical commentaries) here as well!  

Please this is not a place to insult others or any commenatries they share here. Take what you will from any discussion and leave what you reject! 1love

[His_Will]

I lost some documentation within "Jewish" sources in relation to the resurrection of Moshiach (that he comes from the dead). I will be sharing Jewish commentaries on this here as I locate them again and also on the subject of resurrection of the dead in general (which is the 13th principle of the Jewish faith according to Rashi)

- Bamidar Rabbah 11:2, "Like Moses, Messiah will be revealed, then hidden, then revealed again." ..."The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 11:2,3) says that the future Redeemer will be revealed, then concealed, then revealed again." 

- "Moshiach [King Messiah] will thereupon rise up to Heaven just as Moshe [Moses] ascended to the firmament, and will subsequently [return and] be revealed completely for all to see. The entire Jewish people will then perceive him and flock towards him." From Arba Mei'os Shekel Kesef(page 68) ...written by Rabbi Chaim Vital, pupil of the Arizal...

- Many Torah sources refer to Moshiach rising from the dead, starting with the Talmud (Sanhedrin 98b): "Rav said 'If he [Moshiach] is from the living, [then he is] like Rabbeinu Hakadosh [Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi]; if he is from the dead, [then he is] like Daniel, the delightful one.' "

 According to RaShI, the conditions for one to become Moshiach, besides descent from King David, are a) that he has experienced physical suffering (based on the passage in the Talmud immediately preceding the above one, quoting Isaiah 53:4, that Moshiach "has borne our sickness and suffered our pain"), and b) that he be a perfect saint. Both conditions were fulfilled in Yeshua (Jesus)

THE RULING OF THE RAMBAM

This helps reconcile Moshiach's arising from the dead with RaMBaM's ruling at the end of his monumental Mishneh Torah code of Jewish law (Hilchos Melachim 11:4)--the only code to detail the Halachic rules concerning the identity and rise of Moshiach and the later Messianic era: "If a king shall arise from the House of David . . . " This might seem to imply that the Moshiach must be a ruler who is one "of the living."

The scholars who would prepare the Rebbe's public addresses for publication once understood him to have substantiated this implication, but he corrected their suggested transcript to read: "This means that he [Moshiach] has already ruled" (Sefer Hasichos 5751, p. 496, note 66; see a facsimile of the Rebbe's correction in Tzaddik Lamelech). In other words, RaMBaM rules that whoever Moshiach will be--whether "from the living" or "from the dead"--he must be one who has exercised leadership over fellow Jews during his lifetime.

Previously, the same Talmudic passage (Sanhedrin 98a) explains that although Moshiach has to come not later than a pre-ordained time, nevertheless, if our merit is sufficient, his arrival will be hastened. The Talmud continues that, if our merit is sufficient, then Moshiach will come in a supernatural manner ("with the heavenly clouds"--Daniel 7:13), whereas if our merit is insufficient, then he will come in a natural manner ("a poor man riding on a donkey"--Zechariah 9:9).

Based on the Talmud quoted above, the Sdei Chemed--an encyclopedic work by the renowned Halachic authority Rabbi Chaim Chizkiya Medini--quotes approvingly (Pe'as Hasadeh, Maareches Ha'alef, 70) a long letter by Rabbi Aryeh Leib Lipkin (grandson of "Hagahos Ben Aryeh" published in Vilna ShaS), where he explains--among other fascinating points concerning the ultimate Redemption--that if we have sufficient merit, then Moshiach will be "from the dead"!

REVEALED, CONCEALED, REVEALED

The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 11:3) says that the future Redeemer will be revealed, then concealed, then revealed again. This is quoted by Rabbeinu Bachayei and by the Chasam Sofer on the Torah (both at end of Parshas Shmos). The latter writes: "This is a great test that the Redeemer is concealed [Moshe] . . . and so it will be at the time of our righteous Moshiach [that] he will be concealed after [his] revelation, as mentioned in the Midrash."

From the Zohar (Shmos 8b)--as explained in Zohar Harakiya and Shaar Hagilgulim (ch. 13, both by the ARI-Zal, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, one of the greatest Kabbalists)--it is clear that the man designated to be Moshiach is born naturally in this world, then the soul of Moshiach in the heavenly "Garden of Eden" is bestowed upon him so that he realizes that he is Moshiach, then he becomes concealed, ascending to heaven, and only afterwards is he revealed to the full extent, the whole Jewish people recognizing him as Moshiach.

We see here three stages in the revelation of Moshiach: a) revelation, b) concealment, c) final full revelation.

The Midrash Pesikta Rabbasi (37, quoted in Yalkut Shimoni 499 on Isaiah 60) states: "At that time G-d will raise Moshiach up to the highest heavens and spread over him the radiance of His glory"--after Moshiach has already suffered in this world, as is clear from the context.

The great Torah commentator and philosopher, Don Yitzchak Abarbanel (1437-1508), who wrote three lengthy works about the Scriptural prophecies and our Sages' sayings concerning Moshiach and the Geula, writes in Yeshuos Meshicho (Jerusalem, 5753, p.104) that it is possible that Moshiach will be taken from this world and brought into the heavenly "Garden of Eden," continuing: "You should not find it difficult [to understand] that the King Moshiach will be among those who arise in the Resurrection," quoting the above Talmudic passage (Sanhedrin 98b) as proof that this can be so. Here we see the same three stages of revelation, concealment and revelation.

Abarbanel (whom the Tzemach Tzedek, 1789-1866, called "the great sage who is perfect in his opinions"--Derech Mitzvosecha, p. 88) wrote this long after RaMBaM's aforementioned ruling concerning the identity and rise of the Moshiach, proving that he did not see that ruling as any contradiction to the possibility of the Moshiach rising "from the dead."

"I have been asked why I say that the verse [Isaiah 26:19] 'Arise and sing those who dwell in the dust' will be fulfilled soon, with him [the previous Rebbe] among them, and the Rebbe will lead us out of exile. Isn't the correct order [a] arrival of the Moshiach, [b] era of the Moshiach, and only later [c] resurrection of the dead? This is also the order quoted in [Chabad] Chassidus.

"The reply to this is that although, generally speaking, the order is [a] arrival of the Mashiach, [b] rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash, [c] ingathering of the exiles, [d] resurrection of the dead, nevertheless there has been and will be resurrection from the dead of individuals also before then, and there are a number of well-known cases in the Gemara and Midrashim, and of Tzaddikim who resurrected the dead, as our Rabbis say: 'The smallest among you [Torah scholars] can resurrect the dead!' (Avoda Zara 10b)."

Zohar (I 140a) saintly individuals will arise at the moment of the ultimate Redemption. We see an example of this in the Talmud (Yoma 5b) that Moshe, Aharon and his sons will have been resurrected when the Beis Hamikdash will be rebuilt.

Resurrection of the dead:

There are sources who attribute the resurrection of the dead to Elijah and some to Moshiach. In Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer it is written that Moshiach will resurrect the dead: "Why is his name called Yinon? Since in the future, he will yinon [cause to flourish and rejuvenate] those who dwell in the dust." (The word yinon is translated according to the interpretation of Rabbi David Luria.) Rabbi Menachem bar Shlomo, the Meiri, likewise writes, "King Moshiach will resurrect the dead."

However, at the conclusion of Tractate Sotah it is written, "The resurrection of the dead will be through Elijah the Prophet of blessed memory, may he speedily come and redeem us." The Tosephot in the beginning of Tractate Taanit writes that the key for the resurrection of the dead was given to Elijah (and his student Elisha).

Based on these various sources it appears that both Moshiach and Elijah (forerunner of Messiah) will play a role in resurrecting the dead.

As for the reason that Elijah will be involved in resurrecting the dead, Rabbi Joseph Engel in his book "Glosses on the Talmud" explains: First, he had already succeeded in resurrecting the dead. His student Elisha also received these powers from him, and likewise resurrected the dead. Second, he himself "overpowered" death and rose to heaven with his physical body.

Regarding the second explanation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe comments: The phenomenon of death arises from the coarseness of the body. The resurrection of the dead will come about through a refinement of the physical body, so that it will be able to contain the G-dly energy and be eternal. Since Elijah already succeeded in refining his body to that extent, he will extend a similar benefit to all physical bodies.

 Sources: Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer, chapter 32 and the commentary of Radal. Meiri, Chibur Hateshuva, Maamar 2, chapter 7. Sotah, and Gilyonei Hashas, ibid. Talmud Yerushalmi Shkalim, 3:3. Rabbenu Nissim Avodah Zarah 20b. Tosephot Taanit 2a, "Shlosha." Sichas Kodesh of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, 5720, p. 315. 

http://www.kesser.org/moshiach/techiya-masim.html

http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/1893640/jewish/Resur... 

Shedding of flesh at 7th trumpet 

"According to the Zohar, immediately before the resurrection, all those who are alive at that time will momentarily die, and then instantaneously be resurrected. This is in fulfillment of the verse (Genesis 3:19), "For you are dust and to dust you shall return." Also, this short death serves a spiritual purpose—it will cleanse the souls of all traces of the imperfect and tainted world it inhabited. They will then rise with a clean and pure slate."

The RaDBaZ (Rabbi David ibn Zimra, c. 1480-1573) writes (Responsa III, 1079): ". . . Concerning the resurrection . . . all my life I have been pained by this until I saw the words of the RITVO o.b.m., in the name of his teachers, that there will be two resurrections: One will be limited, for the righteous who died in the exile, and it will be close to the coming of the Moshiach; they will be privileged to live through the era of the Moshiach with [both] a body and a soul, and they will witness the well-being of the Jewish people and the rebuilding of the Sanctuary . . . The other [resurrection] will be general . . . "

In another work (Migdal David, p. 83a), RaDBaZ writes: "I will write to you good tidings and powerful consolation for those suffering in the exile and under the yoke of persecutions . . . [The Sages] have said that there are two resurrections: One will be limited for those righteous who have died in the exile and have not seen the well-being of our nation. The other will be a general one at the end of the sixth millenium. The Kabbalistic sages, and the RaMBaN (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270), the RaShBA (Rabbi Shlomo ibn Aderes, 1235-1310), and the RITVO also agreed . . . This is true without any doubt and it is implied in Scripture . . ."

Other classic sources for two resurrections are the RaDaK (Rabbi David Kimchi, 1160-1235) in his commentary on Isaiah (26:19) and on Ezekiel (37:1), Rabbi Menachem HaMeiri (c.1249-1306) in his Chibbur HaTeshuva, Rabbeinu Saadya Gaon (c. 892-932) in his Sefer Hat'chiya V'hap'dus (Reply to the Sixth Question), and even earlier in the Midrash Tanna Dvei Eliyahu Rabba (3:3, 5:5).

The number-one offender against Jewish belief is he who says: "Techiyas Hamaisim (resurrection of the dead) is not from the Torah" (Sanhedrin 90a).

In conclusion the Jewish sages mention resurrection of Messiah (many of them just dont know Yeshua (Jesus) as this one).

[William H.]

Best relationships with others takes one of three positions and the right position depends on the two individuals involved the three positions are: 1) face to face 2) one facing the other’s back (either with support or one following the other and one leading the other or 3) back to back..... so if your best relation with this specific individual is back to back and your trying to make the relationship face to face it won’t work well.

[William H.]

Everywhere predestination is mentioned the elect are the subject. They are elect cause they seek to do the will of HaShem Thus predestination is only in effect to ensure the will of HaShem be accomplished by those willing and able. predestination isn’t to play favorites and be a respecter of persons but rather a sign of approval of those who have taken a covenant up with HaShem to do his will. It’s about His will not ours