What Does The Geulah Actually Mean? Part I

One of the Rambam's Thirteen Principles, perhaps the most famous, is a statement of belief in the coming of Moshiach:

" Ani Ma'amin B'Bias Hamoshiach B'Chol Yom She'Yavo. V'Af Al Pi She'Yismahameiha, Im Kol Zeh, Achekeh Lo B'Chol Yom She'Yavo - I believe in the coming of Moshiach, that he can come any day. And even though he delays, I will await his coming every day."

It's a very nice affirmation in the belief that not only God has not abandoned us, but that He will indeed redeem us with the coming of Moshiach and the Geulah Shleima.

So how does a Geulah come about? Does Moshiach suddenly show up, tell the goyim to Bleep off, take us all back to Israel, and rebuild the Bais HaMikdash (or have it come in flames down from Heaven)?

Or does it come about slowly, in the course of nature?

I've heard both views. I've heard if we are Zocheh, Moshiach will come suddenly and early. And tell the rest of the world to Bleep off. And if we are not, he will come in through the natural course of history. He will either come on a cloud, in a supernatural, sudden way, if we are Zocheh, or on a donkey, in a natural way, if we are not.

Obviously, it's natural to hope Moshiach comes suddenly, in a supernatural way, in a way the world can't dispute, in a way that when he tells the world to Bleep off, the world will, in fact, Bleep off.

Unfortunately, it seems to be more and more clear that we will not be Zocheh to have a miraculous Geulah. The evidence to this is the State of Israel.

I don't mean this in a negative sense at all. God has given us, through the course of history, our land, or at least a good chunk of it, back. Many believe the establishment of the State of Israel is very much the Aschalta D'Geulah - the beginning of the Geulah.

What I find interesting is even with all the evidence pointing to this, many people are, and have been for about 200 years, against going to Israel.

More in the next post.