JEWISH HOME LA

Dear Readers,

What is it about the coming of Moshiach that makes us feel uncomfortable? It’s the elephant in the room; everyone believes it will happen, everyone wants it to happen but as soon as someone mentions it – or what’s more, wishes for it – we all start feeling squeamish and can’t wait for someone to change the subject!

Is it simply human nature to feel comfortable with what we know and resist what we don’t? Is it the fear of facing our shortcomings? Do we subconsciously feel that we will somehow be unmasked for all to see?

While these feelings are only human, allowing them to rule the day would be like failing to show up for the job interview of a lifetime or some other rare opportunity because we’re apprehensive, throwing in the towel, at the last second, because we can’t take the heat.

In reality Moshiach is the culmination of all the good mankind has done since the creation of the world. True, evil sometimes appears to triumph, but the Torah teaches us that bad is like a shadow: the absence of “light” (good). As soon as the good is revealed, negativity will simply disappear.

Rashi, in his commentary of the word echad in the posuk of Shema, writes that when Moshiach comes it will be Hashem echad, G-d of the whole world; the whole world will come together to serve Hashem. Think of it as everything we believe being revealed in such a tangible way that even the media/Facebook/Twitter will buzz about it.

We believe good will triumph evil? Check. G-d is the essence of good? Check. Man has a divine spark which once recognized puts us in a whole new light? Check.

Bottom line: instead of being small-minded and focusing on all that’s wrong and incomplete in this world, let’s focus on the greatness of the human spirit and be ready for it to be revealed in its full glory speedily in our days.

You said Moshiach is coming? I know that already and I’m actually looking forward.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos,

Shalom