"וְהַמַּשְׂכִּלִים יַזְהִרוּ כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכּוֹכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד׃"

"And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

— Daniel 12:3

הַקְדָּמָה | Introduction

שלום עליכם, אחים יקרים מבית ישראל

Shalom to all who study the sacred texts with diligence and reverence—our brothers from every community who honor the Torah and the Prophets, including Orthodox, Ultra-Orthodox, Hasidic, and Karaite scholars. What follows is an earnest examination of prophetic texts from our Tanakh, especially focusing on the apocalyptic visions of Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Joel.

This treatise aims to demonstrate, through careful textual analysis and mathematical precision, that we stand at a pivotal moment in Jewish history—the threshold of the Messianic Age. Through meticulous examination of the prophetic chronology provided in Daniel, astronomical signs, the cycles of Shemitah and Yovel, and the mathematical patterns embedded in our sacred texts, we present evidence that the year 5787 (2026-2027 CE) marks the culmination of 6,000 years since Creation and the beginning of the Messianic Era.

The analysis that follows adheres strictly to the Masoretic text, employs traditional Jewish hermeneutical methods, and applies mathematical precision to the chronological frameworks described by our prophets.

חֵלֶק א׳: נְבוּאוֹת דָּנִיֵּאל וְהָבָנָתָן הַנְּכוֹנָה

Part I: The Prophecies of Daniel and Their Proper Understanding

הֲבָנַת שִׁבְעִים הַשָּׁבֻעִים | Understanding the Seventy Weeks

The foundation of our chronological understanding begins with the precise prophecy given to Daniel:

"שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים נֶחְתַּךְ עַל־עַמְּךָ וְעַל־עִיר קָדְשֶׁךָ לְכַלֵּא הַפֶּשַׁע וּלְהָתֵם חַטָּאת וּלְכַפֵּר עָוֹן וּלְהָבִיא צֶדֶק עֹלָמִים וְלַחְתֹּם חָזוֹן וְנָבִיא וְלִמְשֹׁחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים׃"

"Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint the most holy place."

— Daniel 9:24

This prophecy divides history into distinct periods, extending from the command to restore Jerusalem until the final establishment of the Messianic Kingdom:

"וְתֵדַע וְתַשְׂכֵּל מִן־מֹצָא דָבָר לְהָשִׁיב וְלִבְנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם עַד־מָשִׁיחַ נָגִיד שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעָה וְשָׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם תָּשׁוּב וְנִבְנְתָה רְחוֹב וְחָרוּץ וּבְצוֹק הָעִתִּים׃"

"Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem unto one anointed, a prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks, it shall be built again, with broad place and moat, but in troublous times."

— Daniel 9:25

הַהַבְחָנָה הַכְּרוֹנוֹלוֹגִית | The Chronological Distinction

The prophecy of the Seventy Weeks provides precise time measurements:

1. Seven Weeks (49 Years): The initial rebuilding of Jerusalem
2. Sixty-Two Weeks (434 Years): The period leading to the first appearance of Mashiach
3. One Week (7 Years): The final week, separated by a gap, culminating in the Messianic Kingdom

This gives a total of 490 prophetic years (70 × 7) from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the complete fulfillment of all six messianic objectives listed in Daniel 9:24.

הַלּוּחַ הַנָּבִיא | The Prophetic Calendar

It is essential to understand that biblical prophecy uses a 360-day prophetic year:

1. In Genesis 7:11, 8:3-4, the flood lasted exactly 5 months or 150 days (30 days per month)
2. In Revelation 11:2-3, 42 months equals 1,260 days (30 days per month)
3. In Daniel 7:25, 12:7 and Revelation 12:14, "a time, times, and half a time" equals 1,260 days

When we apply this precise prophetic calendar to Daniel's prophecy:

• The first 69 weeks (483 prophetic years) = 173,880 days
• From the decree of Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 445 BCE (Nisan 1) to the presentation of Mashiach in Jerusalem spans exactly 173,880 days

This mathematical precision confirms the reliability of Daniel's chronology and establishes the pattern for understanding the final week of the prophecy.

הַשָּׁבוּעַ הַשִּׁבְעִים | The Seventieth Week

Daniel describes a gap between the 69th and 70th weeks, during which Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed:

"וְאַחֲרֵי הַשָּׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם יִכָּרֵת מָשִׁיחַ וְאֵין לוֹ וְהָעִיר וְהַקֹּדֶשׁ יַשְׁחִית עַם נָגִיד הַבָּא וְקִצּוֹ בַשֶּׁטֶף וְעַד קֵץ מִלְחָמָה נֶחֱרֶצֶת שֹׁמֵמוֹת׃"

"And after the threescore and two weeks shall an anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the people of a prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and its end shall be with a flood; and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

— Daniel 9:26

This was fulfilled in 70 CE when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple, as recorded by Josephus in "The Jewish War":

"While the Temple was ablaze, the attackers plundered it, and countless people who were caught by them were slaughtered. There was no pity for age and no regard was accorded rank; children and old men, laymen and priests, alike were butchered."

The final week is described in the next verse:

"וְהִגְבִּיר בְּרִית לָרַבִּים שָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד וַחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ יַשְׁבִּית זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה וְעַל כְּנַף שִׁקּוּצִים מְשֹׁמֵם וְעַד־כָּלָה וְנֶחֱרָצָה תִּתַּךְ עַל־שֹׁמֵם׃"

"And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and upon the wing of detestable things shall be that which causeth appalment; and that until the extermination wholly determined be poured out upon that which causeth appalment."

— Daniel 9:27

The seventieth week divides into two equal halves of 3.5 years each (1,260 days):

1. First half: A covenant is made, and the Temple sacrifices are restored
2. Second half: The sacrifices are stopped, and the Temple is desecrated

הַתְקוּפוֹת הַנְּבוּאִיּוֹת בְּסֵפֶר דָּנִיֵּאל | The Prophetic Timeframes in Daniel

Daniel provides additional precise timeframes that align perfectly with the seventieth week:

"וּמֵעֵת הוּסַר הַתָּמִיד וְלָתֵת שִׁקּוּץ שֹׁמֵם יָמִים אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם וְתִשְׁעִים׃"

"And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the detestable thing that causeth appalment set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days."

— Daniel 12:11

"אַשְׁרֵי הַמְחַכֶּה וְיַגִּיעַ לְיָמִים אֶלֶף שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה׃"

"Happy is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days."

— Daniel 12:12

These periods provide the exact chronology of the final events:

1. 1,260 days: From the covenant to the cessation of sacrifices
2. 1,290 days: From the desecration to the final deliverance
3. 1,335 days: From the desecration to the full establishment of the kingdom

Additionally, Daniel 8:14 mentions another precise timeframe:

"וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי עַד עֶרֶב בֹּקֶר אַלְפַּיִם וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְנִצְדַּק קֹדֶשׁ׃"

"And he said unto me: 'Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be victorious.'"

— Daniel 8:14

This 2,300-day period measures from the beginning of Temple sacrifices to the cleansing of the sanctuary.

חֵלֶק ב׳: שְׁנַת הַשֵּׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וְהַמָּשִׁיחַ

Part II: The 6000th Year Since Creation and the Messiah

מְסֹרֶת שֶׁל שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים שָׁנָה | The 6000-Year Tradition

According to ancient Jewish tradition, world history follows a 7,000-year pattern:

"שִׁיתָא אַלְפֵי שְׁנֵי הָוֵי עָלְמָא, וְחַד חָרֵב."

"The world exists for six thousand years, and in the one thousandth year it shall be desolate."

— Talmud, Sanhedrin 97a

This pattern derives from seeing Creation week as a template for all history:

"יוֹמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶלֶף שָׁנִים."

"A day of the Holy One, blessed be He, is a thousand years."

— Psalm 90:4 as interpreted in Sanhedrin 97a

The 6,000 years divide into three periods of 2,000 years each:

"תָּנָא דְבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ: שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים שָׁנָה הָוֵי הָעוֹלָם. שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים תֹּהוּ, שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים תּוֹרָה, שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ."

"The school of Eliyahu taught: The world exists for six thousand years—two thousand years of desolation (tohu), two thousand years of Torah, and two thousand years of the Messianic era."

— Talmud, Sanhedrin 97a

חִשּׁוּב שְׁנַת הַבְּרִיאָה | Calculating the Year of Creation

Using the chronology recorded in the Torah:

The Vilna Gaon and other authorities have calculated similar dates for the conclusion of the 6,000 years, with most calculations falling between 2025-2240 CE. Our precise mathematical analysis aligns with the earlier end of this range.

הַנְקוּדָה הַקְרִיטִית שֶׁל הַזְמַן | The Critical Point in Time

The conjunction of multiple prophetic streams confirms that Rosh Hashanah 5787 (September 2026) represents this critical turning point:

1. The completion of 6,000 years from Creation according to Masoretic chronology
2. The alignment with the Shemitah and Jubilee cycles
3. The celestial signs predicted by the prophets
4. The convergence with Daniel's prophetic timeframes

As the Talmud states:

"אֵין בֶּן דָּוִד בָּא אֶלָּא בְדוֹר שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ זַכַּאי אוֹ כֻלּוֹ חַיָּיב."

"The son of David will come only in a generation that is either completely righteous or completely guilty."

— Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a

We now stand at this pivotal moment, as the convergence of multiple prophecies demonstrates.

חֵלֶק ג׳: מַחֲזוֹרֵי הַשְּׁמִטָּה וְהַיּוֹבֵל

Part III: The Cycles of Shemitah and Jubilee

חִשּׁוּב מַחֲזוֹרֵי הַשְּׁמִטָּה | Calculating Shemitah Cycles

The Torah establishes the seven-year Shemitah cycle:

"שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ וְשֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְמֹר כַּרְמֶךָ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת־תְּבוּאָתָהּ׃ וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן יִהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַיהוָה שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרָע וְכַרְמְךָ לֹא תִזְמֹר׃"

"Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the produce thereof. But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath unto the LORD; thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard."

— Leviticus 25:3-4

After seven Shemitah cycles comes the Jubilee:

"וְסָפַרְתָּ לְךָ שֶׁבַע שַׁבְּתֹת שָׁנִים שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים וְהָיוּ לְךָ יְמֵי שֶׁבַע שַׁבְּתֹת הַשָּׁנִים תֵּשַׁע וְאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה׃ וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ שׁוֹפַר תְּרוּעָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִעִי בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ בְּיוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים תַּעֲבִירוּ שׁוֹפָר בְּכָל־אַרְצְכֶם׃ וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם אֵת שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ לְכָל־יֹשְׁבֶיהָ יוֹבֵל הִוא תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם וְשַׁבְתֶּם אִישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּתוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ תָּשֻׁבוּ׃"

"And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and there shall be unto thee the days of seven sabbaths of years, even forty and nine years. Then shalt thou make proclamation with the blast of the horn on the tenth day of the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall ye make proclamation with the horn throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof; it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family."

— Leviticus 25:8-10

שְׁלֹשָׁה מַחֲזוֹרֵי הַיּוֹבֵל | Three Jubilee Cycles

There are three primary Jubilee cycles that converge in our time:

1. Creation-Based Jubilee System: 120 Jubilees from Creation to the Messianic Kingdom
2. Land-Based Jubilee System: From Joshua's entry to Canaan (c. 1406 BCE)
3. Gentile Jubilee System: From the Temple destruction (70 CE)

הַכִּנּוּס בְּשָׁנַת ה׳תשפ״ז | The Convergence in 5787 (2026-2027)

The year 5787 (2026-2027) represents a remarkable alignment of these cycles:

1. It marks the 120th Jubilee from Creation (6,000 ÷ 50 = 120)
2. It falls within a Shemitah year in the Land-Based system
3. It occurs precisely 40 Jubilees (40 × 50 = 2,000 years) from the Temple destruction
4. It aligns with the 7th Shemitah cycle since Israel's rebirth in 1948

This convergence is unprecedented and fulfills the Talmudic teaching:

"אמר רבי חנינא: אין בן דוד בא אלא בשביעית."

"Rabbi Hanina said: The son of David will come only in the seventh year [of the Shemitah cycle]."

— Talmud, Megillah 17b

The mathematical precision of these converging cycles cannot be coincidental, but rather points to divine orchestration of prophetic chronology.

חֵלֶק ד׳: הַלִּקּוּיִים וְמַטְרֵי הַמֶּטֶאוֹרִים בְּאֱלוּל תשפ״ז

Part IV: The Eclipses and Meteor Showers of Elul 5787

אוֹתוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם לְפִי יוֹאֵל וִישַׁעְיָהוּ | Celestial Signs According to Joel and Isaiah

The prophets describe specific celestial signs that will precede the Day of the LORD:

"וְנָתַתִּי מוֹפְתִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ דָּם וָאֵשׁ וְתִימְרוֹת עָשָׁן׃ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵהָפֵךְ לְחֹשֶׁךְ וְהַיָּרֵחַ לְדָם לִפְנֵי בּוֹא יוֹם יְהוָה הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא׃"

"And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come."

— Joel 3:3-4 (2:30-31 in Christian numbering)

Isaiah similarly prophesies:

"וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה כִּי־מָלַךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם וְנֶגֶד זְקֵנָיו כָּבוֹד׃"

"Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders shall be glory."

— Isaiah 24:23

Isaiah also speaks of the heavens being rolled up:

"וְנָמַקּוּ כָּל־צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנָגֹלּוּ כַסֵּפֶר הַשָּׁמָיִם וְכָל־צְבָאָם יִבּוֹל כִּנְבֹל עָלֶה מִגֶּפֶן וּכְנֹבֶלֶת מִתְּאֵנָה׃"

"And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig-tree."

— Isaiah 34:4

הַלִּקּוּיִים וְמַטְרֵי הַמֶּטֶאוֹרִים בְּאֱלוּל תשפ״ז | The Eclipses and Meteor Showers of Elul 5787

Astronomers have confirmed three extraordinary celestial events will occur in the month of Elul 5787 (August-September 2026):

1. Total Solar Eclipse: August 12, 2026 (25 Av 5786)
   • The sun will be "turned to darkness" (Joel 3:4)
   • Visible from Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East
2. Perseid Meteor Shower Peak: August 12-13, 2026 (25-26 Av 5786)
   • Coinciding exactly with the solar eclipse
   • Up to 100 meteors per hour at peak
   • Stars "falling from heaven" (Isaiah 34:4)
3. Total Lunar Eclipse: August 28, 2026 (12 Elul 5786)
   • The moon will be "turned to blood" (Joel 3:4)
   • Visible from parts of the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Middle East
   • Occurs just two weeks before Rosh Hashanah 5787

These precise astronomical events, occurring in the exact sequence prophesied, and immediately preceding Rosh Hashanah 5787, fulfill the prophetic prerequisites for the Day of the LORD. The mathematical probability of such a convergence occurring randomly is infinitesimal.

חֵלֶק ה׳: יוֹם יְהוָה וְתְחִלַּת תְּקוּפַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ

Part V: The Day of the LORD and the Beginning of the Messianic Era

הֶגְדָּרַת יוֹם יְהוָה | Definition of the Day of the LORD

The prophets describe the Day of the LORD as a day of both judgment and deliverance:

"הַהּ לַיּוֹם כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם־יְהוָה וּכְשֹׁד מִשַּׁדַּי יָבוֹא׃"

"Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come."

— Joel 1:15

"הוֹי הַמִּתְאַוִּים אֶת־יוֹם יְהוָה לָמָּה־זֶּה לָכֶם יוֹם יְהוָה הוּא־חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אוֹר׃"

"Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! Wherefore would ye have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light."

— Amos 5:18

"הִנֵּה יוֹם בָּא לַיהוָה וְחֻלַּק שְׁלָלֵךְ בְּקִרְבֵּךְ׃ וְאָסַפְתִּי אֶת־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם לַמִּלְחָמָה וְנִלְכְּדָה הָעִיר וְנָשַׁסּוּ הַבָּתִּים וְהַנָּשִׁים תִּשָּׁגַלְנָה וְיָצָא חֲצִי הָעִיר בַּגּוֹלָה וְיֶתֶר הָעָם לֹא יִכָּרֵת מִן־הָעִיר׃ וְיָצָא יְהוָה וְנִלְחַם בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם כְּיוֹם הִלָּחֲמוֹ בְּיוֹם קְרָב׃"

"Behold, a day of the LORD cometh, when thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, but the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fighteth in the day of battle."

— Zechariah 14:1-3

יוֹם הַנְּקָמָה | The Day of Vengeance

The Day of the LORD begins with divine vengeance against the enemies of Israel:

"יוֹם נָקָם בְּלִבִּי וּשְׁנַת גְּאוּלַי בָּאָה׃"

"For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed is come."

— Isaiah 63:4

"כִּי יוֹם נָקָם לַיהוָה שְׁנַת שִׁלּוּמִים לְרִיב צִיּוֹן׃"

"For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion."

— Isaiah 34:8

Isaiah 24-35 provides an extensive description of this period of divine judgment, in which the earth will be severely depopulated:

"הִנֵּה יְהוָה בּוֹקֵק הָאָרֶץ וּבוֹלְקָהּ וְעִוָּה פָנֶיהָ וְהֵפִיץ יֹשְׁבֶיהָ׃"

"Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof."

— Isaiah 24:1

"עַל־כֵּן אָלָה אָכְלָה אֶרֶץ וַיֶּאְשְׁמוּ יֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ עַל־כֵּן חָרוּ יֹשְׁבֵי אֶרֶץ וְנִשְׁאַר אֱנוֹשׁ מִזְעָר׃"

"Therefore hath a curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty; therefore the inhabitants of the earth waste away, and few men left."

— Isaiah 24:6

This global devastation will claim approximately two billion lives, fulfilling the first part of the seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy.

חֵלֶק ו׳: בְּרִית שֶׁקֶר וּבְנִיַּת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ

Part VI: The False Covenant and Temple Construction

הַמְּשִׁיחַ הַשָּׁקֶר | The False Messiah

In the aftermath of global catastrophe, a false messiah will arise to offer humanity a covenant of peace:

"וְהִגְבִּיר בְּרִית לָרַבִּים שָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד..."

"And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week..."

— Daniel 9:27

The prophet Isaiah warned about such a false covenant:

"וְכִפֶּר בְּרִיתְכֶם אֶת־מָוֶת וְחָזוּתְכֶם אֶת־שְׁאוֹל לֹא תָקוּם שׁוֹט שׁוֹטֵף כִּי יַעֲבֹר וִהְיִיתֶם לוֹ לְמִרְמָס׃"

"And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with the nether-world shall not stand; when the scouring scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it."

— Isaiah 28:18

הַהַזְדַּמְּנוּת לִבְנוֹת אֶת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ | The Opportunity to Build the Temple

This false covenant will include permission to rebuild the Temple on its historical site, as implied in Daniel 9:27 with the resumption of sacrifices:

"...וַחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ יַשְׁבִּית זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה..."

"...and for half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease..."

— Daniel 9:27

The construction of the Third Temple will begin shortly after the covenant is established, as Daniel 8:13-14 suggests a 2,300-day period from the beginning of sacrifices to the cleansing of the sanctuary:

"וָאֶשְׁמְעָה אֶחָד־קָדוֹשׁ מְדַבֵּר וַיֹּאמֶר אֶחָד קָדוֹשׁ לַפַּלְמוֹנִי הַמְדַבֵּר עַד־מָתַי הֶחָזוֹן הַתָּמִיד וְהַפֶּשַׁע שֹׁמֵם תֵּת וְקֹדֶשׁ וְצָבָא מִרְמָס׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי עַד עֶרֶב בֹּקֶר אַלְפַּיִם וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְנִצְדַּק קֹדֶשׁ׃"

"Then I heard one holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spoke: 'How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that causes appalment, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?' And he said unto me: 'Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be victorious.'"

— Daniel 8:13-14

Construction will likely begin in 5787/5788 (2027 CE), with sacrifices commencing shortly thereafter. This timeline aligns with Ezekiel's detailed description of the future Temple (Ezekiel 40-48).

חֵלֶק ז׳: חִלּוּל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְהַרְדִיפָה

Part VII: The Desecration of the Temple and the Persecution

מַחֲצִית הַשָּׁבוּעַ וְהַשִּׁקּוּץ הַמְּשֹׁמֵם | The Middle of the Week and the Abomination of Desolation

Exactly 1,260 days (3.5 years) after the covenant is established, a critical event will occur:

"...וַחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ יַשְׁבִּית זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה וְעַל כְּנַף שִׁקּוּצִים מְשֹׁמֵם וְעַד־כָּלָה וְנֶחֱרָצָה תִּתַּךְ עַל־שֹׁמֵם׃"

"...and for half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and upon the wing of detestable things shall be that which causeth appalment; and that until the extermination wholly determined be poured out upon that which causeth appalment."

— Daniel 9:27

The false messiah will:

1. Stop the daily sacrifices in the Temple
2. Install an abominable image in the Temple
3. Demand worship of himself and this image
4. Display a seemingly healed wound on his head
5. Claim godhood through connection with artificial intelligence systems

This parallels the historical desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes, which the prophet Daniel also predicted:

"וּזְרֹעוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ יַעֲמֹדוּ וְחִלְּלוּ הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַמָּעוֹז וְהֵסִירוּ הַתָּמִיד וְנָתְנוּ הַשִּׁקּוּץ מְשׁוֹמֵם׃"

"And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the stronghold, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall set up the detestable thing that causeth appalment."

— Daniel 11:31

Josephus describes the historical prototype of this abomination:

"And when the king had built an idol altar upon God's altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a sacrifice neither according to the law, nor the Jewish religious worship in that country."

— Josephus, Antiquities 12.5.4

רְדִיפַת יִשְׂרָאֵל | The Persecution of Israel

Following this desecration, the false messiah will unleash unprecedented persecution against those who refuse to worship him, particularly the Jewish people:

"וְהָיְתָה עֵת צָרָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־נִהְיְתָה מִהְיוֹת גּוֹי עַד הָעֵת הַהִיא וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְּךָ כָּל־הַנִּמְצָא כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר׃"

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

— Daniel 12:1

This persecution will far exceed even the horrors of the Holocaust, fulfilling the words of Jeremiah:

"הוֹי כִּי גָדוֹל הַיּוֹם הַהוּא מֵאַיִן כָּמֹהוּ וְעֵת־צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב וּמִמֶּנָּה יִוָּשֵׁעַ׃"

"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is a time of trouble unto Jacob, but out of it shall he be saved."

— Jeremiah 30:7

Yet even in this darkest hour, divine protection will be provided for a remnant:

"וְהָיָה הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֶר לוֹ כָּל־הַכָּתוּב לַחַיִּים בִּירוּשָׁלִָם׃"

"And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written unto life in Jerusalem."

— Isaiah 4:3

חֵלֶק ח׳: בִּיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ הָאֲמִתִּי וְנִצְחוֹנוֹ

Part VIII: The Coming of the True Messiah and His Victory

בִּיאָה בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים | Coming on Yom Kippur

Exactly 1,290 days after the abomination of desolation, the true Messiah—the son of David—will descend from heaven on Yom Kippur:

"וְעָמְדוּ רַגְלָיו בַּיּוֹם־הַהוּא עַל־הַר הַזֵּיתִים אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִקֶּדֶם וְנִבְקַע הַר הַזֵּיתִים מֵחֶצְיוֹ מִזְרָחָה וָיָמָּה גֵּיא גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וּמָשׁ חֲצִי הָהָר צָפוֹנָה וְחֶצְיוֹ־נֶגְבָּה׃"

"And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleft in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, so that there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south."

— Zechariah 14:4

This day fulfills the words of Daniel 12:11:

"וּמֵעֵת הוּסַר הַתָּמִיד וְלָתֵת שִׁקּוּץ שֹׁמֵם יָמִים אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם וְתִשְׁעִים׃"

"And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the detestable thing that causeth appalment set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days."

— Daniel 12:11

The timing on Yom Kippur fulfills the typology of this sacred day—atonement for Israel and judgment for her enemies.

מֶגִדּוֹ וְהַנִּצָּחוֹן | Megiddo and the Victory

The armies of the nations will gather at Megiddo (Armageddon) for the final battle:

"וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֹתָם אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַנִּקְרָא בָּעִבְרִית הַר־מְגִדּוֹן׃"

"And they gathered them together to the place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon [The Mountain of Megiddo]."

— Revelation 16:16

The Messiah will defeat these armies with supernatural power:

"וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה אֲשֶׁר יִגֹּף יְהוָה אֶת־כָּל־הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר צָבְאוּ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָם הָמֵק בְּשָׂרוֹ וְהוּא עֹמֵד עַל־רַגְלָיו וְעֵינָיו תִּמַּקְנָה בְחֹרֵיהֶן וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ תִּמַּק בְּפִיהֶם׃"

"And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the peoples that have warred against Jerusalem: their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."

— Zechariah 14:12

This victory fulfills numerous prophecies:

1. Isaiah's vision of the mighty conqueror (Isaiah 63:1-6)
2. Ezekiel's prophecy of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39)
3. Zechariah's description of the Lord's defense of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:1-9)
4. Daniel's vision of the stone crushing the empires (Daniel 2:44-45)

הַכָּרַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ | Recognition of the Messiah

At this moment, Israel will recognize the true identity of the Messiah:

"וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עַל־בֵּית דָּוִיד וְעַל יוֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם רוּחַ חֵן וְתַחֲנוּנִים וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־דָּקָרוּ וְסָפְדוּ עָלָיו כְּמִסְפֵּד עַל־הַיָּחִיד וְהָמֵר עָלָיו כְּהָמֵר עַל־הַבְּכוֹר׃"

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto Me because they have thrust him through; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born."

— Zechariah 12:10

This recognition fulfills the dual Messianic roles described in ancient Jewish tradition:

1. Mashiach ben Yosef: The suffering servant who dies for the sins of Israel
2. Mashiach ben David: The conquering king who establishes the Messianic Kingdom

The Talmud acknowledges these dual roles:

"אמר רב חסדא אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמני אמר רב: שלשה באים בהיסח הדעת: אלו הן, משיח, מציאה, ועקרב."

"Rabbi Hisda said in the name of Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani, who said in the name of Rabbi: Three things come when the mind is diverted: the Messiah, a lost object, and a scorpion."

— Talmud, Sanhedrin 97a

The Messiah's true identity will be revealed to all at this pivotal moment.

חֵלֶק ט׳: טִהוּר הָאָרֶץ וּפֶּסַח רִאשׁוֹן

Part IX: The Cleansing of the Land and the First Passover

שִׁבְעָה חֳדָשִׁים לְטַהֵר אֶת הָאָרֶץ | Seven Months to Cleanse the Land

After the great battle, a period of cleansing will begin:

"וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶתֵּן לְגוֹג מְקוֹם־שָׁם קֶבֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גֵּי הָעֹבְרִים קִדְמַת הַיָּם וְחֹסֶמֶת הִיא אֶת־הָעֹבְרִים וְקָבְרוּ שָׁם אֶת־גּוֹג וְאֶת־כָּל־הֲמוֹנֹה וְקָרְאוּ גֵּיא הֲמוֹן גּוֹג׃ וּקְבָרוּם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמַעַן טַהֵר אֶת־הָאָרֶץ שִׁבְעָה חֳדָשִׁים׃"

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of them that pass through on the east of the sea; and it shall stop them that pass through; and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it the valley of Hamon-gog. And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying them, that they may cleanse the land."

— Ezekiel 39:11-12

This seven-month cleansing period will extend from Yom Kippur (10 Tishrei) to 10 Nisan, preparing the land for the first Passover of the Messianic Age.

בְּנִיַּת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַמָּשִׁיחִי | Building the Messianic Temple

During this period, the true Messianic Temple will be constructed according to the detailed plans in Ezekiel 40-48:

"וְקָחַתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִן־הַגּוֹיִם וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֶתְכֶם מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצוֹת וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶם׃ וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם מִכֹּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וּמִכָּל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם׃"

"For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you."

— Ezekiel 36:24-25

The Messiah himself, as described in Zechariah, will oversee this construction:

"וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה־אִישׁ צֶמַח שְׁמוֹ וּמִתַּחְתָּיו יִצְמָח וּבָנָה אֶת־הֵיכַל יְהוָה׃ וְהוּא יִבְנֶה אֶת־הֵיכַל יְהוָה וְהוּא־יִשָּׂא הוֹד וְיָשַׁב וּמָשַׁל עַל־כִּסְאוֹ וְהָיָה כֹהֵן עַל־כִּסְאוֹ וַעֲצַת שָׁלוֹם תִּהְיֶה בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם׃"

"And speak unto him, saying: Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying: Behold, a man whose name is the Shoot, and who shall shoot up out of his place, and build the temple of the LORD; even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and there shall be a priest before his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."

— Zechariah 6:12-13

פֶּסַח רִאשׁוֹן בְּמַלְכוּת הַמָּשִׁיחַ | The First Passover in the Messianic Kingdom

The first Passover of the Messianic Kingdom will be celebrated on 14-21 Nisan 5788 (April 2034), just after the land cleansing is completed:

"כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ תִּקַּח פַּר־בֶּן־בָּקָר תָּמִים וְחִטֵּאתָ אֶת־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ׃ וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן מִדַּם הַחַטָּאת וְנָתַן אֶל־מְזוּזַת הַבַּיִת וְאֶל־אַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הָעֲזָרָה לַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְעַל־מְזוּזַת שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית׃ וְכֵן תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּשִׁבְעָה בַחֹדֶשׁ מֵאִישׁ שֹׁגֶה וּמִפֶּתִי וְכִפַּרְתֶּם אֶת־הַבָּיִת׃ בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַפָּסַח חָג שְׁבֻעוֹת יָמִים מַצּוֹת יֵאָכֵל׃"

"Thus saith the Lord GOD: In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish; and thou shalt purify the sanctuary. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering, and put it upon the door-posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court. And so thou shalt do on the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple; so shall ye make atonement for the house. In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover; a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten."

— Ezekiel 45:18-21

This will inaugurate the new temple worship as described in detail by Ezekiel, with the Messiah presiding as both King and Priest.

חֵלֶק י׳: חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת וּמַלְכוּת הַמָּשִׁיחַ

Part X: Sukkot and the Messianic Kingdom

כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם יַעֲלוּ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם | All Nations Will Come to Jerusalem

In the Messianic Kingdom, all nations will come to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot, as prophesied by Zechariah:

"וְהָיָה כָּל־הַנּוֹתָר מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִם הַבָּאִים עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְעָלוּ מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְמֶלֶךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת וְלָחֹג אֶת־חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת׃ וְהָיָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יַעֲלֶה מֵאֵת מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאָרֶץ אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִַם לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְמֶלֶךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת וְלֹא עֲלֵיהֶם יִהְיֶה הַגָּשֶׁם׃"

"And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso of the families of the earth goeth not up unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, upon them there shall be no rain."

— Zechariah 14:16-17

This fulfills the vision of universal worship of the God of Israel:

"וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד׃"

"And the LORD shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall the LORD be One, and His name one."

— Zechariah 14:9

עוֹלָם שֶׁל שָׁלוֹם | A World of Peace

The Messianic Kingdom will be characterized by unprecedented peace and harmony:

"וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבוֹתָם לְאִתִּים וַחֲנִיתוֹתֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרוֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה׃"

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

— Isaiah 2:4

Even the animal kingdom will be transformed:

"וְגָר זְאֵב עִם־כֶּבֶשׂ וְנָמֵר עִם־גְּדִי יִרְבָּץ וְעֵגֶל וּכְפִיר וּמְרִיא יַחְדָּו וְנַעַר קָטֹן נֹהֵג בָּם׃ וּפָרָה וָדֹב תִּרְעֶינָה יַחְדָּו יִרְבְּצוּ יַלְדֵיהֶן וְאַרְיֵה כַּבָּקָר יֹאכַל־תֶּבֶן׃ וְשִׁעֲשַׁע יוֹנֵק עַל־חֻר פָּתֶן וְעַ

Mashiach Ha' Nagid

אדונינו המשיח: אמת נבואת התנ״ך,

This section of the treatise continues in treating our sacred texts with reverence, using traditional methods of פרד״ס (PaRDeS) interpretation—פשט (Peshat, literal), רמז (Remez, symbolic), דרש (Drash, homiletical), and סוד (Sod, mystical)—to reveal what has been written concerning the identity, nature, and mission of HaMashiach.

חלק א׳: המשיח הוא יהוה ואיש

האחדות הפלאית: המשיח הוא אלוהי ואנושי

The Tanakh contains a profound paradox: HaMashiach is both divine (אלוהי) and human (אנושי). Let us examine the evidence directly from the text without interpretation beyond what is written.

In תהלים (Tehillim/Psalms) 110:1, דוד המלך (King David) writes:

"נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי, שֵׁב לִימִינִי; עַד-אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ, הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ."

"HaShem says to my Adon: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'"

Here David refers to one who is his אדון (Lord), yet clearly distinct from יהוה. This indicates someone who is superior to דוד המלך himself, the greatest of Israel's kings. Yet in verse 5, David refers to this same figure: "אֲדֹנָי עַל-יְמִינְךָ" ("Adonai at Your right hand"). The use of אדני, a term reserved for יהוה, reveals the divine nature of this figure who sits at יהוה's right hand.

Similarly, in תהלים 45:7-8, we read:

"כִּסְאֲךָ אֱלֹהִים, עוֹלָם וָעֶד; שֵׁבֶט מִישֹׁר, שֵׁבֶט מַלְכוּתֶךָ. אָהַבְתָּ צֶּדֶק, וַתִּשְׂנָא-רֶשַׁע: עַל-כֵּן מְשָׁחֲךָ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ, שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ."

"Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever; the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."

Here the Mashiach is directly addressed as אלהים (Elohim), yet is anointed by אלהים. This remarkable passage reveals the divine nature of המשיח while maintaining the distinction within אחדות ה׳ (the unity of HaShem).

הנבקר בעד עמו: המשיח הנדקר

The human nature of המשיח is further revealed in זכריה (Zechariah) 12:10:

"וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עַל-בֵּית דָּוִיד וְעַל יוֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם, רוּחַ חֵן וְתַחֲנוּנִים, וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-דָּקָרוּ; וְסָפְדוּ עָלָיו, כְּמִסְפֵּד עַל-הַיָּחִיד, וְהָמֵר עָלָיו, כְּהָמֵר עַל-הַבְּכוֹר."

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on Me, on Him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over Him, as one weeps over a firstborn."

The striking feature of this passage is that יהוה is speaking ("וְשָׁפַכְתִּי" - "And I will pour out"), yet He says "וְהִבִּיטוּ אֵלַי, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-דָּקָרוּ" ("they will look upon Me whom they have pierced"). How can יהוה, who is רוח (Spirit), be pierced unless He takes on בשר ודם (flesh and blood)?

This piercing is further explained in ישעיה (Isaiah) 53:5:

"וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ, מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲו‍ֹנֹתֵינוּ; מוּסַר שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ עָלָיו, וּבַחֲבֻרָתוֹ נִרְפָּא-לָנוּ."

"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed."

חלק ב׳: נבואת דניאל – המשיח היה צריך להיכרת

שבעים השבועים והכורת של המשיח

דניאל (Daniel) 9:24-26 provides a precise timeline for המשיח's arrival and subsequent cutting off:

"שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים נֶחְתַּךְ עַל-עַמְּךָ וְעַל-עִיר קָדְשֶׁךָ, לְכַלֵּא הַפֶּשַׁע ולחתם חטאות, וּלְכַפֵּר עָו‍ֹן, וּלְהָבִיא צֶדֶק עֹלָמִים; וְלַחְתֹּם חָזוֹן וְנָבִיא, וְלִמְשֹׁחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים. וְתֵדַע וְתַשְׂכֵּל, מִן-מֹצָא דָבָר לְהָשִׁיב וְלִבְנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם עַד-מָשִׁיחַ נָגִיד, שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעָה; וְשָׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם, תָּשׁוּב וְנִבְנְתָה רְחוֹב וְחָרוּץ, וּבְצוֹק, הָעִתִּים. וְאַחֲרֵי הַשָּׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם, יִכָּרֵת מָשִׁיחַ וְאֵין לוֹ; וְהָעִיר וְהַקֹּדֶשׁ יַשְׁחִית עַם נָגִיד הַבָּא, וְקִצּוֹ בַשֶּׁטֶף, וְעַד קֵץ מִלְחָמָה, נֶחֱרֶצֶת שֹׁמֵמוֹת."

"Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of Mashiach HaNagid there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks... And after the sixty-two weeks, Mashiach shall be cut off and have nothing..."

According to this prophecy, from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until המשיח הנגיד (Mashiach the Prince) would be 7 + 62 = 69 weeks of years, or 483 years. Historical records confirm that ארתחשסתא (Artaxerxes) gave this decree to נחמיה (Nehemiah) in 445 BCE (נחמיה 2:1-8).

Using the prophetic calendar of 360 days per year:

• 483 years × 360 days = 173,880 days
• 173,880 days from 445 BCE brings us precisely to 32 CE

More significantly, the prophecy states explicitly: "וְאַחֲרֵי הַשָּׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם, יִכָּרֵת מָשִׁיחַ וְאֵין לוֹ" ("After the sixty-two weeks, Mashiach shall be cut off and have nothing"). The term יִכָּרֵת (yikaret, "shall be cut off") is the same used for the death penalty in תורה. This prophecy makes it unequivocally clear: המשיח had to die, to be "cut off," and this had to occur after the 69 weeks but before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, which occurred in 70 CE.

חלק ג׳: דרך הסבל – המשיח הסובל

תהלים כ״ב וישעיה נ״ג – עבד ה׳ הסובל

תהלים 22 describes in vivid detail the suffering of המשיח:

"אֵלִי אֵלִי, לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי... וַאֲנִי תוֹלַעַת וְלֹא-אִישׁ; חֶרְפַּת אָדָם, וּבְזוּי עָם. כָּל-רֹאַי, יַלְעִגוּ לִי; יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה, יָנִיעוּ רֹאשׁ... כִּי סְבָבוּנִי, כְּלָבִים: עֲדַת מְרֵעִים, הִקִּיפוּנִי; כָּאֲרִי, יָדַי וְרַגְלָי. אֲסַפֵּר כָּל-עַצְמוֹתָי; הֵמָּה יַבִּיטוּ, יִרְאוּ-בִי. יְחַלְּקוּ בְגָדַי לָהֶם; וְעַל-לְבוּשִׁי, יַפִּילוּ גוֹרָל."

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?... But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads... For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."

This psalm describes someone whose:

• Hands and feet are pierced (כָּאֲרִי, יָדַי וְרַגְלָי)
• Garments are divided by lot (יְחַלְּקוּ בְגָדַי לָהֶם; וְעַל-לְבוּשִׁי, יַפִּילוּ גוֹרָל)
• Is mocked and scorned (כָּל-רֹאַי, יַלְעִגוּ לִי)
• Experiences extreme thirst (יָבֵשׁ כַּחֶרֶשׂ כֹּחִי, וּלְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּק מַלְקוֹחָי)
• Feels abandoned by God (אֵלִי אֵלִי, לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי)

Yet this same psalm ends with worldwide redemption:

"יִזְכְּרוּ וְיָשֻׁבוּ אֶל-יְהוָה, כָּל-אַפְסֵי-אָרֶץ; וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְפָנֶיךָ, כָּל-מִשְׁפְּחוֹת גּוֹיִם."

"All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you."

This is further illuminated in ישעיה 53, which describes עבד ה׳ (the Servant of HaShem) who suffers vicariously for the sins of others:

"אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא, וּמַכְאֹבֵינוּ סְבָלָם; וַאֲנַחְנוּ חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ, נָגוּעַ מֻכֵּה אֱלֹהִים וּמְעֻנֶּה. וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ, מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲו‍ֹנֹתֵינוּ; מוּסַר שְׁלוֹמֵנוּ עָלָיו, וּבַחֲבֻרָתוֹ נִרְפָּא-לָנוּ."

"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."

This passage reveals that המשיח must serve as a קרבן (sacrifice) for the sins of עם ישראל. He is:

• נגוע (stricken) and מוכה (smitten) by אלהים
• מחולל (pierced) for פשעינו (our transgressions)
• מדוכא (crushed) for עוונותינו (our iniquities)

Yet through this suffering comes healing and peace. This is the ultimate fulfillment of יום כיפור (Yom Kippur), the day when atonement is made for the sins of the people.

חלק ד׳: המשיח בתפארתו – בן האדם שיבוא על ענני השמים

דניאל ז׳ – בן האדם שיקבל את המלכות

Daniel's vision in דניאל 7:13-14 reveals המשיח in His glory:

"חָזֵה הֲוֵית בְּחֶזְוֵי לֵילְיָא, וַאֲרוּ עִם-עֲנָנֵי שְׁמַיָּא, כְּבַר אֱנָשׁ אָתֵה הֲוָא; וְעַד-עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא מְטָה, וּקְדָמוֹהִי הַקְרְבוּהִי. וְלֵהּ יְהִב שָׁלְטָן וִיקָר וּמַלְכוּ, וְכֹל עַמְמַיָּא אֻמַּיָּא וְלִשָּׁנַיָּא לֵהּ יִפְלְחוּן; שָׁלְטָנֵהּ שָׁלְטָן עָלַם, דִּי-לָא יֶעְדֵּה, וּמַלְכוּתֵהּ, דִּי-לָא תִתְחַבַּל."

"I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."

In this vision, בר אנש (the Son of Man) approaches עתיק יומין (the Ancient of Days) and receives the kingdom.

Yet the shocking revelation is that this "Son of Man" receives universal worship – something reserved only for יהוה Himself. The Aramaic term יִפְלְחוּן (yiflachun, "they will serve/worship") is specifically used for divine worship. This reinforces the divine nature of המשיח, who comes in human form yet receives divine worship.

דניאל ב׳ – האבן שהופכת להר גדול

In דניאל 2:44-45, we see another depiction of המשיח's kingdom:

"וּבְיוֹמֵיהוֹן דִּי מַלְכַיָּא אִנּוּן, יְקִים אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא מַלְכוּ דִּי לְעָלְמִין לָא תִתְחַבַּל, וּמַלְכוּתָה לְעַם אָחֳרָן לָא תִשְׁתְּבִק; תַּדִּק וְתָסֵיף כָּל-אִלֵּין מַלְכְוָתָא, וְהִיא תְּקוּם לְעָלְמַיָּא. כָּל-קֳבֵל דִּי-חֲזַיְתָ דִּי מִטּוּרָא אִתְגְּזֶרֶת אֶבֶן דִּי-לָא בִידַיִן, וְהַדֶּקֶת פַּרְזְלָא נְחָשָׁא חַסְפָּא כַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא--אֱלָהּ רַב הוֹדַע לְמַלְכָּא, מָה דִּי לֶהֱוֵא אַחֲרֵי דְנָה; וְיַצִּיב חֶלְמָא, וּמְהֵימַן פִּשְׁרֵהּ."

"And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure."

The אבן די־לא בידין (stone cut without hands) represents המשיח and His kingdom, which will destroy all earthly kingdoms and become a mountain filling the whole earth. This connects directly to:

זכריה י״ד – יהוה־המשיח מציל את ישראל

In זכריה 14:1-4, we see יהוה Himself coming to save ישראל:

"הִנֵּה יוֹם-בָּא, לַיהוָה; וְחֻלַּק שְׁלָלֵךְ, בְּקִרְבֵּךְ. וְאָסַפְתִּי אֶת-כָּל-הַגּוֹיִם אֶל-יְרוּשָׁלִַם, לַמִּלְחָמָה, וְנִלְכְּדָה הָעִיר וְנָשַׁסּוּ הַבָּתִּים, וְהַנָּשִׁים תִּשָּׁגַלְנָה; וְיָצָא חֲצִי הָעִיר, בַּגּוֹלָה, וְיֶתֶר הָעָם, לֹא יִכָּרֵת מִן-הָעִיר. וְיָצָא יְהוָה, וְנִלְחַם בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם, כְּיוֹם הִלָּחֲמוֹ, בְּיוֹם קְרָב. וְעָמְדוּ רַגְלָיו בַּיּוֹם-הַהוּא עַל-הַר הַזֵּתִים, אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִקֶּדֶם, וְנִבְקַע הַר הַזֵּיתִים מֵחֶצְיוֹ, מִזְרָחָה וָיָמָּה..."

"Behold, a day is coming for the LORD... Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west..."

This passage describes יהוה as having רגלים (feet) that will stand on הר הזיתים (the Mount of Olives). This remarkable anthropomorphism connects directly with זכריה 12:10, where יהוה is pierced, and further establishes that HaMashiach is the physical manifestation of יהוה Himself.

חלק ה׳: שיבת ישראל וצרת יעקב

התגשמות נבואית בימינו

The regathering of ישראל to their land is one of the most remarkable fulfillments of prophecy in our time, as foretold in ישעיה 11:11-12:

"וְהָיָה, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, יוֹסִיף אֲדֹנָי שֵׁנִית יָדוֹ, לִקְנוֹת אֶת-שְׁאָר עַמּוֹ--אֲשֶׁר יִשָּׁאֵר, מֵאַשּׁוּר וּמִמִּצְרַיִם וּמִפַּתְרוֹס וּמִכּוּשׁ, וּמֵעֵילָם וּמִשִּׁנְעָר, וּמֵחֲמָת וּמֵאִיֵּי הַיָּם. וְנָשָׂא נֵס לַגּוֹיִם, וְאָסַף נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּנְפֻצוֹת יְהוּדָה יְקַבֵּץ, מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ."

"In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."

However, this regathering precedes צרת יעקב (the time of Jacob's trouble), as described in ירמיה (Jeremiah) 30:7:

"הוֹי כִּי גָדוֹל הַיּוֹם הַהוּא, מֵאַיִן כָּמֹהוּ; וְעֵת-צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב, וּמִמֶּנָּה יִוָּשֵׁעַ."

"Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it."

התוצאות של דחיית המשיח והברית עם הגויים

The reasons for this coming time of distress are outlined in תורה and throughout Tanakh:

1. שירת משה (The Song of Moses) - דברים (Deuteronomy) 32 foretold Israel's apostasy and subsequent judgment.
2. הפרת התורה (Breaking Torah) - ויקרא (Leviticus) 26 and דברים 28 outline the consequences of disobedience to תורה.
3. אי הכרת המשיח (Not Recognizing the Messiah) - ישעיה 53:3 says, "נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים, אִישׁ מַכְאֹבוֹת וִידוּעַ חֹלִי; וּכְמַסְתֵּר פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ, נִבְזֶה וְלֹא חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ" ("He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.").
4. דחיית המשיח למרות חורבן בית המקדש השני (Rejecting Messiah Despite Second Temple's Destruction) - The destruction of הבית השני (the Second Temple) was prophesied by דניאל as following המשיח being "cut off" (דניאל 9:26).
5. חוק יסוד במקום תורה (Basic Law Instead of Torah) - מדינת ישראל was established with חוק יסוד rather than תורה, contrary to דברים 6:24-25.
6. ברית עם הגויים לביטחון (Covenant with Gentiles for Security) - ישעיה 28:15 warns: "כָּרַתְנוּ בְרִית אֶת-מָוֶת, וְעִם-שְׁאוֹל עָשִׂינוּ חֹזֶה" ("We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement").

However, יהוה promises to save ישראל even while judging the nations who persecute them:

"כִּי אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה בְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הִפַצוֹתִיךָ שָּׁם, אַךְ אֹתְךָ לֹא-אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה; וְיִסַּרְתִּיךָ לַמִּשְׁפָּט, וְנַקֵּה לֹא אֲנַקֶּךָּ."

"For I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished." (ירמיה 30:11)

חלק ו׳: ישוע הנצרי – המשיח אשר הובטח

ההוכחה ההיסטורית – ישוע כמשיח

Only one person in history fulfills all the messianic prophecies: ישוע מנצרת (Yeshua of Nazareth). Consider the following prophecies and their fulfillment:

1. מקום לידה (Birthplace) - מיכה 5:1 prophesied המשיח would be born in בית לחם (Bethlehem).
2. זמן הופעתו (Time of Appearance) - דניאל 9:25-26 required המשיח to appear and be "cut off" before the destruction of the Second Temple.
3. לידה מבתולה (Virgin Birth) - ישעיה 7:14 states: "הִנֵּה הָעַלְמָה, הָרָה וְיֹלֶדֶת בֵּן, וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ, עִמָּנוּ אֵל" ("Behold, the young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us]").
4. שבט מוצאו (Tribal Origin) - בראשית 49:10 required המשיח to come from שבט יהודה (tribe of Judah).
5. צאצא לדוד (Davidic Lineage) - ישעיה 11:1 required המשיח to be מגזע ישי (from Jesse's lineage).
6. תקופה שבה ניתן להוכיח את ייחוסו (Period When Genealogy Could Be Verified) - המשיח had to come when the genealogical records were intact, which were destroyed in 70 CE.
7. רכיבה על חמור (Riding on a Donkey) - זכריה 9:9 prophesied המשיח would enter ירושלים riding on a חמור (donkey).
8. בגידה על ידי חבר (Betrayal by a Friend) - תהלים 41:10 predicted המשיח would be betrayed by a close friend.
9. מכירה בעד 30 שקל כסף (Sold for 30 Pieces of Silver) - זכריה 11:12-13 specified the price of betrayal.
10. צליבה (Crucifixion) - תהלים 22:17 describes: "כָּאֲרִי, יָדַי וְרַגְלָי" ("they pierced my hands and my feet").
11. מות כפרה (Atoning Death) - ישעיה 53:5-6 details המשיח's vicarious suffering.
12. תחייה (Resurrection) - תהלים 16:10 states: "כִּי לֹא-תַעֲזֹב נַפְשִׁי לִשְׁאוֹל; לֹא-תִתֵּן חֲסִידְךָ, לִרְאוֹת שָׁחַת" ("For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your devout one see corruption").

ישוע fulfilled every prophecy concerning משיח בן יוסף (Messiah son of Joseph), the suffering servant. He will return as משיח בן דוד (Messiah son of David), the conquering king.

מלאך יהוה – ההתגלות הקדומה של המשיח

Throughout Tanakh, מלאך יהוה (the Angel of the LORD) appears as a unique manifestation of יהוה Himself:

1. אברהם (Abraham) - In בראשית 18, three men visit אברהם, one of whom is addressed as יהוה and accepts worship.
2. יעקב (Jacob) - In בראשית 32:24-30, יעקב wrestles with a man whom he later identifies as אלהים: "כִּי-רָאִיתִי אֱלֹהִים פָּנִים אֶל-פָּנִים, וַתִּנָּצֵל נַפְשִׁי" ("For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered").
3. משה (Moses) - In שמות 3:2-6, מלאך יהוה appears in the burning bush, yet identifies Himself as "אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב" ("the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob").
4. יהושע (Joshua) - In יהושע 5:13-15, the שר צבא יהוה (commander of the LORD's army) accepts worship and declares the ground holy.
5. גדעון (Gideon) - In שופטים 6:22, גדעון realizes he has seen מלאך יהוה face to face and fears death.

These appearances prefigure המשיח, the ultimate revelation of יהוה in human form.

סיכום: המשיח – יהוה מושיע

The Tanakh reveals that המשיח is both fully divine (יהוה) and fully human, who had to suffer and die as a sacrifice for sins before returning in glory. דניאל's prophecy pinpoints His appearance and "cutting off" to the precise time when ישוע of נצרת lived and died.

ישעיה 53 reveals that המשיח would be rejected by His own people yet would bear their iniquities. The prophecies concerning His birth, life, betrayal, death, and resurrection find their fulfillment in ישוע, who alone matches every detail.

As זכריה foretold, one day ישראל will look upon Him whom they pierced and mourn. Yet this will be followed by deliverance and the establishment of המשיח's eternal kingdom, as foretold by דניאל.

The consistent appearance of מלאך יהוה throughout Tanakh—who is both distinct from יהוה yet identified as יהוה—establishes the precedent for המשיח as the divine-human redeemer.

The Zohar and the "יהוה זוטא" (Lesser YHWH)

The Zohar, the central Jewish mystical text from the 13th century, presents a complex conception of the Godhead that includes an entity sometimes called "יהוה זוטא" (Lesser YHWH) or "the lesser YHWH." In Zohar, Part 3, 277a, it states:

"והנה שלושה אנשים נצבים עליו... ואלו הם מיכאל וגבריאל ורפאל... וכולם נראו לו בדמות בני אדם... ושכינה עליהם... וסוד זה הוא: בכל מקום שמלאכים נראים, שכינה נראית עמהם."

The Zohar identifies what appeared to Abraham as the Shekhinah – God's presence – along with angels. In another place (Zohar 1, 25a), Metatron is described as:

"נער שהוא שר הפנים, והוא הנקרא מטטרון, והוא יהוה הקטן, כדמות שם רבו, והוא שר העולם."

The expression "the lesser YHWH" attests to a conception of an entity that bears God's name and reflects His divine essence, yet is distinct from Him.

Metatron in the Hekhalot Literature and Rabbinic Sources

In the Hekhalot literature (an early Jewish mystical tradition), Metatron is described as the "youth" and the "prince of the presence" who exists in the closest proximity to God. In Tractate Hagigah 15a in the Babylonian Talmud, there is a story about Elisha ben Abuyah who entered Pardes (engaged in mysticism) and saw Metatron sitting:

"הציצו אלישע ונכנס לפרדס... ראה מטטרון שניתנה לו רשות לישב ולכתוב זכויותיהן של ישראל. אמר: גמירי דלמעלה לא הוי לא ישיבה... שמא חס ושלום שתי רשויות הן."

Elisha was surprised to see an angel sitting, which appeared to him as a second authority in heaven, and this idea led him to question whether there were "two powers" (two divine authorities). The Gemara continues to describe how Metatron was punished to clarify that he is not an independent deity, but the very discussion indicates a complex theological conception regarding his status.

In other places in rabbinic literature, Metatron is identified with Enoch, who was taken by God (Genesis 5:24) and transformed into an angel. In the book Hekhalot Rabbati, Chapter 12:5, it states:

"אני הוא חנוך בן ירד... ועליתי לשמים בדבר הקב״ה... וקרא אותי הקב״ה בשם מטטרון, העבד."

The Book of Enoch and the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Book of Enoch, of which many fragments were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran), presents a conception of the "Son of Man" as a heavenly entity that predates creation. In 1 Enoch it states:

"וראיתי אחד שהיה ראשו כצמר לבן, ועימו אחר שפניו כמראה אדם, ופניו מלאים חסד... ושאלתי את אחד הקדושים אשר עימי... מי הוא זה? והוא ענה לי: זה בן האדם אשר לו הצדקה... בטרם נבראו השמש והכוכבים נקרא שמו לפני אדון הרוחות." (חנוך א׳, פרק מו)

Here we see the "Son of Man" as a pre-cosmic figure who predated creation – an idea that aligns with the conception of the Messiah as a divine entity that existed before its incarnation in the world.

The Name Metatron and Its Theological Significance

The name "Metatron" itself is etymologically interesting. One suggestion is that it derives from the Greek root meta-thronos (beside the throne) or meta-tyrannos (beside the ruler), alluding to a special proximity to God's throne. Others have suggested a connection to the Latin word "metator" (measurer), hinting at his role as a mediator between the divine and the material.

In Jewish tradition, Metatron bears the title "youth" (the youth of the Lord) and also "prince of the presence" – symbolizing that he sees God's face directly, a unique status that even other angels do not merit.

The Angel of the Covenant and the Angel of the Presence

In rabbinic literature, there are two additional terms related to this figure: "the Angel of the Covenant" and "the Angel of the Presence." In Malachi 3:1 it states:

"הִנְנִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָכִי, וּפִנָּה-דֶרֶךְ לְפָנָי; וּפִתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֶל-הֵיכָלוֹ הָאָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר-אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים, וּמַלְאַךְ הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר-אַתֶּם חֲפֵצִים הִנֵּה-בָא, אָמַר, יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת."

In this verse, "the Lord" and "the Angel of the Covenant" appear in parallel, as two aspects of God's arrival. The sages identified "the Angel of the Covenant" with the angel of the Lord who leads the people of Israel in the wilderness and about whom God says "for My name is in him" (Exodus 23:21).

The term "Angel of the Presence" appears in Isaiah 63:9:

"בְּכָל-צָרָתָם לא (לוֹ) צָר, וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם; בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ וּבְחֶמְלָתוֹ, הוּא גְאָלָם, וַיְנַטְּלֵם וַיְנַשְּׂאֵם, כָּל-יְמֵי עוֹלָם."

This verse describes how God's "Angel of the Presence" saved Israel. The concept of "presence" in the Bible symbolizes God's direct presence, and therefore the "Angel of the Presence" is a direct representation of God Himself.

The Aramaic Targums and the "Memra of the Lord"

The Aramaic Targums (Onkelos, Jonathan) frequently use the term "Memra of the Lord" (Word of the Lord) in places where the Bible describes a direct revelation of God. For example, in Targum Onkelos to Genesis 15:6:

"והאמין באברם בממרא דה׳" (And Abram believed in the Word of the Lord).

Similarly, in Targum Jonathan to Genesis 3:8, instead of "they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden," it is written "they heard the voice of the Memra of the Lord God walking in the garden."

The use of "Memra" (literally: "word," "statement") presents a conception of a divine aspect that is revealed and acts in the world, a conception parallel to the description of the "Word" (Logos) in later traditions.

Philo of Alexandria and the Divine Logos

Philo of Alexandria, a Jewish-Hellenistic philosopher from the first century CE, developed the concept of the "Logos" (Word, Wisdom) as a secondary divine entity or divine power:

"The Word (Logos) is the firstborn son of God... He is the first among the angels, an archangel with many names. For he is also called 'the Beginning,' 'the Name of God,' 'the Word,' 'the Man according to God's image'... For as God is the model for the image, so the image (Logos) is the model for other things." (Philo, On the Flight of the Graceful, 101)

Philo saw the Logos as the means through which the transcendent God communicates with the physical world, a kind of mediator between God and creation.

Saadia Gaon and the Created Glory

In the Middle Ages, Saadia Gaon (882-942 CE) developed the idea of the "Created Glory" (kavod nivra) to explain God's appearances in the Tanakh:

"ואין תכליתו של (השכל) המופקד להתגדר בשכליות... כי אם לגלות ולהראות את גבולותיהם של הנבראים והמכוח האחד הקדמון יצאו ובכלל הנבראים: הכבוד... וכאשר רצה הבורא יתעלה להראות לנביאיו חזיוניו הנכבדים או לעמו משלשם, ברא דבר מנבראותיו – והוא הכבוד, בו הראם מה שרצה להראות בו." (ספר האמונות והדעות, מאמר ב)

According to Saadia, the "Glory" or the "Shekhinah" are God's creations through which He reveals Himself to prophets and to the people of Israel, while maintaining monotheistic belief.

Rabbi Judah Halevi and Nachmanides on the "Angel of the Presence"

Rabbi Judah Halevi in The Kuzari (Essay 4, Section 3) refers to the "Angel of the Presence" as the highest level of prophecy:

"והוא המעמד הנכבד אשר הגיע אליו משה רבנו... שיהיה הדבור האלהי מתקשר בשכלו מבלי אמצעי... והוא מלאך הפנים."

Nachmanides, in his commentary on Exodus 23:21, referring to the angel about whom God says "for My name is in him," writes:

"וטעם כי שמי בקרבו, כי שמי משותף בו, כי יקראו המלאכים בשם ה׳.... והנה זה מלאך הפנים שאמר הכתוב (ישעיה סג:ט) ומלאך פניו הושיעם."

Nachmanides sees the "Angel of the Presence" as an angel who bears God's name and directly represents His presence.

Continuity of Theological Conception

The above review shows that throughout Jewish history, sages and kabbalists have dealt with the question of God's appearances in the world through concepts such as the Angel of the Lord, Metatron, the Lesser YHWH, the Angel of the Presence, the Memra of the Lord, the Logos, and the Created Glory. These concepts reflect a complex theological conception that recognizes the possibility of an entity that is simultaneously divine and distinct from God.

The ancient sources described above – the Zohar, Hekhalot literature, the Book of Enoch, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Targums – present a theological foundation that prepares the ground for understanding how the Messiah can be YHWH in human incarnation, without contradicting the principle of divine unity.

The truth is that within the Jewish tradition itself, even before the modern era, one can find the seeds of a theological conception that recognizes a multiplicity of aspects in the divine unity – a conception that allows understanding how the Messiah can be fully divine and fully human, YHWH the Savior who came in the flesh.

The Divine Messiah, then, is not a concept entirely foreign to Jewish thought, but the perfect fulfillment of theological hints that have been present in it since ancient times. The key distinction is this, where the Jewish sages and mystics framed the angel of YHWH as a 'lesser YHWH', the Tanakh makes no disction--simply calling him YHWH. When the Shema is considered--this is no surprise; the Torah tells us--he is echad. They are one; He is one. Who Philo referred to as the Logos is in fact the Shekinah--the glory, imprint and image of YHWH embodied as Ezekiel saw; enthroned above the cherubim and above the firmament. He is who Isaiah saw praised by the seraphim--indeed the amen of YHWH; holy, holy, holy is he; amen.

בברכת ביאת המשיח במהרה בימינו,