Theological Opening

The Talmud and parallel rabbinical literature, include all sorts of passages engaging directly with messianic ideas and messianic texts. ‘Perek Chelek’, the chelek chapter, in the Babylonian Talmud, has a particularly high concentration of such messianic engagement. 

Here we will go through several of them, to show and feel the nature of the textual interpretative engagement, and after we have had this textual experience, we will finally speculate on why and how this finally took place in Jewish tradition. 

This opening section is associated with the Mishna section (Sanhedrin 10:1) dealing with “the world to come…” First the Talmud quotes the Mishna “Who has a place in the world to come”, it asks. Then the discussion quotes Isaiah 60:14 “And your people, all of them righteous, shall possess the land for all time; They are the shoot that I planted, my handiwork in which I glory…”

The Mishna (Sanhedrin 10:1) continues “And these are the ones who have no portion in the world to come: He who maintains that resurrection is not a biblical doctrine, that the Torah was not divinely revealed, and an apikoros (heretic)…” 

Now the Talmud (Bablyonian) in Perek Chelek will discuss and interpret matters relating to the world to come, the messianic era, death, resurrection, heretics, eternal body or soul, judgment, and kingdom. And also Messiah - his features, signs, times, coming, prophecies. 

The amount of concentrated material here in this authoritative rabbinical textual tradition shows that the issue is dealt with, confronted, made publicly a normative discussion in Judaism, and normative opinions on the matter. 

Remember, here I am not trying to decipher each variation of each passage’s different components, how it got there, how it is different from other variations, etc. I am only interested in this impression of the ideas and texts related to messianism, as they are shown in this area in the Talmud.

There are more texts in other areas and in other textual traditions, but we are simply engaging with some very important presentations of texts and ideas. 

BT Sanhedrin 96:B Falling Canopy of David and Onwards

§ Rav Naḥman said to Rabbi Yitzḥak: Have you heard when the son of giants [bar niflei] will come? Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: Who is the son of giants? Rav Naḥman said to him: He is the Messiah. Rabbi Yitzḥak asked him: Do you call the Messiah son of giants? Rav Naḥman said to him: Yes, as it is written: “On that day I will establish | the Tabernacle of David that is fallen [hanofelet]” (Amos 9:11). 

That is why the Messiah is called bar nifli. Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him that this is what Rabbi Yoḥanan says: During the generation in which the Messiah, son of David, comes, Torah scholars decrease; and as for the rest of the people, their eyes fail with sorrow and grief, and troubles increase. And the harsh decrees will be introduced; before the first passes the second quickly comes.

The commentators are asking re a name of Messiah - bar naflei. They associate it with the falling canopy of David in Amos chapter 9. There is an interpretation that Messiah is named son of the falling, because of that Amos 9 passage, which is also a sign of things to come before his coming, bad things. This is an ongoing theme, of catastrophe and downfall, preceding Messiah.

The Sages taught in a baraita: With regard to the seven-year period, i.e., the Sabbatical cycle, during which the Messiah, son of David, comes: During the first year, this verse will be fulfilled: “And I will cause it to rain upon one city and cause it not to rain upon another city” (Amos 4:7). During the second year of that period, arrows of famine will be shot, indicating that there will be famine only in certain places. During the third year there will be a great famine, and men, women, children, the pious, and men of action will die, and the Torah is forgotten by those who study it. 

During the fourth year there will be plenty but not great plenty. During the fifth year there will be great plenty and they will eat, and drink, and rejoice, and the Torah will return to those who study it. During the sixth year, heavenly voices will be heard. During the Sabbatical Year, wars, e.g., the war of Gog and Magog, will be waged involving the Jewish people. During the year after the conclusion of the Sabbatical Year, the son of David will come.

Rav Yosef said: Haven’t there been several Sabbatical cycles during which events transpired in that manner and nevertheless, the Messiah did not come? Abaye said: Have the phenomena: During the sixth year, heavenly voices, and during the Sabbatical Year, wars, transpired? And furthermore, have all these phenomena transpired in the order in which they were listed in the baraita?

The verse states: “That Your enemies taunted, Lord, that they have taunted the footsteps of Your anointed” (Psalms 89:52). It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda says: During the generation that the son of David comes, the hall of the assembly of the Sages will be designated for prostitution, and the Galilee will be destroyed, and the Gavlan, i.e., Bashan, will be desolate, and the residents of the border who flee the neighboring gentiles will circulate from city to city and will receive no sympathy. The wisdom of scholars will diminish, and sin-fearing people will be despised. And the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog in its impudence and shamelessness.

And the truth will be lacking, as it is stated: “And the truth is lacking [ne’ederet], and he who departs from evil is negated” (Isaiah 59:15). What is the meaning of the phrase: And the truth is lacking [ne’ederet]? The Sages of the study hall of Rav said: This teaches that truth will become like so many flocks [adarim] and walk away. What is the meaning of the phrase: “And he that departs from evil is negated”? The Sages of the study hall of Rabbi Sheila said: Anyone who deviates from evil is deemed insane by the people.

This long text is translated to English, punctuated, referenced, and slightly clarified/ Of course I have selected particular bits and arranged them relatively coherently, without parts that are too obscure or that slide away from the topic at point. The original is in Aramaic, dense, and raw. 

Basically we read about the same theme from before, playing off of the passage in Amos, that there will be catastrophe and social and spiritual degradation preceding the Messiah. We read of a seven year period. 

But then Abaye challenges. He says - all these bad things have already taken place, and yet the Son of David has not come. In other words, this is not good evidence to expect him.

And the answer comes - indeed we experienced all these things, but not in that order, and not so severe, etc. In other words, maybe this idea is still true, if we follow the specific sequence.

The discussion carries along and relates Psalm 89, the famous phrase “footsteps / traces of Messiah / your anointed one”. They use this and add to the expectation of bad things - prostitution, destruction, lack of truth, and more. Because of this abuse of the value of truth, referencing Isaiah 59 “truth is lacking”, then the people become like flocks…

Notice how this plays off of the new traditional “flock” motif in messianism. This is how a common element picks up - David was a shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel prophecy, the metaphors in the prophetic literature and their interpretation by messianic writers, such as with Jesus - strike the shepherd and the flock will scatter (Zechariah 13), and here - (Isaiah 59) the truth will be in lack, before Messiah comes. 

Remember, these points were not messianic beforehand. They have now become messianic traditional texts and motifs. This is the nature of developing ideas through textual traditions. 

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Nehorai says: During the generation in which the son of David comes, youths will humiliate elders and elders will stand in deference before youths, and a daughter will rebel against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law, and the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog, and a son will not be ashamed before his father.

It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Neḥemya says: During the generation that the son of David comes, arrogance will proliferate and the cost of living will corrupt people so they will engage in deceit. The vine will produce its fruit, and nevertheless, the wine will be costly. And the entire gentile monarchy will be converted to the heresy of Christianity, and there will be no inclination among the people to accept rebuke. This baraita supports the opinion of Rabbi Yitzḥak, as Rabbi Yitzḥak says: The son of David will not come until the entire kingdom will be converted to heresy. Rava says: What is the verse from which this statement is derived? It is the verse: “It is all turned white; he is ritually pure” (Leviticus 13:13).

In other words, the bad behaviour continues to be expressed in additional ways, before the Son of David comes. But then it is taken a whole step further, saying the whole kingdom will become heretics, presumably converting to Christianity. 

The last words quoting Leviticus may be an answer countering that view, or just a nice way of explaining it - like a leper whose skin has become entirely white, the priest declares him ritually pure again, because his skin is not blemished! So the people of Israel, so many will turn to heresy, in the end they will become pure, with or preceding the Messiah.

The Sages taught in a baraita: The verse states: “For the Lord shall judge His people and atone for His servants, when He sees that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left” (Deuteronomy 32:36). From the phrase “their power is gone” it is derived that the son of David will not come until the traditions will proliferate. 

Alternatively, the Messiah will not come until the number of students of Torah diminishes. Alternatively, the Messiah will not come until the peruta will cease from the purse. Alternatively, the Messiah will not come until they despair from the redemption, as it is stated: “And there is none shut up or left,” as though there were no supporter or helper for the Jewish people.

This is as in that practice of Rabbi Zeira, who, when he would find Sages who were engaging in discussions about the coming of the Messiah, said to them: Please, I ask of you, do not delay his coming by calculating the end of days. As we learn in a baraita: There are three matters that come only by means of diversion of attention from those matters, and these are they: The Messiah, a lost item, and a scorpion.

Again under discussion is the phrase and its meaning “footsteps of Messiah”. One sign or part of that is the many interpretations will be too many. A counter argument is that the students of Torah will become few. Or the money runs out. Or they will despair anticipating redemption…

Then the topic shifts a bit, into the idea of anticipating Messiah by calculations. And the word is to not engage in such calculations, because it will surely come by surprise - like finding a lost item randomly, or like the sudden scorpion before us. The motif is then, like Jesus said, he will come as a thief in the night, suddenly - so comes Messiah, he will surprise you.

§ Rav Ketina says: Six thousand years is the duration of the world, and it is in ruins for one thousand years. As it is stated: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted on that day” (Isaiah 2:11) (i.e. one day is one thousand years) Abaye says: It is in ruins for two thousand years, as it is stated: “After two days He will revive us; in the third day He will revive us, and we shall live in His presence” (Hosea 6:2).

It is taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rav Ketina: Just as the Sabbatical Year abrogates debts once in seven years, so too, the world abrogates its typical existence for one thousand years in every seven thousand years, as it is stated: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted on that day,” and it states: “A psalm, a song for the Shabbat day” (Psalms 92:1), meaning a day, i.e., one thousand years, that is entirely Shabbat. And it says: “For a thousand years in Your eyes are but like yesterday when it is past (and like a watch in the night)” (Psalms 90:4).

The school of Eliyahu taught: Six thousand years is the duration of the world. Two thousand of the six thousand years are characterized by chaos; two thousand years are characterized by Torah, from the era of the Patriarchs until the end of the mishnaic period; and two thousand years are the period of the coming of the Messiah. But, due to our many sins, the Messiah did not come after four thousand years passed, and furthermore, the years that elapsed since then, which were to have been the messianic era, have elapsed.

Elijah the prophet said to Rav Yehuda, brother of Rav Sala Ḥasida: The world will exist no fewer than eighty-five Jubilee cycles (or 4,250 years). And during the final Jubilee, the son of David will come. Rav Yehuda said to Elijah: Will the Messiah come during the beginning of the Jubilee or during its end? Elijah said to Rav Yehuda: I do not know. Rav Yehuda asked: Will this last Jubilee cycle end before the Messiah comes or will it not yet end before his coming? Elijah said to him: I do not know. Rav Ashi says: This is what he (Elijah) said to him: Until that time do not anticipate his coming; from this point forward anticipate his coming. 

Here we come across concepts that are not found in the New Testament writings, these calculations and eons of thousands of years from creation through the messianic days. Brought to the discussion are various (random?) verses and they are interpreted creatively. One day is a thousand years. So two and three days are two and three thousand years. 

A participant in the discussion is Elijah, and what Elijah conveys in the passage above is that the actions, faith, and behavior of man, the Jews, affects his coming. Because of the sins, the messianic era is delayed and perhaps shortened. 

This is the implication of Elijah’s position in the argument, and a very significant one theologically. One wonders, reading this, interpreting - what is the meaning that this is represented by Elijah? Of course he is already traditionally such an apocalyptic messianic associated figure, but there could be deeper meaning…