Shalom and thank you for your question!
Jewish teaching is based on absolute belief that Moshiach will redeem us. Maimonides, otherwise known as the Rambam, was a Halachic codifier whose decisions were accepted by the majority of Halachic authorities who came after him. He listed the Thirteen Principles of Belief that are recited daily by some congregations. One of these became very famous after the Holocaust. “Ani ma’amin b’emunah shleimah beviat haMoshiach, v’af al pi shiyitmahmeah, im kol zeh achakeh lo b’chol yom sheyavo.”
Meaning: “I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Moshiach, and even if he delays, nevertheless I will wait for him everyday, that he should come.” These words were sung to a tune that was composed by a Jew on a cattle train and two brave young men jumped out of the train and managed to survive in order to bring the song to their Rebbe. Others who learned the song sung it on the way to the gas chambers. The words, as I pointed out, are straight from the Rambam. They are a basic tenet of Jewish belief.
Let’s step back again and look at the history of the world in general. In feudal times, feudal lords had total control over their subjects, and the peasant class had little or no rights. It was not even an issue. Today, we have – at least- a CONCEPT called human rights. People talk about it, there are laws and organizations, and although wickedness has not ceased, wealthy people today will show off by publicizing how much charity they are giving, as opposed to how many surfs or prisoners of war they have sent to be mauled by the dogs… That is tremendous progress!!
On the wall of the UN building, a sentence from the prophet Isiah is inscribed – ” They shall turn their swords into ploughshares…”
Indeed, in the early 1990’s, the then President of Russia met with the then President of the United States of America and they agreed to divert money from purchase of weaponry to feeding the poor of the world! This decision was acted upon, not just discussed. There are pictures of fighter planes in America being taken apart to be used for non military purposes. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shneerson, pointed out that this historical event is definitely part of the Messianic process!
There are more examples of positive changes, even though antisemitism continuously rears its ugly head, in general Jews can function as Jews much more freely than they did for example during the Inquisition or under the Soviet regime, when a Jew who wanted to light Shabbat candles or teach Torah had to do so in hiding… Today Russian officials pose for pictures in front of the Kremlin with Rabbis, the same Kremlin that represented vicious persecution!!
All of this is not yet enough – we want Moshiach Now!
In Genesis, our forefather Jacob, after taking his family and leaving his father-in- law Laban, met up with his twin Esau, and they had an official reconciliation, after which Esau offered to accompany Jacob. Jacob wisely refused, saying that Esau could go on ahead, since Jacob had wives and children with him and it would take them longer. The commentaries explain that Jacob meant that in the time of Moshiach, Jacobs descendants would catch up with Esau’s descendants. The world will be rectified and Jacob will no longer have to fear Esau. This is one example of how the Torah connects the past and the present with the time to come. It is an inseparable part of Torah.
Referring to the Rambam again, in his famous work ‘Yad HaChazaka,’ in the section called ‘Laws of Kings,’ he explains that there will altogether be ten totally red heifers (answering certain criteria that will make them suitable for ritual purification from impurity due to contact with the dead.) Rambam says that “The tenth heifer will be in the time of the Moshiach, Amen may it be G-d’s will…” The Lubavitcher Rebbe asks why would the Rambam put a prayer in his book of law? He answers his own question, saying that it IS a law. Moshiach must come and we must constantly pray for that. Ultimately – we BELIEVE that Moshiach is coming…
