I was driving again (See Halachic Discussion: Are Female Converts “Not Niddah” After the Mikvah? ), and had more “what if?” kinds of thoughts, but this time about Moshiach.
I was thinking about the phrase “Moshiach ben David.” As most of you know, Moshiach will be the descendant of King David (and the first convert, Ruth!). But is Moshiach fated to be male? (“Ben” means “son of.”) Does Mosiach have to be male?
Further, will Moshiach know he’s Moshiach?? That would be trippy.
Moshiach will be a King of the house of David. Chazal have ruled that (Jewish history to the contrary) there can be no reigning Queens only Kings. Therefore Moshiach will be a man.
There is no requirement one way or the other as to whether Moshiach will know in advance (or how far in advance) that he is in fact Moshiach. I suspect it is one of those issues that depends on whether Moshiach comes at the appointed time or earlier, but that's a personal opinion only – the actual answer is wide open as far as I know.
Here's one possible scenario.
I always thought Yisro was considered the first convert.
Our Moshiach is male (Ben Dovid). And of course, He knows He's Moshiach (God speaks to Him… He does God's will)… If you read the New Testament (I use the Orthodox Jewish Bible), I promise you it will explain how Yehoshua is our Moshiach who has already come and has fulfilled everything prophesied about Him in the Torah.
"And she shall bear BEN (Son) and you will call SHMO (his name, Zech 6:12) YEHOSHUA (Zech 6:11-12) because he will bring his people yeshuah (rescue, salvation, deliverance) from their peyshaim (rebellions).
Now all this occurred so that which was spoken by Hashem through the Navi might be fulfilled, HINEI, HAALMAH HARAH VYOLEDET BEN VKARAT SHMO IMMANU-EL (Behold, the Virgin will be with child and will bear Son and will call his name Immanu-El—Isa 7:14; cf page vii), which translated means G-d is with us." Mattityahu 1:21 (OJB)
"And assembling all the Rashei Hakohanim and Sofrim of the people, he inquired of them the place where Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was to be born.
5 They told him, In Beit-Lechem Yehudah; because so it stands written by the Navi:
6 And YOU, BEIT-LECHEM, (Bethlehem, Mic 5:1[2]) in eretz Yehudah are by no means least among the shtetlach (towns) or ruling [alafim] of Yehudah; because out of you will come a Moshel (Ruler) who will be the Ro’eh Ami Yisroel." Mattityahu 2:4-6
"And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach was saying shiurim in their shuls and eliciting a peledike response (reaction of marveling) from everyone.
16 And he came to Natzeret, the shtetl of his guddal and he entered according to his minhag on Shabbos into the shul and was given an aliyah as the Baal Koreh.
17 [After the Hagbah], he was presented with the megillat sefer Yeshayah and having unrolled the megillah, he found the dvar where it had been written,
18 RUACH ADONAI HASHEM ALAI YAAN MASHACH ADONAI OTI LEVASER ANAVIM SHELACHANI LIKRO LISHVUYIM DEROR, and to the blind PEKACH KOACH, VSHALACH RETZUTZIM CHAFSHIM, (The Spirit of the Sovereign L-rd is upon me because He anointed me to preach Besuras HaGeulah to the poor, He has sent me to preach to the captives release and to the blind the recovery of sight, to set the oppressed free [YESHAYAH 61:1-2; 58:6],
19 LIKRO SHENAT RATZON LAHASHEM (To preach the year of Hashem’s favor.) [YESHAYAH 61:1,2 TARGUM HA-SHIVIM; VAYIKRA 25:10; TEHILLIM 102:20, 103:6; YESHAYAH 42:7, 49:8,9]
20 And doing the glilah ceremony, he rolled up the megillah; and, having given it back to the shammash, he sat down [to teach]. And all the eyes in the shul were focused on him.
21 And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach began to speak to them, Hayom (today) this dvar of the Kitvei Hakodesh has been fulfilled in your hearing." Lukas 4:14
"And in as much as it is appointed for men to die once and after this HaMishpat [Yom HaDin],
28 So he, having been offered up once in order that HU NASA CHET RABBIM ("he bore away the sin of many" YESHAYAH 53:12) and shall appear sheynit (a second time) for Yeshu’at Eloheinu without reference to chet for those who expectantly khakeh levo’o shel (await the arrival of) Moshiach… (Yehudim in Moshiach 9; hebrew 9)
Indeed, according to the Torah, almost everything is metohar (purified) by dahm, and without a kapporah by means of shefach dahm (the shedding of blood) there is no selicha (forgiveness). (Yehudim in Moshiach 9:11)
" For I do not want you to be unaware, Achim b’Moshiach, of this raz (mystery), lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a hardening in part has come over Yisroel, until the full number of the Goyim has come in;
26 And so Klal Yisroel shall be delivered, as it is written: "Out of Tziyon shall come the Go’el (Deliverer, Redeemer); He will turn away, remove peysha from Ya’akov (Jacob),
27 "And this will be My Berit (covenant) with them, when I take away their sins" YESHAYAH 59:20-21; 27:9. (Kehillah in Rome 11)
At least, read and find out for yourself 🙂
Stupid thing to post such missionary garbage on a website like this that most people access on their way out of Babylon. And here you are, casting a stumbling block, to unwittingly do the work of HaSoton, your hidden master. Now that that is out of the way…You didn't snare me, because I only ended up here since I feel crazy sometimes because I have this job as a public servant. I start officially very soon but I don't feel ready, even after on the job training for 16 years. The boss feels I am ready, so he offered me the position. I am so afraid of disappointing him that I am hesitant to begin my official duties.
But here is the challenging part: He gave me the offer ahead of time, 16 years ago, and directed me to learn from him until he felt I was ready at some unpredetermined time later to train other employees and inform the public.
I knew the job would some day be mine, but just did not know when it would come about. My training was all in a locked room alone, except when my boss would come visit. But he was only a phone call away always. Nobody else even knew I was there because my boss kept the door locked…just in case a anyone tried to track me down and sabotage my promotion with violence.
A lot of people will benefit from my public service, so I am excited to serve them publically, but I am afraid. Maybe the public I serve won't notice my past work behind the scenes on their behalf, and they will mistakenly think I am unqualified until my boss himself verifies it.
I know my boss is planning on showing them my previous work portfolio to prove my qualifications, but I don't know exactly when. I assume it will be before I begin my job in an official capacity.
Maybe my boss offering me the position was a hallucination and I am going crazy?
But probably not.