Rabbi Vigler: “It’s TIME to tell the World…”

00:05:22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lOfabZ82Wc

Summary

TLDRThis video delves into the Jewish understanding of the Messiah, focusing on the question of whether a Reb could be the Messiah. It addresses the misconception that a Messiah cannot be someone who has died, a view historically used to counter Christian claims about Jesus. The speaker cites the Talmud, which suggests that the Messiah can either be living or resurrected from the dead. The conversation highlights the complexities faced by Jews during medieval debates with Christians, where they carefully navigated theological arguments without offending rulers or being forced to convert. The video also references historical figures considered potential Messiahs and discusses the role of miracles, stressing that Maimonides did not require miracles for someone to be recognized as the Messiah. Additionally, it clarifies that Gehenna, in Jewish thought, is a temporary holding place rather than a permanent afterlife location.

Takeaways

  • 🧐 Discusses if a Reb could be the Messiah.
  • 🤔 Explains misconceptions about the Messiah's death.
  • 📜 References Talmud's view on living vs. resurrected Messiah.
  • 🗣️ Describes historical debates with Christians.
  • 📚 Cites Maimonides: No need for miracles.
  • ✡️ Comments on medieval Jewish-Christian relations.
  • 👥 Discusses historical false Messiahs.
  • 🔍 Clarifies Gehenna's role in Jewish belief.
  • 🔄 Analyzes Messiah's qualifications.
  • ⚖️ Explores the balance in theological arguments.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:05:22

    The speaker discusses the misconceptions about the criteria for being the Messiah (Moshiach). They argue against the belief that the Messiah cannot be someone who has died, a misunderstanding propagated during debates with Christians in the Middle Ages. Historically, Jewish scholars claimed the Messiah couldn't be someone who died to counter Christian arguments that Jesus could be the Messiah. However, Talmudic texts suggest that the Messiah could potentially come from the dead as well as the living, citing figures like Rabbi Yehuda the Prince and Daniel as possibilities. The speaker argues that someone who died could still be qualified as the Messiah and criticizes the historical debates that forced Jews to navigate delicate religious discussions under pressure. Ultimately, the speaker acknowledges the challenge of identifying a current Messiah but asserts a strong personal belief in the Rebbe as the most fitting candidate, emphasizing the nature of the Messiah's emergence as unpredictable and non-dependent on miraculous signs according to Maimonides' teachings.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • Can someone who dies be the Messiah?

    Yes, it's a misconception that the Messiah cannot be someone who has died. This belief was historically used in debates with Christians.

  • Why was it argued that Jesus couldn't be the Messiah?

    Historically, Jews argued that Jesus couldn't be the Messiah because he died, although this was more a strategy for debating with Christians.

  • What does the Talmud say about the Messiah?

    The Talmud states that the Messiah could be from the living or the dead, acknowledging the possibility of resurrection.

  • Who was considered as potential Messiahs historically?

    Figures like Baraza were considered Messiahs despite their deaths, although it's noted that he was killed for sins.

  • Is it necessary for miracles to happen before someone is declared the Messiah?

    No miracles need to occur for someone to be declared the Messiah, according to Maimonides.

  • What is the role of controversies in the Messiah debate?

    Debates and misconceptions about the Messiah have historically been used to navigate religious tensions between Jews and Christians.

  • Why is there confusion about the Messiah's requirements in Jewish thought?

    The confusion arises from historical debates and misconceptions propagated to counter Christian assertions about Jesus.

  • Can the Messiah emerge from any profession or public figure?

    Yes, the Messiah could potentially come from any background or profession.

  • What is Gehenna and its role in Jewish eschatology?

    Gehenna is considered a waiting area for souls before resurrection, not a final place in Jewish eschatology.

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  • 00:00:00
    mhia is not a popularity contest could
  • 00:00:02
    the Reb be mhia that's the question the
  • 00:00:05
    answer is Poss possibly he checks an all
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    boxes now big argument here is well he
  • 00:00:11
    died but he died but he died now that's
  • 00:00:15
    a very very interesting position why we
  • 00:00:18
    read before in the ramban that Baraza
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    they thought he was mashiah and Raba of
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    all people but he was killed ke was
  • 00:00:26
    killed he was killed for his sins he was
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    killed he says he was actually very
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    arrogant very arrogant and he decided
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    that he didn't need to follow Hashem
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    didn't need to listen to the sages and
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    he did something very very bad and
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    that's why he was killed for a sense
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    killed and died is
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    different there's a misconception
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    amongst the Jewish community that if
  • 00:00:46
    Messiah dies if a person dies it can't
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    be messia why because in the Middle Ages
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    and this by the way comes from RAB yonan
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    aitz who's the Y his name of his book is
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    um is uh the forest of honey and he uh
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    he he was often debating with Christians
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    in the Middle Ages very great d by the
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    Middle
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    Ages in Prussia so he writes in his book
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    you
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    know that the Mis that the belief that
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    mhia who that a person who dies can be
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    msah is a huge misconception we only I'm
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    going to quote his words exactly now we
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    only said that to the
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    Christians in order
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    to in order to push push them off with
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    straw we said that because they would
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    ask us why can't Jesus be the Messiah
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    and we would say because he died and
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    they were like
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    oh but that's not a real argument
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    because the talud says explicitly in
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    track 998a what does the Tom would say
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    it says who is Messiah and the T answers
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    if he's from the
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    living then it's RAB Yuda the prince but
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    if he's from the dead it's probably
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    someone like Daniel of the Lion's Den
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    that's what the T says the T says that
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    straight up so the T says straight up he
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    could be from the living he could be
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    from the dead right he could be
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    resurrected from the dead the T says
  • 00:02:10
    that's straight up in Sun 98 the whole
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    idea the Messiah who dies can't is no
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    longer qualified came from a thousand
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    years or more of fighting the Christians
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    in in in these tribunals in front of the
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    Kings and you were not allowed to win
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    the debate I've spoken about this before
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    because if you wion the debate that's
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    trees and you're making fun of Christian
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    but if you lose the debate you got to
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    convert to Christianity so they had to
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    walk this very fine line I don't envy
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    them um but back to our question m a
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    candidate for the Messiah who dies
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    doesn't mean that he's no longer the
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    Messiah right and
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    therefore I want to say this in closing
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    miracles of Mia I want to say this if
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    you ask me if you ask me who's a
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    candidate to be mashiach
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    today it's very hard to find the
  • 00:02:54
    candidate today for the Messiah it's
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    very very hard not no there has to be
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    Messiah there has to to be a person in
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    every generation that he knows that that
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    is the that is The Sleeper Cell this is
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    from the commentar of Torah sleep a cell
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    that he's ready forem to appoint him to
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    notify him however when I think of who
  • 00:03:12
    could be the mhia today who who who's
  • 00:03:14
    going to be the mhia some author some TV
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    personality some some radio show host in
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    Israel BB Netanyahu Donald Trump who do
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    you think is from this the mashiach you
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    know who who seriously who do you think
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    right when you look intellectually at
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    these things personally I think you know
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    I would be shocked if it wasn't the
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    rebba I'd be shocked because I don't
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    know anybody that comes close to the
  • 00:03:38
    rebba why why isn't again if it's from
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    the living if it's from the
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    dead honestly but Rob I don't care I
  • 00:03:44
    don't care who it is let him come
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    already that's what I care about okay
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    but that's the confusing so assume he is
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    the messia but when the M comes certain
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    things
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    happen exactly what mean certain things
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    happen certain like what what what be be
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    specific
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    please that's incorrect what do you mean
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    certain things can you be specific go to
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    G no no wrong that's incorrect ghen we
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    don't go to Ganan Ganan is a waiting
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    room for The Souls of the deceased to
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    wait for the resurrection but but but
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    you we have to learn about this and I'm
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    sorry for for being a little frustrated
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    I'm sorry if I whatever let let me just
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    explain certain things need to happen is
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    not correct IMI said so explicitly not a
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    single Miracle needs to happen
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    in order for mhia to to to be declared
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    the mhia but by the way he does continue
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    and I want to share with you I want to
  • 00:04:36
    share with you what what my continues to
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    explain to your point
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    okay here
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    look one is thees is the great
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    codifier of all of Jewish history he's
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    the first of three upon which the code
  • 00:04:52
    of Jewish law is founded I mean he's
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    like the
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    ultimate legal ruling of all of Jewish M
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    was known as the mishna Torah the second
  • 00:05:03
    Torah everybody and and and in fact on
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    his tomb and everybody knows from Moses
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    until Moses myones there was none like
  • 00:05:10
    Moses that's what it says m
  • 00:05:12
    m there's nobody Jen that that doesn't
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    accept myties in his days though his
  • 00:05:17
    books were burnt very interesting there
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    was there was a lot of opposition
Tags
  • Messiah
  • Reb
  • Judaism
  • Christianity debates
  • Medieval Jewish history
  • Talmud
  • Maimonides
  • Resurrection
  • Gehenna