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Moshiach in Our Generation
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Why is there so much talk about Moshiach's coming in this generation, more than in previous times?
We are already living in the most opportune time for Moshiach to come.
The Talmud states that G-d created the world to last for six millennia, followed by the seventh, the Era of Moshiach. In Nachmanides' commentary on Bereishit, he explains that each of the six millennia corresponds to one of the six days of creation.
The creation of the world was completed on the sixth day, as the verse states: “And G-d saw all that he had made, and behold it was very good.” G-d's work ended precisely at twilight on the sixth day.
The same applies to the world that will exist for six thousand years. Those six millennia will likewise reach their consummation in the sixth millennium, more specifically, during the twilight of that era -- during the very last generation, the generation that will hear the approaching “footsteps of Moshiach.”
The earliest that Shabbos can be ushered in is Friday afternoon. According to the Hebrew calendar, we are now in year 5773 since creation. If each millennium corresponds to a day of the week, we are now holding sometime during Friday afternoon, and thus Shabbos, the Messianic Era, can enter at any time.
This explains why, although previous generations also longed for and anticipated Moshiach, the topic has a special vibrancy and relevance to our generation. We are already living in the most opportune time for Moshiach to come.
It's natural in most Jewish homes that Friday afternoon right before candle lighting is a time of great chaos and turmoil, as everyone rushes around trying to finish the last-minute preparations for Shabbos. So, too, our generation might seem somewhat chaotic and disordered compared to previous times. We are simply rushing about trying to complete our final preparations, so that we can greet Moshiach.
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