The conception and the personality of the Messiah are so heavily freighted
with all sorts of bizarre hopes and beliefs, extravagant myths and fancies
born largely of the desperate fate of the Jews that it became increasingly
difficult to know what Judaism really teaches on the subject. Between the
mystic visionaries who had almost deified the Messiah and ascribed to him
supernatural powers and the Jewish philosopher who took a more rational
view of his origin and activity there is a wide and bewildering gap.

Moses Maimonides, who made the belief in the advent of the Messiah an
article of the Jewish faith, takes his stand with Samuel the Babylonian, of
the third century who was the author of the remarkable declaration, "The
Messianic Era differs from the present in nothing except that Israel will
throw off the yoke of the nations and regain its political independence"
( Ber.34b). The Messiah, says Maimonides, will be a mortal human being
who will die and will be succeeded by his son who will reign after him. He
will excel in wisdom and learning and the fear of God. The world will con-
tinue in its usual course; there will be rich and poor, strong and weak, no
change in the order of nature or man, except that, freed from oppression,
the Jews will be able to devote themselves more completely to the service
of God and knowledge of the Torah.

Maimonides entered upon a full discussion of the Messiah and the Mes-
sianic Kingdom in his correspondence and throughout his works, notably
his Mishnah Commentary and the Mishneh Torah, with some minor refer-
ences in the Guide.

King Messiah will arise and restore the kingdom of David to its
former state and original sovereignty. He will rebuild the sanctuary

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