Sinning in the Messianic Era

Home Forums Bais Medrash Sinning in the Messianic Era

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1325936
    Joseph
    Participant

    Will any Jew ever sin, large or small, in the post-Moshiach and/or post-Third Beis HaMikdash period?

    #1326058
    Avi K
    Participant

    There are two versions of Rambam at the end of Hilchot Melachim (12:5). One says
    ובאותו הזמן, לא יהיה שם לא רעב ולא מלחמה ולא קנאה ותחרות–שהטובה תהיה מושפעת הרבה, וכל המעדנים מצויין כעפר. ולא יהיה עסק כל העולם, אלא לדעת את ה’ בלבד. ולפיכך יהיו חכמים גדולים, ויודעים דברים הסתומים העמוקים; וישיגו דעת בוראם כפי כוח האדם, שנאמר “כי מלאה הארץ, דעה את ה’, כמים, לים מכסים” (ישעיהו יא,ט).

    Another says יהיו ישראל חכמים גדולים.

    So it seems that there will not be sin as such. It could be that some will not fulfill mitzvot in the absolute best possible way.

    #1326097
    Joseph
    Participant

    Does that lead to the conclusion that the penalties and punishments (whether enforced by Beis Din Shel Maata or by the Beis Din Shel Maala) that the Torah specifies for various sins done by Jews will be inapplicable in that era?

    #1326156
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Will any Jew ever sin, large or small, in the post-Moshiach and/or post-Third Beis HaMikdash period?

    I hope not!

    My understanding from what I’ve heard, is that after Moshiach comes and the Beis Hamikdash is rebuilt, the knowledge of G-d will fill the world as the waters fill the seas (Yeshayahu perek 11 and Chavakuk perek 2), so humanity and the Jewish people in particular will have a much greater awareness of Hashem, which will undoubtedly increase our fear of sin. Additionally, I’ve heard that our yetzer hara, which was altered to become a more powerful and confusing force in our psyches by Adam Harishon’s decision to eat from the etz pri hadaas, will be restored to the way it was in Gan Eden. This doesn’t mean that people cannot or will not sin, but it means that we will view sinful choices in a much more clearheaded light, seeing it as falsehood. So our fear of sin will increase dramatically, and the temptation and confusion of the yetzer hara that leads us to sin will be reduced dramatically.

    #1329467
    Chortkov
    Participant

    Does that lead to the conclusion that the penalties and punishments (whether enforced by Beis Din Shel Maata or by the Beis Din Shel Maala) that the Torah specifies for various sins done by Jews will be inapplicable in that era?

    The Gemara in Zevachim 55a – discussing the disqualification of Piggul in Korbonos – asks “הלכתא למשיחא”, seemingly bothered by the fact that we discuss halachos that are only relevant after the coming of Moshiach. (There are numerous difficulties with this gemara; I just want to bring out one point:) Tosfos lists numerous places where the Gemara clearly does not have this issue, and a couple of places where the Gemara does.

    One of Tosfos’ tirutzim is that the Gemara only raises this issue when discussing Halachic conclusion of issues that are only relevant with the fulfillment of two criterion: (a) after the coming of Moshiach (b) through a Jew sinning.

    The Tosfos Yeshanim and the Ritva both explain this by adding שאז יהיו כל ישראל צדיקים – in that period, sin will be obsolete, and therefore these Halachos will never be relevant again. (Tos. in Yuma write similarly to what they write in Zevachim, although the wording there is clear that this isn’t their intention.)

    If I remember correctly, Tos. discusses Misas Bes Din as one of his examples.

    #1329472
    Chortkov
    Participant

    Additionally – it is evident from Tos. that even an עבירה בשוגג will not happen, because Piggul can be inadvertent too, and still Tos. writes that it will not be relevant.

    #1331098
    zaltzvasser
    Participant

    An aveira b’shogeg or b’oneis can still happen (not necessarily piggul), i. e. a person would probably still be able to accidentally hit a light switch on shabbos.

    #1331251
    jakob
    Participant

    avraham in MD is correct

    look more into his resources to get more information.

    #1331256
    Chortkov
    Participant

    Rashi in Sanhedrin 51b writes that Capital Punishment will be reinstated after the coming of Moshiach.

    I believe the Meshech Chochmo in Parshas Shoftim (I’ll bli neder look it up) explains that there are two types of redemption, depending on whether we merit the early redemption or if we have to wait until the end of the golus without being zoiche, and I think he differentiates between the two regarding the possibility of sin.

    #1331257
    Chortkov
    Participant

    An aveira b’shogeg or b’oneis can still happen (not necessarily piggul), i. e. a person would probably still be able to accidentally hit a light switch on shabbos.

    Shogeg is defined by transgressing a prohibition without knowledge – either you didn’t know it was forbidden, or you didn’t know that the circumstances involved a prohibition. Eg, you thought it was permitted to switch on a light on Shabbos, or that it wasn’t Shabbos.

    Accidentally hitting a light switch isn’t a שוגג, it is מתעסק. You are unaware of the action you are doing. The Achronim debate the exact halachic status of מתעסק, but many consider it (at least on Shabbos, where you need מלאכת מחשבת) not to be a transgression at all. According to plenty of Poskim, if you see someone leaning against the wall about to hit a light switch unawares, you do not need to stop him.

    #1331258
    Chortkov
    Participant

    http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14061&st=&pgnum=358 (Mesech Chochmoh – referring to the obligation to build another 3 Orei Miklat when Moshiach comes. This seems to imply that people will still be killing bshogeg and need refuge).

    There is also a famous (and often misquoted) Gemara in Niddah (55?) where R’ Yosef says מצות בטילות לעתיד לבא – the mitzvos will become obsolete in the Future. This gemara is subject to numerous arguments in the commentaries – mainly, what exactly does בטלות mean, and which period of time is this referring to. Of course, if you were to take this gemara literally (as many Rishonim do), then you have an answer to your question.

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.