Derech Hashem 53: The Messianic Era and the Future of the World
Physical Disappears: At the end of times the physical universe will be gradually transformed into spiritual. Physicality will disappear. However, disappearance of physicality is a subtle concept. It will be rather reconnected to the source and as such won’t be noticeable. We will deal with the spiritual directly, and its light and transparent “external” membrane won’t even remotely resemble what seems to be a coarse physicality today.
How do we transform the physical matter into spiritual if we are immersed in the physical?
A Commandment as an Instrument of Transformation:
The mechanism of transformation is expressed in the principle: behavioral conformity to an assumed reality creates the reality. Behavioral conformity to the spiritual reality is what the system of commandments achieves.
A commandment is an instrument which reverses the physical back into the spiritual, if performed correctly. Unfortunately, after the error of the first man this is not accomplished immediately when a commandment is performed. Commandments generate energy which is held “somewhere” till the work is complete, and when the time comes the energy will be released and actual transformation will take place. Till then the energy gets collected and stored while the process of rectification is taking place.
Messianic Era:
Messianic era is characterized by the removal of zuhama (the substance of spiritual impurity which pervades everything in our world). When zuhama leaves a body, a body is automatically restored to its ultimate physical and mental condition, including immortality, perfect shape and health. It’s like becoming 22 years old again, even much more and beyond, a peak of physical and mental performance, with no more weakness, old age, or disease.
“Waking up” After Death:
Waking up after death is like waking up after sleep. The memory of all the reincarnations comes back; you remember all your lives just like you remember days of your life when you wake up in the morning. The relationships and the social structure will drastically change, as in the same very relationship you may assume different roles in different reincarnations – a parent in one, a child in another, a spouse, a boss, a friend or an enemy, etc.
The removal of zuhama means no death, no sickness, no decomposition of the living matter, no negativity, no hunger, no pain. No crops will be destroyed. No struggle for health, life, livelihood. Ultimate peak of the material reality. This time – messianic era – will last up to 210 years and will end in the year 6000 (the year 2240 in the common calendar).
Splitting the Sea and Giving Torah:
When the sea was split a few days after Exodus took place, a maidservant “saw” more than the greatest prophets were able to see. This happens when zuhama leaves a body, even partially. When this happens, even the simplest and least sophisticated among us are greater than the greatest prophets.
By the time the sea was split, 1/7th of the zuhama was removed.
What’s 1/7th? The whole removal took place over 49 days, between the Exodus and Giving Torah. The sea was split on the 7th day, thus 1/7th of the process already took place. If 1/7th zuhama removal had such an impact, can we imagine what happened when the Torah was given after zuhama was completely removed?
When the Torah was given, they saw The Primordial Light – The Ultimate Oneness of the World – The Oneness of God – they experienced God’s presence on a level of the first man, even more – as the first man was still facing the job of rectification, while now the job has already been completed, or almost completed.
We are given some hints about messianic era, but overall the messianic era is shrouded in mystery. Details are not clear till it happens and we actually experience it. It’s not about knowing, it’s about being – a different state of being is experienced.
Yet in the future world we will experience God and His Oneness on a level infinitely greater even in comparison to the experience of Giving Torah. The comprehension is beyond comprehension.
7th Millennium and on:
What will transpire in the 7th millennium? Everybody is “lifted off” earth; a body and a soul are equal. A body no longer dictates drives and urges.
We can intellectually understand the concept, but we can’t comprehend what a body without zuhama would be like. It’s such an incredible change in a human being, as well as in the nature of the world.
In the 8th millennium a body will become inert. It won’t influence a soul at all. A soul can now bask in a dazzling light, in the Oneness of God, in its own power to recognize the true reality.
Millennium after millennium, a body is being transformed further and further into a totally transparent cover of a soul. It still exists, but it doesn’t have any importance at all. A soul will nourish a body. In the year 10,000 (the 11th millennium) the future world will finally arrive. It will be eternal – time is no more.
Shiur provided courtesy of torahthinking.com