By Shalom Olensky
This week in the Torah:
G-d promises that when Moshiach comes, even non-fruit trees shall bear fruit.
The Midrash takes this literally.
However, Maimonides writes in his code of Jewish law:
Do not think that Moshiach will do miracles. The promises in the Tanach of miraculous events to come then are all allegorical. The natural order will remain.
The question:
Even Maimonides writes of the belief in the resurrection of the dead as literal and which will indeed happen when Moshiach comes. How does this coincide with the above?
The Rebbe answers:
Maimonides interprets the Torah as promising two eras within Moshiach’s times. In the first, the natural order remains (although everything will be pervaded by pure good). In the second era however, open miracles and changes in nature will abound including the resurrection of the dead.
A stipulation:
The aforementioned natural era is only a necessary prerequisite to the miraculous one in a case when the Jews are lacking in merit. However we can still strive to be more meritorious, thereby achieving the miraculous era immediately.
(Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 27, Bechukosai)
