[Avodah] Moshiach Ben Yosef

Zev Sero via Avodah avodah at lists.aishdas.org
Wed Mar 2 15:28:17 PST 2016


On 03/02/2016 05:25 PM, Isaac Balbin via Avodah wrote:
> Has anyone seen a cogent case for why the Rambam seemingly ignored
> the gemora in Succa and failed to mention the concept in Hilchos
> Melachim?


I think it's because Bar Kochva was not preceded by a Moshiach ben Yosef.

The Rambam's whole model is based on his view that R Akiva was right to
support Bar Kochva, and that despite how it turned out the halacha remains
like R Akiva.  Supposing that the day after BK's defeat another claimant
were to arise, with exactly the same qualifications, the Rambam holds
that we would have been obligated to get back into the trenches and follow
him.   But if a Mosiach ben Yosef were a necessary criterion then how could
R Akiva have followed BK in the first place?  Therefore it must not be
necessary.


-- 
Zev Sero               All around myself I will wave the green willow
zev at sero.name          The myrtle and the palm and the citron for a week
                And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm doing that
                I'll say "It's a Jewish thing; if you have a few minutes
                I'll explain it to you".



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