[Avodah] Moshiach Ben Yosef

[Zev Sero via Avodah]

On 03/07/2016 11:57 PM, Daniel M. Israel via Avodah wrote:

>>> What is the point of the nomenclature B'Chezkas Moshiach.

>> It's exactly like any other chazaka in halacha.  If there is a chazaka
>> that someone is Moshiach then we have to act as if he is, unless and
>> until we find out otherwise.

> Pshat in the Rambam is (and I never noticed this before) that he is
> already a melech, and then we enter into the question of whether he
> has chezkas moshiach. Which, I think, makes it possible to strengthen
> RIB’s question, namely, what specific practical difference does it
> make that an individual is b’chezkas moshiach, over and above all the
> authorities he already has as a melech?

Perhaps that he is the king of Israel, but we are not there, so he's not
necessarily *our* king.  If we are to assume he's melech hamoshiach then
he's the king of all the Jews.   Or perhaps even if we're living in EY,
who says we have to recognise him as our king?   Perhaps until he has shown
some sign of being for real we can ignore his *claims* of kingship, much as
we ignore crazy people who claim to be all sorts of things, but once it
appears that he is the real deal we must submit to him.

-- 
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".