[Avodah] Balak "Who's the Real Jackass"

[Ari Kahn via Avodah]

The Maharal -- preceded the Gra on this point.

Here is a paragraph from the new edition of Explorations (anticipated
20th anniversary edition)

    The denouement of history is in our hands. The Mashiach will be
    revealed in clouds of glory if we are worthy; if we are unworthy, our
    redemption will be of a far less exalted nature. If we are deserving,
    the clouds will be revealed sooner; if not, the redemption will take
    longer, and the process will be slow and plodding -- but the redemption
    will surely come. And just as the clouds are an image that is laden
    with meaning, representing man's ability to recognize and connect
    to the metaphysical plane, so, too, the image of the Messiah as a
    poor man riding on his donkey is no mere literary device: According
    to mystical sources, this metaphor holds the key to the redemption
    itself: The Zohar[1] explains that the role of Mashiach is to ride
    on the chamor, to subdue the physical.[2]

________________________________

[1] Zohar Bemidbar 207a

זוהר חלק ג דף רז/א

    אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִינּוּן דִּימִינָא כְּלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּחַד,
    דְּאִקְרֵי חֲמוֹ"ר. וְהַאי הוּא הַהוּא חֲמוֹר, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים כב)
    לֹא תַחֲרוֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמוֹ"ר יַחְדָּיו. וְהַאי הוּא חֲמוֹר,
    דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְמִשְׁלַט עָ

    Those of the right are all merged in one called "donkey," and that
    is the donkey of which it is written, "You shall not plow with an
    ox and a donkey together" [Devarim 22:10]. That is also the donkey
    which the King Mashiach shall control. (Zohar, Bemidbar 207a)

[2] See comments of the Maharal in Netzach Yisrael chapter 40.

ספר נצח ישראל עמוד קסט - פרק מ

     ועוד מדברי חכמים אשר העמיקו בחכמתם גלו ענין מעלתו של המשיח, א"ר
     אלכסנדרי ריב"ל רמי כתיב וארו עם ענני שמיא כבר אינש וכתיב עני רוכב
    על החמור זכו עם עננא שמיא לא זכו עני רוכב על החמור...ור"ל כי מה
     שאנו אומרים שהמשיח אתי על חמרא דבר זה מורה על מעלת המשיח, מפני
     שהחמור הוא פשוט יותר מכל ב"ח שהוא בריה פשוטה שאין לו דעת וחכמה,
     וכאשר רוכב הוא על דבר פשוט מורה שהוא נבדל במעלתו לגמרי ואל תשגיח.


Can I repeat that second line on list?

As for the first line... In general, email lists are failing. And yet,
I don't want to move Avodah to a medium that encourages quick and short
answers. If Avodah can't remain a place for in-depth discussion, I'll
let it fade away.

Mail-Jewish, the grand-daddy in the field, is coming out with a digest
every two weeks or so. Although it's healthier than Avodah in terms of
breadth of contributor pool.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

--
Micha Berger             You will never "find" time for anything.
micha at aishdas.org<mailto:micha at aishdas.org>        If you want time, you must make it.
http://www.aishdas.org                     - Charles Buxton
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