tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451958387969081740.post3633445711868882516..comments2023-10-06T15:59:44.389+03:00Comments on Shearim: Rosh Chodesh MENACHEM AVMiriam Woelkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07627379693165339825noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451958387969081740.post-4019664854000823122011-08-03T01:09:51.579+03:002011-08-03T01:09:51.579+03:00This Gemarah is only to be found in the Yerushalmi...This Gemarah is only to be found in the Yerushalmi. But, it is also reported in the Midrash Eicha with exact same details. The Bavli also tells us that Moshiach was born the day the Temple was destroyed, but does not mention the dialogue with the Arab not does it say that "Menachem is his name." In the Midrash Bereshis, it is alos said that Moshiach was born on Tisha B'Av, but as the Bavli, it does not mention the dialogue with the Arab not does it say that "Menachem is his name."<br /><br />The Gemarah, in Sanhedrin 98b says:<br /><br />What is his [the Messiah's] name? — The School of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written, until Shiloh come. The School of R. Yannai said: His name is Yinnon, for it is written, His name shall endure for ever: e'er the sun was, his name is Yinnon. The School of R. Haninah maintained: His name is Haninah, as it is written, Where I will not give you Haninah. Others say: His name is Menachem the son of Chizkiyahu, for it is written, Because Menachem ['the comforter'], that would relieve my soul, is far.<br /><br />The fact that this Gemarah in the Bavli mentions "His name is Menachem the son of Chizkiyahu" as in the story with the Arab in the Yerushalmi, and that it is said "Others say" (and not "The school of Rabbi such and such says"), is seen by many as being the opinion of the Sages: Moshiach's name will be Menachem.<br /><br />But there is a machlokes concerning that Gemarah and the teaching that Moshiach's name will be Menachem: should it be taken litteraly, or is it a metaphora to teach us that one of the role of the Messiah will be to comfort us?<br /><br />For instance, the Vilna gaon takes it litteraly, while the Maharal takes it metaphoricaly.<br /><br />The Vilna Gaon in KOL ELIYAHU points out that the first letters of the four names attributed here to Moshiach spell the word "Moshiach" (M for Menachem, Sh for Shiloh, Y for Yannai, Ch for Chaninah). He might mean that the actual name of Moshiach is Menachem, and he is the son (descendant) of Chizkiyah, the king of Yehudah who was nearly proclaimed to be the Moshiach (see Sanhedrin 94a). The students of these three Yeshivos said that their teachers manifest a certain aspect of Moshiach, since there are allusions in the verses to these names as being names of the Moshiach, and since the word "Moshiach" includes the first letter of their mentor's name, and the first letter of the name is the main part of the name, which alludes to the qualities of the person. But the Sages are of the opinion that his name is Menachem.<br /><br />The Maharal (in Netzach Yisrael, ch. 41) explains that the Moshiach's outstanding quality will be that he is not limited to any particular quality. Rather, his personality will encompass all of the positive qualities that appear in the Jewish people. This would correspond to the prayer of Moshe Rabbeinu that the leader whom Hashem appoints over the nation after him should be able to lead the nation according to the needs and the personality of each individual in the nation (Rashi to Bamidbar 27:16). So according to that opinion, "menachem" (comforter) is more a metaphora than tyhe litteral name of the Messiah. But any way, the Sages chose to take Menachem and added it to the name "Av".Moshenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451958387969081740.post-10541466215770259792011-08-02T21:09:51.766+03:002011-08-02T21:09:51.766+03:00B"H
Is this a Gemara from the Yerushalmi onl...B"H<br /><br />Is this a Gemara from the Yerushalmi only or do you have a source in the Bavli as well ?Miriam Woelkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627379693165339825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451958387969081740.post-32252631711554074122011-08-02T01:46:49.241+03:002011-08-02T01:46:49.241+03:00B'H
Here is a well known Gemarah which explai...B'H<br /><br />Here is a well known Gemarah which explains one of the many reasons the name "Menachem" had been added to the word "Av":<br /><br />What is the name of the Moshiach? R. Joshua b. Levi said, "Tzemach is his name." R. Yudan son of R. Aybo said, "Menachem is his name." Said Hananiah son of R. Abahu, "They do not disagree. The Gematria of the <br />letters of one name equals the Gematria of the other Tzemach [=138] is equal to Menachem [=138]." And this story supports the view of R. Yudan son of R. Aybo: Once a Jew was plowing and his ox snorted once before him. An Arab who was passing and heard the sound said to him, "Jew, Jew. Lossen your ox, and loosen your plow [and stop plowing]. For today (Tisha B'Av) your Temple was destroyed." The ox snorted again. He [the Arab] said to him, "Jew, Jew. Bind your ox, and bind your plow. For today (Tisha B'Av) the Melech HaMoshiach was born." He said to him, "What is his name? [The Arab replied,] "Menachem is his name." He said to him, "And what is his father's name?" He [the Arab] said to him, "Chizkiyahu." He said to him, "Where is he from?" He said to him, "From the royal capital of Bethlehem in Judea."'<br />(Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 2:3)<br /><br />Since the day the Temple was destroyed, the potential for the coming of Moshiach came to exist, and since Menachem will be one of the name of the Messiah, it became customary to call that month not "Av", but "Menachem-Av", so that we should keep in mind that this was precisely because the second Temple was destroyed that now can be sure that Moshiach (whose name is "Menachem") will fulfill the prophecy of Yechezkel HaNavi to build the third Temple.<br /><br />This is one reasons among others.Moshenoreply@blogger.com