Don't ask if Mashiach is coming | WATCH
"Trump is back. Iran is furious. Israel’s on high alert. And Jews all over the world are whispering the same thing: Is this it? Is Mashiach finally coming? But the real question isn’t when He’s coming — it’s what are you doing about it?"
The Talmud, in Gemara Sanhedrin 98a, offers a striking prophecy: "Rabbi Yochanan said: The son of David (Mashiach) will not come until the wicked kingdom of Persia will wage war with Arabia... and the entire world will panic..." This ancient text identifies Persia (modern-day Iran) as a key player in the final upheavals before the Messianic era. Even Rashi, in his commentary, points to Persia’s role in these wars. Today’s headlines eerily align: Iranian threats, Houthi attacks from Yemen, Saudi involvement, and Israel’s defense systems on edge, all echoing the Talmudic vision.
So should we book one-way tickets to Eretz Yisrael and bring a tambourine to the airport? Not yet. The Rambam, in Hilchot Melachim 12, cautions that no one can predict how these events will unfold. He advises against calculating the exact arrival of Mashiach. We may not be prophets, but we are active participants in this unfolding story.
The Rambam, in Hilchot Teshuva 7:5, provides clear guidance: "The Jewish People will only be redeemed through teshuvah (return). The Torah already promised that in the end they will do teshuvah and immediately be redeemed." Rather than fixating on predicting the future, our task is to prepare ourselves for it. You don’t need to know when the King is arriving to start cleaning up the palace.
The war isn’t just Israel vs. Iran. It’s the war inside your heart, between comfort and calling, between laziness and legacy. Every Jew is like a mini Beit Hamikdash. The Geulah (redemption) begins when we live as if it’s already here. The Zohar, in Parshat Va’eira, reinforces this: “When the Jewish people awaken from below, Heaven awakens from above.”
“What’s happening now is not just military, it’s messaging.” Iran threatening war, America gearing up, and Israel preparing for the worst: it all tells us one thing: We are not in control. He is. And that's good news.
Here's what you can do: Don’t wait for Mashiach to change your life. Change your life so Mashiach comes. Start keeping one mitzvah with more passion. Speak to your kids like you’re building their neshama for a world of redemption. Daven like your words move worlds, because they do.
SOURCES: Sanhedrin 98a, Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 12 , Rambam, Hilchot Teshuva, Zohar, Va’eira 32a, Yalkut Shimoni, Yeshaya 60