It has been taught: R. Nehorai said: in the generation when Messiah comes, young men will insult the old, and old men will stand before the young [to give them honour]; daughters will rise up against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. The people shall be dog-faced, and a son will not be abashed in his father’s presence.
It has been taught, R. Nehemiah said: in the generation of Messiah’s coming impudence will increase, esteem be perverted, the vine yield its fruit, yet shall wine be dear, and the Kingdom will be converted to heresy with none to rebuke them. This supports R. Isaac, who said: The son of David will not come until the whole world is converted to the belief of the heretics. Raba said: What verse [proves this]? it is all turned white: he is clean.
(Sanhedrin, 97a)
It has been taught in accordance with R. Kattina: Just as the seventh year is one year of release in seven, so is the world: one thousand years out of seven shall be fallow, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day,’ and it is further said, A Psalm and song for the Sabbath day, meaning the day that is altogether Sabbath — and it is also said, For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past.
(see above)
R. Abba also said: There can be no more manifest [sign of] redemption than this: viz., what is said, But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel, for they are at hand to come. R. Eleazar said: Than this too, as it is written, For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction.6 What is meant by, ‘neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction?’ — Rab said: Even for scholars, who are promised peace, as it is written, Great peace have they which love thy law,8 ‘There [shall] be no peace on account of the affliction.’ Samuel said, ‘Until all prices are equal.’
(Sanhedrin 98a)
R. Hama b. Hanina said: The son of David will not come until even the pettiest kingdom ceases [to have power] over Israel.
(see above)
Before coming of the Messiah all governments will defile in unfaithfulness, and there shall be no reproach.
(Talmud, Sotah 49)
Rabbi Yannai said: “When you see a generation after generation cursing and vilifying name of Almighty, - wait for footsteps of the Messiah”
(Midrash “Song of Songs” ch. 2)
And the Ishmaelites shall rule the holy land, at the time when it is empty, for a long time, as their circumcision is empty, and not whole, and they shall prevent the Israelites from returning to their homeland until that privilege of the Ishmaelites will expire.
And the Ishamelites shall ignite big wars in the world, until they will make the Edomites gather to a war against them.
And shall make wars: one on the sea, one in land and (one) near Jerusalem. And those shall rule over those. And the holy land will not be handed over to the Edomites.
At that time, one people will be awaken from the end of the world to the big sinful city, and there he will ignite a war that will last three months. And peoples will gather there, and will fall in his hands.
Until all the Edomites will gather on him (from all the ends of the world). Then HaShem (G-d) will be awakened on them.
(Zohar, Exodus, VaEra parasha, page 32)
“Edom and Ishmael will intermix with each other.”
(Midrash Tehilim 2)
In the last days the nations will argue: Master of the universe! Did You then offer us the Torah, and we turned it down? [The Gemara asks:] But how could they say [that God did not offer them the Torah? He did offer it to them!]. For it says, “God came from Sinai, shone forth from Seir [i.e., Esau and Rome], appeared from Mount Paran [i.e., Ishmael]” (Deuteronomy 33:2).
The nations will then petition God, “Master of the universe! Please offer us the Torah once more, and we will observe it.”
(Then he replies): “I have an easy mitzvah, namely sukkah. Go ahead and perform it.”
Instantly, everyone will get busy and build his sukkah on top of his roof. The Holy One, blessed be He, [will test them] by making the sun blaze full force as in the sweltering heat of summer, 1 whereupon every one of them will kick down his sukkah and go away [in disgust], as it says, “Let us break the cord of their yokes, shake off their ropes from us,” (Psalms 2:3).
(Talmud, Avodah Zara 3a)
5 For before the harvest, when the blossom is over, and the bud becometh a ripening grape, He will cut off the sprigs with pruning-hooks, and the shoots will He take away and lop off.
6 They shall be left together unto the ravenous birds of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth; and the ravenous birds shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.
7 In that time shall a present be brought unto HaShem of hosts of a people tall and of glossy skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that is sturdy and treadeth down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of HaShem of hosts, the mount Zion.
(Isaiah 18:5-7)
8 Therefore wait ye for Me, saith HaShem, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.
9 For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of HaShem, to serve Him with one consent.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia shall they bring My suppliants, even the daughter of My dispersed, (India) as Mine offering.
(Zephaniah 3:8-10)
‘And you shall dwell in the cities that you have seized’; and the ultimate goal of our work in the ingathering of the exiles is the war of Hashem against Amalek , for this is the primary task of Yehoshua in the spiritual level/role of Messiah son of Yosef . A war against Amalek (not defined as a particular ethnic group, but rather containing elements of Eisav, Yishmael, and Erev Rav) in all aspects against all the enemies of Israel and against Armilus official (alternate translation, spiritual guardian) of the Erev Rav, to remove the spirit of impurity from the land and to raise the assemblage of Israel and the Divine presence below, from the ground and the opening of the battle against the War of Gog and Magog in the first redemption at the front of the coming of the Messiah that makes us righteous - Messiah son of Dovid , May he speedily come".
(Vilna Gaon Eliyahu, Kol HaTor)
“And he shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it down and break it in pieces;” (Daniel 7:23) and R. Johanan says that this refers to Rome, whose power is known to the whole world.
(Talmud, Avodah Zara, 2b)
Rab said: The son of David will not come until the [Roman] power enfolds Israel for nine months, as it is written, Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
(Sanhedrin 98b)
“And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and beateth down all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush.”
(Daniel 2:40)
“Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.”
(Joel 4:19)
2 'Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him: thou didst liken thyself unto a young lion of the nations; whereas thou art as a dragon in the seas; and thou didst gush forth with thy rivers, and didst trouble the waters with thy feet, and foul their rivers
(Ezekiel 32:2)
Edom will be demolished" - This refers to David, (as it is written: “Edom became the servants of David”); “his enemy, Seir, will be destroyed” - This refers to Moshiach, (as it is written [Ovadiah 1:21], “Saviors will ascend Mount Zion [to judge the mountain of Esau…”).
(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 11)
Rabbi Simeon said:" In the future children of Israel shall wage two wars in the holy land - one in the Egyptian exile and other in Assyrian exile, from whence sons of Gad and Reuven where deleivered, first among others. And they suffered much, but haven’t returned from there until now.
And in the days of Messiah sons of Reuven shall wage wars in the world, and conquer the nations, but shall not remain in the Kingdom, for they shall fight also in the holy land, in Jerusalem.
(Zohar, VaYechi)
All the nations will unite together against Jerusalem, for they shall make a peace treaty among themselves to turn against Israel and annihilate her, because Israel will have established a sovereign state for themselves. It will be “a time of crisis for Jacob [Israel],” but they shall not be broken, rather, “they shall be saved from it.”
(Rabbi Moshe Cordovero on Zohar, Genesis, 119)
10 All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, that say: ‘The evil shall not overtake nor confront us.’
11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old;
(Amos 9:10-11)
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, but the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall HaShem go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fighteth in the day of battle.
(Zephaniah 18:2-3)
- And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow, as he passes through.
- He shall enter also into the beauteous land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand, Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
- He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
(Daniel 11:40-42)
2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as blackness spread upon the mountains; a great people and a mighty, there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, even to the years of many generations.
(Joel 2:2)
At that time one nation shall awaken from the ends of the earth and challenge Evil Empire, descendants of Rome, and shall fight against him for three months. And nations shall assemble against him, but will fall into his hands"
(Zohar, VaYera, 32)
He will hear a great nation moving against him - these are the ten tribes of Israel.
(Ramban, handwritings, ch.2, page 517)
When you see that the eastern Nero [i.e., emperor] in Damascus has fallen, and the kingdom of the Children of the East has fallen, then will salvation sprout up for Israel.
(Nistarot R. Shim’on ben Yohai, BhM 3:82)
6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all his bands; even many peoples with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou guarded of them.
8 After many days thou shalt be mustered for service, in the latter years thou shalt come against the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, against the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they dwell safely all of them.
(Ezekiel 38:6-8)
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
(Daniel 12:1)
22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
23 Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am HaShem.
(Ezekiel 38:22-23)
2 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but upon thee HaShem will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And nations shall walk at thy light, and kings at the brightness of thy rising.
(Isaiah 60:2-3)
3 And many peoples shall go and say: ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of HaShem, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of HaShem from Jerusalem.
4 And He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
(Isaiah 2:3-4)
As a result of Israel excelling in their achievements in the future, the nations of the world will also exert themselves to take hold of them and to ascend as well.
(Vilna Gaon, comm. on Song of Songs 1:4.)
In two respects this World does not compare to the World to Come: firstly, in that this World, there is no existence, and the World to Come is the true existence, and secondly, in that the World to Come is eternal, while this World is like a bird flying off.
(Vilna Gaon, comm. on Proverbs 8:21)
He will then perfect the entire world, [motivating all the nations] to serve G-d together, as it is written [Zephaniah, 3:9], “I will make the peoples pure of speech so that they will all call upon the Name of G-d and serve Him with one purpose.”
(Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 11)
What is the way to love and revere God? When a person reflects upon God’s wonderful actions and fantastic creations, and he sees His unbounded intelligence. He immediately loves, praises and glorifies [God] and has a tremendous yearning to know the living God. As King David said (In Psalms 42:3) My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
(Laws of the Fundamentals of Torah, 2:2)
- What is appropriate love? This is an extremely strong and profound love of God, so that one’s soul is committed to the love of God and that one will be so preoccupied with it that one will appear to be lovesick, in which one’s mind is perpetually occupied at all times with a particular woman. Apart from this, one’s love of God has to be absolute and continuous, as we have been commanded: “…with all your heart and with all your soul”. Solomon said by way of example, “For I am sick with love”. The entire Song Of Songs is exemplary of this concept of the love of God.
(Rambam, The Laws of Repentance, 10:3)