3.8. Peace and harmony in creation
The awareness and knowledge of G-d will take away the narrow-minded dispositions that lead to strife and war. It will be an era of peace and harmony – in the Holy Land and around the world. [1] As we read in Isaiah 2:4 (and Micah 4:3):
וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹֽא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃
“Thus [G-d] will judge among the nations
And arbitrate for the many peoples,
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks:
Nation shall not take up
Sword against nation;
They shall never again know war.”
We also read in Isaiah 65:25:
זְאֵ֨ב וְטָלֶ֜ה יִרְע֣וּ כְאֶחָ֗ד וְאַרְיֵה֙ כַּבָּקָ֣ר יֹאכַל־תֶּ֔בֶן וְנָחָ֖שׁ עָפָ֣ר לַחְמ֑וֹ לֹֽא־יָרֵ֧עוּ וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁחִ֛יתוּ בְּכׇל־הַ֥ר קׇדְשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥ר יְ־הֹוָֽה׃
“The wolf and the lamb shall graze together,
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And the serpent’s food shall be earth.
In all My sacred mount
Nothing evil or vile shall be done
—said G-d.”
The opinion of the Rambam is that we can read this verse figuratively: “the lamb” is Israel and “the wolf” are the nations. The wolf, the lion, and the serpent, that represent the pagan peoples, will all be changed by G-d to change their natural ways. It is so ingrained in the nature of the nations to fight against Israel – and against other peoples – that G-d Himself must change this nature.[2] The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that this interpretation reflects the first phase of the messianic era, before fundamental changes will take place in the natural order of creation.[3]
In the first phase of the messianic era, when people exercise love, kindness and mercy as qualities in their lives, there will be no more war and strife. In the second phase of the messianic era, when the natural order becomes miraculous, it will reflect in the animal world, causing no more harm to the animal world.[4]
3.9.a The end and elimination of illness and death
Isaiah 35:5-6 teaches us about the end of all diseases:
אָ֥ז תִּפָּקַ֖חְנָה עֵינֵ֣י עִוְרִ֑ים וְאָזְנֵ֥י חֵֽרְשִׁ֖ים תִּפָּתַֽחְנָה אָ֣ז יְדַלֵּ֚ג כָּֽאַיָּל֙ פִּסֵּ֔חַ וְתָרֹ֖ן לְשׁ֣וֹן
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb shall shout aloud;…”
Isaiah 25:8 teaches us about the end of death:
בִּלַּ֤ע הַמָּ֙וֶת֙ לָנֶ֔צַח וּמָחָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֧י יְ־הֹוָֽה דִּמְעָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל כׇּל־פָּנִ֑ים
“Death will be destroyed forever.
My Sovereign G-d will wipe the tears away
From all faces.”
Isaiah 26:19 teaches us about the revival of the righteous people who have died:
יִֽחְי֣וּ מֵתֶ֔יךָ נְבֵֽלָתִ֖י יְקוּמ֑וּן הָקִ֨יצוּ וְרַנְּנ֜וּ שֹֽׁכְנֵ֣י עָפָ֗ר כִּ֣י טַ֚ל אוֹרֹת֙ טַלֶּ֔ךָ וָאָ֖רֶץ רְפָאִ֥ים תַּפִּֽיל
“Oh, let Your dead revive!
Let corpses arise!
Awake and shout for joy,
You who dwell in the dust!—
For Your dew is like the dew on fresh growth;
You make the land of the shades come to life.”
3.9.b Commentary for Noahides
Every non-Jew that accepts these Seven Noahide Commandments, and observes them scrupulously, is truly a pious individual of the nations of the world, and deserves an eternal share in the World to Come (and with this merit, this person will be included in the Resurrection of the Death.)[5] This is only true if he accepts the commandments and does them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commands him to do so in the Torah, and made it known through Moses our Teacher that they were previously commanded to the children of Noah to fulfill them. [6][7]
By Angelique Sijbolts
Sources:
[1] Mashiach written by Rabbi Jacob Immanuel Schochet
[2] Ibn. Ezra. Isaiah 65:25 with Commentary (sefaria.org).
[3] https://asknoah.org/faq/connection-between-miracles-messiah-coming
[4] An Address of the Lubavitcher Rebbe to Children, Lag BaOmer, 5750 (May 13, 1990) – Appendix B – Wisdom & Teachings (chabad.org).
[5] See Rashi and Tosafot on Tractate Rosh Hashanah 16b-17a. They state that the words with which the Talmud begins, “there are three groups for the day of Judgment,” referring to the Resurrection of the Dead. The Talmud speaks in relation to both, non-Jews and Jews, so it is abundantly clear that the non-Jews have a part not only in the Future World but also in the Resurrection of the Dead. . Ra’avad Ramban and teachings of Hasidic leaders believe that the most important, eternal reward, and revelation of Divinity in the future will be in the physical world, after the Resurrection of the Dead.
[6] Rambam, Laws of Kings 8:11.
[7] The Divine Code written by Rabbi Moshe Weiner, see chapter 1: Awareness of God
Thanks to Dr. Michael Schulman for the feedback
Translated by Withney Ann Sieverink-McNair and Angelique Sijbolts
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