Introduction

In this paper I would like to explore המתים תחיית, Techiyat HaMaitim, the resurrection of the dead, when the souls and their bodies will be reunited, and the implications of this event. Generally speaking, the entirety of existence is divided into three periods:

A. This era, our present reality (Olam Hazeh).

B. The Era of Mashiach (Yemot HaMashiach). The seventh millennium. This is the era when Techiyat HaMaitim will occur.

C. The World To Come (Olam HaBa).

We will be exploring the second era known as The Era of Mashiach, in this paper.

It is well known that bodies in the grave will decay and disintegrate. This is a painful, but necessary process. This disintegration enables the recreation of the body as something totally new. All of the old elements have decayed. Techiyat HaMaitim is when that which has disintegrated, lives again as something entirely new. This is the vindication of our emunah (usually mistranslated as ‘faith’), our faithful obedience, and proves that HaShem is the G-d of the living.

Passover must fall out in the spring, which the Gemara associates with emunah (Seder Zeraim), because planting demonstrates one’s emunah that it will come to fruition.

Emunah was the result of the Passover redemption in the days of Moshe, and it will be the result of the Passover redemption in the days of Mashiach and the Techiyat HaMaitim.

Shemot (Exodus) 14:30-31 On that day, G-d saved Israel from the hand of Egypt, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore ... and the people revered G-d, and they had faith in G-d and in Moshe, his servant.

Man was formed from the dust of the ground in order that he should learn that this is his end and his beginning. He was formed from dust so that he could understand how to build his emunah.

Bereshit (Genesis) 2:7 And HaShem G-d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Avraham said that he was dust and ashes.

Bereshit (Genesis) 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes…

Avraham was a man who could disintegrate himself and from the dust and ashes he could rebuild himself. Obviously he was not referring directly to his body, he was referring to his emunah. He could so nullify who he was that he could become something entirely new. He could recreate himself with a greater emunah and thus make himself into a new creation. This is the essence of Techiyat HaMaitim. Techiyat HaMaitim is where those who have learned emunah and learned how to build their emunah; these live again as a vindication of their emunah.

The great Maggid of Mezritch said: Before Mashiach comes, the same scene that took place on Mt. Carmel (I Melachim [Kings] 18) will take place once again, with Eliyahu HaNavi and the Baal priests. Whereas eliyahu.jpg (203542 bytes) previously, the fire came down on Eliyahu’s altar, before Mashiach comes, the fire will come down on the altar of the false priests and not on Eliyahu’s altar. And whoever is not fazed by this and continues to believe in Eliyahu HaNavi, will merit to see the coming of Mashiach.

This is why Chazal, our Sages, teach that just before the coming of the Mashiach, and the beginning of Techiyat HaMaitim, there will be proof that the Torah path of the Jew is completely false and that the Goyim, Gentiles, were right. If the Jew has not learned emunah, faithfulness and f