Responsum: On Redemption

Regarding what you asked to have explained to you; namely, how the redemption will transpire from its start to its end, and [regarding] the resurrection of the dead, and [regarding] the renewal of the heavens, were I to expound each and every matter in all its particulars, the appointed time would expire [before I could finish], but I will indicate some general points about each matter, and so I speak [as follows]: [ . . . ]

And after all who are alive have been gathered together [in Israel] and no Israelites remain [in the Diaspora] save for those who have died, a loud blast will be blown on the shofar, the earth will shake, and the Israelite dead will resurrect, as scripture says: on that day a loud blast will be blown on the shofar (Isaiah 27:13). They say that Zerubbabel will be the one who blows this shofar. Why will there be a massive earthquake? This is to effect the release of the bones that have been crushed into powder and then incorporated into buildings and baked into bricks and upon which debris has collapsed, so that each bone can draw near to one another just as it is described in the scriptural portion about the valley [i.e., the “valley of dry bones,” or Ezekiel 37:1–14]. The Holy One, blessed be He, will stretch tendons among them, encase them in flesh, and cover them with skin, but they will be lacking an animating breath. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a vivifying dew fall from heaven, a dew that contains within it a light that revives life, as scripture says: Your dead will revivify; they will raise my corpse. Awake and shout, O dwellers in dust, for your dew will be one containing light (Isaiah 26:19). They will realize that they were formerly alive, then dead, and now revivified, for scripture says: You will know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and conduct you out of your tombs, O My people! (Ezekiel 37:13). Everyone who had some sort of physical defect will initially arise with that defect: if one was elderly [at the moment of death], one will return in this elderly state and weakened condition. [This will be done] so that they [i.e., skeptics] might not say: “these are really different creatures [and not the resurrected dead]!” Afterwards the Holy One, blessed be He, will heal them, as scripture states: then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be cleared; the crippled one will leap like a gazelle, and the mute tongue will shout (Isaiah 35:5–6), and scripture also says: your youth will be renewed like the eagle’s (Psalms 103:5). [ . . . ] Who will be resurrected? All those in Israel who were completely righteous and those who even though they committed sin made repentance [will be resurrected], but those whose iniquities are more numerous than their merits and did not make repentance will not arise during the time of the Messiah. [ . . . ]

After the dead and the living have been assembled together, the form and feature[s]‌ of the Temple will be revealed to us on its site: it will correspond to the vision that the priest [and] prophet Ezekiel the son of Buzi (upon him be peace!) saw. There are some who say that it will descend to its site from heaven, as scripture says: Jerusalem already constructed like the city joined together with it (Psalms 122:3).

Then all the children of Israel will become prophets, for scripture states: it shall come to pass after this that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy (Joel 3:1). The same will happen to the male and female servants of Israel, as scripture says: in those days I will pour out My spirit even upon slaves and maidservants (Joel 3:2). [ . . . ]

There are some who say that death will be uprooted from the world, for scripture says: He will eradicate death forever (Isaiah 25:8). Others say that they will be dead for only three days and then they will revivify, and about them scripture says: He will invigorate us for two days, and on the third day He will raise us up, and we will live before Him (Hosea 6:2). The dead ones who resurrect during the time of the Messiah will live eternally in the World to Come, thanks to the merit of those who were completely righteous.

In those times when the Temple and Jerusalem are revealed, the Shekinah will descend from heaven and stand erect like a column of fire extending from the ground to the sky, as scripture foretells: and the Lord will create upon all the locality of Mount Zion and its place of assembly a [canopy of] cloud and smoke by day, and a bright flame of fire by night (Isaiah 4:5). All who seek to come to Jerusalem will see that column of fire on its eastern edge and will be guided by its light until they arrive in Jerusalem, as scripture states: the nations will come to your light (Isaiah 60:3). That light consequently will be brighter than the light of the sun or moon, for it will darken them, as scripture says: the moon will darken and the sun will blush, for the Lord of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem (Isaiah 24:23).

At that time they will notice that the heavens and earth will look as if they have been remade, as if the heavens and earth existing at the time when Israel was subjugated departed and were replaced, and a new set of heavens and earth put in their place. For scripture says: behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17).