Foreword ix
Preface xi
Introduction xv
Chapter One
The Messiah Is Coming! 1
Where Is the Messiah Now? 2
When Will the Messiah Come? 4
Can We Make the Messiah Come Faster? 7
How Will the Messiah Appear? 10
Has the Messiah Been Revealed Before? 13
How Can We Recognize the True Messiah? 16
Chapter Two
The Messiah Will Rule Over Israel 19
What Does "Messiah" Mean? 20
Why Must the Messiah Be Descended
from King David? 22
Why Do Messianic Hopes Focus on Israel? 25
What Is the "Ingathering of the Exiles"? 27
What Is the Relationship between
the State of Israel and the Messiah? 30
How Did the Messiah Become Associated
with Supernatural Elements? 33
Chapter Three
The Messiah Is a Warrior 37
What Will the World Be Like Just Before
the Messiah Comes? 38
What Is Apocalyptic Literature? 41
Against Whom Will the Messiah Go to War? 44
Who Is the Messiah ben Joseph? 47
Who Is Hephzibah? 50
How Will the Messiah Triumph? 52
Chapter Four
The Messiah Will Change Everything 57
How Will the Natural World Be Different
in the Days of the Messiah? 58
What Will People Be Like in the Messianic Age? 61
What Will Society Be Like in the Messianic Age? 64
When the Messiah Is Here, How Will
Judaism Be Practiced? 66
What Is the Resurrection of the Dead? 70
What Is the Feast of the Righteous? 72
Chapter Five
The Messiah Will Establish God's Dominion 77
Who Is Elijah? 78
What Is the Role of the Shofar? 81
Will the Wicked Be Brought to Justice
in the Messianic Age? 84
Will Everyone Be Jewish in the Days of the Messiah? 87
How Will We Relate to God in the Messianic Age? 89
What Is the Connection between Individual
and Communal Redemption? 92
Chapter Six
The Messiah Is Us 97
Who Is the "Suffering Servant"? 98
What Is the Role of the Messiah in Hasidic Judaism? 101
Who Is Rabbi Schneerson? 104
What Did Classical Reform Judaism Teach
about the Messiah? 107
What Does Modern Liberal Judaism Teach
about the Messiah? 110
Can We Experience the Messiah? 113
Author's Note 117
Notes 119
Suggestions for Further Reading 143
Index 148
