World of Mashiach

I recently read a very detailed account of someone’s clinical death experience. As I read it, part of me wanted to stop reading and part of me just couldn’t resist – so I read with only one eye open. Seriously, though, reading about what happened to him gave me the heebie-jeebies. He admitted that he was so far from Hashem, that his experience was the only thing that was going to get him back on the path of Torah and teshuva. Today, Moshe is a fully observant Jew living in Jerusalem. I have chosen not to link to his entire story simply because it might be too much for many people to handle.
 
Anyone these days can see that chaos is becoming increasingly abundant in the world. Entire countries are bankrupt, people are continuously being financially and socially repressed, and the weather patterns are completely out of control. If you’ve been following the spiritual news lately, you can see that Hashem is preparing the world for the next era- the era of Mashiach.
 
He’s got a big job to do, cleaning up all of the spiritual and physical filth that we have polluted the world with. The problem is, instead of partnering with Him in the cleanup, many people insist on doing the exact opposite- they insist on stubbornly continuing on with their current materialistic and physically-oriented lifestyle while ignoring the signs all around them that the world is changing.
 
For example, Hashem is trying to show us that vacationing “just because” has no part of the World of Mashiach. What is the purpose of such a vacation? Many singles go on singles cruises to, well, not be single for 3-7 days, and not necessarily with the same partner, either! Or couples go to temporarily enhance their romantic connection- but we know that doesn’t last. Or families go on family-oriented cruises, with the excuse that the kids deserve a fun time- but the parents are the ones really having the fun time as the kids are in the cruise camps 18 hours a day! In the past several years, we have seen a dramatic increase in cruise-related illnesses and ship malfunctions. One ship completely drowned and another recently got stuck in the ocean without any electricity! Yuck- no plumbing, no air conditioning, thousands of sick people….is it really just a “coincidence”?
 
Even air travel is anything but fun these days. I don’t know if there’s anyone who looks forward to getting molested by the TSA while their baby’s bottle full of milk is confiscated. Yes, it actually happened. Or the long lines, delays at the airport, delays on the plane, cancelled flights- who needs it? Nearly everyone says the same thing after a vacation- they need a vacation to recover from their vacation!
 
Looking at Moshe’s story, he made something very clear- if we’re not using our bodies and our lives to achieve their spiritual purpose, then we are using them in vain. Angels came to him and demanded of him, “What did you use your hands for?! What did you use your legs for?!” Needless to say, his answers weren’t sufficient.
 
This made me think: am I using my body, my talents, my sustenance, everything Hashem gave me- am I using them the way He intended for me to use them? It is a thought that should be hot-ironed onto all of our brains.
 
Men, are you using your hands to help others financially? Are you using them for Torah study and laying Tefillin? Or are you using them for selfish gratification? I am afraid to go into the detail of what Moshe described of the spiritual consequences for a person that abuses the covenant. OY VA VOY!
 
Ladies, are you using your bodies to take care of your homes and your children? Or are you having fun provoking other men with your curves? Are you trying to get men to stare at you so you can get a little ego boost? And please don’t try to fool yourselves by exclaiming, “I never think about other men looking at me!” Gimme a break! Women are not ostriches – they are perfectly aware of how other people perceive them. So that answer is just a sign of DENIAL.
 
Do you know why the Holy Temple (Beit Hamikdash) is called the Holy Temple? Because it’s holy! And G-d willing, its debut is around the corner.
 
Do you think that in the new World of Mashiach there will exist anything but holiness? Absolutely not. Not a trace of impurity or unholiness will be found in this new world, not even in one’s thoughts.
 
So I ask all of us, myself included: how are we preparing for the World of Mashiach? What are we doing to add more holiness and remove materialism and impurity from our lives, and from the world in general? Where are the bulk of our thoughts? Are they exclusively in mundane issues like bills, what’s on T.V., and where we’re going out for dinner Saturday night? Or is there room in our minds for more lofty thoughts, like refining our character traits and personal prayer?
 
Are we trying to make our home lives centered around holiness and awareness of Hashem, or do we insist on each kid having their own iPhone and iPad?
 
Spiritually speaking, where are we?
 
I certainly don’t know how or when it will happen, but I do know one thing- Hashem is preparing the world to be a vessel for the light of Mashiach; the light of pure holiness.
 
How are you preparing?