Pt5 The Messianic Era in the Talmud: Duration of the Messianic Era, and the Rewards in the Messianic Era and World-to-Come for the Righteous (Sanhedrin 96b-99a)

This is the fifth part of a seven-part series.¹

[pt5] Duration of the Messianic Era

Table summarizing the eight opinions in this section re the duration of the messianic era (ימות המשיח - literally: “days of the Messiah"):

R. Eliezer - Messianic era will last 40 years - Psalms 95:10

תניא:

רבי אליעזר אומר:

ימות המשיח ארבעים שנה,

שנאמר ״ארבעים שנה אקוט בדור״.

§ It is taught in a baraita:

R’ Eliezer says:

The messianic era will be 40 years long,

as it is stated: “40 years will I strive with the generation” (Psalms 95:10).

The 40 years of strife with the non-Jews will be followed by the glory days of the Messiah.

R. Elazar ben Azarya - Messianic era will last 70 years - Isaiah 23:15

רבי אלעזר בן עזריה אומר:

שבעים שנה,

שנאמר:

״והיה ביום ההוא

ונשכחת צר שבעים שנה

כימי מלך אחד״.

איזהו מלך מיוחד?

הוי אומר: זה משיח.

R’ Elazar ben Azarya says:

The messianic era will last 70 years,

as it is stated:

“And it shall come to pass on that day,

that Tyre shall be forgotten 70 years,

according to the days of one king” (Isaiah 23:15).

In this context, one [eḥad], means unique [meyuḥad].

Which is the unique king?

You must say that this is a reference to the Messiah.

R. Yehuda HaNasi - Messianic era will last 3 generations - Psalms 72:5

רבי אומר:

שלשה דורות,

שנאמר:

״ייראוך עם שמש

ולפני ירח דור דורים״.

R’ Yehuda HaNasi says:

The messianic era will last 3 generations,

as it is stated:

“May they fear You as long as the sun and moon endure,

throughout the generations [dor dorim]” (Psalms 72:5).

Dor is singular and dorim is plural, for a total of 3 generations.

R. Hillel - No Messiah for Israel; prophecies fulfilled in Hezekiah

(See footnote.)²

רבי הילל אומר:

אין להם משיח לישראל,

שכבר אכלוהו בימי חזקיה.

R’ Hillel says:

There is no Messiah coming for the Jewish people,

as they already ate from him, as all the prophecies relating to the Messiah were already fulfilled, during the days of Hezekiah.

Rav Yosef (refutation of R. Hillel) - Prophecy of a future Messiah riding a donkey postdates the biblical Hezekiah - Zechariah 9:9

אמר רב יוסף:

שרא ליה מריה לרבי הילל.

חזקיה אימת הוה?

בבית ראשון!

ואילו זכריה קא מתנבי בבית שני,

ואמר:

״גילי מאד בת ציון

הריעי בת ירושלים

הנה מלכך יבוא לך

צדיק ונושע הוא

עני ורכב על חמור

ועל עיר בן אתנות״.

Rav Yosef says:

May his Master³ forgive R’ Hillel for stating matters with no basis.

With regard to Hezekiah, when was his reign?

It was during the First Temple period⁴

Whereas Zechariah ben Berechiah, the prophet, prophesied during the Second Temple period⁵

and said:

“Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion;

shout, daughter of Jerusalem;

behold, your king will come to you;

he is just and victorious;

lowly and riding upon a donkey

and upon a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).⁶

In the generations after Hezekiah, there are prophecies about both redemption and the coming of the Messiah.

R. Eliezer - Messianic era will last 40 years, paralleling the 40 years of affliction in the Wilderness - Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalms 90:15

תניא אידך:

רבי אליעזר אומר:

ימות המשיח ארבעים שנה.

• כתיב הכא:

  • ״ויענך וירעבך ויאכלך״,

• וכתיב התם:

  • ״שמחנו כימות עניתנו, שנות ראינו רעה״.

It is taught in another baraita:

R’ Eliezer says:

The messianic era will be 40 years long.

• It is written here with regard to the 40-year sojourn of the children of Israel in the wilderness:

  • “And He afflicted you, and suffered you to hunger and fed you with manna” (Deuteronomy 8:3);

• and it is written there:

  • “Make us glad according to the days that You afflicted us, the years that we saw evil” (Psalms 90:15).

R. Dosa - Messianic era will last 400 years, paralleling the 400 years of servitude in Egypt - Genesis 15:13; Psalms 90:15

רבי דוסא אומר:

ארבע מאות שנה.

• כתיב הכא:

  • ״ועבדום וענו אתם ארבע מאות שנה״,

• וכתיב התם:

  • ״שמחנו כימות עניתנו״.

R’ Dosa says:

The messianic era will last 400 years.

• It is written here with regard to the Covenant of the Pieces:

  • “And they shall serve them, and they shall afflict them 400 years” (Genesis 15:13);

• and it is written there:

  • “Make us glad according to the days that You afflicted us.”

R. Yehuda HaNasi - Messianic era will last 365 years (like days of the solar year) - Isaiah 63:4

(See footnote.)⁷

רבי אומר:

שלש מאות וששים וחמש שנה,

כמנין ימות החמה,

שנאמר:

״כי יום נקם בלבי

ושנת גאולי באה״.

R’ Yehuda HaNasi says:

The messianic era will last 365 years,

corresponding to the number of days of the solar year,

as it is stated:

“For the day of vengeance is in My heart,

and the year of My redeemed is come” (Isaiah 63:4).

‘Day of vengeance in My heart’ (Isaiah 63:4); R. Yoḥanan - known only to God’s ‘heart’, not even to His ‘limbs’; Reish Lakish - ‘In My heart’—revealed to God’s ‘heart’, not to ministering angels

מאי ״יום נקם בלבי״?

אמר רבי יוחנן:

• ללבי

  • גליתי,

• לאבריי

  • לא גליתי.

רבי שמעון בן לקיש אמר:

• ללבי

  • גליתי,

• למלאכי השרת

  • לא גליתי.

The Talmud asks: What is the meaning of the phrase: “For the day of vengeance is in My heart”?

R’ Yoḥanan says that it means that God said:

• to My heart,

  • I revealed (גליתי) the day of vengeance

• but to My limbs

  • I did not reveal it, as it were, as I never stated it explicitly.

R’ Shimon ben Lakish says that it means that God said:

• to My heart,

  • I revealed this secret

• but to the ministering angels

  • I did not reveal it

Avimi b. Abbahu - Messianic era will last 7,000 years (as bridegroom rejoices seven days; day = 1000 years) - Isaiah 62:5; cf. Psalms 90:4

תני אבימי בריה דרבי אבהו:

ימות המשיח לישראל שבעת אלפים שנה,

שנאמר:

״ומשוש חתן על כלה

כן ישיש עליך אלהיך״.

Avimi, son of R’ Abbahu, taught:

The messianic era for the Jewish people will last 7,000 years,

as it is stated:

“And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

so shall your God rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5).

The bridegroom rejoices over the bride for 7 days, and the day of God is 1,000 years.

Rav Yehuda citing Shmuel - Messianic era will last the duration of the period from the day the world was created until now (i.e., the day when the Messiah will come; (≈4,000-6,000 years) - Deuteronomy 11:21

אמר רב יהודה, אמר שמואל:

ימות המשיח כמיום שנברא העולם ועד עכשיו,

שנאמר: ״כימי השמים על הארץ״.

Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says:

The duration of the messianic era is like the duration of the period that runs from the day the world was created until now, i.e., the day when the Messiah will come,⁸

as it is stated: “That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land that YHWH swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21).

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak - Duration like the days from Noah until now (≈ 3,000-5,000 years) - Isaiah 54:9

רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר:

כימי נח עד עכשיו,

שנאמר: ״כי מי נח זאת לי אשר נשבעתי״.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says:

The duration of the messianic era is like the duration of the period that runs from the days of Noah until now, i.e., the day when the Messiah will come,⁹

as it is stated with regard to redemption: “For this is as the seas of [ki mei] Noah to me; as I have sworn that the seas of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you nor rebuke you” (Isaiah 54:9).

The words ki mei can be understood as one word, ki-mei (כימי), meaning: Like the days of.

Prophetic visions and rewards: Distinction between messianic era and World-to-Come, debate over penitents versus completely righteous, and rewards for supporters of Torah scholars, with interpretation of ‘no eye has seen’ in Isaiah 64:3

R. Ḥiyya bar Abba citing R. Yoḥanan - All prophets prophesied only about the messianic era; the World-to-Come is unknown - Isaiah 64:3

אמר רבי חייא בר אבא, אמר רבי יוחנן:

כל הנביאים כולן לא נתנבאו אלא לימות המשיח,

אבל לעולם הבא –

״עין לא ראתה אלהים זולתך

אלהים יעשה למחכה לו״.

§ R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba says that R’ Yoḥanan says:

In their prophecies with regard to redemption and the end of days, all the prophets prophesied only about the messianic era,

but with regard to the World-to-Come the reward is not quantifiable --

as it states: “No eye has seen it, God, aside from You,

Who will do for those who await Him” (Isaiah 64:3).

Shmuel - No difference between this world and messianic era except subjugation to kingdoms

ופליגא דשמואל,

דאמר שמואל:

אין בין העולם הזה לימות המשיח אלא שעבוד מלכיות בלבד.

The Talmud notes: And this statement disagrees with the opinion of Shmuel,

as Shmuel says:

The difference between this world and the messianic era is only with regard to servitude to foreign kingdoms (=Rome) alone, as they will leave Eretz Yisrael.

R. Ḥiyya bar Abba citing R. Yoḥanan - All prophets spoke concerning penitents; the reward of the wholly righteous is beyond sight - Isaiah 64:3

ואמר רבי חייא בר אבא, אמר רבי יוחנן:

כל הנביאים לא נתנבאו אלא לבעלי תשובה,

אבל צדיקים גמורים –

״עין לא ראתה אלהים זולתך״.

And R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba says that R’ Yoḥanan says:

All of the prophets prophesied their prophecies of consolation only with regard to penitents (בעלי תשובה),

but with regard to the reward of the completely righteous --

it is stated: “No eye has seen it, God, aside from You.”

R. Abbahu citing Rav - Penitents stand in a place where the wholly righteous do not

ופליגא דרבי אבהו,

דאמר רבי אבהו, אמר רב:

מקום שבעלי תשובה עומדין שם –

צדיקים אינן עומדין שם,

The Talmud notes: And the opinion expressed in this statement disagrees with the opinion of R’ Abbahu, who holds that penitents are superior to the righteous,

as R’ Abbahu says that Rav says:

In the place where penitents stand --

even the completely righteous do not stand,

Prooftext - Isaiah 57:19

שנאמר: ״שלום שלום לרחוק ולקרוב״.

• ברישא

  • רחוק

• והדר

  • קרוב.

• מאי ״רחוק״ –

  • רחוק דמעיקרא.

• ומאי ״קרוב״ –

  • קרוב דמעיקרא ודהשתא.

[...]

as it is stated: “Peace, peace upon him who is far and him who is near” (Isaiah 57:19).

• Peace and greeting is extended first

  • to him who is far,

• and only thereafter is peace extended

  • to him who is near.

• What is the meaning of the term: “Upon him who is far”?

  • It means: One who was initially (מעיקרא) far, i.e., the penitent.

• And what is the meaning of the term: “Him who is near”?

  • It means: One who was initially near and continues to be near at present, i.e., the completely righteous individual.

[...]

R. Ḥiyya bar Abba citing R. Yoḥanan - Prophetic rewards apply to those who honor Torah scholars (marry daughter to a scholar, do business for him, support him); the scholars’ own reward is beyond sight - Isaiah 64:3

ואמר רבי חייא בר אבא, אמר רבי יוחנן:

כל הנביאים כולן לא נתנבאו אלא

1. למשיא בתו לתלמיד חכם,

2. ולעושה פרקמטיא לתלמיד חכם,

3. ולמהנה תלמיד חכם מנכסיו.

אבל תלמידי חכמים עצמן –

״עין לא ראתה אלהים זולתך״.

And R’ Ḥiyya bar Abba says that R’ Yoḥanan says:

All of the prophets prophesied their prophecies of consolation only with regard to

1. one who values wisdom and therefore marries his daughter to a Torah scholar,

2. and to one who conducts business¹⁰ on behalf of a Torah scholar,

3. and to one who utilizes his wealth to benefit a Torah scholar from his property in some other way.

But the prophets did not describe the extent of the reward for Torah scholars themselves, whose reward is not quantifiable --

as it is stated: “No eye has seen it, God, aside from You.”

R. Yehoshua b. Levi - ‘No eye has seen’ = wine preserved in its grapes since Creation - Isaiah 64:3

מאי ״עין לא ראתה״?

אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי:

זה יין המשומר בענביו מששת ימי בראשית.

The Talmud asks: What reward is indicated in the phrase “no eye has seen it”?

R’ Yehoshua ben Levi says:

This is wine preserved in its grapes from the six days of Creation.

No person has drunk that wine and therefore no one can appreciate its quality.

Reish Lakish - ‘No eye has seen’ = Eden - Isaiah 64:3

ריש לקיש אמר:

זה עדן,

שלא ראתה עין מעולם.

Reish Lakish says:

This is Eden,

which no eye has ever seen.

‘Eden’ is distinct from “the Garden” (‘Gan’) - Genesis 2:10

• ואם תאמר: אדם היכן דר?

  • בגן.

• ואם תאמר: גן הוא עדן?

  • תלמוד לומר: ״ונהר יצא מעדן להשקות את הגן״.

• And if you say: Where did Adam the first man live, if not in Eden?

  • the answer is that he lived in the “garden” (גן).

• And lest you say: The “garden” is “Eden” and they are indistinguishable?

  • the verse states: “And a river emerged from Eden to irrigate the garden”¹¹ (Genesis 2:10), indicating that they are two distinct places.

1. The outline of the series can be found at Part 1.

These are the previous parts:

• Pt1 The Messianic Era in the Talmud: The Character of the Messianic Generation and Moral and Social Collapse in the Leadup to the Messianic Era (Sanhedrin 96b-99a)

• Pt2 The Messianic Era in the Talmud: Calculations of World Duration and Messianic Timing (Sanhedrin 96b-99a)

• Pt3 The Messianic Era in the Talmud: Signs Immediately Preceding the Messiah’s Arrival (Sanhedrin 96b-99a)

• Pt4 The Messianic Era in the Talmud: Fear of the “Birthpangs of Messiah”, the Identity of the Messiah, and the Day of the Lord

2. This opinion of R’ Hilllel, and Rav Yosef’s critique, are referenced earlier as well in the sugya, see Part 4 of this series, section “Rav Yosef - this is contra R’ Hillel, who denied a future Messiah, as all the prophecies relating to the Messiah were already fulfilled during the days of the biblical King Hezekiah“.

3. מריה - i.e. God.

4. Hezekiah’s reign was c. 700 BCE, which far preceded the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BCE.

5. See Wikipedia, “Zechariah (Hebrew prophet)”:

Zechariah’s prophetical career probably began in the second regnal year of Darius the Great, king of the Achaemenid Empire (520 BCE).

Zechariah’s greatest concern appears to have been with the building of the Second Temple.

6. This verse was cited earlier in the sugya as well, in the context of discussing Messiah’s mode of transportation, see Part 3 of this series, section “R. Alexandri citing R. Yehoshua b. Levi - Two modes: with clouds of heaven (if meritorious) or lowly on a donkey (if not) - Daniel 7:13–14; Zechariah 9:9“.

7. Note also earlier, a different opinion on this cited from R. Yehuda HaNasi, in section “R. Yehuda HaNasi - Messianic era will last 3 generations - Psalms 72:5“.

8. As I pointed out in Part 2 of this series, note on section “Rav Ketina - World lasts 6,000 years, then 1,000 years of desolation - Isaiah 2:11“ (citing Wikipedia):

According to tradition, the Anno Mundi [AM, i.e. years from Creation] calendar started at the time of creation, placed at 3761 BCE.

The current (2025/2026 [CE]) Hebrew year is 5786 [AM].

So e.g., if Messiah came this year, the messianic era would last another 5,786 years.

9. In traditional Jewish chronology, Noah is said to have lived from 1056 to 2006 years after Creation (Anno Mundi, or AM) — that is:

• Born: 1056 AM (≈ 2705 BCE, so around 4,700 years ago)

• Died: 2006 AM

• Lifespan: 950 years (as stated in Genesis 9:29)

See Wikipedia, “Seder Olam Rabbah“, section “Genesis to the period of the Judges“:

[… T]he confusion of languages took place in the last year of Peleg’s life, which (based on the dates of the previous generations in Genesis) occurred 340 years after the Flood, or 1996 years after the creation of the world [=AM].

And see also my note in Part 2 of this series, on section “Eliyahu’s School - World: 2,000 years of chaos, 2,000 of Torah, 2,000 of messianic days; due to sins, the expected schedule was delayed“, that Abraham began to recognize God’s unity in year 1948 AM in the traditional Hebrew calendar (≈ 1813 BCE).

10. פרקמטיא - perakmatya - from Greek.

11. The italics are mine, I added them to highlight the two key words in the verse, in the context of the Talmud’s discussion.