Year 6000 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

According to classical Jewish sources, the Hebrew year 6000 (Gregorian

Gregorian

Gregorian might refer to:* The thought or ideology of Pope Gregory I or Pope Gregory VII *Things named for Pope Gregory I:**Gregorian chant** Gregorian mass**Brotherhood of Saint Gregory...

year 2240

23rd century

The 23rd century is the century of the Christian Era or Common Era which, in the Gregorian calendar, begins on January 1, 2201 and ends on December 31, 2300.-List of the long total solar eclipses:* July 27, 2204: Solar eclipse, , of saros 139....

) marks the latest time for the initiation of the Messianic Age

Messianic Age

Messianic Age is a theological term referring to a future time of universal peace and brotherhood on the earth, without crime, war and poverty. Many religions believe that there will be such an age; some refer to it as the "Kingdom of God" or the "World to Come".- Terminology: "messianic" and...

. The Talmud

Talmud

The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

, the Midrash

Midrash

The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....

, and the Kabbalistic work, the Zohar

Zohar

The Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...

, state that the 'deadline' by which the Messiah

Messiah

A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...

must appear is 6,000 years from creation

Anno Mundi

' , abbreviated as AM or A.M., refers to a Calendar era based on the Biblical creation of the world. Numerous efforts have been made to determine the Biblical date of Creation, yielding varying results. Besides differences in interpretation, which version of the Bible is being referenced also...

. According to tradition, the Hebrew calendar

Anno Mundi

started at the time of Creation, at a moment 3,760 years and 3 months before the start of the Christian era. The current Hebrew year is 5772.

The belief that the seventh millennium will correspond to the Messianic Age

Messianic Age

is founded upon a universalized application of the concept of Shabbat

Shabbat

Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...

- the 7th day of the week - the sanctified 'day of rest'.

The Ten Commandments state (Exodus 20:8):

Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it. Six days shall you work and perform all of your labors. And on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath day unto the Lord your God, you shall do no work... For in six days God made the heavens and the earth, the oceans and all therein, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore God hath blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.

This tradition maintains that each day of the week corresponds to one thousand years of creation. Just as the six days of the workweek culminate in the sanctified seventh day of Shabbat

Shabbat

, so too will the six millennia of creation culminate in the sanctified seventh millennium (Hebrew years 6000-7000) - the Messianic Age

Messianic Age

.

Just as Shabbat

Shabbat

is the sanctified 'day of rest' and peace, a time representing joyful satisfaction with the labors completed within the previous 6 days, so too the 7th millennium will correspond to a universal 'day of rest' and peace, a time of 'completeness' of the 'work' performed in the previous six millennia.

The Talmud also draws parallels between the Shmita (Sabbatical) year and the seventh millennium: For six 'years', or millennia, the earth will be worked, whilst during the seventh 'year', or millennium, the world will remain 'fallow', in a state of 'rest' and universal peace.

The reconciliation between the traditional Judaic age of the world and the current scientifically derived age of the world is beyond the scope of this article, with some taking a literal approach, as with Young Earth creationism

Young Earth creationism

Young Earth creationism is the religious belief that Heavens, Earth, and all life on Earth were created by direct acts of the Abrahamic God during a relatively short period, sometime between 5,700 and 10,000 years ago...

, and others, such as Gerald Schroeder

Gerald Schroeder

Gerald L. Schroeder is an Orthodox Jewish physicist, author and lecturer at Aish HaTorah's Discovery Seminar, Essentials and Fellowships programs and Executive Learning Center, who focuses on what he perceives to be an inherent relationship between science and spirituality.-Education:Schroeder...

, a scientific conciliatory approach.

Talmud

The Talmud

Talmud

The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

comments:

R. Katina said, “Six thousand years the world will exist and one [thousand, the seventh], it shall be desolate (haruv), as it is written, ‘And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day’ (Isa. 2:11)... R. Katina also taught, “Just as the seventh year is the Shmita year, so too does the world have one thousand years out of seven that are fallow (mushmat), as it is written, ‘And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day’ (Isa. 2:11); and further it is written, ‘A psalm and song for the Shabbat day’ (Ps. 92:1) – meaning the day that is altogether Shabbat – and also it is said, ‘For one thousand years in Your [God's] eyes are but a day that has passed.’ (Ps.90:4) (Sanhedrin 97a).”

Midrash

The Midrash

Midrash

The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....

in Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer

Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer

Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer is an aggadic-midrashic work on Genesis, part of Exodus, and a few sentences of Numbers, ascribed to R. Eliezer ben Hyrcanus , a disciple of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai and teacher of Rabbi Akiva. It comprises fifty four chapters...

comments:

Six eons for going in and coming out, for war and peace. The seventh eon is entirely Shabbat and rest for life everlasting.

Kabbalah

The Zohar

Zohar

states:

In the 600th year of the sixth thousand, the gates of wisdom on high and the wellsprings of lower wisdom will be opened. This will prepare the world to enter the seventh thousand, just as man prepares himself toward sunset on Friday for the Sabbath.

The Zohar explains further:

The redemption of Israel will come about through the mystic force of the letter “Vav” [which has the numerical value of six], namely, in the sixth millennium…. Happy are those who will be left alive at the end of the sixth millennium to enter the Shabbat, which is the seventh millennium; for that is a day set apart for the Holy One on which to effect the union of new souls with old souls in the world (Zohar, Vayera 119a).

There is a kabbalistic tradition that maintains that each of the 7 days of creation in Genesis chapter 1 correspond to seven millennia of the existence of natural creation.
The tradition teaches that the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath

Shabbat

day of rest, corresponds to the seventh millennium, the age of universal 'rest' - the Messianic Era.

Millennium	Hebrew Year	Corresponding day of week (In Hebrew and English)
1	0 - 1000	Rishon / Sunday
2	1000 - 2000	Sheini / Monday
3	2000 - 3000	Shlishi / Tuesday
4	3000 - 4000	Revii / Wednsesday
5	4000 - 5000	Chamishi / Thursday
6	5000 - 6000	Shishi / Friday
7	6000 - 7000	Shabbat Shabbat Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from... (Sabbath) / Saturday

Rishonim and Acharonim

Elaborating on the theme of the seventh millennium representing the Messianic Age

Messianic Age

are numerous early and late Jewish scholars, including the Ramban

Nahmanides

Nahmanides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Naḥman Girondi, Bonastruc ça Porta and by his acronym Ramban, , was a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.-Name:"Nahmanides" is a Greek-influenced formation meaning "son of Naḥman"...

, Isaac Abrabanel

Isaac Abrabanel

Isaac ben Judah Abrabanel, , commonly referred to just as Abarbanel, was a Portuguese Jewish statesman, philosopher, Bible commentator, and financier.-Biography:...

, Abraham Ibn Ezra

Abraham ibn Ezra

Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra was born at Tudela, Navarre in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra....

, Rabbeinu Bachya, the Vilna Gaon

Vilna Gaon

Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman Kramer, known as the Vilna Gaon or Elijah of Vilna and simply by his Hebrew acronym Gra or Elijah Ben Solomon, , was a Talmudist, halachist, kabbalist, and the foremost leader of non-hasidic Jewry of the past few centuries...

, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Ramchal, and Aryeh Kaplan

Aryeh Kaplan

Aryeh Moshe Eliyahu Kaplan was a noted American Orthodox rabbi and author known for his "intimate knowledge of both physics and kabbalah." He was lauded as an original thinker and prolific writer, from studies of the Torah, Talmud and mysticism to introductory pamphlets on Jewish beliefs and...

.

The acceptance of the idea of the seventh millennium representing the Messianic Age across the Ashkenazi - Sephardi divide, the Chassidim

Hasidic Judaism

Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...

- Misnagdim

Misnagdim

Misnagdim or Mitnagdim is a Hebrew word meaning "opponents". It is the plural of misnaged or mitnaged. Most prominent among the Misnagdim was Rabbi Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman , commonly known as the Vilna Gaon or the Gra...

divide, and across the rational Talmud

Talmud

The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

and mystical Kabbalah

Kabbalah

Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...

perspectives, shows on the centrality of this idea in traditional Judaism.

Ramban

In his Sha'ar Hagmul, Ramban

Nahmanides

writes that the sixth millennium will see the advent of the Messiah and the seventh millennium will be the Shabbat

Shabbat

of the 'World to Come', wherein the righteous will be resurrected and rejoice.

Ramban further writes that the Scriptural verse, “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it” (Gen. 2:3), refers to His blessing the World to Come which begins at the seventh millennium.

Bachya

In his commentary to Genesis 2:3, Rabbeinu Bachya writes that the seventh millennium will follow the Messiah and the resurrection, and will be a time of “great eternal delight” for those who merit resurrection.

This being the case, he explains, just as one prepares during the six days of the week for the Shabbat, so too one should prepare during the six thousand years for the seventh.

Abrabanel

Don Isaac Abrabanel

Isaac Abrabanel

Isaac ben Judah Abrabanel, , commonly referred to just as Abarbanel, was a Portuguese Jewish statesman, philosopher, Bible commentator, and financier.-Biography:...

writes that similar to the structure of the week of Creation, so too the world will exist for six thousand years, with the seventh millennium being a Hefsek (break) and a Shvita (rest), like Shabbat

Shabbat

, Shmita, and Yovel.

Vilna Gaon

The Vilna Gaon

Vilna Gaon

writes:

Each day of Creation alludes to a thousand years of our existence, and every little detail that occurred on these days will have its corresponding event happen at the proportionate time during its millennium.

Ramchal

The Ramchal explains that the Shabbat Millennium will be a time of rest, which will be merited by the righteous.

Lubavitcher Rebbe

The Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Menachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe among his followers, was a prominent Hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He was fifth in a direct paternal line to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Menachem Mendel...

explains that upon having reached the Hebrew year 5750 (1990 CE), the millennial 'time-clock' had reached the time of the 'eve' of Shabbat

Shabbat

.

This is based on the teaching of the Talmud

Talmud

The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....

, which states that one thousand human years is equivalent to one 'day' in the eyes of the Creator, which in turn is based upon the verse in Psalms, "For one thousand years in Your eyes are but a day that has passed (Psalms 90:4)". Therefore, given that one human-time millennium is equal to one cosmic 'day', the human-time seventh millennium is equivalent to the seventh cosmic 'day', the 'Shabbat

Shabbat

', the Messianic age.

Given that the Jewish day begins at nightfall, the year 5750 represented 12:00pm midday on the millennial 'Friday', as per the table below.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, as others, maintains that the Messiah must arrive at, or before, the onset of the Shabbat

Shabbat

, the year 6000.

Hebrew Year (Common Era year)	Millennial Time
5000 (1240 CE)	18:00 Thursday
5250 (1490 CE)	00:00 Friday
5500 (1740 CE)	06:00 Friday
5750 (1990 CE)	12:00 Friday / Shabbat Shabbat Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from... eve
5770 (2010 CE)	12:30 Friday / Shabbat Shabbat Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from... eve
6000 (2240 CE)	18:00 Entry of Shabbat Shabbat Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...

The English year 2011, corresponding to the Hebrew year 5771, thus marks slightly after 12:30pm on the Millennial Friday afternoon.

Shlomo Elyashiv

Kabbalist and grandfather of Rabbi Yosef Sholom Eliashiv

Yosef Sholom Eliashiv

Yosef Shalom Elyashiv is a Haredi rabbi and posek who lives in Jerusalem, Israel.At the age of , Elyashiv is active and remains the paramount leader of both Israel and the Diaspora Lithuanian-Haredi community, and many Ashkenazi Jews regard him as the posek ha-dor, the contemporary leading...

, Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv

Shlomo Elyashiv

Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv , also known as the Leshem or Ba'al HaLeshem, was a famous kabbalist, who lived in Šiauliai, Lithuania.His father was Rabbi Chayim Chaikl Eliashoff...

writes in Drushei Olam HaTohu:

...This is why so much time must transpire from the time of creation until the time of the Tikkun (lit. 'correction', Moshiach's coming). All the forces of Gevurot (strict judgement) are rooted in the six Sefirot -- Chesed
Chesed
The Hebrew noun khesed or chesed is the Hebrew word for "kindness." It is also commonly translated as "loving-kindness," or "love." Love is a central Jewish value, and leads to many particular commandments. Chesed is central to Jewish ethics and Jewish theology...

, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod
Hod (Kabbalah)
Hod in the Kabbalah of Judaism is the eighth sephira of the Kabbalistic tree of life. It is derived from hod הוד in the Hebrew language meaning "majesty" or "splendor" and denoting "praise" as well as "submission"....

, Yesod -- which are the six days of creation... and also the 6,000 years of history that the world will exist.

And within [the six Sefirot] are the roots of all that will happen from the six days of creation until the Final Tikkun... We find that all that transpires is the result of the sparks from the time of Tohu, Chaos...

Aryeh Kaplan

writes:

Never before has mankind been faced with such a wide range of possibilities. Never before has is had such tremendous power at its disposal, to use for good or evil... We need not belabor the point, but the past hundred years or so have brought about an increase in knowledge unsurpassed in all human history... The ultimate goal of the historic process is the perfection of society... is what we call the Messianic Age...

Almost 2000 years ago, the Zohar predicted, "In the 600th year of the sixth thousand, the gates of wisdom on high and the wellsprings of lower wisdom will be opened. This will prepare the world to enter the seventh thousand, just as man prepares himself toward sunset on Friday for the Sabbath. It is the same here. And a mnemonic for this is (Gen 7:11), 'In the 600th year... all the foundations of the great deep were split'. Here we see a clear prediction that in the Jewish year 5600 (or 1840), the wellsprings of lower wisdom would be opened and there would be a sudden expansion of secular knowledge.

Esther Jungreis

In an interview with Israel National Radio, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

Esther Jungreis

Esther Jungreis is the founder of the international Hineni movement in America. A Holocaust survivor, she has made it her life's mission to bring back Jews to Orthodox Judaism.-Biography:...

said the following:

Listen carefully, friends, to what I'm telling you. Hashem, Elokei Yisrael, created this world that we are living in today in six days.

Every day was a thousand years. This world, as we know it today, cannot last beyond 6,000 years. Right now, we are in the year 5769, which means it's Erev Shabbos of the world. By the year 6,000, Mashiach has to be here. He could come much earlier. But by the year 6,000, he has to be here. … the Vilna Gaon
Vilna Gaon
Elijah ben Shlomo Zalman Kramer, known as the Vilna Gaon or Elijah of Vilna and simply by his Hebrew acronym Gra or Elijah Ben Solomon, , was a Talmudist, halachist, kabbalist, and the foremost leader of non-hasidic Jewry of the past few centuries...

said that the last war, Milchemet Gog uMagog, is going to last only 12 minutes because they are going to have such weapons….

We know that the final redemption, the final Geula, it's going to be like when you left Egypt – only one-fifth of our people left Egypt. Four-fifths perished… during the plague of darkness.

So I'm appealing to every Jew. Every negative prophecy can be changed. We can bring Mashiach today. Right now, we are living in a period called Erev [eve of] Shabbat.

It's Erev Shabbat, because when Mashiach will come, it will be the day that will be all Shabbat, the seventh day….

Let's bring Shabbos early, and let us to bring Shabbos with menucha [ease], with shalom [peace], with simchah [happiness] – Is it possible? Absolutely?! Every negative prophecy can be changed.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.