Question:
Hi,
What do Chachamim say will happen to worldwide issues such as pollution, Global Warming, other environmental issues, overpopulation, medical research, space exploration etc – will those issues vanish once Moshiach sits on the throne in Yerushalayim?
If so, and, if the majority opinion is that Moshiach must come within 220 years, does it matter if Yidden care about/invest time and money about those issues if the Coming of Moshiach would solve it for humanity?
(I am not looking for a political discussion at all – genuinely curious about what our sages said about the Messianic Era’s influence on global environmental (and to some extent scientific) issues.
Thank you!
Answer:
You are asking an interesting question.
To be honest I have never discussed this with any gedolim. My understanding however is, that we see in the Scripture and the Midrash, that in the time of Moshiach, there will be such tremendous miracles that they will outshine the miracles that Hashem did when we went out of Egypt. The world will exist in a supernatural way, and the world will then be brought to its perfection, because the world will then be run with the bounty of Hashem readily visible to all. When Hashem will run the world in an optimum fashion, He will surely take care of the issues such as global warming, and all of the other environmental issues. As far as over population of the world, in the perfect world that will be when Moshiach comes, there will be enough food growing, and places for everyone to live, (as long as the person indeed merits to exist at that time). Regarding medical research, we don’t even know if that will be needed at that time. Who knows, in the desert there was a copper snake and whoever looked at it, and submitted himself to Hashem’s will got cured, we might just not need more medical research. As far as space exploration, who says that Hashem will want us to do this at that point?
Therefore, our concentration is primarily to do Hashem’s will, and keep the torah as best as we can, and He will hopefully bring Moshiach soon, and these issues will become obsolete.
Best wishes
