Letters to the Editor - October 9, 2026

Parsing the Mysteries of Moshiach’s Identity

Last week, we published a letter by reader Rafi Hagler about Chaim Yehuda Meyer’s interview with Rabbi Aharon Yaakov Lieberman, “Who Can Be Moshiach?” (Sept. 25). The letter-writer questioned how the view of Bar Kochba as the potential Redeemer – by no less than Rabbi Akiva – squares with the historical conception of Moshiach as a great tzaddik and talmid chacham. The following is Rabbi Lieberman’s response:

It’s an excellent question you are asking.

And it’s great that it’s being asked now after reading my article as it shows people are thinking about the concepts and asking questions. It’s sparking discussion, Baruch Hashem.

So, my answer is: Bar Kochba must have been at least minimally considered pious and ra’ui lehyos (worthy of being) Moshiach. For sure he wasn’t as pious as Rebbi Akiva and many other Tana’im of his generation. However, he was in actuality getting the job done

in fighting the Roman oppressors, with remarkable and G-dly success. Therefore, Rebbi Akiva and the chachamim thought he was not merely ra’ui lehyos Moshiach but rather the actual Moshiach, in the midst of bringing about the Geulah. They must have thought that Bar Kochba would continue to grow in his spiritual piety and reach the spiritual level described for Moshiach at the time of the actual Geulah.

According to Raavad and the Chachamim, Bar Kochba was a fraud, a “false Messiah,” as he didn’t “smell and judge.” But according to Rambam and Rebbi Akiva, he was not a fraud. He was a “failed Moshiach” and ended up as a transgressor; he eventually sinned, and was “killed for his sins.” Rambam paskens that Moshiach will be someone who is “steeped in Torah and occupied with mitzvos like Dovid his forefather” – in other words, someone who is fit to be Moshiach is heavily involved with learning Torah and doing mitzvos, like Dovid HaMelech.

Rambam mentions Bar Kochba primarily to teach that making miracles is not a mandatory requirement for Moshiach. However, Raavad disagrees and says it is.

If someone is like Bar Kochba and like the person the Rambam describes, that’s great – he is most definitely ra’ui lehyos Moshiach. However, if he isn’t like Bar Kochba, he is still fit to be Moshiach by virtue of being “steeped in Torah and occupied with mitzvos like Dovid his forefather.” And like many Acharonim say, ra’ui lehyos Moshiach is based on tzidkus – piety.

In short, Bar Kochba was not merely “fit to be Moshiach” – he was thought of as “the King, the Moshiach,” as Rambam states. They thought he was the Go’el Tzedek on his mission to bring about the Geulah. And fighting wars of Hashem is, as per Rambam, a mandatory requirement. (There is discussion as to whether that means literal wars or spiritual wars, such as fighting assimilation, as Reb Moshe Feinstein mentions.)

It’s worthwhile to mention that the great and pious sage Rebbi Akiva was the “arms carrier” of Bar Kochba as mentioned by Rambam. While one can imagine many different ways to think of this, I think it’s likely that while being Bar Kochba’s arms bearer, Rebbi Akiva was not wearing a shreimel and bekesha. Meaning that when it’s time to fight the wars of Hashem, even the greatest of the sages will roll up his sleeves and fight when needed.

Moshiach’s mission, as defined by Rambam in Hilchos Melachim chapter 11, is to bring about “Shlaymus HaTorah,” a completion of the observance of Torah and mitzvos, which will happen when we have the Bais HaMikdash and kibbutz galuyos. This is why Chazal and halacha require Moshiach to be pious and fear sin – the criteria of ra’ui lehyos Moshiach. If wars need to be fought to accomplish this mission, Moshiach will definitely do what is necessary, similar to Rebbi Akiva and also to Bar Kochba. However, being primarily a warrior is not what Moshiach is about. Primarily, Moshiach will be a pious sage who will bring about a completion of Torah observance.

This appears to be why throughout the ages, it was always evaluated, as the Sdei Chemed mentions, who the ra’ui lehyos Moshiach of the generation was based on piety. It was never based upon which Jewish leader was the greatest warrior.

I hope this answers your question and I hope it will spark more discussion on this important topic.

Up in the Air

To Mr. Hagler (Letters, Oct. 2): No one knows who Moshiach is, nor from which denomination he will come. Moreover, even if his credentials are established, there will be controversy as to his legitimacy. Prepare for a bumpy ride, as was experienced by the passengers whose lives were miraculously saved last week.

Dr. Yaakov Stern

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