The Sign:
Moshiach will not come until coins are depleted from the wallet
"עד שתכלה פרוטה מן הכיס"
Ad SheTichle Pruta Min HaKis
The literal meaning of this Sign is
There'll be a serious lack of funds
prior to the Coming of Moshiach.
No Cash.
Nothing saved up.
Zero equity in investments.
Interesting... but is that
FOR REAL?
The following Questions immediately spring to mind:
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An important enabler of the Redemption is Charity: "The Jewish People will only be redeemed through Charity". But how, if there's no money to give?
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One of the prophecies about the Coming of Moshiach states: "Their silver and gold are with them". What silver and gold?
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Today, there are obviously many rich people (including philanthropists), bless them… and on the other end of the spectrum, the poverty of the Pre-Moshiach generation is not by any means distinctively worse than previous generations, so that we could call it a discernible “Sign” for the Coming of Moshiach.
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How is poverty a sign for the Coming of Moshiach? How is it telling us that Moshiach is coming?
No Funds – for Torah Institutions
As part of the Four Signs, it was explained that:
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There are plenty of funds. But with the advent of secularization, funds are misappropriated to "Jewish" Institutions which do not advance Judaism.
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This Sign means the funds will not be available in the bank account of Torah Institutions.
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Moshiach will then come and rectify the bad trend by motivating people to redirect their funds to Torah Institutions.
This then explains the above-mentioned questions.
However...
Not Only Charity
The simple meaning of this Sign refers to People themselves,
The Donors (who won't then have what to donate...)
They'd have nothing left in their own
Wallets, bank accounts, stock shares or securities
In the next series of articles we'll G-d willing explore
how this applies to the Pre-Messianic Generation
in the following respects:
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Spending Habits
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Electronic Age
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Cryptocurrency
NOTES & REFERENCES
Moshiach will not come until wallets are exhausted of coins / "עד שתכלה פרוטה מן הכיס": Talmud Sanhedrin 97b.
The literal meaning of this Sign is there will be lack of funds with the Coming of Moshiach: Rashi, Ibid
No Cash (wallets), nothing saved up (bank account), zero in investments (shares): See Sforno on Deuteronomy 32:36 (the verse which this sign is based on):
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"אָ֣זְלַת יָ֔ד" = ran (אזל) out of what to give with the hand (יד). This simply means cash in hand / wallets.
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"אֶ֖פֶס עָצ֥וּר" = nothing stored (עצור) away. The modern-day meaning of this would be savings in the bank.
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"וְעָזֽוּב" = nothing left (עזב) outside, unattended (in the field). More generally, investments / shares. But even such less liquid assets will not be available to give (transfer) with the Coming of Moshiach (as part of this sign)...
The Jewish People will only be redeemed through Charity: See Talmud Shabbat 139a and Rambam Laws of Presents to the Poor 10:1.
Their silver and gold are with them: Isaiah 60:9. Note Abarbanel asks the same question as above and interprets "their" (silver and gold) to mean the Gentiles Nations'. But Radak's primary interpretation is "their" refers to the Jews themselves.
The literal meaning of this sign refers to the people themselves (not only to Torah Institutions): Rashi Ibid.