Preparing for the Messiah's Arrival: Rabbi Uri Zohar's Insights

On the "Maane" site, the following question was received: "I read online that the Messiah is supposed to arrive this coming Rosh Hashanah. There's a lot of evidence supporting this. My question is—since we are really supposed to believe the Messiah's arrival is near, what is the point of planning, buying a house, or investing long-term? My husband disagrees with me, and it's causing a lot of tension between us. What is the right way to act?"

The answer to the question is that a balance is needed between the faith in the coming of our righteous Messiah whenever Hashem decides, and the prayer and belief that it can happen at any given moment, and the duty to make long-term plans—buying homes, learning a profession, and behaving naturally and conventionally.

Furthermore, it's important to know that the end time is concealed and sealed, and no one knows an exact date for the Messiah's arrival. It's up to us, and there are several 'possible exit times'. Therefore, even Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, who said the Messiah is near, when asked what this means for us, gave only one answer: "Strengthen in Torah and prayer and good deeds." That's it. Not to sell the house and distribute the money to the poor, nor to stop living normal lives of effort.

Moreover, videos providing evidence online, even if well-intended to inspire repentance, are not "Torah from Sinai". For this reason, the "Maane" rabbis approached Rabbi Uri Zohar with the question.

Here is Rabbi Uri Zohar's answer to the question: