One very important rabbi says so. Before you laugh this off, know that this was one of the most important rabbis in Israel, as attested by the tributes given to him and the size of his funeral (from Arutz-7).
Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri, known as the “Senior Kabbalist Elder,” passed away last night in Jerusalem. Over 300,000 people participated in his funeral. Rabbi Kaduri…commemorated his 105th birthday several months ago….Police closed off Jerusalem streets for the Sunday afternoon funeral, which became one of the largest ever in a city known for large funerals….
Students of the righteous rabbi say that the blessing of the Ben Ish Chai (considered the leading rabbi of Sephardic Jewry, d. 1904) and that of the Lubavitcher Rebbe – both of whom blessed him that he might live to see the Final Redeemer – came true. The rabbi’s closest followers say that Rabbi Kaduri told them he met the Messiah on Cheshvan 9, 5764 (Nov. 4, 2003). He reportedly said that the Messiah is not promoting himself, and that a study of his [Rabbi Kaduri’s] words in recent months would provide hints of his identity.
“He is not saying, ‘I am the Mashiach, give me the leadership.’ Rather the nation is pushing him to lead them, after they find [in my words] signs showing that he has the status of Mashiach.” So said Rabbi Kaduri to one of his close relatives.
Rabbi Kaduri was also quoted of late as saying that the imminent arrival of the Mashiach will “save Jerusalem from Islam and Christianity that wish to take Jerusalem from the Jewish Nation – but they will not succeed, and they will fight each other.”
This past Yom Kippur, shortly after Hurricane Katrina, Rabbi Kaduri said, “Jews must come to the land of Israel to receive our righteous Mashiach, who has begun his influence and will reveal himself in the future.”…
A statement released by President Moshe Katzav’s office said the president “is pained by the death of the important and accomplished rabbi whose reputation is world-renowned. Rabbi Kaduri, one of the great rabbis of the Jewish People, was noted for his love of Israel and in his second-to-none expertise in Kabbalah, contributed to Jewish unity, and was a source of inspiration for the Jewish People in Israel and around the world.”
Unfortunately, chasing phantom Messiahs is not new for the Jewish people. Fortunately, Jesus has made blind eyes see before and He will again.
I wonder if Madonna made it to the funeral.
P.S.- I finally got Randy in the blogosphere!!! Well, sort of. He gave me permission to post his replies to my questions over at my blog. Todd, you should put more weight on him to start a blog. OR BETTER YET, the IBEX professors could start an IBEX blog!
Yes Rabbi yitzchak Kauri of bleesed memory was the mashiach but now that he went the other way
we all have to wait for the real mashiach…If you know some one who is unemployed and looking for this position.You can reach Rabbi Yitzchak kaduri in gan eden..Dial Imformation 411 and ask for Rabbi yitzchak Kaduri,you will get his telephone number just listed.,in heaven..remember he took a cell telephone along when he went the other day.And after you speak to him in gan eden,he will definitely
will let you know the persons name
who is the mashiach.Then you can print it in the juerusalem post
and the new york times,The remainder will be done automatically..
best regards to the Mashiach…