288 —הבנת הביטוי 'אני מאמין בביאת המשיח' בנוסח אני מאמין

B"H, 28 Menachem Av, 5707.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your question: A) Regarding what you write that the Rambam says "Ani Maamin b'viat haMoshiach" (I believe in the coming of Moshiach) etc., "every day that he will come." For now, I have not found this in Rambam—not in his Commentary on the Mishnah (Perek Chelek), nor in Mishneh Torah (Hilchot Teshuvah ch. 3 hal. 6; ch. 9 hal. 2; and at the end of Hilchot Melachim)—rather, it is found in the text of the Siddurim.

B) Regarding what you wrote that you heard an explanation on this—that every day one waits because eventually he will come, even though it is impossible for him to come today, such as when it is Shabbat or Yom Tov, based on our Sages (Eruvin 43b): This question has already been asked regarding the contradiction between "Ani Maamin" and our Sages above, and I have already answered as above. But there is still a difficulty: if so, it should have said "Every day I await him to come," so there would be no doubt about the intent. As a sharp point one could say: Since whether Ben David can come on Shabbat or Yom Tov is a doubt and not certain (Rambam Hilchot Nezirut ch. 4 hal. 11), therefore they formulated Ani Maamin in such a way that whichever way this doubt about Ben David's coming on Shabbat/Yom Tov is resolved, the wording fits. Or another approach: There are several doubts in law that Eliyahu will resolve—even though "it is not in heaven"—and as is known this is hinted by the acronym TIKU (Teyku; Shelah Chelek Torah Shebaal Peh klal ot tav; see also Zohar III 28a and Aruch Hashalem s.v.), so when it is Shabbat/Yom Tov there is a doubt—perhaps Eliyahu has already come to the Great Beit Din on Friday or before and resolved the doubt leniently, and thus Beit Din could come today.

C) Seemingly difficult is the opinion that Ben David cannot come on Shabbat/Yom Tov because of techumin (the prohibition of traveling beyond a certain distance) above ten tefachim (see commentaries there), for with Eliyahu this makes sense since he exists above [the world], but with Ben David who exists below (see Sanhedrin 98a), especially according to what Rambam writes at the end of Hilchot Melachim: If a king from Ben David arises who studies Torah etc., compels all Israel to follow it etc., fights wars etc., and succeeds—he is Moshiach. So Moshiach's victory will be some time after he reveals himself. And when we say Ben David does not come on Shabbat/Yom Tov, it refers to when he achieves victory—as stated in Gemara: since he comes all are subservient to Israel—so it does not relate at all to above ten tefachim. It must be said that Moshiach's coming must be for all Israel (see Iyun Yaakov on Eruvin there) or to the Great Beit Din who represent all Israel. The Great Beit Din will first return to Tiberias and then to the Temple (Rambam Hilchot Sanhedrin ch.14 hal.12), and Gog u'Magog's war and victory will be on Israel's mountains (Yechezkel chs.38-39) or around Jerusalem (Zechariah ch.14). He cannot come first to Tiberias or all Israel except by traveling above ten tefachim or postponing until weekdays if techumin applies above ten tefachim.

D) All of this applies specifically to Moshiach ben David; with Moshiach ben Yosef, who does not need to reveal himself at once to all Israel (see Iyun Yaakov there), one can say that in Ani Maamin where we say simply "Moshiach," it refers also to the beginning of redemption—including Moshiach ben Yosef—and he can come even on Shabbat or Yom Tov according to all opinions as above.

E) It seems clear and simple that "Ani Maamin" means faith in redemption—waiting for its beginning every day. Even Eliyahu's arrival—the herald who reveals Moshiach tomorrow or two days later—is also called "the coming of Moshiach," so one can recite this phrase every single day.

Summary

The Rebbe explains that reciting "Ani Maamin" daily reflects unwavering faith and anticipation for redemption at any moment—even amid halachic uncertainties about when Moshiach may arrive—emphasizing hope for geulah every day.