FIRST PLACE
What would it be like to wake up and Moshiach is here?
by Rivka Rumshiskaya, age 13 from MA
Yet another dreary morning, I thought as I turned towards the wall. I don’t want to go to school today. I turned again, and saw that it was already 8:30! I had missed the bus to school...again! My parents would kill me when they found out! The sun was streaming through the blinds and I decided to make the best of my free day. As I was getting out of my bed, I realized that this was not my room, and the sun never rose so early in my boring town of Toronto. No! This can’t be! Quickly, I put on a shirt and a skirt, not caring about whether or not they matched and tied my hair into a sloppy ponytail. I ran out of my room nearly tripping for there were steps here that led outside!
I was skeptical, but I had to enjoy this! The air smelled delicious like that of a bright spring morning. There were birds in the trees and their melodious song filled the air. It seemed like all of nature was working for one purpose and I had to work for it too. I ran across the grass feeling as light as wind and as fluttery as a butterfly. But wait, there was my sister. She was sucking on a honeycomb. There were goats and sheep walking freely on the grass and she looked as calm as the sky.
“Where are we? What are you doing?” I screamed bewildered.
“We’re in Israel,” she answered “they’re waiting for you,” she said, pointing to a group of people I hadn’t noticed before. Suddenly I noticed a long table with many kids all learning Torah. And under all the trees stood round tables with a pitcher of milk, a bowl of honey, a pitcher of water with a branch in it, and something that looked like bread. As I walked towards it, I noticed many more people some of whom I thought I knew. Well, I thought, if they need me then I’m coming but why would anyone need me? I don’t have any special talents and I don’t know anything.
I walked towards the group and saw my parents there. “Finally you are here Maya!” they exclaimed in unison “where have you been?” But just as I started to answer my Abba waved his hand at me and said “it doesn’t matter now. Go and help them, they need you.” I didn’t know why everyone seemed to tell me that those people needed me but my Ima’s reassuring smile encouraged me and I went. With every step I took, a golden light shone on me. Everybody was carrying blocks of stone or sewing curtains or other sorts of work. It suddenly dawned on me that they were building the Bayit Hashlishi! I wanted to be part of it but I felt out of place. Everybody was so confident in what they were doing that I felt I didn’t belong here.
I stood wondering about this, when someone tapped my shoulder. There was no one there when I turned around, but I felt someone pushing me towards the tables with the food. That same force pushed me to eat it. The honey was sweeter than any amount of sugar I had ever sucked on. The milk was tender and soft and had a sweet taste to it. This is heaven, I thought, or as some people would have said before, Olam Haba. But now it wasn’t Olam Haba, it was here!
I took a piece of the bread which melted in my mouth. Then I remembered about the water of Miriam and what I had learned way back in fifth grade... what I was eating was Manna! And the water with the branch was the water of Miriam! I savored this piece of Manna afraid that this was a dream and if I let go it would disappear. I was too full to eat more and was standing looking at the beautiful scenery. The trees all bloomed with flowers and I was absorbed in the wonderfulness of it. I was pulled out of my reverie when someone tapped my shoulder. Again, some mysterious force pushed me, but this time I knew what to do. I bet you it was Eliyahu Hanavi guiding me.
I ran to the building site and started carrying bricks. They weren’t heavy and I felt like they carried me. Each one was laid down carefully over the previous one. After doing this a couple of times, I once again felt the force of Eliyahu Hanavi guiding me towards a group of women. They were sewing beautiful pictures onto curtains and rugs. They motioned me to help and I gladly sat down at this task. So I went on from task to task, soaking in the light of Mitzvos and Torah. At one point, I chanced to see an old man. He was sitting at the table with rows of kids studying Torah, and rays of light shined from him.
If I had been running, they would have said I had the ‘runners high’; well, I had the ‘Mitzvos high’. I just kept going and going. When the Beit Hamikdash was built everyone danced together. Jews of all different views united into one whole; and I was part of it, the Jewish nation.
RUNNER UP
What would it be like to wake up and Moshiach is here?
by Mushki Freedman, age 12 from OH
“I believe with complete faith the in the coming of Moshiach, though he may tarry, nonetheless I await him every day, that he will come.”
(13 Principles of Faith)
I woke up terrified from that noise, it got me thinking of what it was. “Its the Shofar,” I said half sleeping, “or at least it sounds like it. But now, in the middle of the night? I thought I hear the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah, not now!? It must be a dream,” I yawned and went back to sleep. But I could not fall asleep, something excited was in me, I don’t know what!
Tu, Tu, Tu! A shofar! This time I knew it was real, my dream was coming true! MOSHIACH IS HERE! I can’t believe it! I quickly wake up. No going back to sleep! My heart is pounding, my head spinning, my hands shaking, my feet trembling, my eyes round like big round balloon balls, and my mouth open wide. I say Modeh Ani and want to wash my hands. Better watch out or else I will spill my netilat yadaim before I even use it! I calm down and wash my hands...but than my feeling all comes back to me and I run like crazy to everyone’s room to see if they’re up! Yup, sure they’re up. I hear them whispering loudly and excitedly but I can’t see them. I guess they are also running around like crazy to everyone’s room...or maybe my eyes just can’t see them out of excitement!
I guess my heart was pounding TOO loud cause my father asked me how I was feeling. He didn’t wait for an answer; I think because my body gave away the answer. Better watch out or else I will give away all my secretes, so I sit down on my bed and calm my self down, (but not all the way, I am still so excited!)
I found my nicest clothing to wear for today, after all for us it’s a holiday! While I get dressed I wonder what got me up so early this morning, since I can never wake up early, especially at this hour. But my mind keeps on changing subjects. Now it’s thinking far away...When, where, will the Beis Hamikdash appear? I already want to see Grandma and Grandpa! In my suitcase I will pack the picture of Grandpa to show him how much I missed him, and the necklace Grandma gave me to show her that I still have it! I want to see Avos and Imahos, Moshe Rabbeinu, David and Shlomo Hamelech, and so many people...
“Hurry!” I heard my mother, “There is so much to be done,” So as I was hurrying, my mind still wandered around, I was thinking of if it’s really true that Moshiach came. What will I put in my suitcase? My scrapbook about the Imahos to show them how much we studied about them, and how we admire them. My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone. My mother went to get it. She came to my room and said to me, “Guess what?”
“What?” I asked.
“If you get ready quickly I will tell you!”
Soon I was ready doing everything quickly. There was just one thing I did slow, praying! I prayed, concentrating. My thoughts did not wander this time. How come?
I went to the kitchen. I knew this would be family time, because everyone was there! My mother said,
“Our cousin from Australia called and she wanted to know if we heard the shofar,” my mother said.
“Yes!”
Mother sighed deeply and tears started running down her cheeks. She gave us a big kiss and hug! We were about to go out to our Hebrew school, when my father looked at Mendy, my brother.
“Where are your glasses?” he asked.
“My glasses?” asked Mendy puzzled, “I have them on!”
“Go check the mirror,” I told him half laughing. So he did, and he was surprised.
“I don’t have glasses? That’s funny...” he said.
“We have a few minutes until you will go to school,” my father said, “so I will explain this interesting sight! I will tell you Moshiach’s secret although surely you speak about it in school! You know, now that Moshiach is here, everything will change! There will not be any bad inclination a Yetzer Hara, only the good one, Yetzer Tov who will always help you in your learning and helping, (no wonder why I davened only thinking the right thoughts!) You will do everything quickly...and also Hashem will make everyone’s sickness cured! Which now means that you wont need doctors now, go kids to school to learn the holy Torah and see what else we could learn from the times of MOSHIACH!!
Now I think, I wish Moshiach is already here, when I will really hear that Shofar blowing, waking me up in the early morning. Then I will see my true reaction!
MORE ENTRIES!
Check out the other entires we received!
What would it be like to wake up and Moshiach is here?
Malka Cohen, age 8, OH
If I would wake up and Moshiach was here, I would be very happy. Do you know why? It’s because he is here to save us from the painful Golus and bring us to the Geula.
When Moshiach is here, all the sick people will get better. Also, the world would become more beautiful and everyone is very happy.
After a while I would think very hard about Moshiach. I would ask myself, “Is it really true? Is Moshiach really here?” Then I would answer myself by saying, ”Yes, yes! He is really here!” I think my parents would do the same. Then we would say together, “Moshiach is here!”
We would all dance together with the Rebbe and all the other Rabbeim for the whole entire day, and people would join in until we would have a huge circle.
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What would it be like to wake up and Moshiach is here?
Dina Yanofsky, age 12, NY
I woke up one morning, there was something different. I just felt it in the air. I got dressed and said goodbye to my family. I got to school and we started davening. The day dragged on. It was nice and quiet in my classroom. And then suddenly, I heard this loud blasting sound of a shofar! I got so scared I jumped. It was a sound so loud that I just couldn't take it; I passed out, and all of a sudden, I became alive again. What was happening? Am i dreaming? An eagle the size of the empire state building swooped down, i was shaking. It could probaly swallow me whole. Everybody was going on top of it, so I did too. Everyone that I knew was on it. I found my parents, and I realized that I was not dreaming, Moshiach was here! I saw billions of people. the missing shevatim, the people who did not even know they were Jewish, everyone was there. The eagle took off, and before I knew it we were flying over the Atlantic Ocean. I couldn't believe it, I was speechless. It was the coolest thing. We arrived in Israel and you would never believe who i saw. My grandfather was waiting for me, he passed away 10 years ago, and he was alive again.
"I cannot believe how big you got," he said. My father was shocked, my mother was speechless. And then everyone got quiet and stood up because Moshe was coming and it was like a dream, it was amazing. Then there it was, the Bais Hamikdash. It looked like a palace in a fairy tale. It was gorgeous, sparkling with silver and gold. Hashem punished Hitler and all the other reshuim, and we really did live happily ever after.
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What would it be like to wake up and Moshiach is here?
Chana Leibe Goldberg, age 13, NJ
There are not enough words to describe how I would feel if I were to wake up and find out Moshiach is here. I would feel many emotions and have many questions; questions I have always had, which I never received definite answers to.
My first emotions would be that I would stunned and surprised to find Moshiach is here. Although we ask and beg Hashem for Moshiach every day, unfortunately I do not wake up expecting him to be here. In addition to those feeings, I would be happy, delighted, and pleasantly surprised. After all those years, I would be able to go to Eretz Yisrael- the holy land for us Jews, and see the Beis Hamikdash, with the Kohanim doing the Avoda. I would hear the beautiful shirim- songs of the Leviim. All of Klal Yisrael would be together, helping each other, and serving Hashem, I would also feel relieved. The war will be over and we will have peace. No more disputes over boundaries of kevarim- graves. It will all be definite and it will all be ours.
When I first hear that Moshiach is here, I will think, What next? What should I be doing now? I believe those questions will be answered very quickly, most likely by a trip to Eretz Yisrael. But how will we get there? By plane, ship, or eagle's wings? Or will we just be there before we can think? Once I receive those questions' answers, I will have many more! What will we do when we get to Eretz Yisrael? Where will we live? What will my parents do for a living? Will we have a farm? Will my father be able to learn all day? Where will my brother, sister, and I go to school? Will there still be ill and disabled people or will that go away, just as they did at Matan Torah- the receiving of the Torah? Will there be Techiyat Hamaitim- will the dead come alive again? What will life be like? I do not know, but when the time comes, I am sure we will receive the answers, Bimhaira Biyamainu- soon in our days.