Behold! Days are approaching....

הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים.....

(Amos 8.11)

The Prophet Amos teaches us that at the time of the Coming of Mashiach there too will be famine- of thirst and hunger, but not of bread and water but of words of Hashem (8.11):

11.'Days are approaching says the Lord Hashem, and I shall cast a famine in the Land, not a hunger for bread and not a thirst for water, rather [a hunger and thirst] to hear the words of Hashem-הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ לֹא רָעָב לַלֶּחֶם וְלֹא צָמָא לַמַּיִם כִּי אִם לִשְׁמֹעַ אֵת דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה(3572=17=8).

Days are approaching says the Lord Hashem, and I shall cast a famine in the Land

הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ

1719=18

Not a hunger for bread and not a thirst for water

לֹא רָעָב לַלֶּחֶם וְלֹא צָמָא לַמַּיִם

1819=19=10=1

Rather [a hunger and thirst] to hear the words of Hashem

כִּי אִם לִשְׁמֹעַ אֵת דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה

1154+6 words=1160=8

Words of Hashem

דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה

242=8 or + 2 words=10=1

At such a time of such low spirituality it is deeds of loving kindness that are needed to rectify the situation. This is the significance of the deeds that Ruth and Boaz. Through their deeds they succeeded in rectifying the selfishness of Elimelech and together they built up the House of Nachshon which otherwise may have been lost for good. Together they established the Davidic Dynasty and kept alive the dream of Tikkun Olam.

The Mashiach too shall arrive at a low point in the nations' spirituality –"poor/lowly and riding on a donkey"- עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר (Zachariah 9.9) - in a generation of materialism, greed and corruption; yet through his Torah he shall bring the nation back to serving Hashem "as one man and with one heart"-איש אחד בלב אחד as the Children of Israel did at Mount Sinai on Shavuot.

Mashiach-Lowly and riding on a donkey

מָּשִׁיחַ- עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר

1070=8