Moshiach: not from the Dead

On a Torah, Internet blog, a debate has been ongoing regarding Moshiach (Messiah). One person is intent on spreading his belief in the dead Rebbe as the Messiah. Many others hold this view. The following is his response to someone I know, who is rational, and tried to educate the messianic, but to no avail:

"You and your Rabbi are of course entitled to your opinion, however I can tell you that personally I do believe in the power of the song of the redemption Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman. I believe that the Rebbe King Messiah explained that 770 in Crown Heights is actually the miniature Beit HaMikdash - Holy Temple until the redemption will come soon God willing, and he also said that the Third Beit HaMikdash will actually descend from Heaven in Crown Heights and then fly together with 770 to its place in Jerusalem. Looking forward to hearing more of your interesting thoughts.

All the best,

XXXXX

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman

Long live our master, teacher and Rebbe, King Messiah forever!"

As foolish and dangerous notions continue to spread, a response is also continually required.  

First of all, Messiah is not decided via a human vote. So this approach is flawed from the get-go. I will quote a few Rabbis who have previously addressed this issue quite adequately.

Moshiach 

by, Rabbi Reuven Mann

The Rambam, whose position on Moshiach is considered authoritative by the Rebbe, clearly lays out the basic criteria by which the Moshiach will be known. He will bring the entire Jewish people back to a faithful observance of Torah, according to the written and oral laws, will fight, successfully, the wars of G-d, will build the Holy Temple in it's place and ingather the exiles of Israel. The Rambam makes it clear that if he fails at any point then, no matter how great a tzadik he may be, he is not the Moshiach.

Moshiach: Not from the Dead

by, Rabbi Saul Zucker

The burden of proof is not on those who say that moshiach won't come from the dead — the burden of proof is on those who say he can come from the dead. The reason for that is twofold — moshiach, certainly according to the Rambam, whom Chabad accepts as to the halakhos of moshiach, says that the person will reach a level of nevuah and kingship naturally, then will be revealed to be moshiach. "Naturally" means just that — not from among the dead. Now if one wants to claim that "naturally" includes from the among the dead, the burden of proof is on him. Further, if moshiach can come from among the dead, why would it not be the greatest king we ever had or could have — Moshe Rabbeinu — especially because we know for sure that Moshe will be resurrected, as the gemara states "Az yavdil Moshe..." mi-kan letechiyas hameisim min haTorah.", "From here we learn Resurrection is in the Torah".

Rabbi Zucker further discussed Talmud Sanhedrin 98b, describing who is fit as the Messiah. The Talmud suggests two people: depending on whether the Messiah had already died, or if he was yet to come from the living. Rashi explains the Talmud's statement "if Messiah was from the dead it was Daniel". Rashi says if he "was" (hayah) from the dead, teaching that the Messiah "from the dead" does not mean he "will" be resurrected, but that if he had "come already", then it was Daniel. The Talmud does not say Messiah will yet come as a resurrected person.