home / questions / top ten / Questions & Answers What is Moshiach ben Yossef? by Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet I have heard that there will be two moshiachs, one on a donkey, and one a more spiritual one. how does this work? do you think that the "messianic age" involves these two moshiachs? —Mark   What is Moshiach? When will Moshiach come? When will Moshiach come? 10 Questions about Resurrection of the Dead How can we identify Moshiach? Why did the Holocaust Happen? Why don't you accept Jesus as the Messiah? What is the purpose of the sacrificial offerings in the Holy Temple? What is the Livyatan? What will happen when Moshiach comes? Jewish tradition speaks of two redeemers, each one called Moshiach. Both are involved in ushering in the Messianic era. They are Moshiach ben David and Moshiach ben Yossef. The term Moshiach unqualified always refers to Moshiach ben David (Moshiach the descendant of David) of the tribe of Judah. He is the actual (final) redeemer who shall rule in the Messianic age. All that was said in our text relates to him. Moshiach ben Yossef (Moshiach the descendant of Joseph) of the tribe of Ephraim (son of Joseph), is also referred to as Moshiach ben Ephrayim, Moshiach the descendant of Ephraim. He will come first, before the final redeemer, and later will serve as his viceroy. The essential task of Moshiach ben Yossef is to act as precursor to Moshiach ben David: he will prepare the world for the coming of the final redeemer. Different sources attribute to him different functions, some even charging him with tasks traditionally associated with Moshiach ben David (such as the ingathering of the exiles, the rebuilding of the Bet Hamikdash, and so forth). For more information on this read Moshiach ben Yossef.