The gemara [and your answer # 4)(d)] tells us that we have a tradition that Mashi'ach (nor Eliyahu haNavi) will not arrive on Shabbos or Yom-Tov so they do not interfere with the preparations for Shabbos or Yom Tov.
I'd like to ask about the relationship of the thrid Beis haMikdash (may it be built quickly) to this gemara about the arrival of Mashi'ach. I've always been bothered by a far reaching Rashi in Mes. Sukka, (daf 41a).The gemara is trying to find a reason for the gezeira d'rabanan of chodosh grain. The gemara proves that the Beis haMikdash will be built either on erev Pesach (the night after the 14-th of Nisan) or at the end of Pesach day, in either case, on Yom Tov. Rashi, (d'h 'hani mili'), quoting a pasuk, explains that this is entirely possible because it will not be built by people, but rather "fall from the sky"; that is, it will be built totally "al y'day Hash-m, and be delivered to its place already fully built. In any event, it seems from this Rashi that the Beis haMikdash will definitely be built on Yom Tov. From our gemara here in Eruvin, where we're told about the tradition of Eliyahu haNavi and Mashi'ach NOT arriving on Yom Tov, it seems that we're "forced" into an answer of "the 'arrival'of the Beis haMikdash is one thing, and the arrival of Eliyahu haNavi and Mashi'ach are another." Yet we know that these event are all intimately connected. It seems to me to be less than the most "elegant" of
answers.
[The makom haMikdash is just a few minutes walk from my home, and next Pesach is less than a year away.] As a result, I'd be interested in whatever you can add to these ideas of the arrival of Mashi'ach and the construction of the Beis haMikdash.
warm regards,
Jeff Ram,
Jerusalem
(a) The source for the Rashi in Sukah which you cite can be found in several Midrashim (Tosfos in Shavuos, 15b, quotes it from the Tanchuma, see beginning of Midrash Tanchuma on Parshas Pekudei; see also the Sifri on Parshas Zos ha'Berachah 352). However, Tosfos in Sukah (41a, DH Iy Nami) mentions that there are those who apparently argue and maintain that the third Beis ha'Mikdash will be built by man. The Me'iri in Shavuos (15b) also writes that the third Beis ha'Mikdash will be built by man, but by the command of Hash-m (with this the question of Rashi in Sukah is answered).
(b) You are correct about the day of the arrival of Mashiach and the day of the building of the Beis ha'Mikdash being two separate days. We find in Sanhedrin (20b) that before building the Beis ha'Mikdash, we are commanded to first annoint a king over us (who, before the building of the third Beis ha'Mikdash, will be Mashiach), and then to destroy the descendants of Amalek, and only afterwards to build the Beis ha'Mikdash. Certainly some time will pass between fulfilling the first two Mitzvos and building the Beis ha'Mikdash.
Best regards,
Mordecai
Dear Rav Kornfeld,
In reply to the question concerning the arrival of Moshiach you concluded that his arrival and the building of the 3rd Bet Hamikdash would occur on different days.
My understanding of the Rambam is that one of the conditions for knowing who the moshiach is, is that he will successfully build the 3rd Bet Hamikdash.
So on the day that moshiach comes (speedily in our days) how will we know that he really is moshiach if the 3rd Bet Hamikdash will not be built till some later time?
The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 11:4) writes that if there comes a king who is Osek in Torah and Mitzvos and leads the Jews in battle on behalf of Hashem, he is "b'Chezkas Mashiach." If he later builds the Beis ha'Mikdash, he is "Vadai Mashiach." We see clearly that the building of the Beis ha'Mikdash will occur after he is assumed (Muchzak) to be the Mashiach, and that there are other signs for assuming who is Mashiach.
May he arrive soon!
-Mordecai