And All That Jazz

A posting before Sukkos last year on Imamother (hat tip to Wolf) gave a picture of of how to prepare for Moshiach's iminent coming and what we would be doing once he arrived. I didn't post about it last year, but it has been niggling at me since then. I'm really hoping the author was writing tongue in cheek or as a parody--and I'll be l'chav zchus that she was--because there was something disturbing in that posting. For one thing, she ordered us to leave our electric/electronic gadgets back in chutz l'aretz and not bring them--they won't be necessary or available in yomai hamoshiach. Say what?

I briefly took a trip around my house to see just what kinds of electronic "gadgets" we own. Let's start with the most obvious--electric lights. Sorry but I'm not going back to living by candlelight. There there is my furnace, with its electronic starter. And then there are my washer and dryer--I'm not going back to beating clothes on rocks in a stream. There is my refrigerator and stove and crock pot. There is my toaster and dishwasher. There are all the clocks and radios. There are the air conditioners and fans. There are the shabbos clocks on the appliances. There are my phones and yes, my computers, which she also says won't be mutar. Of course, there are also cars, with their electronic systems, and buses and trains and subways. And then there are those airplances she says we should all hop on, which are going to disappear in yomai hamoshiach.

And if we are getting rid of electronic systems, that means that all our manufacturing plants are going to have to go--no more ready made anything. Want to get dressed? First, catch and shear a sheep, then comb the fleece, then card the wool, then spin into thread (by hand, of course) and then weave into material. After that, cut the material, and sew by hand. And if you happen to get a headache, or the flu, or have asthma or allergies? Sure hope you know which plants in which places you might gather to make some kind of infusion that might or might not work. Need an exray or MRI or CAT scan? Uh uh, we're going back to touchy/feely medicine practice.

I admit that before reading this piece I didn't really give any serious thought to what actual living practices might be like after Moshiach comes, but I do know I never envisioned a life that would plop us straight back into the pre-dark ages, literally and figuratively. Is there anyone out there who can give any true, actual, authoritative references that might say what our lives might be like after Moshiach? I've ridden a horse and also a mule, I've slept in a tent and I've cooked on a campfire under the stars (although I did use modern matches to start the fire with). They aren't experiences I'd be looking forward to on a daily basis. Please, tell me I won't have to do these things.