Halakha Maleakhi 3:24: Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars

Our Sages have said that there is no difference between This World and the Days of the Messiah except (our) subservience to the kingdoms of the world alone. From the plain meaning of the words of the prophets we understand that at the beginning of the days of the Messiah there will be the War of Gog and Magog. Before the War of Gog and Magog, a prophet will arise to correct Israel and prepare their hearts¹³⁷I.e. Direct them to G-d., as it says, “Behold, I will send you Elijah” (Malachi 3:23). He will not come to make the pure impure, nor purify the impure, nor disqualify people who are presumed to have legitimate lineage¹³⁸Or, family pedigree., nor qualify those who are disqualified. He will only come to bring peace to the world¹³⁹Between Israel and the other nations., as it says, “And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers on the children” (Malachi 3:24). Some of the Sages say that Elijah will come¹⁴⁰Either to announce his coming or “authorize rabbis” (for the Sanhedrin?). before the coming of the Messiah. But regarding all these matters and similar, no one knows how it will be until it will be. For these matters were unclear to the Prophets. Even the Sages themselves did not have a Tradition regarding these matters and only could attempt to understand the verses. Thus, there were disagreements in these matters. Nevertheless, neither the order that these events will occur nor their details are fundamental to the religion. Thus, a person must never busy himself with the Aggadohs and not dwell on the Midrashim regarding these matters or similar issues. He must not make them dogma¹⁴¹Or, the essence, a tenet.. For these do not result in either love (for G-d) nor fear (of sin). Similarly, one should not calculate the Ends¹⁴²Of a) the Exile, and b) when the Messiah will come.. Our Sages have said that the spirit of those who calculate the Ends will expire¹⁴³I.e. They will die.. Rather, one is to (simply) wait and believe in the principle¹⁴⁴And not contemplate the details. of this matter, as we have explained.