Siman 527

(84.) Regarding the calculated End Times — that there are great men who calculate End Times and say that Messiah should come at such a time as they name — as has occurred in our times when they said about several dates that Messiah would come then, and similarly in previous generations. And Rabbainu o.b.m. did not agree with this at all. And he said that every time someone announces some End Time — Messiah will certainly not come in any manner at that End Time they name. And it is already explained... And the holy Zohar already explains this (Zohar Chadash, Bereishis 12b) — that it greatly curses all who calculate Ends, for "the son of David comes only in a time when the mind is distracted" (Sanhedrin 97a). And behold, now the world says that Messiah will come in the year 6000 (taf-resh) from Creation, and they imagine that there are hints in the holy Zohar about this. But in truth, then he certainly will not come in any way — and it may be that he will come before the year 6000 or after it; but in the year 6000 he will not come in any manner, since the world is expecting that very time. And the general rule: at every time when there are calculators of Ends who say he will come at that time, then exactly at that time he will not come in any manner. Only "coming he will come" — he will not delay, speedily in our days — in a time when the mind is distracted entirely, that is, when they do not think at all about that End that he should come; and suddenly he will come, speedily in our days. Amen: