Moshiach ben Yosef

Some say that Moshiach ben Yosef's name is Menachem ben Amiel and some say his name is Nechemia ben Chushiel.

Moshiach Ben Yosef is from the tribe of Efraim. Some say he's descendant of Yehoshua bin Nun (zs'l), and some say he's from Yeravaam ben Nevat, zs'l.

Moshiach ben Yosef will appear a little before Moshiach ben David. In the sefer (book) Shvilei Emunah (path of trust), it says that Moshiach ben Yosef will come 4 years prior to Moshiach ben David's appearance.

Moshiach ben Yosef's purpose is to perform the the following:
1. To prepare the world for the coming of Moshiach ben David.
2. To fight the wicked nations of the world, the wicked enemies of Am Israel, especially the Edom, Esav, and their king, Armilius.
3. To remove the utensils of the Bet HaMikdash that are in the kingdom of Caesar Alinius יליינוס קיסר
4. There are opinions that say he'll gather Am Israel from all corners of the world to build the Bet HaMikdash.

Moshiach Ben Dovid will be revealed at once, but Moshiach ben Yosef will first go to one of Israel's cities and from there, from city to city while gathering Jewish strongmen from the four corners of the land. He'll take them to the upper Galil and with them, go up to Yerushalayim. Together they will go out to war against the haters of Am Israel.

The need of the war are for the following purposes:
1. To erase Amalek.
2. To destroy the kingdom of Edom that is ruling the world.
2. To eliminate the kingdom of Ishmael.

Moshiach ben Yosef will win all his wars and destroy the kingdom of Edom, the kingdom that represents hatred of the Jews, as it says, והיה בית יעקב אש ובית יוסף להבה, ובית עשו לקש Bet Yaakov is fire and Esav is straw. (Just as straw burns quickly and completely, the house of Yaakov will burn Edom totally).

The kingdom of Ishmael will also be defeated by Moshiach ben David, as Chazal says אין זרעו של עשו נמסר אלא ביד זרעו של יוסף Esav's descendants are given only to Yosef's descendants.

In other sefarim (books), it says that Edom and Ishmael will become involved with one another.

After Moshiach Ben Yosef will strike the kingdom of Aram and Ishmael in Yerushalayim, the king of Aram will gather all his armies and war against Moshiach ben Yosef but all of them will be defeated and fall into the hand of Moshiach ben Yosef. Thereafter, Moshiach ben Yosef will capture all of Eretz Israel, and Am Israel will safely live in the Land for five years.

The outcome of the wars of Moshiach ben Yosef will be bitter: Moshiach ben Yosef will be killed, and in the prophecy of Zecharia (zs'l), it says "וספדו עליו כמספד על היחיד They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son".

Moshiach ben Yosef will be killed by the many nations that will come to war over Yerushalayim. It will happen in the sixth year of Am Israel sitting in Eretz Israel. The kingdom of Iran will war against Moshiach ben Yosef and stab him with a sword at the gates of Yerushalayim.

Other opinions say that Moshiach ben Yosef will be killed by the wicked Armilius because he refuses to believe in Armilius' divinity.

The nations of the world will not know about the death of Moshiach ben Yosef, because if they will know, they will destroy Am Israel.

After the death of Moshiach ben Yosef, many trouble will come onto Am Israel: All of Am Israel will run into the desert, thru forests, thru mountains and tunnels. They will be hungry and thirsty and will eat the weed of the desert.

These trouble will constitute the last test of Am Israel.

40 days after the death of Moshiach ben Yosef, Moshiach ben David will be revealed. He will revenge the death of Moshiach ben Yosef and resurrect him... And then, the world will be Days of Moshiach.

The Midrash gives the following description of Moshiach Ben Yosef: "When Moshiach ben Yosef will arrive to redeem Am Israel, it will be in the following order:
Bnei Israel will be gathered in the upper Galil, and from there, Moshiach ben Yosef will observe and gather them to Yerushalayim. All of Am Israel will join to conquer Yerushalayim and will win the war, and build the Bet HaMikdash. A fire will come down from heaven and will reach the land of Moav and will burn half of it, the rest will raise taxes for the Melech HaMoshiach and he'll make peace with them, as it says, 'ושבתי שבות מואב' Hashem will settle the settlers of Moav who were in captivity".
This will be for 40 years, and after the 40 years, the ruler of Gog will come with Magog, as it says 'יתיצבו מלכי ארץ ורוזנים נוסדו יחד על ה' ועל משיחו' Kings take their stands. Rulers make plans together against HaShem and His Moshiach". They will kill Moshiach ben Yosef, c'v, outside of Yerushalayim, as it says, 'והיתה עת צרה' and then Moshiach ben David will be revealed."

All of the above can be changed, it's not a demand that Moshiach ben Yosef will appear before Moshiach ben David. It all depends on the geula, whether it will be Geula in its time or quickened Geula. If Am Israel merits, the Geula will come quicker and salvation will be immediate for the revealing of Moshiach ben David.

During the Amida (the 18 Brachot), in the blessing of "תשכון", we say "וכסא דוד עבדך מהרה בתוכה תכיןWhen saying this, we should focus that Moshiach ben Yosef will live and not die in the war.

Translated from http://www.aharit.com/c.html

All the above is very similar to what "Yehudit", a'h, said in 2005 posted in Od Yosef Chai: Moshiach Ben Yosef.