What is the light for which the Congregation of Israel hopes? This is the light of the Messiah, as it is said, "And God saw the light, that it was good" (Genesis 1:4). This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, gazed upon the Messiah and his deeds before the world was created, and He hid him for His Messiah for his generation beneath the throne of His glory. Satan said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, the light that is hidden beneath the throne of Your glory, for whom is it? He said to him: For the one who is destined to turn you back and to shame you with disgrace of face. He said to Him: Master of the universe, show him to me. He said to him: Come and see him. And when he saw him, he trembled and fell upon his face and said: Surely this is the Messiah who is destined to cast me and all the princes of the nations of the world into Gehinnom. The Holy One, blessed be He, began to make a condition with him and said: These whose iniquities are hidden with you are destined to bring you into a yoke of iron and to make you like this calf whose eyes have grown dim, and they will choke your spirit with the yoke. Is this your will? The Messiah said before the Holy One, blessed be He: With the joy of my soul and the gladness of my heart I take it upon myself, on condition that not one of Israel shall be lost.
The Scales Of The Messiah
Pesikta Rabbati 36:1-2
אֵיזֶה אוֹר שֶׁכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצַפָּה? זֶה אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁצָּפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּמָּשִׁיחַ וּבְמַעֲשָׂיו קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, וּגְנָזוֹ לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדוֹרוֹ תַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁלּוֹ. אָמַר הַשָּׂטָן לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אוֹר שֶׁנִּגְנַז תַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁלְּךָ לְמִי? אָמַר לוֹ: לְמִי שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהַחֲזִירְךָ וּלְהַכְלִימְךָ בְּבֹשֶׁת פָּנִים. אָמַר לוֹ: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַרְאֵהוּ לִי. אָמַר לוֹ: בֹּא וּרְאֵה אוֹתוֹ. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתוֹ נִזְדַּעְזַע וְנָפַל עַל פָּנָיו וְאָמַר: בְּוַדַּאי זֶהוּ מָשִׁיחַ שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהַפִּיל לִי וּלְכָל שָׂרֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בְּגֵיהִנֹּם. הִתְחִיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַתְנֶה עִמּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר: הַלָּלוּ שֶׁגְּנוּזִים הֵם אֶצְלְךָ עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם עֲתִידִים לְהַכְנִיסְךָ בְּעֹל בַּרְזֶל וְעוֹשִׂים אוֹתְךָ כָּעֵגֶל הַזֶּה שֶׁכָּהוּ עֵינָיו וּמְשַׁנְּקִים אֶת רוּחֲךָ בָּעֹל, רְצוֹנְךָ בְּכָךְ? אָמַר מָשִׁיחַ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: בְּגִילַת נַפְשִׁי וּבְשִׂמְחַת לִבִּי אֲנִי מְקַבֵּל עָלַי עַל מְנָת שֶׁלֹּא יֹאבַד אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.