It’s a question that’s captivated Jewish thinkers for centuries. And Jewish tradition actually gives us a glimpse, a stunning vision of just such an encounter.
Imagine this: it's the month of Nisan, the time of Passover, a season of rebirth and redemption. According to Tree of Souls (Howard Schwartz), in a passage called "The Pleading of the Fathers," the patriarchs themselves—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—arise. And they approach the Messiah.
What do they say? It’s not what you might expect. They acknowledge him as greater than themselves. “Our true Messiah,” they say, “even though we came before you, you are greater than we because of all the suffering you have endured for the iniquities of our children." Think about that. The very founders of our tradition, bowing before a future figure because of his suffering.
The text paints a vivid, almost painful picture of this suffering. "You were shut up in prison, sitting in thick darkness, your skin cleaved to your bones, your body as dry as a piece of wood, and your eyes dim from fasting. Your strength was dried up like a potsherd, all because of the sins of our children.” What a burden to bear, the weight of generations of wrongdoing! And all for what?
Then comes the plea: “Now the time has come for you to come forth out of prison.” It’s a moment of intense anticipation, a yearning for release.
But the Messiah’s reply is even more striking. It’s not about himself. It’s about them. "O Fathers, all that I have done is only for your sake and that of your children, for your glory and for theirs, so that God will bestow abundance upon Israel." It's a selfless act of devotion to the Jewish people. The Messiah's sacrifice, his suffering, is all for their sake, for the sake of their legacy.
And what happens next? The text explodes with imagery of divine reward. God creates seven canopies of precious stones and pearls for the Messiah. Out of each canopy flows four rivers – not just water, but wine, honey, milk, and pure balsam, a fragrant oil (think of it as the most luxurious spa treatment imaginable!).
And God clothes the Messiah in a garment whose splendor radiates across the entire world. The passage tells us God summons the north wind... but the text ends there, incomplete. What was the wind to bring?
This vision from Tree of Souls (Schwartz) leaves us with so much to ponder. It’s a reminder that even the greatest among us—the patriarchs, the very foundation of our faith—recognize the unique role and suffering of the Messiah. It speaks to the idea of vicarious atonement, of bearing the burdens of others. And it ultimately offers a message of hope: that after suffering, comes redemption, abundance, and a light that shines for all the world to see. What does this story awaken in you?