Jewish tradition is full of stories about that feeling, about the anticipation of Mashiach, the Messiah. And some of those stories are downright surprising.
Take this one, recounted in the Babylonian Talmud (B. Sanhedrin 98a). Imagine the scene: The Messiah isn't leading armies or building palaces. Instead, he's sitting among the poor at the gates of Rome. Rome! The heart of worldly power. What's he doing there?
According to Tree of Souls (Schwartz), around him are gathered the sick and the suffering, all wrapped in bandages. And the Messiah? He’s bandaged too, head to toe, suffering from some unnamed ailment, perhaps leprosy. It’s a powerful image of shared pain. When the others are ready to change their dressings, they do it all at once. But the Messiah? He changes his bandages one at a time. Why? In case he's summoned. He wants to be ready at a moment's notice.
It’s a story that speaks volumes about readiness, about the Messiah being perpetually poised for action. It also paints a picture of a suffering Messiah, a theme we see elsewhere in Jewish lore, like in "The Captive Messiah," as mentioned in Tree of Souls. But where does this image of the Messiah at the gates of Rome come from?
Well, this myth emerges from a fascinating dialogue between Elijah the Prophet and Rabbi Joshua ben Levi. Imagine Rabbi Joshua finding Elijah, standing at the entrance to the cave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai, a pivotal figure in Kabbalah. Rabbi Joshua asks the big question: "When will the Messiah come?"
Elijah's answer is indirect: "Go ask him yourself." (B. Sanhedrin 98a). "Okay," says Rabbi Joshua, but where is he? Elijah tells him: among the beggars at the gates of Rome.
So, Rabbi Joshua seeks him out and asks the Messiah directly, "When are you coming?" The Messiah's response is enigmatic, almost a riddle: "Today."
Confused? Rabbi Joshua was too! He goes back to Elijah and says, "He lied! He said he’d come today, but he didn't!" Elijah clarifies. The Messiah wasn't lying. He meant today. "What he told you was that he would come, if you would but heed his charge this day" (Ps. 95:7).
In other words, the Messiah is ready. The potential for redemption is always there, always present. But we aren't ready. The coming of the Messiah isn't just about a divine decree; it’s about our own actions, our own willingness to listen and to change. As we find in Midrash Rabbah, our deeds can hasten or delay the messianic arrival.
It's a powerful message, isn’t it? The Messiah is waiting, ready at the gates, but the responsibility rests with us. Are we ready to heed the call? Are we ready to create a world worthy of redemption? Think about it.