7. MOSHIACH
We are the mothers of the messiah
Committing to a process of individual, communal, and ecological liberation
Donna J. Haraway
Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene
“It matters what matters we use to think other matters with; it matters what stories we tell to tell other stories with; it matters what knots knot knots, what thoughts think thoughts, what descriptions describe descriptions, what ties tie ties. It matters what stories make worlds, what worlds make stories.”
Attributed to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.
The first time we see the word "Moshiach" or anointed in the Torah is when Jacob speaks to Rachel and Leah about a dream he had in which an angel speaks for God:
(יג) אָנֹכִ֤י הָאֵל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ שָּׁם֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֥רְתָּ לִּ֛י שָׁ֖ם נֶ֑דֶר עַתָּ֗ה ק֥וּם צֵא֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְשׁ֖וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃
(13) I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now, arise and leave this land and return to your native land.’”
Yaakov/Taacov is referencing this earlier story in Genesis 28:1-22
י וַתֵּצֵ֥א תַֽעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃יא וַתִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּקוֹ֜ם וַתָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַתִּקַּח֙ מֵֽאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַתָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתֶ֑יהָ וַתִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּקוֹ֥ם הַהֽוּא׃יב וַתַּֽחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּי֣עַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֨ מַלְאֲכִיּ֣וֹת אֱלֹהִ֔ין עֹלֹ֥ת וְיֹֽרְדֹ֖ת בּֽוֹ׃יג וְהִנֵּ֨ה תְהֹוָ֜ה נִצֶּ֣בֶת עָלֶ֘יהָ֘ וַתֹּאמַר֒ אֲנִ֣י תְהֹוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֹת֙ אֵמְרָֽהָמָ֣ה אִמֵּ֔ךְ וֵֽאלֹהֹ֖ת תִּצְחָ֑ק הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתְּ֙ שֹׁכֶ֣בֶת עָלָ֔יו לָ֥ךְ אֶתְּנֶ֖נּוּ וְלִפְרִֽי־רַחְמֵֽךְ׃יד וְהָיָ֤ה פְרִֽי־רַחְמֵךְ֙ כַּֽעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וּפָֽרַ֛צְתְּ יָ֥מָּה וָקֵ֖דְמָה וְצָפֹ֣נָה וָנֶ֑גְבָּה וְנִבְרְכ֥וּ בָ֛ךְ כָּל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה וּבִפְרִֽי־רַחְמֵֽךְ׃ יה וְהִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י עִמָּ֗ךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךְ֙ בְּכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּֽלְכִ֔י וַֽהֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔יךְ אֶל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את כִּ֚י לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱזָבֵ֔ךְ עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם־עָשִׂ֔יתִי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי לָֽךְ׃ יו וַתִּיקַ֣ץ תַּֽעֲקֹב֘ מִשְּׁנָתָהּ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ תְהֹוָ֔ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי׃ יז וַתִּירָא֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֔ין וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ יח וַתַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם תַּֽעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַתִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣מָה מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתֶ֔יהָ וַתָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַתִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃ יט וַתִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּית־אֵלָ֑ה וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָֽרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ כ וַתִּדַּ֥ר תַּֽעֲקֹ֖ב נֶ֣דֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־תִּהְיֶ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֔ין עִמָּדִ֗י וּשְׁמָרַ֙תְנִי֙ בַּדֶּ֤רֶךְ הַזֹּאת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י הוֹלֶ֔כֶת וְנָֽתְנָה־לִ֥י לֶ֛חֶם לֶֽאֱכֹ֖ל וּבֶ֥גֶד לִלְבֹּֽשׁ׃ כא וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אִמִּ֑י וְהָֽיְתָ֧ה תְהֹוָ֛ה לִ֖י לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ין׃ כב וְהָאֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה תִּהְיֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ין וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּֽתְּנִי־לִ֔י עַשֵּׂ֖ר אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ׃
And Taacov went out from Be’er Shava, and walked to Kharan. And she encountered the place and slept there, for the sun had come in, and she took from the stones of the place and put them under her head and she lay down in that place. And she dreamed: And here is a ladder standing on the land, and its head reaching the skies, and here are messengers of Elohin going up and going down on it. And here is Tehovah standing over her, saying:
“I am Tehovah, the Goddesses of Emrahama your mother, and the Goddesses of Titzkhak. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to the fruit of your womb. And the fruit of your womb will be like the dust of the land, and you will burst forth to the sea and to the east and to the north and to the Negev. And to all the families of the soil will you and the fruit of your womb be a blessing. And here, I am here with you, and will guard you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this soil; for I will not leave you until I have done that which I have spoken to you.”
And Taacov woke up from her sleep, and said, “Surely, there is Tehovah in this place and I did not know.” And she was awe-struck, and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of Elohin, and that is the gate of the skies.”And Taacov rose early in the morning, and took the stone that she had put under her head and set it up as a standing pillar and poured oil on its head. And she called the name of that place Beit Elah, but Luz was the name of the city first.
And Taacov made a vow, saying, “If Elohin be with me, and protect me on this road that I am walking, and give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, and I return in peace to my mother’s house, then Tehovah shall be an Elohin to me. And this stone, which I have set up as a standing pillar, shall be the house of Elohin; and of all that You give me, I shall tithe to You a tithe.”
Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi zt"l
Transcript of talk "HaNaitv m'etz hada'at l'etz hachayim (1991)
"I asked myself what Judaism would be like without Moshiach? How would we have managed? How would we have managed in the first two paradigms if Moshiach wasn't an option to us? The answer is in the condition Michael Lerner describes as 'surplus powerlessness'. We were not put into a position of surplus powerlessness, because we knew a future was drawing us. We were not only energized from the past from Sinai, we were also fiercely attached by the future-- our future was ahead of us and the future was always Moshiach.
Take that word moshiach - "anointed with oil". What's interesting is that it also has something to do with greasing the wheels. Figure that- it is a reduction of friction. Can you imagine a person full of friction and you take some oil and reduce the friction around it? So what would Moshiach work be? It would be for the wonderful people who do aura cleansing to be able to reduce friction, take off friction from people, that which sets one again the other...
We are being redeemed from one hard set way of being that no longer works, that's falling apart. And from underneath that brittle surface that's falling apart comes something that doesn't have shape and form yet that we can recognize. And we need to become Jewish spokespeople for that energy, shape, and form...."
(יג) יָצָ֙אתָ֙ לְיֵ֣שַׁע עַמֶּ֔ךָ לְיֵ֖שַׁע אֶת־מְשִׁיחֶ֑ךָ מָחַ֤צְתָּ רֹּאשׁ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית רָשָׁ֔ע עָר֛וֹת יְס֥וֹד עַד־צַוָּ֖אר סֶֽלָה׃ {פ}
(13)You have come forth to deliver Your people,To deliver Your anointed.You will smash the roof of the villain’s house,Raze it from foundation to top. Selah.
(ה) הִנֵּ֨ה יָמִ֤ים בָּאִים֙ נְאֻם־יהוה וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י לְדָוִ֖ד צֶ֣מַח צַדִּ֑יק וּמָ֤לַךְ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ וְהִשְׂכִּ֔יל וְעָשָׂ֛ה מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ (ו) בְּיָמָיו֙ תִּוָּשַׁ֣ע יְהוּדָ֔ה וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִשְׁכֹּ֣ן לָבֶ֑טַח וְזֶה־שְּׁמ֥וֹ אֲֽשֶׁר־יִקְרְא֖וֹ יהוה ׀ צִדְקֵֽנוּ׃ {פ}
(5) See, a time is coming—declares Yah—when I will raise up a true branch of David’s line. He shall reign as king and shall prosper, and he shall do what is just and right in the land. (6) In his days Judah shall be delivered and Israel shall dwell secure. And this is the name by which he shall be called: “Yah is our Vindicator.”
...אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אִם רָאִיתָ דּוֹר שֶׁצָּרוֹת רַבּוֹת בָּאוֹת עָלָיו כַּנָּהָר, חַכֵּה לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי יָבֹא כַנָּהָר צָר רוּחַ יהוה נֹסְסָה בוֹ״, ... אָמַר רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי: רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי רָמֵי, כְּתִיב ״בְּעִתָּהּ״ וּכְתִיב ״אֲחִישֶׁנָּה״. זָכוּ – אֲחִישֶׁנָּה, לֹא זָכוּ – בְּעִתָּהּ....רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אַשְׁכַּח לְאֵלִיָּהוּ דַּהֲוָה קָאֵי אַפִּיתְחָא דִּמְעָרְתָּא דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אָתֵינָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִם יִרְצֶה אָדוֹן הַזֶּה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: שְׁנַיִם רָאִיתִי וְקוֹל שְׁלֹשָׁה שָׁמַעְתִּי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֵימַת אָתֵי מָשִׁיחַ? אָמַר לֵיהּ: זִיל שַׁיְילֵיהּ לְדִידֵיהּ. וְהֵיכָא יָתֵיב? אַפִּיתְחָא דְּרוֹמִי. וּמַאי סִימָנֵיהּ? יָתֵיב בֵּינֵי עַנְיֵי סוֹבְלֵי חֳלָאִים, וְכוּלָּן שָׁרוּ וְאָסְירִי בְּחַד זִימְנָא, אִיהוּ שָׁרֵי חַד וְאָסַיר חַד. אָמַר: דִּילְמָא מִבְּעֵינָא דְּלָא אִיעַכַּב. אֲזַל לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ רַבִּי וּמוֹרִי! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ בַּר לֵיוַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לְאֵימַת אָתֵי מָר? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַיּוֹם. אֲתָא לְגַבֵּי אֵלִיָּהוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאי אֲמַר לָךְ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ בַּר לֵיוַאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַבְטְחָךְ לָךְ וְלַאֲבוּךְ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שַׁקּוֹרֵי קָא שַׁקַּר בִּי, דַּאֲמַר לִי ״הַיּוֹם אָתֵינָא״ וְלָא אֲתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי אָמַר לָךְ: ״הַיּוֹם אִם בְּקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ״.
Rabbi Yoḥanan says: If you saw a generation whose troubles inundate it like a river, await the coming of the Messiah, as it is stated: “When distress will come like a river that the breath of the Lord drives” (Isaiah 59:19).... § Rabbi Alexandri says: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi raises a contradiction: In the verse: “I the Lord *in its time* *I will hasten it*” (Isaiah 60:22), it is written: “In its time,” indicating that there is a designated time for the redemption, and it is written: “I will hasten it,” indicating that there is no set time for the redemption. Rabbi Alexandri explains: If they merit redemption through repentance and good deeds I will hasten the coming of the Messiah. If they do not merit redemption, the coming of the Messiah will be in its designated time....Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid toElijah: When will the Messiah come?Elijahsaid to him: Go ask him.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asked: And where is he sitting?Elijah said to him: At the entrance of the city of Rome.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi asked him: And what is his identifying sign?Elijah answered: He sits among the poor who suffer from illnesses. And all of them untie their bandages and tie them all at once, but the Messiah unties one bandage and ties one at a time. He says: Perhaps I will be needed to serve to bring about the redemption. Therefore, I will never tie more than one bandage, so that I will not be delayed.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Leviwent to the Messiah. He said to: Greetings to you, my rabbi and my teacher. The Messiah said to him: Greetings to you, bar Leva’i.Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid to him: When will the Master come? The Messiah said to him: Today. Later, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levicame to Elijah.Elijahsaid to him: What did the Messiah say to you? He said toElijah that the Messiah said: Greetings [shalom] to you, bar Leva’i.Elijahsaid to him: He guaranteed that you and your father will enter the World-to-Come, as he greeted you with shalom. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levisaid toElijah: The Messiah lied to me, as he said to me: I am coming today, and he did not come.Elijahsaid to him that this is what he said to you: He said that he will come “today, if you will listen to his voice” (Psalms 95:7).
Maimonides’ 13 Principles of Faith
Principle 12
I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he may delay, nevertheless, I wait for him every day that he will come.
Rabbi Avraham Abulafia (1240-1291)
Key to the Sefirot, Parashat Shoftim
Know that every person can reach the level of Messiah by bringing the Divine into the material world. That person receives divine inspiration; is content and satisfied with their lot; does not let negativity take over; is in control of basic instincts; isn't obsessed with fame; and conducts their life in kindness.
Rabbi Menachem Nochum Twersky of Chernoyl (1730-1787), Meor Einyaim, Parshat Pinchas
Everybody has to restore and to prepare that part of the structure of the Messiah [komat moshiach] which belongs to his own soul… until the whole structure will be restored and established and then there will be a permanent and universal yihud, realization of unity."
Meor Einyaim
Parshat Ki Tisa
Moshiach is related to si’ach (שיח), meaning speech or conversation—as in sichat sefateinu, the speech of our lips. Moshiach also symbolizes the inner thought that seeks to bring connection into the world through speech. Hence, [the “birth pangs of the Moshiach”] are “birth-pangs of speech”—blockages between our deepest thoughts and our ability to express them in divine service.
Ursula K LeGuin
The Dispossessed
You cannot make the revolution. You can only be the revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere
PRACTICE
Gather regularly in community to tend to the fire of Moshiach, to share the story of your ongoing work of Moshiach, to spread the word of Moshiach energy within everyone.
INCANTATION
Psalm 23:5
תַּעֲרְכִי לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צוֹרְרוֹתַי
דִּשַּׁנְתְּ בַּשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי
כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה׃
Ta’arakhi lefanai shulchan neged tzorrotai
Dishant bashemen roshi
Kosi revayah
You spread a table for me in full view of my oppressors; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.