The Messiah Reimagined

This reflection is part of the ongoing Forest Hills Haftorah Series. The rest of the content can be found here: https://www.sefaria.org/groups/FHJC-Haftorah-Series .

Ani maamin - I believe.
Thus begins one the most recognizable and beloved of Jewish songs, with words which so powerfully cut right through to the heart:
I believe - with complete trust - in the coming of The Messiah. And even though he may tarry, nevertheless, I await every day his coming.
These words were composed centuries ago, and the identity of the poet who strung together these words has long-since been lost. But over the years, the poet's words have been set, time and time again, to such captivating melodies, ranging from the hauntingly beautiful to the triumphant and joyous.
Here are some well-known examples:

This first version has such a moving history. As the story goes, it was composed in a cattle-car on the way to Treblinka. The composer was a Hassid, who announced to the train that he would give half of his share of the world to come to whomever would bring this niggun to his rebbe. Two Jews volunteered, learned it, and jumped out of the speeding train on a mission. One of them died in the fall. It is thanks to the other one that we have this music today.

Here is another take on the same melody. This is Rabbi Menahem Mendel Schneerson, the last rebbe of the Lubavither Hassidim, singing with his followers. Notice how after the rebbe's composed and confident beginning, it so suddenly picks up in momentum and energy, rising like a tidal wave.

Next is a beautiful version by Mordecai Shapiro, a contemporary singer-song writer.

Here's Carlebach at his best:

And finally, you'll notice this next one has such a different feeling right from the get-go. While all of the others were utterly soul-stirring and pining, this one is celebratory and triumphant! For this performance is taking place in a synagogue of Messianic Jews, who believe that the waiting about which they are singing has long since been realized!
You will likely hear this version in non messianic-Jewish settings as well.

There is good reason that these words have so effectively captured our hearts. Pay attention to the words in our liturgy; be it a weekday, the sabbath, or a festival - and you will notice that our early poet-sages included this hope in many of our traditional prayers as far back as 2,000 years ago.

I'll give you two examples. After the blessings which follow a meal, many add the following:

Tower of Rescue

סידור אשכנז, ברכות, ברכת המזון י״ח

(יח) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְזַכֵּנוּ לִימוֹת הַמָשִׁיחַ וּלְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. מִגְדּוֹל יְשׁוּעוֹת מַלְכּוֹ וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ עַד עוֹלָם.

Siddur Ashkenaz, Berachot, Birkat HaMazon 18

O Compassionate One! May he make us worthy to see the days of the Messiah, and life of the world to come!

A tower of rescue to his king, who keeps faith with his Messiah; to David and to his seed forever! (2 Samuel 22:51)

And also, towards the end of our weekday Amidah-prayers:

The Branch

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, עמידה, מלכות בית דוד

(א) אֶת צֶמַח דָּוִד עַבְדְּךָ מְהֵרָה תַצְמִיחַ. וְקַרְנו תָּרוּם בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ. כִּי לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּינוּ כָּל הַיּום. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', מַצְמִיחַ קֶרֶן יְשׁוּעָה:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Amidah, Kingdom of David

The branch of David your servant, quickly cause to sprout! And raise his horn with your triumph. For we hope to your triumph every day!

Blessed are you YHWH, who causes the horn of triumph to sprout!

(We once spoke at length about this last prayer, in our Branch of David limmud, where we entertained the idea that the Branch of David promises were fulfilled in the 6th-century Judean leader Zerubabbel. Here is the link: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/244292?lang=bi )

Such verses have helped to shape our mainstream Jewish convictions regarding a future messianic figure. The "Messiah' will be the next rightful "anointed;" i.e., Our long-awaited, rightfully anointed Judean King, ushering in an era of complete redemption for the scattered Judean people world-wide.
The roots for this idea go all the way back to a divine promise made to King David, a millenium before the common era!

An Eternal Covenant

שמואל ב ז׳

(ח) וְעַתָּה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֞ר לְעַבְדִּ֣י לְדָוִ֗ד כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת

(טו) וְחַסְדִּ֖י לֹא־יָס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר הֲסִרֹ֙תִי֙ מֵעִ֣ם שָׁא֔וּל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲסִרֹ֖תִי מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ׃ (טז) וְנֶאְמַ֨ן בֵּיתְךָ֧ וּמַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛ עַד־עוֹלָ֖ם לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כִּֽסְאֲךָ֔ יִהְיֶ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (יז) כְּכֹל֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּכְכֹ֖ל הַחִזָּי֣וֹן הַזֶּ֑ה כֵּ֛ן דִּבֶּ֥ר נָתָ֖ן אֶל־דָּוִֽד׃ (ס

II Samuel 7

(8) And now, say thus to my servant David:

Thus said YHWH of Hosts!

...

(15) I will never withdraw my favor from your son as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed to make room for you. (16) Your house and your kingship shall ever be secure before you; your throne shall be established forever.”

(17) Nathan spoke to David in accordance with all these words and all this prophecy.

The Judeans had good reason to accept this promise as fact; For the Judean-Davidic dynasty was one of the most remarkably stable royal dynasties of the ancient near east. As the throne was continuously being passed on from father to son for twenty generations in the south (!!!!!), word would drift downward from their brethren in the north of the internal conflict, the usurpations, the various coups and horrible blood-shed between some of the up-start and ambitious families in the north, whose thirst for power was as insatiable as anything.
Between 930 and 722, there were no less than 9 different families who had their turn claiming royal status in the north!
Here is a kingship chart to compare. Notice all of the horizontal dotted arrows on the left, the Israelite side, signifying a transfer of power from one family to another; oftentimes such transfer being accompanied by unspeakable acts of horror, as the previous family would be completely eradicated:

And as the southerners would hear of the instabilities and insecurities of the north, they would also hear assuring words of encouragement from their own oracles:

ירמיהו ל״ג

(כ) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אִם־תָּפֵ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י הַלָּ֑יְלָה וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י הֱי֥וֹת יֽוֹמָם־וָלַ֖יְלָה בְּעִתָּֽם׃ (כא) גַּם־בְּרִיתִ֤י תֻפַר֙ אֶת־דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֔י מִהְיֽוֹת־ל֥וֹ בֵ֖ן מֹלֵ֣ךְ עַל־כִּסְא֑וֹ וְאֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֥ם הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים מְשָׁרְתָֽי׃ (כב) אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִסָּפֵר֙ צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְלֹ֥א יִמַּ֖ד ח֣וֹל הַיָּ֑ם כֵּ֣ן אַרְבֶּ֗ה אֶת־זֶ֙רַע֙ דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֔י וְאֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתֵ֥י אֹתִֽי׃ (ס)

Jeremiah 33

(20) Thus said YHWH:

If you could break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night should not come at their proper time, (21) only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken—so that he would not have a descendant reigning upon his throne—or with my ministrants, the levitical priests.

(22) Like the host of heaven which cannot be counted, and the sand of the sea which cannot be measured, so will I multiply the offspring of my servant David, and of the Levites who minister to me.

Jeremiah's time-period was the 6th century, after 400-years-worth of Davidic kings had already reigned. The Judean people's own lived experience, their observations of the north, as well as such prophetic words of assurance would result in a people without any doubt that the very heavens would have to come to an end before a Davidite would cease sitting on the Judean throne.

below: David playing the harp, from the Koberger Bible, 1483!

And then the Babylonians would come along, and the Judeans would experience the most rude and jolting awakening possible; the fall of that which they had believed, for centuries, was destined to be eternal.

For the last Davidic King to sit on the throne of Judah was Zedekiah, the 20th king in an unbroken chain going back to King David himself.
And the end to what had been the source of the Judean's pride and glory could not have been more tragic.
Here is the account in our book of Kings:

A tragic end

מלכים ב כ״ה

(ד) וַתִּבָּקַ֣ע הָעִ֗יר וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַמִּלְחָמָ֤ה ׀ הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ דֶּ֜רֶךְ שַׁ֣עַר ׀ בֵּ֣ין הַחֹמֹתַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־גַּ֣ן הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְכַשְׂדִּ֥ים עַל־הָעִ֖יר סָבִ֑יב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הָעֲרָבָֽה׃ (ה) וַיִּרְדְּפ֤וּ חֵיל־כַּשְׂדִּים֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּשִּׂ֥גוּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּעַרְב֣וֹת יְרֵח֑וֹ וְכָל־חֵיל֔וֹ נָפֹ֖צוּ מֵעָלָֽיו׃ (ו) וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂוּ֙ אֶת־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּעֲל֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל רִבְלָ֑תָה וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ אִתּ֖וֹ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ (ז) וְאֶת־בְּנֵי֙ צִדְקִיָּ֔הוּ שָׁחֲט֖וּ לְעֵינָ֑יו וְאֶת־עֵינֵ֤י צִדְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ עִוֵּ֔ר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֙הוּ֙ בַֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיְבִאֵ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽל׃ (ס)

II Kings 25

(4) Then [the wall of] the city was breached. All the soldiers [left the city] by night through the gate between the double walls, which is near the king’s garden—the Chaldeans were all around the city; and [the king] set out for the Arabah.

(5) But the Chaldean troops pursued the king, and they overtook him in the steppes of Jericho as his entire force left him and scattered.

(6) They captured the king and brought him before the king of Babylon at Riblah; and they put him on trial.

(7) They slaughtered [King] Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes; then Zedekiah’s eyes were put out. He was chained in bronze fetters and he was brought to Babylon.

Zedekiah would die in Babylonian captivity around fifteen years later. And the whole Judean world-view was upended, the Judean people being confronted with some of the most challenging of questions:
How can this be? Has our god been lying to us this whole time? Did he change his mind? Have we been abandoned?

The whole concept of "The Messiah," as we tend to use this term, arose as a way to speak to such questions and affirm Nathan's original promise to King David all those years ago. There might not be a Davidic king reigning at the moment; but the blood-line will remain intact, and the future "anointed one" will restore the pride and glory of the Judean kingship to its proper place.

Ezekiel, the prophet-priest trying to bring the Judeans consoloation the midst of the Babylonian exile, said thusly:

יחזקאל ל״ד

(כ) לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם הִנְנִי־אָ֕נִי וְשָֽׁפַטְתִּי֙ בֵּֽין־שֶׂ֣ה בִרְיָ֔ה וּבֵ֥ין שֶׂ֖ה רָזָֽה׃ (כא) יַ֗עַן בְּצַ֤ד וּבְכָתֵף֙ תֶּהְדֹּ֔פוּ וּבְקַרְנֵיכֶ֥ם תְּנַגְּח֖וּ כָּל־הַנַּחְל֑וֹת עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֲפִיצוֹתֶ֛ם אוֹתָ֖נָה אֶל־הַחֽוּצָה׃ (כב) וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י לְצֹאנִ֔י וְלֹֽא־תִהְיֶ֥ינָה ע֖וֹד לָבַ֑ז וְשָׁ֣פַטְתִּ֔י בֵּ֥ין שֶׂ֖ה לָשֶֽׂה׃ (כג) וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י עֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רֹעֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וְרָעָ֣ה אֶתְהֶ֔ן אֵ֖ת עַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֑יד ה֚וּא יִרְעֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔ם וְהֽוּא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ן לְרֹעֶֽה׃ (כד) וַאֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֶהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְעַבְדִּ֥י דָוִ֖ד נָשִׂ֣יא בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃

Ezekiel 34

(20) Assuredly, thus said the Lord YHWH

to them:

...

(22) I will rescue my flock and they shall no longer be a spoil. I will decide between one animal and another. (23) Then I will appoint a single shepherd over them to tend them—my servant David. He shall tend them, he shall be a shepherd to them. (24) I YHWH shall be their god, and my servant David shall be a ruler among them—I YHWH have spoken!

The Judeans heard this message loud and clear, and many of them would stubbornly cling to it, looking forward to the day when the Davidic line would be restored, with other prophets affirming this message (most notably Zechariah).
However, amongst our ancient prophets responding to the catastrophes and tragedies of the 6th century, another perspective would emerge; that of the Herald, whose words make up the last section of the book of Isaiah.
For this, we shall now turn to this week's Haftorah.

A reimagining

ישעיהו נ״ה

(ג) הַטּ֤וּ אָזְנְכֶם֙ וּלְכ֣וּ אֵלַ֔י שִׁמְע֖וּ וּתְחִ֣י נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וְאֶכְרְתָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם חַֽסְדֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד הַנֶּאֱמָנִֽים׃ (ד) הֵ֛ן עֵ֥ד לְאוּמִּ֖ים נְתַתִּ֑יו נָגִ֥יד וּמְצַוֵּ֖ה לְאֻמִּֽים׃ (ה) הֵ֣ן גּ֤וֹי לֹֽא־תֵדַע֙ תִּקְרָ֔א וְג֥וֹי לֹֽא־יְדָע֖וּךָ אֵלֶ֣יךָ יָר֑וּצוּ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְלִקְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּ֥י פֵאֲרָֽךְ׃ (ס)

Isaiah 55

(3) Incline your ear and come to me; hearken, and you shall be revived. And I will make with you an everlasting covenant, the enduring loyalty promised to David.

(4) As I made him a leader of peoples, a prince and commander of peoples, (5) So you shall summon a nation you did not know, and a nation that did not know you shall come running to you— for the sake of YHWH your god, the holy one of Israel, who has glorified you.

What's happening here is that the Herald imagines Nathan's original promises of the eternal nature of the Davidic line and Davidic grandeur being transferred from the Davidic family and onto the people of Israel and Judea as a whole!
The Herald develops this elsewhere as well. The entirety of chapter 60 is YHWH speaking directly to the collective people of Israel and Judah, telling them what life will be like when she is recognized as YHWH's anointed by all of the peoples of the earth. The poetry and imagery of the whole chapter is captivating. Here is one small excerpt:

A Nation of Kings

ישעיהו ס׳

(יד) וְהָלְכ֨וּ אֵלַ֤יִךְ שְׁח֙וֹחַ֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְעַנַּ֔יִךְ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ עַל־כַּפּ֥וֹת רַגְלַ֖יִךְ כָּל־מְנַֽאֲצָ֑יִךְ וְקָ֤רְאוּ לָךְ֙ עִ֣יר יְהוָ֔ה צִיּ֖וֹן קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (טו) תַּ֧חַת הֱיוֹתֵ֛ךְ עֲזוּבָ֥ה וּשְׂנוּאָ֖ה וְאֵ֣ין עוֹבֵ֑ר וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ֙ לִגְא֣וֹן עוֹלָ֔ם מְשׂ֖וֹשׂ דּ֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר׃ (טז) וְיָנַקְתְּ֙ חֲלֵ֣ב גּוֹיִ֔ם וְשֹׁ֥ד מְלָכִ֖ים תִּינָ֑קִי וְיָדַ֗עַתְּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְ וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ אֲבִ֥יר יַעֲקֹֽב׃

Isaiah 60

(14) And they shall come before you bowing, the children of your tormentors. They shall prostrate at the soles of your feet, all of your revilers.

And they shall call you "City of YHWH, Zion, the Holy One of Israel!"

(15) Whereas you have been forsaken, rejected, with none passing through, I will make you a pride everlasting, a joy for age after age. (16) You shall suck the milk of the nations, suckle at royal breasts. And you shall know That I YHWH am your savior and your redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob.

The Herald's messianic age is therefore not one in which a Davidic king rises from the ashes to sit on the throne and lead us back home; but one in which there is no king over Israel save for YHWH, the Lord Almighty! With the Davidic covenant being reframed and reapplied in a way in which the Israelite and Judean collective is raised up and exalted, with every individual having royal status.

For any Israelites and Judeans living in the 21st century who find the prospect of returning to a monarchy difficult to grasp for any number of legitimate reasons, the Herald provides an alternative paradigm for which to pray and yearn, one no less divinely-sanctioned by our greatest of historical figures.
As an anonymous psalmist once so elegantly put it:

The True King

תהילים צ״ג

(א) יְהוָ֣ה מָלָךְ֮ גֵּא֪וּת לָ֫בֵ֥שׁ לָבֵ֣שׁ יְ֭הוָה עֹ֣ז הִתְאַזָּ֑ר אַף־תִּכּ֥וֹן תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל בַּל־תִּמּֽוֹט׃ (ב) נָכ֣וֹן כִּסְאֲךָ֣ מֵאָ֑ז מֵֽעוֹלָ֣ם אָֽתָּה׃ (ג) נָשְׂא֤וּ נְהָר֨וֹת ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה נָשְׂא֣וּ נְהָר֣וֹת קוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂא֖וּ נְהָר֣וֹת דָּכְיָֽם׃ (ד) מִקֹּל֨וֹת ׀ מַ֤יִם רַבִּ֗ים אַדִּירִ֣ים מִשְׁבְּרֵי־יָ֑ם אַדִּ֖יר בַּמָּר֣וֹם יְהוָֽה׃ (ה) עֵֽדֹתֶ֨יךָ ׀ נֶאֶמְנ֬וּ מְאֹ֗ד לְבֵיתְךָ֥ נַאֲוָה־קֹ֑דֶשׁ יְ֝הוָ֗ה לְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃

Psalms 93

(1) YHWH is king!

He is robed in grandeur; YHWH is robed, he is girded with strength. The world stands firm; it cannot be shaken.

(2) Your throne stands firm from of old; from eternity you have existed.

(3) The ocean sounds, O YHWH, the ocean sounds its thunder, the ocean sounds its pounding. (4) Above the thunder of the mighty waters, more majestic than the breakers of the sea is YHWH, majestic on high. (5) Your decrees are indeed enduring; holiness befits your house, O YHWH, for all times.

Going back to Ani Maamin; Believing in this Herald-messianic manifestation of redemption does not preclude one's being able to sing about the coming of the Messiah with just as much fervor and longing as anyone; But it is YHWH of Hosts himself, the Lord Almighty, that such a one woud have in mind when praying for the Messiah's arrival, rather than a flesh-and-blood descendant of King David.
As Zecharia once famously said:

זכריה י״ד

(ט) וְהָיָ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃

Zechariah 14

(9) And YHWH shall be king over all the earth; in that day YHWH shall be one, and his name shall be one.