Does Judaism Believe in a Messiah?
Judaism believes in a Messiah, but what do we mean by Messiah? Or believe? Or…Judaism? How has the question of ‘Who is the Messiah?’ torn Judaism apart on multiple occasions? And why is this the most dangerous questions in Judaism’s vast history?
In the Bible
Judaism’s been talking about a Messiah since the time of the Bible, where there are many references. Isaiah says this about the Messianic age:
“...they shall beat their swords into plowshares. [...] Nation shall not take up sword against nation. They shall never again know war.”
It’s referenced in Ezekial, Jeremiah, and Micah, to name a few.
Jesus
But when you say the word Messiah in Western culture, the first thing that comes to mind, for many, is Jesus, so let’s start there. Christianity says that many of the passages in the Hebrew Bible refer to his arrival, but in Judaism, this reading of the text is rejected. In fact, in Judaism, Jesus is rarely discussed at all. Instead, there’s another messianic figure from that time period who is talked about:
Bar Kochba
Bar Kochba. This was a military general seen as a Messiah by many, including the greatest Rabbi of that generation. For a short time, he brought the Jews back to Israel and created an independent nation. But it didn’t end well. A historian from that time said this about the aftermath:
Five hundred and eighty thousand [Jews] were slain in the various raids and battles [...]. Thus nearly the whole of Judaea was made desolate [...]
And while those numbers are almost definitely exaggerated, it was a major blow. Between this and what happened to Jews at the hands of Jesus’s followers, people who later claimed to be the Messiah were seen with deep suspicion. The potential for danger was always there.
In the Talmud
Throughout the Talmud, the idea of a Messiah was discussed extensively. Will there be a time of perfection where not even animals fight or will it be similar to the world as we know it, only with Jews in Israel and world peace?
Maimonides
The most often cited scholar, and looming Jewish figure on this, is Maimonides, who lists believing in the Messiah as one of the thirteen key principles of Judaism.
"Anyone who does not believe in him or does not await his coming not only denies the rest of the prophets, he denies Torah and Moses."
He says we’ll know who the Messiah is in this way:
“Do not think that the Messiah needs to perform signs and miracles…revive the dead, and the like. It is not so…If he…succeeds in rebuilding the Temple and in gathering in all the exiles, then it is certain that he is the messiah. He will reform the world so that all shall serve the Lord.”
The Rambam, Jewish Philosopher, 1138 - 1204
In other words, you’ll know he’s the Messiah once he’s done the great acts the Messiah was prophesized to do. He argued that while belief in a Messiah is a core element of being Jewish, trying to understand exactly how or when a Messianic age will come about is not only unknowable, it’s potentially dangerous, so let’s not focus too much time on debating it “since devoting himself to them leads neither to the fear nor to the love of God…”
Of course, Jews being Jews, debate it we did. There was debate, for instance, on whether the Messiah’s coming will wipe away all of our problems or if we first need to make the world perfect in order for the Messiah to come.
Lurianic Kabbalah
One answer to this was in the 16th century. The Ari, a looming figure in Kabbalah, introduced the idea that with each good deed, each mitzvah, we get one step closer to repairing the world and in that way bringing us to the age of the Messiah, the Mashiach.
Purpose of Messiah?
There are so many deep lessons and stories that could be told about Judaism and the Messiah. Here’s just one.
There’s a belief that there is a potential Messiah living in every generation. The person doesn’t know they could be the Messiah, so it’s up to each of us to treat every person with the level of respect we would have towards the Mashiach, and in that way, hopefully bring the Messiah out.
For most Jews, who do actively think about the Messiah, the thoughts are of a hopeful day that is soon to come. It is not a worry of a false claimant, but a joy for what’s just around the corner. And don’t think this is some ancient belief trapped in the middle ages.
Recent Messiahs
Some saw Zionism as an attempt to start bringing about a Messianic age, starting with Israel returning to a Jewish rule. And many others resisted Zionism for exactly this reason - believing that Jews should only return to Israel when the Messiah has come.
There are even recent figures that some Jews believe to be the messiah. While others adamantly stand by if it can debated at all, that person is not.
Why does it matter?
To say any one belief is ‘The only Jewish way’ is always a simplification. There are debates around everything. Who is God? What is the afterlife? How does the Torah play in with our day to day lives? While for some the answers to these shape the very nature of who they are, for others, certainly for most secular Jews, they not only don’t know the range of answers to any of these, they don’t really care.
It’s not what defines their Judaism. Unlike Christianity, where the thoughts around a Messiah are the very basis of the religion itself, in Judaism, different people interface with it quite differently.
There are many who go to Synagogue every day and barely spend any time thinking about this question. And there are others, where this is a main thought beneath everything they do.
The nuances within questions like “Does Judaism believe in a Messiah?” are at the heart of what defines people’s Jewish beliefs. And in it there is hope and there is danger. By starting to understand the range of what Judaism believes about a Messiah, it invites a whole slew of even deeper questions about the very nature of belief, both throughout Judaism and throughout religion itself. It invites a desire to create a better world. And to continue delving into the deep, rich tapestry that brings us all together. And that is what Judaism is all about.