“ Yes, I’ ve read that lovely story,” I say.“ The messiah comes today for whoever will listen, 24 but you’ re not here. You’ re not here on your donkey 25 walking through the streets, not spewing special Torah that enlightens and flips the world on its head 26 like they say you’ ll be.” And in that moment, I peer up into a cloud and I see a sad figure. " What’ s on your lip? It looks like a blister. Why don’ t you have pants? And what is the cloth on your hands? Tell me … what happened to you?”
He has so many wounds.
I watch as he wraps the bandages one by one 27.“ They look sort of like white tefillin,” I think as he unwraps, then wraps, and unwraps his arm with care.
“ Can I help you?” I sit with him on the floor as he is patient with the pain.
“ There are some who say you will only reveal yourself to us when we don’ t need you anymore, 28” I recall.“ So, I’ m sure what keeps you from showing yourself is that there is war, bigotry, pain, and greed that I can’ t believe...”
“ You don’ t need me,” he says.
“ But didn’ t you hear me?” I scream.“ There is killing, hunger, terror, and hatred. There’ s maniacal need for power, disinformation, manipulation, and apathy! We need you!”
And I sit with him, staring into his eyes and I start to cry. I can’ t believe I think I just yelled at the messiah, and I’ ve been
24
Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 98a
25
Zecharia 9:9, Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 98a
26
Zohar 58:388
27
Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 98a
28
Franz Kapa
46