Messianism
The term "Messianism" is derived from the transliterated form of the Hebrew word moshiach - that is, messiah. It literally means "anointed one." The prominent role of the Messiah in Jewish thought cannot be overstated, for even Jewish people who assert that they believe in no such thing have been deeply influenced by it.
Messianic expectation in Jewish life and literature is based on the Hebrew Scriptures, in well-known passages such as Psalm 2, Micah 1, Zechariah 12 and Isaiah 53. Although commentators are far from unanimous about the interpretation of some of these passages, some revered scholars - among them Rambam and Raschi - have understood these passages to refer to a Messianic figure who will transform history. The more challenging the hardships of the Jewish people throughout the centuries, the more urgent this heartfelt hope has become among those who have faithfully awaited its fulfillment.
The expectation of Messianic deliverance has taken shape in a number of noteworthy movements. One is the rise of Hasidism. As the Jewish people moved eastward to escape from the Crusades, seeking a haven after their expulsion from Spain in 1492, many found a somewhat stable shelter in Poland, which at that time also included the territory that roughly covered the Ukraine. There, Jews were encouraged to lease land and estates in order to gain a living. However, hatred of the Jews eventually erupted, and the terrifying pogroms of 1648-58 claimed the lives of as many as 500,000 Jews.
With new persecutions, the age-old question of why God allowed the Jewish people to suffer such horrifying abuse was asked with renewed intensity. Was it because of failure to obey the commandments? A movement known as Hasidism (Pious Ones) arose, stressing a greater accessibility to God for the Jewish masses. Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, better known as Baal Shem Tov or by the acronym "Besht," ignited the fire of Hasidism that spread throughout Eastern Europe. Born in the Ukraine in 1698, the Besht's message began to spread in the mid-1730s. He taught that the presence of God could and should be known in a joyful and expressive way along the ordinary paths of life by ordinary Jews.
One of the most important tenets of Hasidism is that the universe itself is fragmented, scattered, and in need of the Messiah. The exile and persecution of the Jewish people reflected a creation that has become flawed. It is the task of the Jewish people to engage in Tikkun Olam (Repair of the World), a process through which creation will be redeemed. When the process is far enough along, the Messiah will appear.
Messianic fervor has resulted in some fascinating figures in Jewish history. One of the most famous is Sabbatai Zevi, a seventeenth-century Messianic imposter who eventually converted to Islam. Another is the late Menachem Schneerson, the twentieth-century spiritual leader of the Lubovitcher Hasidim, many of whose followers await his Messianic return.
The history of Messianic expectation among Jewish people, mistaken as it may have been in part, still points to a source of hope that is beyond human beings. The hope of the Messiah, who is revealed in Jewish thought as both suffering and triumphant, is embodied in one person alone: Jesus of Nazareth. He is the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 who will one day be revealed as the Redeemer-King, the Son of David, for whom faithful Jews throughout the world are still waiting.
