“Hasten The Coming of The Messiah”

The decorated letters have adorned the gate of Jerusalem for years many. As many as the number of years in which Messiah sits under the exact same gate, stroking his faithful donkey, waiting for the glorious moment. Oh, for countless times he had sailed imagining the time when he’d enter the city’s gate, ridden on his donkey, and redeem the masses!

Indeed, our Messiah, in spite of all his sublime characteristics, has always been impatient. Every day he would approach humbly, but devoutly, the passers-by, pleading them, hoping that those would be found worthy of redemption. Those, however, were mostly busy passing-by, and Messiah marked yet another line in his long table of despair. In the evening he would turn to feed his donkey, and watch him while he ate; And every time he redeemed the donkey from hunger to satiety, he felt as if he had redeemed the whole wide world.

One fine morning, Messiah decided to take on an unprecedented act. An act like which the world has not yet seen – neither this world nor the next one. Messiah decided to hasten his coming with his own hands. My moderate attempts are not sufficient, he thought. Desperate times call for desperate measures, the purpose sanctifies them, and they’re all kosher.

The Messiah gathered some of the copper coins occasionally thrown at him by the passers-by (in order to get rid of him), and published a small ad in the local newspaper: ‘Interviews for potential salvation. For details: Messiah 88-888-888’. Admittedly, such sensational news should appear as a prominent headline on the main page. But such is the truth: its nature is not to appear in a wavy bristle – the fringe is its eternal abode. It is hidden, covert, and must be carefully observed in order to be found.

*

Five candidates had attended the interview.

First entered The Businessman; With a smug smile, thick neck and a tight suit, he sat down in front of the skinny Messiah.

Messiah looked at him with suspicion, with his donkey alert to his right.

“What brings you here?” He asked.

“I’m here because I feel like being here,” replied The Businessman, “and because I know what you need. You know, for this redemption of yours. You need the same thing that everyone needs. From the moment a person hears the word ‘no’ in his youth, that very longing is created. It continues with the labour of that very same person to earn his bread, in the sweat of his brow. And it never disappears – not at while standing at the red light, not in a neighbors’ conversation, not with your wife. For, my friend, there is one thing, and one thing only, that has the power to redeem human beings – that is freedom. Gather all the dictionaries and commandments – replace the word ‘no’ with the word ‘yes’, replace the word ‘need’ with the word ‘want’ – and there you have a corrected society. God expelled us from paradise because of the forbidden fruit? Don’t make me laugh. After all, the very existence of a ‘forbidden’ fruit proves that the place is not worthy of being called a paradise.”

“Well,” said Messiah, now more intrigued than before, “would you like to teach your gospel to the masses?”

“Who, me??” replied The Businessman, with a mocking smile on his face, “what do I have to do with them? My next stop is a vacation in the Canary Islands, my jet’s waiting outside. Maybe you should do the same, darling, and start living a little. What kind of freedom will they have if they don’t free themselves?”

Without waiting for an answer, The Businessman patted Messiah’s shoulder, added, “Oh, and smoke something,” and left the room.

*

Second entered The Religious Man; In worn clothes and blazing eyes he sat down and mumbled prayers, while Messiah is trying to catch his attention.

“What brings you here?” He asked.

“Creator of the worlds, he’s the one who brought me here, and he is the one who will take me away,” The Religious Man replied, “and the same goes for you. Redemption you seek? And who are we, the dust and ashes that we are, to be allowed to meditate on such matters of divine importance? Stop looking for hope in the issues between man and his neighbor or between man and himself. The only place where redemption is to be found is between man and his Creator. Salvation is not, and never will be, found in thoughts or deeds. For, righteous man, there is one thing, and one thing only, that has the power to redeem human beings – that is faith. The power of God, the power of life, is great – compared to it, we are nothing. Don’t waste time on frustrations and bitterness – everything is part of the plan anyway. Gather a quorum of the righteous and make your way toward the house of God – just make sure it’s the right house of God. Maybe you can still make it to evening prayer. And cover your head before you set out, you could do some modesty.”

“Well,” said Messiah, now doubting his own beliefs, “would you like to teach your gospel to the masses?”

“Who, me??” replied The Religious Man with a startled expression “What do I have to do with those infidels? The Sabbath is about to start, and heaven forbid if I don’t arrive home by the appointed time. Here’s one coin. Charity shall save from death!” Said The Religious Man and left the room.

Disappointed, Messiah turned to water his donkey, and as he watched the donkey drinking, he felt his own thirst slowly saturating.

*

Third entered The Activist; Troubled and temperamental, she sat down and began to scold:

“I protest your cynical use of the newspaper system!” She said and pounded her fist on the table. “And look, a short while after, there I am, like a puppet on their hands!״

Messiah didn’t open his mouth in front of the angry guest.

“And who is it that you want to redeem? This world is clearly divided into good and evil – the bad are at the top of the pyramid and the good are at the bottom of it. Prior to all discussions of salvation is the burning necessity to compensate all the victims for what was brutally taken from them. For, Messiah, there is one thing, and one thing only, that has the power to redeem human beings – that is justice. Aren’t I right? We must fight the war of the oppressed, the war of the just, and defeat the one percent. The root of the problem isn’t the morality of the tiny tax evader or the average traffic offender. The whole problem drains to the top! Power corrupts, and as soon as man changes from weakness to power, the change between good and evil takes place. I beg you, find the argument that will refute me!”

“Well,” Messiah replied, mesmerized by the woman’s rhetorical skills, “would you like to teach your gospel to the masses?”

“First, beware of the inappropriate use of the word ‘masses’ – they are human beings just like you and me,” The Activist continued angrily. “Now, regarding the strong among them – what do I have to do with that can of worms? The men, the rich, the white, the Western – the proper place for them is behind bars!” She finished and left the room.

*

Fourth entered The Hippie; With a colorful sleeve and a quiet expression, she sat in silence in front of the Messiah.

“What brings you here?” He asked.

“The only thing I know is that I am here,” the woman replied, almost whispering, “and not how, when and why. I have long given up on these troublesome questions – they lead to nothing constructive. With this waiver alone it is possible to synchronize with the universal love frequency of the cosmos! Look around and see, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping. We are so prone to get carried away in political debates of war and peace, instead of sailing on the clouds of the rainbow. For, my good friend, there is one thing, and one thing only, that has the power to redeem human beings – that is peace. Lay down your arms, and with it lay down your will and your thoughts. In any case, they are all illusions. Matrix. Maya. Find a nice corner for yourself, and observe. The road unwinds by itself, we don’t need to take part in this deceptive trap.”

“Well,” said the Messiah, tempted by the woman’s suggestion, “would you like to teach your gospel to the masses?”

“Who, me?” The Hippie replied, still whispering, “I don’t even know who that ‘I’ you are talking about is. Anyway, it’s time for my afternoon meditation, I have to go. Our monastery has just received a donation of several millions from some oil tycoon! The path works in mysterious ways,” She said to herself and left the room.

The donkey let out a shudder of disappointment and Messiah stroked his nose.

*

Fifth and last entered The Scientist; His head bald, sleepless wrinkles under his eyes, she at down in front of Messiah and looked at his watch.

“What brings you here?” Messiah asked.

“My car, of course,” The Scientist replied dismissively, “2015 Toyota Yaris, to be precise. It could not have done it by itself – along with it were gravity, the laws of aerodynamics, burning fossil fuel. I can specify all the way down to the subatomic level, if you wish. Thanks to my navigation device, I was even able to predict the exact time of my arrival! Such a mapping, which leaves no room for mistakes – has the power to save us countless grief and pain. For, sir, there is one thing, and one thing only, that has the power to redeem human beings – that is certainty. When you know what’s going to happen, you’re no longer a prisoner of random anxiety and fear of failure. You cease floating like a gripless particle in an infinite space, and become, for the first time, a master of your own destiny. And who is the mother of all certainties, if not the blessed technology. With artificial intelligence there are only two options – zero or one! Let us not put our trust in the depths of the human soul and its twists and turns. The machine is the one who’ll save us.”

“Well,” said the Messiah, and in his voice there was a slight tremor of panic, “would you like to teach your gospel to the masses?”

A hidden smile took over The Scientist’s face.

“There’s no need to teach them. Look out the window, and see their eyes captured in front of the flickering screens. We better not intervene, in any case it has already begun.”

The Scientist left the room, and for a moment it seemed to Messiah that the devil himself had ascended to earth.

*

Crouched, Messiah remained to gaze into the eyes of his donkey – and saw the sadness of an entire universe reflected in them. If he could, he would force his donkey to carry him on his back to the town’s square, where he could preach his gospel to the masses. But the hasty Messiah was well acquainted with the uncompromising nature of the faithful beast; until those worthy of redemption are found, the donkey would not agree to enter the gate – the righteous knows the soul of his beast.

Then, spontaneously, and out of a rush of pure frustration, Messiah lifted the donkey on his shoulders and began to walk. The passers-by had watched in amazement at the skinny, determined stranger as he crossed the threshold of the city gate, with a white donkey on his back. The scene was so mesmerizing for the masses, and they started marching after him. With his last bit of energy, Messiah had arrived at the long-awaited square. The crowd had gathered around him and waited. Messiah tried to speak – but because of his exhaustion, he was unable to make a sound. The angry crowd began to stomp his feet, demanding that he delivers a sermon. Suddenly, there was a deafening shout – and everything stopped. It was the donkey who opened its mouth and began to speak:

“Love thy neighbor!” Said the donkey,

And the people laughed and mocked.

“Love yourselves!” Said the donkey,

And the people did not know how.

“Change yourselves!” Said the donkey,

And the people were angry and furious.

“Change thy neighbor!” Said the donkey,

And the people cheered and applauded.

Enthused, the masses gathered closer around the carriers of the gospel. They grabbed the Messiah, nailed his hands to the cross, and the crows pecked at his eyes. They then tied a loop at the donkey’s leg, stuck a stake and hung a sign: “White Donkey Ride – Eighteen Shekels.”

The people then went out through the city gate, happy and satisfied, each man on his way.