Awaiting Moshiach--To Wait with Wisdom

To Wait with Wisdom

by Harav Hamekubal Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

One of the definitions of the word חכמה (widsom) is חכה-מה -- the power to wait and to anticipate that something will tarry, as in the verse that relates to the ketz of Moshiach "if he will tarry wait for him because he will come, he will not be late" (and as the fundament of faith [Rambam]: "even though he will tarry, despite all this I await him").

The power of chochma to wait and anticipate brings closer that which one is awaiting. The degree of power of one who waits is very great -- in the end -- it approaches "close to prophecy". Thus the prophet states עין לא ראתה א-להים זולתך יעשה למחכה לו "no eye has seen what Hashem will do for those who wait for Him", and the sages explain that in the time to come the one who waits will merit to see that which the prophets themselves did not see. In the Zohar it explains "to wait for him" -- "to one who is exacting in the words of chochma". In Kedusha, even one who awaits something that he can't even imagine doesn't wait passively; rather, he strives and dives deep to discover it in the depths of Divine chochma. So, too, in the anticipation of Moshiach and his unimaginable wonders, the one who truly waits does this wisely -- with chochma -- with effort and exacting study of inyanei Geulah and Moshiach and Torah. For it is precisely in the Torah of Geulah and Moshiach can the one who waits already taste "the Torah of Moshiach" about which it is stated "every palate which tastes of it says 'let me have, let me have'. In the merit of the "taste [and see] that Hashem is Good" we merit in the time to come to "and you will see that Hashem is Good" -- "no eye has seen what Hashem will do for those who wait for him."