Reply To: Short & Sweet

Shiva Assur b’Tammuz: Moshiach

Why do we constantly refer to to Moshiach by the title Moshiach, the anointed one? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to call him the גאול, the redeemer?

The Baal HaTurim in this weeks Parsha (במדבר כה, יב) writes that we refer to משיח by that name because it is the letters of ישמח, since only his coming will gladden us.

The Zohar in Parshas Vayechi explains why we refer to Moshiach as the anointed one (following the pirush of the אור החמה). Just as one who is anointed with oil must be anointed from an external source, so too will Moshiach be channeling all his wisdom and vision from above. We will see Moshiach not just as a brilliant leader, but as one who channels the infinite wisdom of Hashem.

The צרור המור writes that we refer to Moshiach, one anointed with oil, since he will be the light that takes us out of the darkness, similar to an oil lamp.

לרפ״ש זאב בן גולדא