„The light of the Messiah will establish the certainty of the complete…”
„The light of the Messiah will establish the certainty of the complete good in existence in general, and the earth will be filled with light and joy, which ceaselessly pour down from the highest heavens, and then the recognition will come that it is good to thank God for the bad as for the good.”From Orot, p. 86, section 49
Do you know the phrase "Think good and it will be good"? This phrase has entered the Israeli lexicon; it entered through television commercials, through various "New Age" books, and so forth...
This light, even if it appears now in vessels that are not holy, is a light that prepares redemption for the world. The problem is that when people say "redemption," everyone shrinks back - here is another Messianic figure, here is another one who dreams and is not connected to reality.
The Messiah is a true connection to reality as it is, a connection free of the fears that have accumulated in humanity over the generations. The light of the Messiah is the understanding that everything happening in the world is part of an immense process, and that if we decide to be part of it, we will elevate ourselves to a better place.
Let me try to give an example from life - do you know embittered people? These are people it is not pleasant to be around, people who make our time beside them unbearable. In contrast, optimistic people (with true, not fake, optimism) are people who fill their entire surroundings with joy.
The Messiah is optimistic, only on a world scale; he brings light to all around him, a true light. A light that contains a deep understanding of processes and of the situation, a light that illuminates reality and succeeds in revealing how good God is and how good our world is.
A good evening!
From the community archive of Mishpetei HaRav Kook — studying Rav Kook's teachings since 2011.