Messiah Our Righteousness: The Elijah to Come

In this post, I will quote from various Jewish sources where the Messiah is given the names YHWH our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6) and Elijah (Mal. 4:5). All emphasis will be mine.

Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I shall raise up for David an Anointed One of righteousness,^c 3 and he shall reign as king and prosper, and he shall perform true justice and righteousness on the land. In his days those of the house of Judah shall be redeemed, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name which they shall call him: Righteous deeds shall be done for us before^d the Lord⁴ in his days.

⁴ Hebrew has: "The Lord our Righteousness"; see Brierre-Narbonne, Exegese Targumique 50-51, quoting b. B. Bat. 75b; Lam. Rab. 1 to 1:16; Midr. Mishle 19 (on Prov 19:21); Midr. Pss. on Ps. 21:1, 2; see G. Vermes, "The Story of Balaam," Scripture and Tradition, 159-160 (The Targum of Jeremiah (The Aramaic Bible): Translation, with a Critical Introduction, Apparatus and Notes, translated by Robert Hayward [A Michael Glazier Book, The Liturgical Press, 1997], Volume 12, p. 111)

^c That is, a Messiah; f: "The Messiah of Righteousness"; g: "A Messiah of righteous ones." (Ibid., p. 110)

In those days and at that time I will raise⁷ for David an anointed one^u of righteousness,⁸ and he shall perform^v true justice⁹ and righteousness in the land. In those days the men of the house of Judah shall be redeemed and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this shall be her name^w which they shall call her: 'Righteous deeds shall be done for us from before the Lord in her midst.'¹⁰ (Ibid., p. 141)

^u Lit.: "a Messiah of Righteousness"; f: "the Messiah of Righteousness."...

^W z omits “her name.” (Ibid., p. 140)

... R’ Huna said: the Messiah is called by seven names, and they are – magnified, Our Righteousness, Shoot, Consoler, David, Shiloh, and Eliyahu. Magnified from where? As it says, “May his name be forever; before the sun, his name will be magnified…” (Tehillim 72:17) Our Righteousness from where? As it says, “…and this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.” (Yirmiyahu 23:6) Shoot from where? As it says, “…Behold a man whose name is the Shoot…” (Zechariah 6:12) Consoler from where? As it says, “For the Lord shall console Zion…” (Yeshayahu 51:3) David from where? As it says, “…and He performs kindness to His anointed; to David and to his seed forever.” (Tehillim 18:51) Shiloh from where? As it says, “…until Shiloh comes, and to him will be a gathering of peoples.” (Bereshit 49:10) Eliyahu from where? As it says, “Lo, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord…” (Malachi 3:23) (Midrash Mishlei 19)

Rabbi Avun said: Why must I learn this from Arabs, is it not an explicit verse? As it is written: “The Lebanon will fall by a mighty one” (Isaiah 10:34), and it is written immediately thereafter: “A branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai and a shoot will sprout from his roots” (Isaiah 11:1).

The school of Rabbi Sheila said: Shilo is the name of Messiah, as it is stated: “Until Shilo will come” (Genesis 49:10); Sheila is written. The word Shilo in the verse is spelled with a heh at the end rather than a vav, such that it can also be read Sheila. This was stated by Rabbi Sheila’s students, who felt that if their generation was worthy, their mentor would be the messiah (Etz Yosef). The school of Rabbi Ḥanina said: Ḥanina is his name, as it is stated: “As I will not grant you clemency [ḥanina]” (Jeremiah 16:13). The school of Rabbi Yanai said: Yinon is his name, as it is written: “May his name be praised [yinon] as long as the sun shines” (Psalms 72:17). Rabbi Beivai of Sanegurya said: His name is Nehira, as it is stated: “Light [nehora] rests with Him” (Daniel 2:22), nehira is written. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Yitzḥak: If the messianic king is from the living, his name is David, and if he is from the dead, his name is David. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: I will say his source: “He increases deliverance to His king, shows kindness to His anointed, [to David and to his descendants, eternally]” (Psalms 18:51). “And to David” is not written here, but rather “to David and his descendants.” The verse says: To His anointed [meshiḥo], to David, identifying David as the messiah.

“My children have become desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.” Rabbi Aivu said: Like that shell of the gourd; the more [the shell] grows, the smaller [the fruit] is. The greater the percentage of the total fruit is shell, the smaller the edible fruit is (Arukh). The point is that the greater the success of the enemy, the greater the desolation of Israel. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Like this pig; the more that its offspring grow, the smaller it gets. Its energy is sapped by nursing its young (Matnot Kehuna). (Eikhah Rabbah 1)

וְאָמַר רַבָּה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: עֲתִידִין צַדִּיקִים שֶׁנִּקְרָאִין עַל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו, יְצַרְתִּיו אַף עֲשִׂיתִיו״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשָׁה נִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: צַדִּיקִים, וּמָשִׁיחַ, וִירוּשָׁלִַים.

And Rabba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: In the future, the righteous will be called by the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He; as it is stated: “Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7). This indicates that one who was created by God and causes Him glory is called by His name. And Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Three were called by the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and they are: The righteous, and the Messiah, and Jerusalem.

צַדִּיקִים – הָא דַּאֲמַרַן. מָשִׁיחַ – דִּכְתִיב: ״וְזֶה שְּׁמוֹ אֲשֶׁר יִקְרְאוֹ ה׳ צִדְקֵנוּ״. יְרוּשָׁלַיִם – דִּכְתִיב: ״סָבִיב שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף, וְשֵׁם הָעִיר מִיּוֹם ה׳ שָׁמָּה״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שָׁמָּה״ אֶלָּא ״שְׁמָהּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: עֲתִידִין צַדִּיקִים שֶׁאוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵיהֶן ״קָדוֹשׁ״ – כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָיָה הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם, קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֶר לוֹ״.

With regard to the righteous, this is as we have just said. With regard to the Messiah, this is as it is written: “And this is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6). With regard to Jerusalem, this is as it is written: “It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about. And the name of the city from that day shall be, the Lord is there [shamma]” (Ezekiel 48:35). Do not read the word as “there” [shamma]; rather, read it as: The Lord is its name [shemah]. Rabbi Elazar says: In the future, the righteous will have the name: Holy, recited before them, as one recites before the Holy One, Blessed be He; as it is stated: “And it shall come to pass, that he who is left in Zion, and he who remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy” (Isaiah 4:3). (Bava Batra 75b)

Psalm 21

למנצח מזמור לדוד ה' בעזך ישמח מלך. זה שאמר הכתוב (ישעיה יא י) והיה ביום ההוא שורש ישי אשר עומד לנס עמים. אמר רבי חנינא אין מלך המשיח בא אלא ליתן לאומות העכו"ם שש מצות. כגון סוכה ולולב ותפילין. אבל ישראל למדין תורה מן הקדוש ברוך הוא שנאמר (שם נד יג) וכל בניך למודי ה'. ולמה בשביל (ישעיה יא י) אליו גוים ידרושו. רבי חנינא בשם רבי אחא אמר מהו (שם) והיתה מנוחתו כבוד. שהוא נותן לו למלך המשיח מן הכבוד של מעלה. הוי בעזך ישמח מלך: 

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. May the Lord in your strength rejoice, O king! This refers to what is said in the verse (Isaiah 11:10), "And it shall come to pass on that day, that the root of Jesse, that stands as a banner for the peoples, to him shall the nations seek." Rabbi Chanina said that the Messiah will only come to give the non-Jewish nations the six commandments, such as the sukkah, lulav, and tefillin. But Israel has learned the Torah from the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says (Jeremiah 31:33), "And all your children shall be taught of the Lord." And why is it said (Isaiah 11:10), "And to him shall the nations seek?" Rabbi Chanina said in the name of Rabbi Acha, "What is the meaning of the verse (ibid., v. 10), 'And his resting place shall be of honor?' That the honor from above will be given to the Messiah." May the Lord in your strength rejoice, O king!

דבר אחר ה' בעזך ישמח מלך. אמר רבי סימון (תהלים כד י) מי הוא זה מלך הכבוד ה' צבאות הוא מלך הכבוד סלה. זה מלך שחילק מכבודו ליראיו ה' צבאות הוא מלך הכבוד סלה. שנו רבותינו מלך בשר ודם אין רוכבים על סוסו ואין יושבין בכסאו ואין משתמשין בשרביטו. ומשה נשתמש בשרביטו של הקב"ה שנאמר (שמות ד כ) ויקח משה את מטה האלקים בידו. ואליהו רכב על סוסו. ומה סוסו של הקב"ה סופה וסערה. וכתיב (מלכים-ב ב יא) ויעל אליהו בסערה השמים. מלך בשר ודם אין לובשין עטרה שלו. והקב"ה נתנה למלך המשיח שנאמר (תהלים כא ד) תשית לראשו עטרת פז. מלך בשר ודם אין לובשין פורפורייא שלו. ומהו הוד והדר. ובמלך המשיח כתיב (שם ו) הוד והדר תשוה עליו. מלך בשר ודם אין יושבין על כסאו ושלמה ישב על כסאו שנאמר (דברי הימים-א כא כג) וישב שלמה על כסא ה' למלך. מלך בשר ודם אין קוראין לסגן שלו בשמו. והקב"ה קרא למשה בשמו שנאמר (שמות ז א) ראה נתתיך אלקים לפרעה. וכן ישראל (תהלים פב ו) אני אמרתי אלקים אתם. וקראן קדושים שנאמר (ויקרא יט ב) קדושים תהיו כי קדוש אני. וכתיב (דברים ז ו) כי עם קדוש אתה. וקורא למלך המשיח על שמו. ומה שמו (שמות טו ג) ה' איש מלחמה. ומלך המשיח (ירמיה כג ו) וזה שמו אשר יקראו ה' צדקנו. וירושלים נקראת על שמו (יחזקאל מח לה) ושם העיר מיום ה' שמה. וישראל לובשין לבושו של הקב"ה שנאמר בו (תהלים צג א) עז התאזר. ונתנו לישראל שנאמר (ישעיה נב א) עורי עורי לבשי עוזך. אמר רבי לוי טב למדינתא דשמה כשם מלכה ושם מלכה כשם אלהא. זה שאמר הכתוב (מיכה ה ג) ועמד ורעה וגו' בשם ה'. אותה שעה בעזך ישמח מלך. דבר אחר אין עז אלא תורה שנאמר (תהלים כט יא) ה' עז לעמו יתן. דבר אחר אין עז אלא ארץ ישראל שנאמר (שם עח סא) ויתן לשבי עוזו. ואין עוז אלא מלכות שנאמר (שמואל-א ב י) ויתן עז למלכו: 

Another thing, may the Lord be pleased with your majesty. Rabbi Simon said (Psalm 24:10), "Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory, Selah." This is a King who shares His honor with His servants; the Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory, Selah. Our sages taught, "A mortal king does not ride on his horse, nor sit on his throne, nor wield his scepter. But Moses used the scepter of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said (Exodus 4:20), 'And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.' And Elijah rode on his horse. And what was the horse of the Holy One, blessed be He? It was the storm and tempest, as it is written (2 Kings 2:11), 'And Elijah went up in a whirlwind into heaven.' A mortal king does not wear his own crown. But the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the crown to the King Messiah, as it is said (Psalm 21:4), 'You set a crown of fine gold upon his head.' A mortal king does not wear his own mantle. But the King Messiah will be clothed in splendor and majesty, as it is written (Psalm 21:6), 'You make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.' A mortal king does not sit on his own throne. But Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king, as it is said (1 Chronicles 29:23), 'Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king.' A mortal king does not call his deputy by his own name. But the Holy One, blessed be He, called Moses by his name, as it is said (Exodus 7:1), 'See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh.' And likewise, Israel said (Psalm 82:6), 'I said, "You are gods."' They are called holy ones, as it is said (Leviticus 19:2), 'You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.' And it is written (Deuteronomy 7:6), 'For you are a holy people.' And the King Messiah will be called by his name. And what is his name? The Lord, the warrior. And the King Messiah's name will be called 'The Lord is our righteousness,' as it is said (Jeremiah 23:6), 'And this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.' And Jerusalem will be called by his name, as it is said (Ezekiel 48:35), 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.' And Israel will wear the mantle of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said of Him (Psalm 93:1), 'The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty.' "And they will give to Israel, as it is said (Isaiah 52:1), "Awaken, awaken, clothe yourself in your strength." Rabbi Levi said, "It is good for a province to have a name like its queen, and for a queen to have a name like that of God." This is what the verse means (Micah 5:3), "He will arise and shepherd in the name of the Lord." At that time, the king will rejoice in your strength. Another explanation is that there is no strength other than Torah, as it says (Psalm 29:11), "The Lord will give strength to His people." Another explanation is that there is no strength other than the Land of Israel, as it says (Psalm 78:71), "And He gave his strength to captivity." And there is no strength other than kingship, as it says (1 Samuel 2:10), "And He will give strength to His kin... (Midrash Tehillim 21:1)

Further Reading

The Davidic Branch in Rabbinic Judaism

THE PRIESTLY MESSIANIC BRANCH