145. Yalkut ii. p. 56 c .
146. The whole of this very remarkable passage is given in Appendix IX., in the notes on
Is. xxv. 8; lx l; lxiv. 4; Jer. xxxi. 8.
But, indeed, it carries us much farther. For, a Messiah, preexistent, in the Presence of
God, and destined to subdue Satan and cast him into hell, could not have been regarded
as an ordinary man. It is indeed true that, as the history of Elijah, so that of the Messiah
is throughout compared with that of Moses, the 'first' with 'the last Redeemer.' As Moses
was educated at the court of Pharaoh, so the Messiah dwells in Rome (or Edom) among
His enemies.147 Like Moses He comes, withdraws, and comes again.148 Like Moses He
works deliverance. But here the analogy ceases, for, whereas the redemption by Moses
was temporary and comparatively small, that of the Messiah would be eternal and
absolute. All the marvels connected with Moses were to be intensified in the Messiah.
The ass on which the Messiah would ride - and this humble estate was only caused by
Israel's sin149 - would be not only that on which Moses had come back to Egypt, but also
that which Abraham had used when he went to offer up Isaac, and which had been
specially created on the eve of the world's first Sabbath. 150 Similarly, the horns of the ram
caught in the thicket, which was offered instead of Isaac, were destined for blowing - the
left one by the Almighty on Mount Sinai, the right and larger one by the Messia h, when
He would gather the outcasts of Israel (Is. xxvii. 13).151 Again, the 'rod' of the Messiah
was that of Aaron, which had budded, blossomed, and burst into fruit; as also that on
which Jacob had leaned, and which, through Judah, had passed to all the kings of Israel,
till the destruction of the Temple.152 And so the principle that 'the later Deliverer would
be like the first' was carried into every detail. As the first Deliverer brought down the
Manna, so the Messiah;153 as the first Deliverer had made a spring of water to rise, so
would the second.154
147. Shem. R. 1, ed. W. vol. ii. p. 5 b; Tanch. Par. Tazrya, 8, ed. W. vol. ii. p. 20 a.
148. Pesiqta, ed. Buber, p. 49 b; Midr. Ruth. Par. 5, ed. W. p. 43 b.
149. Sanh. 98 a.
150. Pirqé de R. El. 31, ed. Lemb. p. 38 a.
151. Pirqé de R. El. u. s., p. 39 a, close.
152. Bemid. R. 18, close of the Phar.
153. Ps. lxxii. 16.
154. According to the last clause of (English verson) Joel iii. 18 (Midr. on Eccles. i. 9 ed.
Warsh, vol. iv. p. 80 b.)
But even this is not all. That the Messiah had, without any instruction, attained to
knowledge of God;155 and that He had received, directly from Him, all wisdom,
knowledge, counsel, and grace,156 is comparatively little, since the same was claimed for
Abraham, Job, and Hezekiah. But we are told that, when God showed Moses all his
successors, the spirit of wisdom and knowledge in the Messiah equalled that of all the
others together.157 The Messiah would be 'greater than the Patriarchs,' higher than
Moses,158 and even loftier than the ministering Angels.159 In view of this we can
understand, how the Midrash on Psalm xxi. 3 should apply to the Messiah, in all its
literality, that 'God would set His own crown on His head,' and clothe Him with His