“If you have a sapling in your hand, and someone should say to you that the Messiah has come, stay and complete the planting, and then go to greet the Messiah.”

–Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai (Avot de Rabbi Nathan, 31b).

All of us, in some way, at some time in our life, have been waiting for the Messiah to come. Whether it’s a political candidate we hope is The One, or our True Love to arrive and take us to the Promised Land, or the right job, guru, advisor, boss, buddy to show up, we have all been “Waiting for Godot” in some way, shape, or form.

Rabbi Yohanan’s words may come as a shock then. Plant the tree and then greet the Messiah? The one we’ve been waiting for our whole lives? How can that be right?

First, Reb Yohanan’s words are about hearing that the Messiah has arrived. We hear many things every day that just aren’t so. Why leave our “tree” unattended, our task unfinished   while we run after every rumor?  Secondly, if we are engaged in an important task, “planting a tree”; involved in restorative, renewing work, shouldn’t we follow it through? If it really is the Messiah arriving, isn’t this what they would want anyway, to pursue our unique mission and purpose? If it really is the Messiah, they will wait for us to finish the  Task! And third, once we have “planted our tree”, discharged our sacred work, we can turn with full mind, body, and soul to Greet the One without distraction.

What if our planting that particular “tree” is the final task that actually brings “the Messiah”? What if the “Messiah”  is everyone we meet, and we can greet each other as such. And isn’t it fitting to welcome the “Messiah” in each other into a verdant garden full of “trees”?

What tree can you plant today to create the garden worthy of the Messiah?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yohanan ben Zakkai (30 BCE – 90 CE),also known as Johanan B. Zakkai, or in short Ribaz, was one of the tannaim, an important Jewish sage in the era of the Second Temple, and a primary contributor to the core text of Rabbinical Judaism, the Mishnah. He is widely regarded as one of the most important Jewish figures of his time.

Joe Laur is a father, husband, naturalist, executive, consultant, and a lowly rabbinic student. He can be reached at joe.laur@godsdog.net.