The Eternal Jew’s Tale, #207, Messiahs, 2

In this episode we enter the mind of Eliezer, a wandering priest, who is about to find himself in unexpected circumstances.
{Note: for the reader’s convenience, I have labeled the speaker/thinkers for the first part of this story. I leave off with those labels when they become largely superfluous.}

The Eternal Jew’s Tale
Messiah Tractates, a Montage
Bar Koseva Fragments, 1

… into the mind of a vagrant priest, Eliezer, roaming the hills around Tekoa, Ein Gedi, Beit Lekhem, but mostly Betar, the last redoubt:

Eliezer’s thoughts:
… I’m a f*ckin’ rabbi, not a priest, don’t you’s know anythin’?…
… damn Roman ravenous wolves rapin’ the holiness outa my land…
… damn Nazarenes, soothsayer priests dissemblin’ my Lor with their man-god…
… damn Pharisees, subservient fools, mere grovelin’ dogs makin’ that caesar the agent of the Lor…
… damn hungry… who can I hit on for bread?…
… my feet, my hair, my hands, my tongue caked in dust, a walkin’ corpse…
… back to Tekoa, Yonatan there, has a mikveh, and servants with open hands…
… but first, prayers; is it me alone whose faith restrains the roman horde*?… {* others say: whore}

Soldier:
“Eliezer! Where have you been? The Nasi* Shimon is looking for you.” {* prince}

Eliezer’s thoughts:
… what’s that cutthroat want with me? I don’t wield a spear or sword…
… maybe he’ll use me to collect tithes; there might yet be some profit in that…
… a prophet profitin’ the prince of the land — now that’s somethin’ new…

Soldier:
“Off your butt! He wants you now.”

Eliezer’s thoughts:
… I ain’t Elijah who can pull up his robe and run like a hind after Ahab and kings…

Eliezer:
“Hey! Slow down. What’s your rush? Or make me a place in your donkey cart.”

Soldier:
“Shut up, you crow. Save your croaks for Hallel* to make a bulwark for the prince. Here he is now. On your knees.” {* special psalms of praise and thanks}

Eliezer’s thoughts:
… one more caesar to flatter and fear…

bar Koseva:
“Eliezer, no need to bow…”

Eliezer’s thoughts:
… what? could this be Koseva*?… {* aka bar Kokhba}
… he looks like a statue of a roman god…
… mercy, l’havdil,* cleanse my heart, {* Hebrew, ‘excuse the comparison’ (of the profane to the holy)}
… Samson, Saul, David, the Maccabee?…
… *mi khamokha* bar Koseva?… {*-* ‘who is like you?’ see Ex. 15:11}
… l’havdil, and yet my heart compares…

“I hear the power behind your prayer is like a mountain, impregnable; that arrows drop harmlessly out of the sky when you call on God. Say, is what I hear true?”

… dare I test the strength of the Lor?…
… dare I test my own faith?…
… but does not El Elyon appear nightly in my inspired dreams?…
… and was that not Elijah there at my feet this vary morning, saying, ‘Go! and serve the king!’?…

“The power of a prophet is very great when God says ‘yes.’ Then, who will say ‘no’?”

…am I not the chosen one?…

Turning to his general, Bar Koseva, in awe, remarks,

“Obliquely he confirms the talk buzzing round the countryside.”

Then turning back,

“Eliezer, let us see whether the Lor resides in you. That lapdog, Rufus, rides today thru these hills, accompanied by a century of chosen men. Let us see if arrows drop harmlessly before the wall your Hosannas build for us.

“Let us go, and may the Lor lead.”

… *Adonai save; may the King answer when we call*… {*-* Ps. 20:10}
… *Adonai, Adonai, a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, vast in kindness and in truth *… {*-* Ex./Shmot 34:6}
… only a charade; don’t be fooled…
… *Hear our voice, Adonai our God*… {*-* Sh’moneh Esray 16}
… Hear our voice, Adonai our God…
… like the High Priest I’m shaping worlds…
… *He raises the poor from the dust*… {*-* Ps. 113:7}
… *He turned the rock into a pool of water, flint into a fountain of water*… {*-* Ps. 114:8}
… lurkin’ like lions with terrifying eyes; are these men or beasts of prey?…
… me, a beast of pray, as well; Lor I call, please protect…
… and with but a silent signal they charge…

“Prince, shall I too charge with the men?”

“What? You? The litter’s runt? Your work is here; call out to our God to cramp Roman legs and arms and sap the courage out of their hearts. That would help more than a legion of swords. Succeed, and be our appointed Priest for Yisroyel and the glory of God!”

… come Elijah, lift my prayer…
… *defend our cause, Adonai our God*… {*-* Sh’monah Esrei 7}
… *sound the great shofar of our freedom and raise the flag to gather our exiles*… {*-* Sh’monah Esrei 10}
… *may all Your enemies be swiftly cut off and of the arrogant may You uproot, crush, rout and subdue speedily and in our days*… {*-* a common prayer, by medieval times Sh’monah Esrei 12}
… *we give thanks to You… we have always placed our hope in You*…
{*-* Sh’monah Esrei 18}
… look at me, Elijah’s heir…
… *in the days of Matisyahu… You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few… and afterwards Your sons entered the Holy of Holies in your House and cleaned Your Temple and purified Your Sanctuary*… {*-* Khanuka blessing}
… Matisyahu I am your priest…
… only a charade, only a charade…
… *and I Myself — declares God — will be a wall of fire around it and I will be a glory inside it*… {re Jerusalem, *-* Zekhariah 2:9}
… is this but a shameless ruse?…… *in my distress I call on the Lor, I cry to my God for help. From Hem Temple God hears my voice… the Lor thunders from heaven… shooting Hem arrows, the enemy scatters*…
{*-* Ps. 18:7,14,15}
… who am I? Priest or sham?… now I hear the shofar’s sound; will the Lor triumphantly march or will my presumption be exposed?…

“Behold! Behold! There he sits, him who claims a prophetic voice, that Eliezer! There he sits!…”

… Lor, protect me! Lor of grace restrain their fury, check their swords…

“Lift him up; anoint his head; in Yisroyel a new High Priest!…”

… can it be? Are my prayers heard? Is the Maccabee restored?…

“Prince, declare! What to do?”
“Build an altar of uncut stone here in Betar’s central square. Then we’ll make new sacrifices and there anoint our new High Priest.”

~~~~~~~~~~.

In the next episode, we see the power of Eliezer’s prophetic prayer.