Jewish Nationalism

Born in Bosnia in 1798, Judah Alkalai studied in Jerusalem, returned to Serbia to serve as the rabbi of the community. At the end of his life he went again to Israel and was buried on the Mount of Olives. 

Alkali was convinced that in the year 1840 it will happen, the messianic redemption. So when it didn’t happen, like others, he was convinced it was but the beginning of the messianic era, some sort of precursor-like stage. 

The calculation was that 1840 which was 5600 was the beginning, and in another 400 years transitioning into year 6,000, the 7th millennia, is when it will really happen.

Balkans Blooming

Now in his day, in the Balkans, where he lived, the new nationalism was booming. It was still a relatively new movement of ideas and organization. The United States in America made their independence at the end of the 18th century, and then France went from a monarchy to a modern nation-state. In the middle of the 19th century you had the classic cases of Italy and Germany. But really these ideas were rampant all over Europe - of national autonomy for people groups, self-determinism, the nation-state model, symbols and icons… 

Alkali began writing articles and letters sent out to the ends of the Jewish communities in Europe and beyond. He traveled as well, campaigning the ideas and their importance - for Jews to go to Israel and develop the settlement there practically, which was applying his interpretation of messianism. 

He perceived the beginning of redemption by way of Nature, in other words - through tools and deeds of man, not by miracles and wonders orchestrated by the Divine.

Later, he expected, the full redemption will take place miraculously led by Messiah the Son of David. But for now, we just need to do our part, and get of foreign subjugation. 

Mixture is Creative

If we refer to the chapter in this series on the Talmudic literature, Alkali created an interpretation mixture of the miraculous and natural redemption options, as well as the activistic and deterministic, as well as the worthy and not worthy options, Son of Joseph and Son of David, now and also not now - but in the future.

He laid out a redemption complex, with all or many of those classic elements - unlike their original context of either or, he utilized them all, into stages of messianic redemption.

Alkali called for renewal of the Hebrew language in modern fashion, as suitable for a new nation state it needs its own language.

He spoke of leaders in Europe then, as figures like Koresh, who would be instrumental in enabling Jews to settle in Israel.

And he emphasized the need of an institution that will be supported by organizations and communities and unite them all, and an elected leader of this alignment will be as a Messiah Son of Joseph. Its central function would be to bring Jews to Israel and develop its economy and agriculture and commerce and purchase of land from the authorities.

Fate or Luck

Here are some excerpts from his book published in 1857 (he published other works previously, but this was his more significant piece), named Goral (a lot, of land… or fate) to the Lord:

I believe fully that when Israel collects into one alliance and appoints a leader he is the messiah son of Joseph. And he will build the house… and then the messiah son of David will come, if he tarries we will wait for him. And all the writings of the Sages speaking of the miraculous beyond the ways of the natural, were spoken in regards to the coming of the messiah son of David, and all things said by way of nature are referring to the messiah the son of Joseph whose entire approach is by nature of this world. And by the end of the sixth millennium the world will be as is by way of nature… therefore the era until the end of the sixth millennium is called the days of the messiah son of Joseph (5)

And he is called the messiah son of Joseph because he is anointed by the appointed assembly, and this assembly will be of the leaders of Israel dwelling in Europe, as our Sages wrote: awaken North, and come Yemen (Song of Songs 4:16) - when the exiled in the north will awaken and come to the south to dwell, when king messiah who is in the north will awaken and come and build the Temple that is in the south… in the north means part of those in Europe… and until they awaken means the wealthy one, for the wealth is from the north, as it is written: from the north he comes in golden splendor (Job 37:22)...

The king messiah is in the north and he will be a nobleman from Europe, as it is written: Who is he coming from Edom (Isaiah 63:1). (6)

And David their king (Hosea 3:5)... They will seek from the kings of the land one to be positioned as the leader, he is the messiah son of Joseph… And appoint themselves one head (Hosea 2:2) Rashi interpreted - David their King. It is also written: and they will worship the LORD their God and David their king that I will establish for them (Jeremiah 30:9).

In chapter chelek 4 98 B: Rabbi Yehuda said to Rav: in the future the Holy One Blessed is He will raise up for them a different David, for it is written, and David their king that I will establish for them. It doesn’t say he established but rather I will establish. 

Rav Pap said to Abaye: And it is written, and David my servant will be their prince forever (Ezekiel 37:25). Like an emperor and a viceroy. Meaning David is their king is also referring to the messiah son of Joseph, and the beginning of the redemption is by his hand. He will begin to collect those who are exiled little by little, for we are besworn to not ascend as a wall all of us together, as the Sages wrote, and he will build the house, or his son or the son of his son, and after the building of the house then the messiah the son of David will come, and he will be as the emperor, a king anointed with the anointing oil, and then the messiah son of Joseph will be as the viceroy. 

And both of the leaders will be as Moses sought from the Holy One Blessed is He, one who went out before them and one who will come before them (Numbers 27:17a), in matters of this world, and one who will take them out and will bring them (Numbers 27:17b), in matters of the world to come… 

And David their king. For truly he is not a king but the one head, for we do not have a priest and a prophet and the elements and the anointing oil. But his reverence on us will be as fear of that which is elevated as if he is a king anointed by the anointing oil, and since the appointment of the leader is similar to the king he is necessarily appointed and anointed by the kings of the land who the LORD gave to them glory of His kingdom and granted them… to appoint as kings whomever they see fit, and the Holy One Blessed is He is in agreement by their hand and gives him kingdom glory and influences through him… (10)

And because the redemption for the sake of the fathers is will be a redemption by way of nature mysteriously by the maker of grand wonders alone, as written: You are a God that hides, God of Israel, Saviour (Isaiah 45:15), and it is written: In distress you called and I rescued you and answered you in the hiding place of thunder (Psalm 81:8).

Therefore the prophets understood the redemption by way of nature, as it is written: for as the earth brings forth her growth and as the garden causes the things that are sown to to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations (Isaiah 61:11), to say that the earth brings forth her growth that you sow into it, that if you do not sow it will not grow, thus the Lord God will grow righteousness and praise if you sow it, and if you don’t sow it won’t grow. (16)

The directive of this request is for our brethren, those who are active in our redemption who are living in the free countries, like the British and the French, who have it in their power to stand in the courts of kings. As it is written: They will walk after the LORD, like a lion He shall roar, for he will roar and the children from the West will tremble (Hosea 11:10) - according to the translation of Yonatan: the diaspora from the West will gather. 

In other words, the Kingdom of Britain and the Kingdom of France, that are called Kings of the West.

For them is this directive to give greatness to the author of creation, to establish the house of our lives and return His presence into it, as it is written: You will rise, have mercy upon Zion, for the time has come to favor her, the appointed time has come (Psalm 102:13). (21)

Behold the Difference

What did we just see? Alkalai is a very good example, as evident in the texts above, of a traditional messianist, with some Kabbalah and biblical and Talmudic references, with some modern adaptations, but a traditional very much religious thinker - a religious messianist he was.

Here we do not see modern nationalism directly. He references particularly France and Britain though. He is aware of Western free countries.

Also, he mentions elements that are essentially self-determination, the land and language for example. And of course an institutional constructive nation-building approach.

So I do consider this traditional messianic Zionism with elements of modern nationalism. No more no less.