Eliyahu HaNavi Is Here: Mashiach Has Come Today. Will You Recognize Him?

In every generation, the possibility of redemption is tangible and immediate, as the Sages teach us: “The day of Mashiach’s coming is today—if you will listen to His voice” (Tehillim 95:7; Sanhedrin 98a). This statement isn’t merely a poetic aspiration; it’s a profound truth about the nature of time, teshuvah, and the divine light concealed within our world. Redemption, the geulah, is not something far off in the future but a process that can unfold today, if only we open our eyes to see it and our hearts to act upon it.

This lesson will explore the secret embedded in this truth: how the end is the beginning, how redemption is both imminent and continuous, and what actions we, as individuals and as a collective, must take today to bring about the unveiling of HaShem’s ultimate plan.

The Torah reveals that “the beginning is bound to the end, and the end is bound to the beginning.” Creation begins with Bereishit, a story of divine light concealed in the vessel of physical existence, and concludes with Yisrael, the people tasked with revealing that light. In between these poles lies the cyclical process of concealment and revelation, exile and redemption.

We learn this secret from the phoenix (chol) mentioned in the Midrash. This immortal bird lives for a thousand years before turning to ash, only to rise again, renewed. This is not merely a tale of immortality; it is a profound allegory for the Jewish soul, the Shechinah, and the process of geulah itself. Like the phoenix, we endure exile and suffering (ashes), and from those ashes, we emerge renewed and elevated. This cycle repeats, not as a punishment, but as a necessary preparation for the ultimate redemption, which transforms all past suffering into eternal light.

The story of Eliyahu HaNavi and Mashiach teaches us a key principle: redemption is always today. When Mashiach says, “I am coming today,” it is not a promise broken but a divine invitation misunderstood. The “today” Mashiach speaks of is not a passive waiting for a miraculous intervention; it is the moment of readiness that can occur in any present moment when we align with HaShem’s will.

The delay in Mashiach’s arrival is not a delay from HaShem’s perspective—it is a delay rooted in our own lack of spiritual readiness. If we live as though redemption is already here, we create the conditions for it to manifest.

Eliyahu HaNavi has a special role in this process, as the prophet who will announce Mashiach’s arrival. The prophet Malachi states: “Behold, I will send you Eliyahu the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of HaShem. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 3:23-24). This is not only a future event; it is happening now. Eliyahu stands before us, urging us to unite and prepare ourselves. His voice speaks to us through the Torah, through the Sages, and through the challenges and opportunities of our daily lives. Just as Yosef’s brothers failed to recognize him, so too do we fail to recognize Eliyahu HaNavi and the message he brings. But today, we must open our eyes and hearts to recognize him, for he is here now.

Mashiach ben Yosef’s mission is the bridge between exile and redemption. He prepares the groundwork, gathering the sparks of holiness, mending divisions within Israel, and building the foundation for Mashiach ben David. His role mirrors the phoenix, descending into “ashes” to bring renewal. The Shechinah remains in exile alongside us, concealed in the mundane. Mashiach ben Yosef’s mission is to reveal this hidden light, demonstrating that HaShem is present in every aspect of creation. Like Yosef HaTzaddik, who endured betrayal and exile yet rose to sustain the world, Mashiach ben Yosef teaches us to transform darkness into light.

We stand at the edge of redemption, waiting for Eliyahu HaNavi to come. And yet, the truth is that he has already come. Eliyahu is here now, telling us, “Mashiach is coming today.” The rest is up to us. We must recognize his voice, hear his call, and act upon it. Redemption is not in the future—it is here and now. The more we live in alignment with HaShem’s will today, the closer we bring the ultimate redemption.

Today is the day. The moment we act as though redemption is already here, it will be. Let us rise like the phoenix, bringing HaShem’s light into the world, one mitzvah, one act of kindness, one moment of unity at a time. Through our efforts, we will see the day when the hidden becomes revealed, and the whole world declares: “HaShem Echad u’Shmo Echad” (HaShem is One, and His Name is One).

And so, the voice of Eliyahu HaNavi echoes through time, calling us to act, to unite, and to prepare for the redemption that is already unfolding. Mashiach has come today—will we open our eyes to see, our hearts to feel, and our hands to build the world that HaShem desires? The choice is ours, and the time is now.