Talmud Bavli, Bava Metzia 85a, brings examples of great suffering that visited several great Sages - Rebbi, Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Shimon. The Gemara states that the suffering of the righteous is desirable and brings blessings to the world.
Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 98b, discusses the nature of Moshiach. Searching for the proper identification of Moshiach, the Gemara discusses a series of names of Moshiach, ending with Moshiach's identification as being a Me'uneh, an afflicted. The Gemara here points to Yeshaya 53, which describes Moshiach ben Yosef, the suffering Moshiach. After saying that Moshiach is typified by suffering, Rebbi and Daniel are mentioned as prototypical examples, because they were righteous and suffered. The discussion supports the idea that until the redemption Moshiach ben Yosef must suffer in every generation.
The concept of Moshiach ben Yosef has collective dimensions. This might be why most commentators take Yeshaya 53 as describing the suffering of Am Yisrael. However, Chazal applied Yeshaya 53 to Moshiach in a narrow sense. In the collective approach, Am Yisrael is suffering because of the nations. In particular, the phrase
כֻּלָּנוּ כַּצֹּאן תָּעִינוּ, אִישׁ לְדַרְכּוֹ פָּנִינוּ
We all went astray as a herd of sheep, and we turned each to his own way
of Yeshaya 53:6 would describe the nations of the world, and Jews would be the exception. However, if we take the above approach of Chazal, it is Israel that went collectively astray, and Moshiach must suffer as a result. Both interpretations are true. Israel must suffer to heal the world and the faithful of Israel must suffer to heal Israel (Yeshaya 53:5).
May this be a comfort for the faithful who suffer at the hands of the current Israeli government.
לו
