Commentary for Sanhedrin 196:17

דרש רבי שמלאי מאי דכתיב (עמוס ה, יח) הוי המתאוים את יום ה' למה זה לכם יום ה' הוא חשך ולא אור משל לתרנגול ועטלף שהיו מצפין לאור א"ל תרנגול לעטלף אני מצפה לאורה שאורה שלי היא ואתה למה לך אורה

R. Nahman said: if he [the Messiah] is of those living [to day], it might be one like myself, as it is written, <i>And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governors shall proceed from the midst of them</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jer. XXX, 21: this description fitted R. Nahman, who, as the son-in-law of the Resh Galutha, enjoyed great power and prestige. ');">³²</span> Rab said: if he is of the living, it would be our holy Master;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., R. Judah the Nasi, generally called Rabbi par excellence. ');">³³</span> if of the dead, it would have been Daniel the most desirable man.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Preferably, if of the living, our holy Master (would be the type) of the Messiah; if of the dead, Daniel.] ');">³⁴</span> Rab Judah said in Rab's name: The Holy One, blessed be He, will raise up another David for us,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'for them'. ');">³⁵</span> as it is written, <i>But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them</i>:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXX, 9. ');">³⁶</span> not 'I raised up', but <i>'I will raise up'</i> is said. R. Papa said to Abaye: But it is written, <i>And my servant David shall be their prince</i> [<i>nasi</i>] for ever?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XXXVII, 25: prince (nasi) is a lower title than king. ');">³⁷</span> — E.g., an emperor and a viceroy.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The second David shall be the king, and the former David shall be his viceroy. ');">³⁸</span> R. Simlai expounded: What is meant by, <i>Woe unto you, that desire the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? <font>The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light</font></i>?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Amos V, 18. ');">³⁹</span> This may be compared to a cock and a bat who were hopefully waiting for the light [i.e., dawn]. The cock said to the bat, 'I look forward to the light, because I have sight; but of what use is the light to thee?'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Thus Israel should hope for the redemption, because it will be a day of light to them: but why should the Gentiles, seeing that for them it will be a day of darkness? ');">⁴⁰</span>

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