How can Jews still hope that they can hasten the arrival of Moshiach when Yeshaya 57:16 clearly rejects that notion altogether?
“For not forever will I fight, nor until eternity will I be angry, for the spirit before Me will delay, and the souls I have made.” (Yeshaya 57:16)
Rashi on Yeshaya 57:16 explains that this is actually saying that Bnai Yisrael can cause Hashem to redeem them by doing teshuvah. While this is talking about an individual, if enough of us humble ourselves we can be forgiven and mashiach will come.
For I will not contend forever, neither will I be wroth to eternity, when a spirit from before Me humbles itself, and souls [which] I have made.
For I will not contend forever: If I bring afflictions upon a person, My contention with him is not for a long time, neither is My anger forever.
when a spirit from before Me humbles itself: Heb. יַעֲטוֹף. When the spirit of man, which is from before Me, humbles itself, confesses and humbles itself because of its betrayal. Comp. (Lam. 2:19) “humbled (הָעֲטוּפִים) with hunger”, “when the small child and the suckling are humbled (בֵּעָטֵף).” And the souls which I made.
when a spirit from before Me: Heb. כִּי. This instance of the word כִּי is used as an expression of “when.” Comp. (infra 58:7) “When you see (כִּי תִרְאֶה) ” ; (Deut. 26:1) “When you come (כִּי תָבוֹא).” That is to say, when his spirit is humbled, and he is humbled, I terminate My quarrel and My anger from upon him.
