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While listening carefully to Eicha, I came across a possuk (Eicha 3:26) that says: ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהֹוָֽה׃ - It is good to wait patiently till rescue comes from the LORD."

What should be the proper approach when it comes to anticipating Moshiach? Do passively wait quietly or do we actively do something, say something (yell something) to let HaShem know that we want this Golus to end. When are we to be quiet and when is making a tumult a proper approach?

By the Yam Suf (Shemos 14:13-14), Moses said to the people, Don't be afraid! Stand firm and see the Lord's salvation that He will wreak for you today, for the way you have seen the Egyptians is [only] today, [but] you shall no longer continue to see them for eternity.
The Lord will fight for you, וְאַתֶּ֖ם תַּֽחֲרִשֽׁוּן - but you shall remain silent.

Yet elsewhere we are told that the Golus finally ended when the Jews cried out... וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃

Do we cry out or be silent?

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    Perhaps the "Serenity Prayer" gives us some guidance. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change (being quiet), courage to change the things I can (make some noise!!!), and the wisdom to know the difference.
    – Shmuel Goldstein
    Commented Jul 27, 2023 at 3:02
  • First of all, אין טוב אלא צדיק. Tob, is a buzzword for the Tzaddik, the Moshe-Mashiach himself. So, accordingly the pshat is when he himself waits, namely when the generation could even be worthy.
    – Nissim Nanach
    Commented Dec 24, 2023 at 12:27
  • Alternatively maybe we should just be getting on with building the 3rd Beis HaMikdash
    – Moses Supposes
    Commented Dec 24, 2023 at 21:15

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Refer to the Chofetz Chaim who wrote a sefer entitled צפית לישועה - "(lit. Did you await salvation?" (a reference brought in the famous Gemara in Shabbos 31a which details the questions a person is asked when they ascend the olam haemes at the end of their life).

The Chofetz Chaim writes there in Chapter 2:

בודאי עלינו לעמוד הכן ולחכות לישועה ובלשון הכתוב הנ"ל חכה לו דהיינו שצריך לעמוד מוכן כמו שעומד ומחכה על איש שיבא ומי בעת כזאת יודע אולי כבר עומד אחר כתלינו.

All this being so, it certainly is incumbent upon us to stand prepared awaiting salvation, as the above-mention verse states, “Wait for him.” That is, we must stand prepared, like one who stands and waits for someone to come. Who knows? In a time such as this, he may already be standing behind our wall, and about to enter.

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Moshiach is soon.

Be silent and do the mitzvahs. Actions speak louder than audible words.

"Why cry out? Move forward." - Exodus 14:15

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  • Yet actions are not an act of silence. Certainly, tefillah isn't either, but we daven for the Geulah (out loud) quite often!!!
    – Shmuel Goldstein
    Commented Jul 27, 2023 at 3:04
  • "Actions speak louder than words."
    – Taylor
    Commented Jul 27, 2023 at 4:07
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    No we are clearly meant to daven for moshiach. Look at the amidah at least 6 of the brachos are directly connected to the geulah
    – Dude
    Commented Jul 28, 2023 at 2:03
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I believe that the correct translation is 'stillness' not 'patiently'.

The answer I think lies in a later verse (3:40):

נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהֹוָֽה

Let us examine our ways, scrutinize them, and return to God.

Then may we merit with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days!

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