“Into a world prepared to receive him, the Messiah will then be born. He will be a mortal human being, born normally of human parents.…Now, imagine a charismatic leader greater than any other in man’s history.

Imagine a political genius surpassing all others. With the vast communication networks now at our disposal, he could spread his message to the entire world and change the very fabric of our society….One possible scenario could involve the Middle East situation. This is a problem that involves all the world powers. Now imagine a Jew, a Tzadik, solving this thorny problem….such a demonstration of statesmanship and political genius would place him in a position of world leadership.

The major powers would listen to such an individual….Thus, the Rambam (Maimonides) writes, ‘If he is further successful in rebuilding the Temple on its original site and gathering the dispersed of Israel, then his identity as the Messiah is a certainty’….these accomplishments are a minimum for our acceptance of an individual as the Messiah.”

— Rabbi Kaplan, The Real Messiah, 1976,