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Abstract

This article investigates the creational foundations of messianism in the thought of the Jewish thinker Emmanuel Levinas (1906-1995). Reviewing various Jewish and philosophical writings of the author it is shown that the human being, created from nothing, separated, sovereign in his dependence, is summoned to be responsible and promote the lives of others, even replacing others, putting himself in his place, assuming his sorrows and pains, thereby taking charge of universal suffering. However, for Levinas the “I” is the one who is called to assume his singular messianic vocation, to affirm “here I am” (send me). And this same “I” is the one who, before any decision, has been chosen to bear all the responsibility of the World and consequently is the call to be “Messiah”.