Thursday 27 March 2008

Who is ELIYAHU (HaNavi) - Elijah (the Prophet)?


The father of Moshe Rabbeinu - Moses our Teacher, was Amram. Amram saw Jacob (the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham.) Achiyah the Shilonite saw Amram. Eliyahu the Prophet (Elijah) saw Achiya the Shilonite - and Elijah still lives! (Bava Basra 121b.)

ELIJAH IS ALIVE! (Moed Katan 26a)

Elijah [by transmitting his teachings] was a disciple of Moses. (Sotah 13a)

Moses and Elijah were equivalent to one another [in many respects] (Pesikta Rabbasi 4:12)

Why was Elijah privileged to be able to revive the dead? Because he did the will of the Holy One, Blessed is He, and he would sigh over the honor of Israel every day as if Israel [were in danger of] being destroyed from the world. In every generation that Elijah found righteous men, he would embrace and kiss them and bless the Holy One Blessed is He. (Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah 5:11)

Elijah prayed that he be given the key to resurrection of the dead. He was answered: "There are three keys that were not given to any messenger: [the keys] to childbirth, to rain, and the resurrection of the dead. [I have given you the key to rain, and now you ask for the key to resurrection! People] will say 'Two [keys] are in the hands of the disciple, and [only] one in the hands of the master? Bring [back] the key for rain that is in your hand and take the other'" (Sanhedrin 113a)

[In the episode of] Elijah on Mount Carmel, how did they rely on him to [transgress a commandment by] slaughtering [an animal for sacrifice] outside [the Holy Temple]? [Because he] was already established as a prophet. (Sanhedrin 89b)

Let no man come and critisize Elijah of Gilead for building an altar on Mount Carmel and bringing a sacrifice there at a time when altars were prohibited outside the Temple. Said the Holy One Blessed is He, "It was I Who told him to do so". (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:1)

When Elijah came to Carmel, he gathered all the priests of the idols and said to them, "Call in a loud voice, for he is a god (I Kings 18:27). What did the Holy One Blessed is He, do? He silenced the whole world, including heavenly and earthly beings, so that the world was desolate, as if not a creature were in it. For had a sound been made, [the priests of the idols] would have said, "Baal had answered us" (Shemos Rabbah 29:10)

What did Elijah do? He said to the priests of Baal, "Select two twin bullocks who were raised in a single pasture, and cast lots to determine which will be for G-d and which for Baal." All the prophets of Baal and the prophets of Asheirah gathered, but they could not move the foot of the bullock which fell to Baal until Elijah said to it, "Go with them." The bull replied before all the people, "I and my friend emerged from the same womb and were raised in the same pasture. Yet his share fell to G-d, and the name of the Holy One Blessed is He, will be sanctified through him, whereas my lot has fallen to Baal, to anger my Creator!" Elijah said to him, "Bullock, bullock, do not be afraid. Go with them so that they will have no excuses. Just as the name of the Holy One, Blessed is He, will be sanctified through the [bullock] that is with me, so will it be sanctified through you." Said [the bullock], "Is this how you advise me? I swear I will not budge until you deliver me into their hands." (Bamidbar Rabbah 23:9)

It came to pass at the time of offering the Mincha [i.e. the afternoon offering]... (I Kings 18:36) This teaches that Elijah made the sun stand still that day (Aggadas Bereishis 77)

Elijah was answered only during the [time of] the Mincha prayer. (Berachos 6b)

"Answer me (I Kings 18:37) by making a fire descend from heaven; answer me (ibid.) by distracting them so that they will not [think to] say that it is sorcery" (Berachos 9b)

Why did [Elijah] place his head between his knees? He was saying before the Holy One, Blessed is He, "Master of the Universe, if we have no [other] merit, look at [the merit of] circumcision" (Vayikra Rabbah 31:4)

THE CAVE

Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath at twighlight. [One of them was] the cave [in Sinai] in which Moses and [later] Elijah stood. (Pesachim 54a)

"DEPARTURE"

Elijah parted from Elisha with words of Torah. (Yerushalmi Berachos 5:1)

The day Elijah ascended [to heaven], a king was appointed in Rome. (Yerushalmi Avodah Zara 1:2)

They separated the two of them. (II Kings 2:11). [Before carrying Elijah up to the heavens,] the angel pushed [Elijah] to one side and [Elisha] to the other. (Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah 5.)

Nine [people] entered the Garden of Eden during their lifetimes: Enoch, Elijah... (Derech Eretz Zuta 1.)

When the Holy One, Blessed is He, brought Elijah up to heaven, the Angel of Death stood against him. The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to him, "For this purpose did I create heaven: so that Elijah would come up there." Said the Angel of Death, "Master of the Universe, now the people will have what to say [that they should not die, just as Elijah]." Said the Holy One, Blessed is He, "He is not like other people. He can eliminate you from the world; you do not know his power." Said [the Angel of Death], "Give me permission to go down to him." "Go down," said [G-d]. As soon as Elijah saw him, he forced [the Angel of Death] beneath his feet and sought to eliminate him from the world, but the Holy One Blessed is He, did not give him permission. Thereupon he bent [the Angel of Death] beneath him and went up to heaven. (Zohar Chadash 76a)

Elijah flies through the world like a bird. (Shocher Tov 8:7)

ELIJAH STILL LIVES! (Seder Olam Rabbah 1)

Elijah had two bodies: one he wore while he was in this world, the other when he ascended to heaven. (Zohar 2:197a)

For more information - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah
Read from the Bible - II Kings chapters 1-2

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