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Home , Elijah, Three Stories (House)

Digital Commons @ Touro Law Center

Scholarly Works Faculty Scholarship

Spring 2000

The : Three Stories

Lawrence Raful Touro Law Center, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Raful, Lawrence, "The Prophet Elijah: Three Stories" (2000). Scholarly Works. 216. https://digitalcommons.tourolaw.edu/scholarlyworks/216

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at Digital Commons @ Touro Law Center. It has been accepted for inclusion in Scholarly Works by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Touro Law Center. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Lawrence Raful Professor of Law

Elijah the Prophet lived in during the ninth and 10th century BCE (Before Common Era). Although his name does not grace the title of any of the biblical books of the major and minor , throughout the ages he has become the central figure in Jewish , a mysterious and beloved “everyman.” Elijah, in various disguises and roles, works for justice and performs to help the poor and downtrodden. He is best known as part of an important ritual in the Passover meal, and he is said to be present at births and weddings. But Elijah’s most prominent role, perhaps the major reason that he has become so popular, is as the precursor, the forerunner, of the coming of the (see 3:24). It is for this reason that everywhere greet the end of the day and the beginning of a new week with a that, willing, Elijah the Prophet will appear this week, to herald the coming of the Messianic era.

When I was young, maybe warmed me and sent chills down the fourth or fifth grade, I my spine. The cantor told of a I had a wonderful, kind young boy who continually asked Hebrew School teacher, a cantor by his father, the proprietor of an inn, trade but serving double duty on when he would meet Elijah the Tuesday and Thursday afternoons Prophet. His father always told him trying to ride herd over active and to be patient. One night, the boy disinterested 10-year-old boys. He was left to care for the inn while his would spice up our seemingly dull father was called off to tend to Hebrew lessons with songs and sto- another matter. A poor man ries, and often he talked about - entered, obviously hungry and the Prophet. He spoke Elijah’s tired, weary from his travels, name much as Ichabod Crane spoke dressed in a poor man’s set of of the Headless Horseman — with a Photo by Monte Kruse, BA’83 clothes. The beggar pleaded for combination of fear and reverence. Creighton Law Professor Lawrence a place to rest and a bite to eat, Raful said Elijah’s most I remember to this day my prominent role is as the precursor of but, because his father did not favorite story, because it both the coming of the Messiah. want these kind of people in his

34 SPRING 2000 establishment, the young boy scold- shook his head. greeting Elijah the Prophet, and he ed him and demanded that he “Don’t you know that perhaps it will deem it time for the Messiah.” leave. The poor man turned to the was Elijah the Prophet who came to • • • door and left. Soon the father call upon us? Why didn’t you invite returned and asked if anyone had him to stay? Perhaps it is time for ben entered while he was gone. the Messiah to come. But now that met Elijah and asked “No, Father, nobody came.” you have not greeted him, perhaps II him, “When will the The father asked again, “Are you Elijah will think the time is not yet Messiah come?” certain that no person was here?” right.” The Prophet answered, “Go and “Well,” the young boy stam- And the cantor looked at us — ask him. He sits at the entrance to mered, “there was a filthy beggar 10-year-old boys sitting silent, in the city, among the poor and the who stopped in, but I sent him awe, in anticipation — and he said, lepers.” away as quickly as I could.” “You should make it a habit for The rabbi asked, “How will I rec- The father was quiet for a your entire life to greet all people ognize him?” And Elijah replied, moment, and then asked his son, by saying ‘Shalom Aleichem,’ “The lepers untie all bandages at “My son, did you greet this man? regardless of rich or poor, old once, and rebandage each separate- Did you call out ‘Shalom Aleichem’ or young. Maybe the fate of the ly, while he unties and rebandages (peace be unto you)?” The son world to come will rest upon your each separately, thinking, ‘Should it

This 15th century German “” — the ritual book used during the Passover celebration — depicts the coming of Elijah on Passover .

SPRING 2000 35 be the appointed time for my weekend was a traditional Friday informal manner, with part of his appearance, I must not be night Sabbath dinner, but because of shirttail hanging out, and it is possi- delayed.’” the large crowd, this dinner was ble that his attire had not seen the So Rabbi Joshua went to the held at the social hall of my ’ inside of a washing machine for place and greeted him, “Peace upon instead of at the dinner some time. He walked around the thee, Master and Teacher.” And the table at home. There is usually a Fri- circle, looking puzzled, and then he Messiah replied, “Peace upon you, day night Sabbath service there, but smiled, found an empty chair, and son of Levi.” the rabbi was taking part in a special promptly became part of the circle. “When will you come?” asked ceremony at another synagogue and He joined in singing a Yiddish song Rabbi Joshua. And he replied, the services were canceled that we had started, and it was obvious “Today.” night. So we had the whole place to that he relished this chance to join Rabbi Joshua returned to meet ourselves. Dinner was slow and in song. I looked at my dad, who Elijah, and the Prophet asked, relaxed and filled with traditional pretty much knew all the Jews in “What did he say to you?” The rab- and songs, stories and visit- their small town, and he looked at bi said, “Surely he was joking with ing. We ended dinner with the tradi- me and shrugged his shoulders, as me, for he said he would come tional blessings after meals, led by if to say “I don’t know who he is!” today, and yet he has not.” the five grandchildren. But he wasn’t bothering anyone, so And Elijah the Prophet answered Because it was such a beautiful we let him sit and he sang along him, “This is what he said to you: evening, we then decided to move with us as we started another song. ‘I will come today, if you hear my outside to the patio area. Everyone A few minutes later, two well- voice.’ The Messiah is waiting to grabbed a chair while my brother dressed young men, perhaps in be called.” and I moved the small upright their 20s or 30s, came in to the patio Sanhedrin 98a piano outside so that we might con- area, and looked around and spot- tinue with our singing, which ted the old man sitting in our circle. • • • ranged from traditional Jewish My dad went over to them and I have written previ- songs to Broadway show tunes. We whispered quietly. We all kept ously in these pages singing, but it was pretty obvious III (WINDOW, Fall ’94) that most of us wondered about about my parents. My father was an what was to happen. Was this man American soldier who, at the end of an escapee from the hospital? Was World War II, met my mother, a he a bum on the lam? Was he home- Hungarian girl who survived the less, wandering through town try- concentration camps. Two years lat- ing to find a decent meal? er, they married. Last year, our fam- The old man was oblivious to the ily prepared to celebrate their 50th conversation that was taking place wedding anniversary with great Susy and Bob Raful not 20 feet away, and he smiled and pleasure and emotion. Family and celebrated their 50th wedding continued to sing with gusto. My friends came from across the coun- anniversary with family, friends dad concluded the whispering and and an unexpected guest. try and from around the world for walked over to me and quietly said, the festive weekend. My brother set up the chairs in a circle around “The old man is here to say Kaddish and I, our wives and our children, the piano, and I was nominated to at services; those are his two sons worked diligently to tell in story, lead the group in our songfest. who came to join him.” I under- song and prayer the truly won- Fifteen or 20 minutes into the stood then that the gentlemen had drous of this union of two spirited singing, an elderly man come expecting the usual 8 p.m. Fri- special people. The three-day week- shuffled in from the parking . He day night services, and the old man end of activities was a great success, had a shock of white hair and came to find a minyan (10 people a mixture of laughter, tears and appeared unkempt, and he walked who are required in order to pray) love. with a difficult gait, aided by a so that he could say the memorial The opening event of the cane. He was dressed in a most prayer for a deceased relative who

36 SPRING 2000 had died on this particular date in peace”) to those in the room, and A few weeks later I told a good years past. Jews certainly can recite the old man smiled, put down his friend the story, telling him that it many prayers alone, but some prayer book, and, without a word, had stayed with me and seemed so prayers require a minyan, and the shuffled out the door. His two sons odd to me, sort of mysterious and Kaddish, the memorial prayer, is came forward and shook my hand bizarre. My friend listened to the one such example. and thanked me, and my father, whole story and, in a tone that It was clear what we should do and then they left. We never learned showed that the answer was obvi- — at the end of our song, I the identity of the man and for ous to him, said, “It was Elijah.” His announced that our “friends” had whom he prayed (his parents? his comment startled me — I had not come to say Kaddish, and that we wife? brothers and sisters?), and my even thought about Elijah, that this needed some people to go into the man might be the disguised synagogue so that we could chant Prophet visiting us to participate in the Friday evening service. A num- our celebration, or to make sure that ber of men and women immediate- we were good people of good ly got up and went into the intent, people who would stop in sanctuary, and Dad asked me to the middle of a 50th lead the services. I chanted the anniversary party so traditional Friday night Sab- that a disheveled old bath service at a brisk speed, man, a stranger, and the others in the minyan joined could recite Kaddish. in at the appropriate parts. I stole a I remembered the glance, once or twice, at the old story my teacher told, the man, but he was not following the story about the boy left service at all. His prayer book was alone in the inn. I did not even open, but he was looking around say Shalom Aleichem to this man. the sanctuary at the people there, Had I been a disappointment to Eli- and never once did I see him Elijah the Prophet, from a 1941 jah the Prophet? Did my actions utter the prayers. Passover “Haggadah.” further delay the coming of the Finally we arrived at the conclu- Messiah? I hope not. sion of the brief service, and I folks have never seen him again in I still don’t know who the man announced in a loud voice that their of worship. was, and I don’t know when the those who were mourning or who The incident stayed in my mind Messiah will come. But I once heard were observing a yahrzeit (the for some time after that weekend, Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize anniversary of a relative’s ) and I felt a mixture of emotions. I recipient for his work in chronicling should join me in reciting the Kad- felt ashamed of my initial negative the , say this: “ dish prayer. As is the custom in reaction when he first arrived, barg- believe the Messiah has come and most , I said the prayer ing in on our special festivities, and will come again, and Jews believe in a loud, clear, slow tone, so that I knew that his appearance repelled the Messiah is still to come. Why those who are unfamiliar with the me. I felt proud that I could, in can’t we wait for the Messiah prayer, or those who do not regular- some small way, balance this behav- together, in peace?” ly attend services, might be able to ior by leading the service and the When you meet Elijah the follow along. It was at this point prayer of remembrance. I admit to Prophet on the street, remember to when I first heard the old man focusing too much on his dress and say “Peace unto you” so that Elijah mumble in Hebrew, and he fol- his manner and his odd behavior, may think the time is right, hasten- lowed along with some difficulty, and I was sorry that I spent part of ing the days of peace on earth. but he knew the required words. the prayer service wondering if he — About the author: Lawrence Raful is We concluded the services, I was really there to pray when I saw a professor in and former dean of the turned and said Shalom that he did not participate in the School of Law. He can be reached via (“may you have a Sabbath of service like others in the synagogue. e-mail at [email protected].

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