The Prophet Elijah: Three Stories
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Digital Commons @ Touro Law Center Scholarly Works Faculty Scholarship Spring 2000 The Prophet Elijah: Three Stories Lawrence Raful Touro Law Center, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.tourolaw.edu/scholarlyworks 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 Israel 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 prophets, throughout the ages he has become the central figure in Jewish traditions, a mysterious and beloved “everyman.” Elijah, in various disguises and roles, works for justice and performs miracles 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 Messiah (see Malachi 3:24). It is for this reason that Jews everywhere greet the end of the Sabbath day and the beginning of a new week with a prayer that, God 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 Eli- entered, obviously hungry and jah 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 Rabbi Joshua ben Levi 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 “Haggadah” — the ritual book used during the Passover celebration — depicts the coming of Elijah on Passover Eve. 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 parents’ inside of a washing machine for place and greeted him, “Peace upon synagogue 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- prayers 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 Mishnah 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 miracle 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 lot. 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.