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Shabbat Shalom: Parshat Parshat Tzav/Shabbat Hagadol
Leviticus: 6:1-8:36
Efrat, Israel – The Sabbath before Passover, which is known as “The
Great Sabbath” (Shabbat Hagadol), is dedicated to Elijah the Prophet
who – as we read in the Haftarah – will herald the arrival of the
“Great and awesome day of the Lord”, the period of redemption
(Malachai 3:23). Elijah is one of the most fascinating and ubiquitous
personalities of the Bible, which describes him as having been
“translated into heaven”: this provides the midrash with the
opportunity to say that Elijah never died, but rather continually travels
between heaven and earth visiting important personages and sewing seeds of
loving kindness and good works. We all become especially acquainted with
Elijah since our Tradition suggests that he is present at every
circumcision ceremony – indeed, the 8 day old baby is ceremoniously
placed on a special chair known as the “seat of Elijah” – as well as
every family seder, when the door is opened and a special wine goblet is
filled specifically for Elijah the prophet. What prompts the midrash
to invite Elijah’s presence specifically on the two occasions just
mentioned? What does this teach us both concerning Elijah as well as the
Jewish people in general?
Just about everyone is aware of the climax of Elijah’s career, when he
ministered as prophet of Israel during the first temple period under the
reign of the wicked and adulterous King Ahab and Queen Jezabel . There is
a terrible drought in the Land of Israel; Elijah is determined to prove
the existence and involvement of the only one and true G-d of the
universe, Lord of Israel and the world. Elijah stages a magnificent
contest atop the majestic Mount Carmel in Haifa, a contest between the
prophets of the Idol Ba’al and the prophet of the G-d of Israel in the
presence of no less than 600,000 Jews at the bottom of the mountain. First
the prophets of Ba’al cry out to their idol without receiving any
response whatsoever; then Elijah calls out to the Lord G-d of Israel and
the world – and a fire descends from heaven consuming the whole burnt
offering offered to G-d. The Lord emerges triumphant, and all of the Jews
shout in loud acclamation “The Lord He is G-d”. The false prophets of
Baal are murdered and the much needed rains begin to fall. Elijah and his
G-d have won the day ! (Kings I, 18).
But then – in the very next chapter of the Book of Kings – comes a
most unexpected twist and turn of events. Queen Jezabel sends a messenger
to inform Elijah that in 24 hours he will suffer the same fate as the
slain prophets of Ba’al, and Elijah flees to Mount Sinai where he begs
G-d to take his soul. What causes Elijah to give up so quickly and so
completely? At the heels of such a public triumph, why does he not stand
up to Jezabel and taste the fruits of his victory? I believe that the
answer lies in the fact that Jezabel informed him that he would be killed
in the next 24 hours. Why did she not execute him immediately? Elijah
understands that Jezabel is delivering a profound insight into the
mentality of the Israelites. She couldn’t possibly execute Elijah
immediately when he was still basking in the halo of his miracle; however,
she understands only too well that in 24 hours the halo will be dimmed,
the people will forget, and the legal power of king and queen will enable
them to get away with anything, including Elijah’s execution. And the
proof that Jezabel is correct lies in the fact that during the 24 hrs
following the miracle no change whatsoever took place within the life
style or mentality of the Israelites. Yes, they may have proclaimed
G-ds’ ascendance on Mount Carmel, but the very next morning very few
individuals went to minyan or daf yomi who hadn’t been there the day
before. And very few families switched their children from public schools
to religious schools. As G-d visually explains to Elijah, “Steven
Spielberg productions” do not transform peoples’ hearts or change
peoples minds. G-d is not to be found neither in fire nor in thunder nor
in rushing winds; G-d is only to be found in the still small voice of
daily prayer and torah study, of kindness and good deeds.
Elijah remains frustrated, because his disappointment with the Israelites
after his great extravaganza atop Mount Carmel makes him feel that there
is no hope for ultimate Jewish repentance. He cries out to G-d ,
“I have zealously acted as a zealot for the Lord G-d of Hosts; but the
children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, have destroyed your altars
and have killed your prophets by the sword; I now remain alone and they
wish also to take my soul.” (Kings I, 19).
The Almighty then takes Elijah up in a cloud into the supernal heavens,
appointing the prophet Elisha as his successor. Elijah can no longer be a
prophet of Israel because he has lost his faith in the Jewish people.
Indeed, no one can be a spiritual leader of Israel unless he believes in
Israel’s ability to return to G-d and to redeem the world. But since
Elijah never actually dies, the Almighty charges him with a mission. In
effect, G-d says to him: “You declared that the Isreaelites have
forsaken their covenant with Me? You will see how wrong you are! You will
attend every circumcision which is the expression of My covenant and which
symbolizes the willingness of every Jew to shed blood in commitment to
Jewish future. And you will attend every Passover seder, when every Jew
exclaims his faith in ultimate freedom and redemption as he vows to spend
next year in Jerusalem. And through these ceremonies you will see how
parents and children unite in building a Jewish future based on a Jewish
past, and through your very presence during these two pivotal and crucial
ceremonies you will enable ‘the hearts of the children to be turned
towards their parents and the hearts of the parents to be turned towards
their children’” (Malachai 3, 24)
By Shlomo Riskin
Shabbat Shalom
Shlomo Riskin
Chancellor Ohr Torah Stone
Chief Rabbi - Efrat Israel
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