R. Jose opened a discourse on the subject of Elijah. ‘There were’, he said, ‘two men who dared to expostulate with God: Moses and Elijah. Moses said: “Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with these people?” (Ex. 5, 22); and Elijah said: “Hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?” (I Kings, XVII, 20). Both used the term “evil” with the same recondite meaning.
Similarly Elijah said in effect: “whoever preserves one soul in the world merits life and is worthy to lay hold of the tree of life; yet now the tree of death, the side of evil, has obtained power over the widow whom Thou hast commanded to sustain me.”
It may be asked, how could Moses and Elijah speak thus, seeing that evil is never done to man by the Almighty? The truth is that when a man walks on the right side, the protection of the Holy One, blessed be He, is constantly with him, so that the other side has no power over him, and the forces of evil are bowed before him, and cannot prevail over him. But as soon as the protection of the Holy One is withdrawn from him by reason of his having attached himself to evil, that evil gains the mastery and advances to destroy him, being given authorization to take his soul.’
Said R. Hiya: ‘Elijah was able to pronounce a doom with the full certainty that God would confirm it, as, for instance, that the heaven should not let fall rain or dew. How came it, then, that he felt afraid of Jezebel? How came it that at her threat to take his life (I Kings 19, 2) he was filled with fear and fled for his life?’
R. Jose said in reply: ‘It has been laid down that the righteous should not put their Master to trouble by exposing themselves to an obvious danger. We find an example in Samuel, when he said: “How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me” (I Sam. 16, 2); and God therefore told him to take certain precautions (Ibid.). So it was with Elijah.’
Said R. Jose, further: ‘I have heard a special exposition of this matter as follows. When Jezebel threatened Elijah, it is not written that he “feared” (vayira), but he “saw” (vayar) (I Kings 19, 3). What was it that he saw? He saw that the angel of death had followed him for a number of years, and he had not been delivered into his hand. Then the verse continues: vayelekh el nafsho (and he went for his life), which literally means, “and he went to (el) his soul”, that is to say, he resorted to the foundation of his soul, or, in other words, he proceeded to attach himself to the tree of life.
In connection with the phrase el nafsho (to his soul), I have heard,’ he continued, ‘the following recondite doctrine from R. Simeon. All the souls of mankind emerge from the everflowing celestial stream, from which they are received into the “bundle of life”. Now, when a female becomes pregnant from a male, it is mostly the result of an equal and reciprocal desire, or less often of the predominating desire of the female. But when the desire of the male predominates, then the soul of the child that is born has unusual vitality, inasmuch as the whole of its being is the result of the desire and yearning for the tree of life. Hence Elijah, to whose birth that desire had contributed in a special degree, was gifted with special vitality, and did not die like other men.
For his whole being was derived from the tree of life and not from the dust. He, therefore, without suffering death, as is the lot of other men, went up on high, as Scripture says: “and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (II Kings 2, 11).
Observe the words: “behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, etc.” (Ibid.), which indicate that Elijah’s spirit was stripped of its body, so that he departed not life in the manner of other men, but became a holy angel like other heavenly beings, carrying out divine messages in this world; for it is well established among us that the miracles which God performs in the world are carried out by his agency.
Now observe that it is written further: “and he requested for himself (eth nafsho=his soul) to die” (I Kings 19, 4). This implies that he turned to the tree wherein death lurks, and there God appeared unto him, as Scripture says: “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord… and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice”-referring to the very innermost point, which is the source of all illumination
“And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle…. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said: What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said: I have been very jealous for the Lord” (Ibid. 19, 11-13). God said to him: “How long wilt thou continue to be jealous for me? Thou hast already closed fast the gate so as to secure thyself from death, and the world will not be able to endure thee.” Elijah replied: “for the children have forsaken thy covenant, etc.” (Ibid. 14). The Holy One then said to him: “As thou livest, in whatever place the rite of the holy covenant (i.e. circumcision) will be performed, thou wilt be present.” It is for this reason that at every performance of that rite a chair is set aside for Elijah, who is always there present.
Observe what consequences followed Elijah’s words, for it is written: “Yet will I leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and everv mouth which hath not kissed him” (Ibid. 19, 18). God said to him in effect: “Henceforth the world will not be able to tolerate thee along with my sons.” So He commanded him, saying: “and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room” (Ibid. 16), as much as to say: “There shall be another prophet for my children, and thou shalt go up to thy place.”
Observe that if a man is jealous for the Holy One, blessed be He, the angel of death has no power over him as he has over other men, and to him is given the covenant of peace, as it is said regarding Phinehas: “Wherefore say: Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace” (Num. 25, 12).
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח קְרָא בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב, (מלכים א י״ז:כ׳) וַיִּקְרָא אֶל ה' וַיֹּאמַר ה' אֱלהָי הֲגַם עַל הָאַלְמָנָה אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מִתְגּוֹרֵר עִמָּהּ הֲרֵעוֹתָ לְהָמִית אֶת בְּנָהּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּרֵי הֲווּ דְּקָאָמְרִין מִלִּין לָקֳבֵיל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, משֶׁה וְאֵלִיָּהוּ. משֶׁה אָמַר, (שמות ה׳:כ״ב) לָמָּה הֲרֵעוֹתָ לָעָם הַזֶּה. וְאֵלִיָּהוּ אָמַר, הֲרֵעוֹתָ לְהָמִית אֶת בְּנָהּ, וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ מִלָּה חָדָא קָאֲמְרוּ.
R. Jose opened a discourse on the subject of Elijah. ‘There were’, he said, ‘two men who dared to expostulate with God: Moses and Elijah. Moses said: “Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with these people?” (Ex. 5, 22); and Elijah said: “Hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?” (I Kings, XVII, 20). Both used the term “evil” with the same recondite meaning.
מַאי טַעְמָא. אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ. משֶׁה אָמַר, לָמָּה הֲרֵעוֹתָ, מַאי טַעְמָא. אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְיְהִיב רְשׁוּ לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲרֵעוֹתָ, יְהַבְתְּ רְשׁוּ לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְרַע, לְמִשְׁלַט עֲלַיְיהוּ. אֵלִיָּהוּ אָמַר, הֲרֵעוֹתָ יְהַבְתְּ רְשׁוּ לְסִטְרָא דְרַע, לִיטוֹל נִשְׁמָתָא דְּדָא. וְדָא הוּא הֲרֵעוֹתָ, וְכֹלָּא רָזָא חָדָא.
What was the reason? It is a mystery. Moses said in effect: “Wherefore hast thou given licence to the side of evil to take the soul of that people?”
תָּא חֲזֵי, אֵלִיָּהוּ אָמַר, הֲגַם עַל הָאַלְמָנָה אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מִתְגּוֹרֵר עִמָּהּ. בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לֵיהּ לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, הִנֵּה צִוִּיתִי שָׁם אִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה לְכַלְכְּלֶךָ. וְכָל מַאן דְּזָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לְמַאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּיוֹמָא דְכַפְנָא. הָא אִתְאַחִיד בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, וְגָרִים לֵיהּ חַיִּים וְלִבְנוֹי, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. וְהַשְׁתָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ אָמַר, כָּל מַאן דְּקִיֵּים נַפְשָׁא בְּעַלְמָא, זָכֵי לֵיהּ חַיִּים וְזָכֵי לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי. וְהַשְׁתָּא שָׁלְטָא אִילָנָא דְמוֹתָא סִטְרָא דְרַע עַל הָאַלְמָנָה דְּאַנְתְּ פְּקַדְתְּ לְמֵיזַן לִי. בְּגִין כָּךְ הֲרֵעוֹתָ (למה הרעות).
Similarly Elijah said in effect: “whoever preserves one soul in the world merits life and is worthy to lay hold of the tree of life; yet now the tree of death, the side of evil, has obtained power over the widow whom Thou hast commanded to sustain me.”
וְאִי תֵימָא דְּרַע לָא אִתְעֲבִיד לְבַר נָשׁ מֵעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּזִמְנָא דְבַר נָשׁ אָזִיל לִימִינָא, נְטִירוּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלֵיהּ. וְהַאי רָע אִתְכַּפְיָא קַמֵּיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה. וְכֵיוָן דִּנְטִירָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְעַבְרָא מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִתְדָּבַּק בְּרָע, כְּדֵין הַהוּא רָע, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמֵי דְּלָאו עִמֵּיהּ נְטִירוּ, כְּדֵין שַׁלִּיט עֲלֵיהּ, וְאָתֵי לְשֵׁיצָאָה לֵיהּ, וּכְדֵין אִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ, וְנָטִיל נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ.
It may be asked, how could Moses and Elijah speak thus, seeing that evil is never done to man by the Almighty? The truth is that when a man walks on the right side, the protection of the Holy One, blessed be He, is constantly with him, so that the other side has no power over him, and the forces of evil are bowed before him, and cannot prevail over him. But as soon as the protection of the Holy One is withdrawn from him by reason of his having attached himself to evil, that evil gains the mastery and advances to destroy him, being given authorization to take his soul.’
משֶׁה אָמַר לָמָּה הֲרֵעוֹתָ, דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְסִטְרָא דְרָע, לְמִשְׁלַט עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּשִׁעְבּוּדָא דִילֵיהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר לָמָּה הֲרֵעוֹתָ, דְּחָמָא כַּמָּה מִנְהוֹן דְּהֲווּ מֵתִין, וְאִתְמְסָרוּ בְּסִטְרָא דְרָע.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּטוֹב אִתְעַר, דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא, כָּל חֵידוּ, וְכָל טִיבוּ, וְכָל בִּרְכָאן מִשְׁתַּכְּחָן, וְכֹלָּא בַּחֲשַׁאי אִיהוּ, כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ, דְּאָמְרֵי בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד בַּחֲשַׁאי, וְרָזָא דָא בְּגִין (ס"א דהאי איהו יחודא) דְּאִיהוּ כְּדֵין יִחוּדָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי.
אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, וְכִי אֵלִיָּהוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ גָּזַר, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְקַיֵּים. וְאִיהוּ גָּזִיר עַל שְׁמַיָא, דְּלָא לַאֲחָתָא מִטְרָא וְטַלָּא, הֵיךְ דָּחִיל אִיהוּ מֵאִיזֶבֶל, דְּשַׁדְּרַת לֵיהּ. דִּכְתִיב, (מלכים א י״ט:ב׳) כִּי כָעֵת מָחָר אָשִׂים אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ כְּנֶפֶשׁ אַחַד מֵהֶם, וּמִיָּד דָּחִיל וְעָרַק עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ.
Said R. Hiya: ‘Elijah was able to pronounce a doom with the full certainty that God would confirm it, as, for instance, that the heaven should not let fall rain or dew. How came it, then, that he felt afraid of Jezebel? How came it that at her threat to take his life (I Kings 19, 2) he was filled with fear and fled for his life?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּצַדִּיקַיָא לָא בָּעָאן לְאַטְרָחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן, בְּאֲתַר דְּנִזְקָא אִשְׁתַּכְּחַת (ליה) לְעֵינָא. כְּגַוְונָא דִשְׁמוּאֵל, דִּכְתִיב, (שמואל א ט״ז:ב׳) אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי, אָמַר לֵיהּ, עֶגְלַת בָּקָר תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ. בְּגִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא לָא בָּעָאן לְאַטְרָחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּאֲתַר דְּנִזְקָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח. אוּף הָכִי אֵלִיָּהוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְּנִזְקָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח, לָא בָּעֵי לְאַטְרָחָא לְמָארֵיהּ.
R. Jose said in reply: ‘It has been laid down that the righteous should not put their Master to trouble by exposing themselves to an obvious danger. We find an example in Samuel, when he said: “How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me” (I Sam. 16, 2); and God therefore told him to take certain precautions (Ibid.). So it was with Elijah.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, אֲנָא מִלָּה שְׁמַעְנָא, דְּהָא בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ וַיִּירָא וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, אֶלָּא (מלכים א י״ט:ג׳) וַיַּרְא. רְאִיָה חָמָא. וּמַה חָמָא, אֶלָּא חָמָא דְּהָא מִכַּמָּה שְׁנִין אֲזַל בַּתְרֵיהּ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוְת, וְלָא אִתְמָסַר בִּידֵיהּ. וְהַשְׁתָּא וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, מַאי וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, אֲזַל לְקִיּוּמָא דְנַפְשָׁא, וּמַאן אִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא תַּמָּן.
Said R. Jose, further: ‘I have heard a special exposition of this matter as follows. When Jezebel threatened Elijah, it is not written that he “feared” (vayira), but he “saw” (vayar) (I Kings 19, 3). What was it that he saw? He saw that the angel of death had followed him for a number of years, and he had not been delivered into his hand. Then the verse continues: vayelekh el nafsho (and he went for his life), which literally means, “and he went to (el) his soul”, that is to say, he resorted to the foundation of his soul, or, in other words, he proceeded to attach himself to the tree of life.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כֻּלְּהוּ כְּתִיב אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ, וְהָכָא כְּתִיב אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, וְרָזָא דָא שְׁמַעְנָא, דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין דְּעַלְמָא, כֻּלְּהוּ נָפְקֵי מֵהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק, וְכֻלְּהוּ נָקִיט לוֹן הַהוּא צְרוֹרָא דְחַיָּיא (דחיי), וְכַד נוּקְבָא אִתְעַבְּרַת מִן דְּכוּרָא, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דְּנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְכוּרָא. וְכַד תִּיאוּבְתָּא דִּדְכוּרָא נָפְקָא בִּרְעוּתָא, כְּדֵין אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין בְּקִיּוּמָא יַתִּיר, בְּגִין דְּכֹלָּא בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא וּרְעוּ דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיָּיא. וְאֵלִיָּהוּ, בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה מֵהַהוּא רְעוּתָא יַתִּיר מִבַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא, אִתְקְיַּים.
In connection with the phrase el nafsho (to his soul), I have heard,’ he continued, ‘the following recondite doctrine from R. Simeon. All the souls of mankind emerge from the everflowing celestial stream, from which they are received into the “bundle of life”. Now, when a female becomes pregnant from a male, it is mostly the result of an equal and reciprocal desire, or less often of the predominating desire of the female. But when the desire of the male predominates, then the soul of the child that is born has unusual vitality, inasmuch as the whole of its being is the result of the desire and yearning for the tree of life. Hence Elijah, to whose birth that desire had contributed in a special degree, was gifted with special vitality, and did not die like other men.
וּבְגִין כָּךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ כְּתִיב, וְלָא כְּתִיב אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ. דְּהָא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ דָּא הִיא נוּקְבָא. וְאִי תֵימָא וְאֶל הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר, כְּלָלָא דִּדְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. כַּד הִיא בְּגוֹ דְּכוּרָא, כְּדֵין וְאֶל הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר. אֶת הָאִשָּׁה, נוּקְבָא בִּלְחוּדָהָא, וְלָא דִּדְּכוּרָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָא אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, דָּכָר בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ נוּקְבָא בִּלְחוּדָהָא וְלָא כְּלִילוּ דִּדְּכוּרָא. וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּדְּכוּרָא יַתִּיר מִכָּל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, אִתְקְיַּים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ יַתִּיר, וְלָא מִית כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי עַלְמָא. בְּגִין דְּכֹלָּא אִיהוּ מֵאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, וְלָא מִגּוֹ עַפְרָא. וּבְגִין דָּא אִסְתַּלַּק לְעֵילָא, וְלָא מִית כְּאֹרַח כָּל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא. דִּכְתִיב, (מלכים ב ב׳:י״א) וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בִּסְעָרָה הַשָּׁמַיִם.
For his whole being was derived from the tree of life and not from the dust. He, therefore, without suffering death, as is the lot of other men, went up on high, as Scripture says: “and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (II Kings 2, 11).
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב וְהִנֵּה רֶכֶב אֵשׁ וְסוּסֵי אֵשׁ וְגו', (שמות קצז ע"א) דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְפַּשַּׁט גּוּפָא מִן רוּחָא, וְאִסְתַּלַּק דְּלָא כִּשְׁאָר אֹרַח בְּנֵי עַלְמָא. וְאִשְׁתָּאַר מַלְאֲכָא קַדִּישָׁא, כִּשְׁאָר קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, וְעָבִיד שְׁלִיחוּתָא בְעַלְמָא. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּנִסִּין דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעַלְמָא, עַל יְדֵיהּ אִתְעֲבִידָן.
Observe the words: “behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, etc.” (Ibid.), which indicate that Elijah’s spirit was stripped of its body, so that he departed not life in the manner of other men, but became a holy angel like other heavenly beings, carrying out divine messages in this world; for it is well established among us that the miracles which God performs in the world are carried out by his agency.
וְתָא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, (מלכים א י״ט:ג׳) וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ. בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר בְּקִיּוּמָא. וְהָכָא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת, אִילָנָא דְבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא מוֹתָא. וְתַמָּן אִתְגְּלִי עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, (מלכים א י״ט:י״ב) צֵא וְעָמַדְתָּ בָּהָר. מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ, וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ לא בָאֵשׁ ה' וְאַחַר הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה, דָּא הוּא אֲתַר פְּנִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא, דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקִין כָּל נְהוֹרִין.
Now observe that it is written further: “and he requested for himself (eth nafsho=his soul) to die” (I Kings 19, 4). This implies that he turned to the tree wherein death lurks, and there God appeared unto him, as Scripture says: “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord… and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice”-referring to the very innermost point, which is the source of all illumination
מַה כְּתִיב, (מלכים א י״ט:י״ג) וַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיָּלֶט פָּנָיו בְּאַדַּרְתּוֹ וְהִנֵּה אֵלָיו קוֹל וַיֹּאמֶר (תשא ק"ץ ע"א) מַה לְּךָ פֹה אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר קַנֹּא קִנֵּאתִי, אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַד מָתַי אַתָּה מְקַנֵּא לִי, טְרָקַת גַּלָּא דְּלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בָּךְ מוֹתָא לְעָלְמָא, וְעַלְמָא לָא יָכִיל לְמִסְבְּלָךְ עִם בָּנַי (נשא). אָמַר לֵיהּ, כִּי עָזְבוּ בְרִיתְךָ בְּנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו'. אָמַר לֵיהּ, חַיֶּיךָ, דְּבְּכָל אֲתַר דְּבָנַי (נשא) יְקַיְּימוּ קְיָים קַדִּישָׁא, אַנְתְּ תְּהֵא זַמִּין תַּמָּן. (ד"א והא אתמר בגין כך מתקנין כורסיא לאליהו דאיהו זמין תמן)
“And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle…. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said: What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said: I have been very jealous for the Lord” (Ibid. 19, 11-13). God said to him: “How long wilt thou continue to be jealous for me? Thou hast already closed fast the gate so as to secure thyself from death, and the world will not be able to endure thee.” Elijah replied: “for the children have forsaken thy covenant, etc.” (Ibid. 14). The Holy One then said to him: “As thou livest, in whatever place the rite of the holy covenant (i.e. circumcision) will be performed, thou wilt be present.” It is for this reason that at every performance of that rite a chair is set aside for Elijah, who is always there present.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה גָּרַם הַהִיא מִלָּה דְאֵלִיָּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב, (מלכים א י״ט:י״ח) וְהִשְׁאַרְתִּי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים כָּל הַבִּרְכַּיִם אֲשֶׁר לא כָּרְעוּ לַבַּעַל וְכָל הַפֶּה אֲשֶׁר לֹא נָשַׁק לוֹ. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, דְּלָא יָכִיל עַלְמָא לְמִסְבְּלָךְ עִם בָּנַי (נשא). וְאֶת אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן שָׁפָט מֵאָבֵל מְחוֹלָה תִּמְשַׁח לְנָבִיא תַּחְתֶּיךָ. יְהֵא נְבִיאָה אָחֳרָא לְגַבֵּי בָּנַי (נשא), וְאַתְּ תִּסְתַּלַּק לְאַתְרָךְ.
Observe what consequences followed Elijah’s words, for it is written: “Yet will I leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and everv mouth which hath not kissed him” (Ibid. 19, 18). God said to him in effect: “Henceforth the world will not be able to tolerate thee along with my sons.” So He commanded him, saying: “and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room” (Ibid. 16), as much as to say: “There shall be another prophet for my children, and thou shalt go up to thy place.”
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דִּמְקַנִּי לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא יָכִיל מַלְאֲכָא דְמוֹתָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בֵּיהּ, כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא. וְיִתְקַיֵּים בֵּיהּ שְׁלָם, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר בְּפִנְחָס, (במדבר כ״ה:י״ב) לָכֵן אֱמוֹר הִנְנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם:
Observe that if a man is jealous for the Holy One, blessed be He, the angel of death has no power over him as he has over other men, and to him is given the covenant of peace, as it is said regarding Phinehas: “Wherefore say: Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace” (Num. 25, 12).