tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Aug 02 14:29:31 2007
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Re: mu' chu'
- From: Steven Boozer <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: mu' chu'
- Date: Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:26:44 -0500
At 09:50 AM Thursday 8/2/2007, Qov wrote:
>paqDaq latlh mu' ghaj Okrand 'e' vIlegh. <'el'I'jaH> 'oHlaw'. 'ej
>"uninvited guest" 'oS. mu'vetlh maqbejbe'mo' chaq mu'na' bIHbe'.
Pun alert: For the benefit of the non-Jews on the list, there's a
tradition that there should always be an empty place set at the Passover
Seder and Shabbat table just in case Elijah turns up. If a guest comes
unexpectedly, he would sit there - after all, he may well be Elijah in
disguise.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin in Efrat (Israel) discusses this idea inter alia in his
commentary on the portion of the week for Parshat Tzav/Shabbat Hagadol
(Leviticus: 6:1-8:36) which I found in a quick Google search:
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?
For the answer to that, see the rest of the article at
http://www.ohrtorahstone.org.il/parsha/5767/tzav67.htm
Of course, the regular type of guest is a {meb}.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons