Journeys with Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet

The eight tales of the Jewish prophet Elijah begin with two uncounted stories--an author's generous note and her story of Elijah's life. The prophet lived during the ninth century B.C.E., when Israel's King Ahab married the Phoenician princess Jezebel, who worshiped many gods. At odds with the royal court, Elijah denounced idol worship, admonished the people to believe in the One God and was forced to hide and travel from place to place. Once, during a drought, the people Israel gathered at Mount Carmel, where Elijah challenged them to prove the existence of their gods. They prepared an altar and sacrifice to the Canaanite-Phoenician weather god Baal, and prayed for a fire to consume them. Nothing happened. Elijah, in turn, called upon the Holy One. A great fire descended, consumed his offering and ended the drought. Elijah did not die, but rose from the River Jordan in fiery horse-drawn chariot to Heaven, where he records deeds of the righteous, awaiting the time he can help establish peace on earth. We invoke his presence at life cycle events, on Saturday evenings, and at Pessach. The stories that follow these two eloquent introductions exude kindness. In the first, Elijah appeared one day as Rabbi Joshua Ben Levi opened his eyes after praying. Though a great scholar, teacher and rabbi, he could not answer why some people suffer when they have done good deeds and why some wicked people are sometimes rewarded. Elijah agreed to take Rabbi Levi on his travels, provided he questioned nothing. Rabbi Levi agreed. In one town, a poor farmer and his wife offered Elijah and Rabbi Levi a place to sleep and the butter, milk and cheese produced by their only cow. In the morning, Elijah prayed for the cow's death, which soon collapsed and died. The next night, they came to the home of a wealthy man, who grudgingly told them to sleep outside. In the morning, Elijah prayed for the man's wall to be rebuilt, which was done as if by unseen hands. In another town, the worshipers at a fine gold- and silver-filled sanctuary gave the travelers a few pennies to buy water and bread and left them to stay in a room in the shul. Elijah prayed for the congregation to have many leaders. In a fourth town, members of a simple synagogue warmly welcomed the travelers and fed and lodged them in comfort. Elijah prayed for them to have a single leader. Finally Rabbi Levi could stand his pain no longer. How could Elijah pray for suffering for the poor and rewards for the wicked? Elijah answered: The wife of the poor man was ordained to die that day, so he prayed for the cow to die in her place. The rich man's crumbling wall hid a treasure, which would have been found had it collapsed, so he prayed for it to be repaired. A congregation with many leaders would be troubled, while one with one strong leader would prosper, so Elijah prayed for the worshipers to be rewarded according to their goodness or lack thereof. And then Elijah disappeared. The seven other tales similarly teach ch

Stories of the ancient prophet Elijah appear in cultures and traditions from Curacao to China to Eastern Europe, following the flight of Jews throughout history. Eight of these tales have been gathered and embellished in this enchanting book by Barbara Diamond Goldin. Master illustrator Jerry Pinkey's stunning and lovely watercolors vividly capture the details of the times, places, and people visited by the prophet. Disguised as a worn traveler and, oftentimes beggar, Elijah brings hope to those in need, and wisdom and friendship to those judged worthy. The possibility that at anytime we can be visited by this wise and generous prophet should encourage us all to treat each person we meet with careful consideration and kindness, as if they are Elijah himself.