Critique of Eliyahu

נמצאו 5 תוצאות חיפוש

1. Eliyahu on His Way to Appear Before Ahav

   Part 4

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Why does the text eternalize Ovadyahu's mistake and record his speech in such detail? Ovadyahu's emotional speech is a condemnation of Eliyahu and his approach. It expresses how Eliyahu was perceived by the righteous people of his generation. The parallels that exist between Ovadya’s speech and Eliyahu’s experiences during the drought magnify the destructiveness of Eliyahu’s decree. Eliyahu has chosen the path conflict followed by cutting off contact. Ovadyahu has chosen precisely the opposite path: a path of brave cooperation with the wicked king in an attempt to influence from the inside.

2. The Second Encounter Between Eliyahu and Ahav - Part 1

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Eliyahu's second appearance before Ahav is the opposite of the first: It takes place not on Eliyahu’s initiative, but rather as a result of God's command, its purpose is a renewal of the rains, and ultimately there is cooperation between Eliyahu and Ahav. This dialogue serves as the first in a series of actions by Eliyahu that are aimed at changing the national reality such that Israel will be worthy of God restoring the rain. Ahav, who understands the gravity of the situation, goes to Eliyahu submissively. However, upon seeing him, Ahav rebukes Eliyahu with a subtle comparison to Akhan who had brought catastrophe upon his nation out of personal interests.

3. Ahazya (Part 4)

   Why are the Two Captains of Fifty, and their Fifty Men, Consumed by Fire?

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Neither the Sages nor the commentators criticize Eliyahu for the consumption by fire of the captains and their men because Eliyahu's actions throughout this chapter are guided by the Angel of God and not of his own initiative. Ahazya wants to harm Eliyahu not merely as a punishment, but as an attempt to battle God's decree that he will die. God prevails on three occasions: by consuming the first two captains by fire, by the surrender of the third captain, and by Eliyahu's fearless appearance in person to Ahazya. The captains and their men were deserving of their punishment as they chose Ahazya over Eliyahu - God's representative as opposed to the messengers earlier in the story and to the third captain.

4. The Storm (Part 17)

   Eliyahu Lives On (V)

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   Why is Eliyahu taken in this surprising manner, remaining alive in order to reappear many times throughout Jewish history, up until his coming as the harbinger of the redemption? Their exists a striking contrast between the image of Eliyahu that arises from Sefer Melakhim and his alternative image, which begins to be formed already at the end of in the final verses of Sefer Malakhi and continues to develop over the course of Eliyahu's many appearances during the times of the Sages and later on.  Eliyahu is kept alive in order to complete his prophetic mission.

5. The Raven: A Message for Eliyahu and for Noah

   Rabbi David Silverberg