special 'keys:' of birth, of the rainfall, and of waking the dead (Yalkut, vol. ii. 32 c ), but
his working was almost Divine (Tanch. Bereshith 7; ed. Warsh. p. 6 b, last line, and 7 a).
5. In this passage also reference is made to the zeal of Phinehas as corresponding to that
of Elijah.
We purposely pass over the activity of Elijah in connection with Israel, and especially its
Rabbis and saints, during the interval between the Prophet's death and his return as the
Forerunner of the Messiah, such as Jewish legend describes it. No good purpose could be
served by repeating what so frequently sounds not only utter ly foolish and superstitious,
but profane. In Jewish legend Elijah is always introduced as the guardian of the interests
of Israel, whether theologically or personally - as it were the constant living medium
between God and his people, the link that binds the Israel of the present - with its
pursuits, wants, difficulties and interests - to the bright Messianic future of which he is
the harbinger. This probably is the idea underlying the many, often grotesque, legends
about his sayings and doings. Sometimes he is represented as, in his well- meant zeal,
going so far as to bear false witness in order to free Rabbis from danger and difficulty
(Berach. 58 a). In general, he is always ready to instruct, to comfort, or to heal,
condescending even to so slight a malady as the toothache (Ber. R. 96, end). But most
frequently is he the adviser an friend of the Rabbis, in whose meetings and studies he
delighteth. Thus he was a frequent attendant in Rabh's Academy - and his indiscretion in
divulging to his friends the secrets of heaven had once procured for him in heaven the
punishment of fiery stripes (Babha Mets. 85 b ). But it is useless to do more than indicate
all this. Our object is to describe the activity of Elijah in connection with the coming of
the Messiah.
Whe n, at length, the time of Israel's redemption arrived - then would Elijah return. Of
two things only are we sure in connection with it. Elijah will not 'come yesterday' - that
is, he will be revealed the same day that he comes - and he will not come on the eve of
either a Sabbath or feast-day, in order not to interrupt the festive rest, nor to break the
festive laws (Erub. 43 b, Shabb. 33 a). Whether he came one day (Er. 43 b) or three days
before the Messiah (Yalkut, vol. ii. p. 53 c, about the middle) his advent would be close
to that of that Messiah (Yalkut, vol. i. p. 310 a, line 21 from bottom).6 The account given
of the three days between the advent of Elijah and of the Messiah is peculiar (Yalkut, vol.
ii. p.53 c). Commenting on Is. lii. 7, it is explained, that on the first of those three days
Elijah would stand on the mountains of Israel, lamenting the desolateness of the land, his
voice being heard from one end of the world to the other, after which he would proclaim:
'Peace' cometh to the world; 'peace' cometh to the world! Similarly on the second day he
would proclaim, 'Good' cometh to the world; 'good' cometh to the world! Lastly, on the
third day, he would, in the same manner as the two previous days, make proclamation:
'Jeshuah7 (salvation) cometh to the world; Jeshuah (salvation) cometh to the world,'
which, in order to mark the difference between Israel and the Gentiles, would be further
explained by this addition: 'Saying unto Zion - Thy King cometh!'
6. Schöttgen (Horę Hebr. tomus ii. p. 534 ) has not correctly apprehended the meaning of
this passage. It is not 'statim cum ipso Messię adventu,' but prope or proxime
(η)ψβλ Κωµσ.) Schöttgen writes inaccurately τ)ψβη.