Elijah’s Cup

The number of cups of wine poured for all who are present at the seder,
though generally thought just four, is even greater,
for after everyone has eaten not just matsoh, maror and
haroset and a lovely meal when little kids demand

rewards for akikoman which they from the parents wrench,
and everyone is satisfied, and says this when they bensch,
and pour a cup for Eliyahu Hanavi, and once that we’ve
proved by the fact this cup for him that we believe

he’ll come… we ask God to pour wrath on all those nations who
attack throughout the ages everyone who is a Jew,
including Jews who like the afikoman have stayed hidden.
When Eliyahu really comes he’ll recognize all Yidden,

and while he drinks his glass of wine we’ll say lehayyim!
the seder’s last three words fulfilled in Yerushalayim,
where the holy Temple hopefully will be restored,
unless such a decision is by the good Mighty Lord deplored.

Inspired by Rabbi David Wolpe’s Off the Pulpit for Shabbat Hagadol, on 4/6/17:

Why Elijah – And When?
Why do we open the door for Elijah at the Passover Seder? In the Bible, Elijah does not die (he goes up to heaven in a chariot – see 2 Kings, chapter 2). Therefore he is the prophet our tradition assumes will return to announce the coming of the Messiah.

The cup of Elijah stands on the table because of an unresolved Talmudic dispute over whether there should be four or five cups of wine at the Seder table. We use four. If Elijah drinks, we learn that five is the correct answer. The Rabbis teach that when Elijah comes all remaining disputes of law will be resolved. So keep your eye on that cup.

Finally, there are particular reasons for the special times Elijah is anticipated – at a brit milah, the end of Shabbat, the end of Yom Kippur, and Passover. But also, they are all family times. We are told of the Messiah that: “He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents” (Malachi 4:6). So if on the night of the Seder you are gathered in joy with family, you have experienced a taste of the Messianic age, even if Elijah has not yet arrived.