The Eternal Jew’s Tale, #201, Crystal Haggadah, 12

In this episode and the following one, meetings with remarkable Elijahs.

The Eternal Jew’s Tale
A Pesakh Montage, The Crystal Haggadah
Midrashbase

Khasidic Seder Midrashim, Kotsk, 1838 CE; part 1

… But once, with Yitzkhak Meir, his friend, Reb Mendel told this fragment of a parable:

“Eliyahu once came to me with a message for *my ear* alone, but he spoke in tongues I couldn’t understand, and yet his words, in form and shade, arrayed in my imagination, thus…
*-* other say ‘Meir’

“‘I have strayed too far. I can no more feel the reins the Holy One bound on me. What is permitted; what is forbidden? My faith is but Ruakh, a passing wind. My devotions a fire consuming me. Flame and smoke; smoke and flame; prayers and deeds; self and sin; a cheap alloy of lead and tin.’

“Then of my ear no more may hear.”

The abundant meal Reb Mendel serves to his destitute and despairing flock softens their frigid, hungered souls. People staggering beneath their loads, patience spent, quick to revile, hearts all frozen in bitterness, now melting like the winter ice; the bruises and blisters and open sores now salved and bandaged, milder the ache. Now parents and children recall and boast their favorite Eliyahu tales.

Young Zisel recounts this one he knows:

“Remember the story of that old guy, all old and gray and a beard like dad’s, and, umm, you know, he bangs on the door, you know, that man and woman so poor, and he gave them a child, and, you know the one…”

And his mama and papa with endearing smile nod their heads,

“Ahh, yes, I know. Eliyahu hearing the suffering and prayers of a childless couple, brings the news that Heaven has heard and it won’t be long til that righteous woman will be big with child.”

But as if an irrepressible pain flaming up from deep in his gut, another tale, like caustic lye, seethes and blisters from Alter’s tongue:

“Not long ago, one seder night a poor couple, childless they were, when just as their lamps were being lit there’s a knock on the door, and who can say ‘no’? And there’s Eliyahu himself in the guise of a beggar with a weeping child.

“‘Please, may we enter and rest our bones and share *ha lakhma anya* with you?’
*-* ‘bread of affliction’, aka, matzah

“Who can say ‘no’? and anyways, it’s a mitzvah* to feed the stranger and the poor, and might this not be Elijah in truth?
* commandment

“And certain they were when they heard his voice singing the blessings and reciting by heart the whole haggadah right thru nirtzah.* But all their blessings and all their joys couldn’t restrain the tears of that child. The menorah lights started to sputter and fade, and man and wife and Elijah and child curled up in their armfuls of straw. Morning light and a weeping child woke the couple from shivering sleep. And Elijah? Gone and couldn’t be found.
* ending prayer, requesting our devotions be accepted

“‘Rebbe, what should we do with the child? Is she a gift that Elijah brung, a gift from the Lor fulfilling our prayers?’

“‘Time will tell, but this for sure: care for that child til that man returns.’

“In short, the years slowly passed with the child and her heart-aches and grief and travail; a child of weeping without end; a child of anger and bitterness. Many years later on Pesakh night Elijah returned to that family’s door and his heavenly voice dispelled their pain as he sang the prayers and recited by heart the whole haggadah right thru nirtzah. When morning came, Elijah was gone, and where was the child? She was gone too. And the years passed even slower then with heart ache and grief and worser despair.

“Oh Lor, can this be Eliyahu’s work?”

Grunts and hmm’s and shaking of heads til Benish opens a tale of his own.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the next episode, more Kotsk tales of Eliyahu.