God teaches Eliyahu HaNavi a lesson |
This Shabbat in Israel we will read
the Haftara about Eliyahu HaNavi from Melachim Alef (Kings I) 18:46-19:21. This
Haftara will not be read outside of Israel this year, as next Shabbat when
Parshat Pinchas will be read outside of Israel, we will be observing the three
weeks leading up to Tisha B’Av and the prophecies of destruction will be read. In our Haftara, God shows Eliyahu a vision
which according to Ralbag is meant to rebuke Eliyahu for having criticized
Israel in harsh terms saying that they deserved to be punished. God’s vision
will show Eliyahu that instead of wishing to punish the people, He is showing
them patience and compassion, giving them time to repent. From this vision,
Eliyahu should learn that his role should be to pray for them, not attack them. The vision is found in Melachim Alef
19:11-12 “The word of God said, ‘Go out of the cave and stand on the mountain
before God.’ And behold, God was passing and a great and powerful wind,
smashing mountains and breaking rocks went before God. ‘God is not in the
wind!’ Eliyahu was told. After the wind came an earthquake. ‘God is not in the
earthquake’. After the earthquake came a fire. ‘God is not in the fire’. After
the fire came a still, thin voice.” The lesson that Eliyahu learns is
found in sentences 13-14 “It happened when Eliyahu heard this, he wrapped his
face in his mantle and went out and stood by the cave’s entrance; and behold, a
voice spoke unto him and said ‘Why are you here Eliyahu?’ He said ‘I have acted
with great zeal for God, the God of Legions, for the Children of Israel have
forsaken Your covenant; they have razed Your alters and have killed your
prophets by the sword so that I alone have remained and they now seek to take
my life.” According to Ralbag, God showed
Eliyahu three destructive forces through which he could have punished Israel,
as the prophet thought he should. But each time, God told him that his desire
was neither in the wind, the earthquake nor the fire for he did not wish to
destroy Israel despite the severity of their misdeeds. According to Malbim, God meant to
teach Eliyahu and other prophets and leaders that the preferable way to teach
people is calmly and lovingly, not through anger and force as Eliyahu had done
by bringing the drought and killing the prophets of Baal. At this point a new prophet is
chosen to replace Eliyahu. According to Rashi, since Eliyahu still wanted to
punish Israel, even after this vision, God did not want him to continue as a
prophet. We can learn from this story that
our leaders and rabbis should not give fire and brimstone speeches to try to
convince the nation to follow the Torah. Rather, they should teach with loving kindness
and serve as role models that the nation will want to emulate. If they are
unable to lead in the manner prescribed by God, then they would be better off
leaving their positions of leadership. |