Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi & Eliyahu Hanavi

Once, when Rabbi Yehoshua encountered Elijah the Prophet, he asked Elijah if he could accompany him so that he could learn from his conduct. Elijah refused, explaining that Rabbi Yehoshua would not understand what he would see. On the contrary, his mortal mind would raise countless questions and there would be no time for explanations.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi begged and pleaded; he promised that he would not ask any questions. Elijah finally agreed on the condition that if Rabbi Yehoshua would begin to ask questions, they would part company.

And so they set out together. Toward evening, they reached an old hut. An elderly couple was sitting outside. They were obviously poor, but their poverty did not hamper their enthusiasm to welcome guests. As soon as they saw the travelers, they jumped up and eagerly invited them into their home, offering them a meal and a place to sleep.

The accommodations were somewhat lacking because the people did not have very much. But whatever they had, they willingly shared, doing the best they could to observe the mitzva (commandment) of hospitality to guests.

The following morning, the two travelers bade their hosts farewell and set out again. Shortly after they had departed, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi saw that Elijah was praying. He listened closely. What was Elijah praying for? The elderly couple who had hosted them owned a cow. The cow was the most valuable possession they owned - indeed, the majority of their income came from the cow's milk. Elijah was praying that this cow should die.

When Rabbi Yehoshua heard this, he was shocked. The couple had been so kind, so pleasant, so warm. Why did they deserve that their cow should die? But he could not ask any questions; that was the agreement.

As they proceeded on their journey, they talked. Rabbi Yehoshua hoped that Elijah would offer an explanation for what happened. But that was not so. Toward evening, they came to a beautiful mansion. Although many members of the household saw them, no one offered them hospitality.

They asked the owner of the house, a very wealthy man, for permission to spend the night. Reluctantly, the man agreed. But he was very cold to them; he did not offer them any food, and he hardly said a word to them.

After they set off on their way in the morning, Rabbi Yehoshua noticed that Elijah was praying again. What was he praying for this time? One of the walls in this rich man's house was cracked and weak. Elijah was praying to G-d that this wall should be restored and should remain strong and solid.

Rabbi Yehoshua could not understand. This person had not acted kindly toward them. And yet Elijah was praying to G-d on his behalf! But once more, he abided by the terms of his agreement: no questions allowed.

Eventually, the two travelers arrived in a beautiful city; everything about the place reflected prosperity and opulence. They made their way to the synagogue. It was a magnificent structure, designed with elegance and taste. Everything, even the benches, was beautiful.

Rabbi Yehoshua thought that they would have no problem receiving hospitality in such a town. But it did not work out that way. The people were not very kind. When the prayers were over, nobody approached them to ask where they planned to eat or where they planned to stay. Ultimately, they had to spend the night in the synagogue without eating supper.

In the morning, when they were ready to leave, Elijah blessed the inhabitants of the city, wishing them that they should all become leaders. Again, Rabbi Yehoshua was puzzled. Why did Elijah bless people who had not shown them hospitality?

That evening, they came to another city. It was not as wealthy a community as the first; the shul (synagogue) was nowhere near as beautiful. But the people were very fine, warm and kind. They did everything they could to make the two travelers comfortable. Before leaving that city, Elijah told them, "May G-d help that only one of you becomes a leader."

At this point, Rabbi Yehoshua could no longer contain his curiosity. He told Elijah, "I know that by asking I will forfeit my right to accompany you, but I cannot go on like this. Please, explain these four incidents to me."

And so Elijah began to explain: "The elderly couple whom we met first were wonderful people who always performed acts of kindness. It was destined for the woman to pass away that day. By hosting us, she was given the opportunity to perform a mitzva. And the merit of her hospitality was great enough for the decree to be lifted, but not entirely. So I prayed that their cow - which meant so much to them and which was their source of income - should die. So the cow's death was really a blessing for them.

"About the wealthy person's home. In that wall, a great treasure lay buried. But the wall was weak and would soon break. Because he was a miserly person and conducted himself so rudely, I prayed that the wall should become strong so that he would not be able to benefit from the treasure.

"What about the people in the prosperous city?" Elijah continued. "My prayer that they should all become leaders in the city is not a blessing; if anything, it is the opposite. For the most destructive thing that can happen in a city is that everybody becomes a leader.

"In the other city, where the people were kind, I gave them a genuine blessing: that one, and only one, of them becomes a true leader."

From The Chasidic Approach to Joy by Rabbi Shloma Majeski

The Sar Sholom Of Belz As Construction Worker

Reb Leibush had arrived in Belz to visit with his mother and his illustrious brother, Reb Shalom, the Belzer Rebbe. His mother had baked cake in honor of her son's visit and they sat down to enjoy some tea and cake and catch up on family news . They conversed happily while in the background the air resounded with the sound of hammer blows and shouts; the town of Belz was building a new shul.

Reb Leibush soon excused himself, for his excitement could no longer be contained. He rushed to the site of the new building to check on the progress, but he was shocked to see his brother, the Rebbe, standing with a hammer in his hand, just like any other member of the construction crew.

"Shalom, what are you doing? You of all people know the portion of Talmud, which says that a leader of a Jewish community is forbidden to perform menial labor in the presence of three or more people. You are the Rebbe of Belz, why are you standing here like a common laborer?"

Reb Shalom listened and nodded his head. Only when his brother had finished speaking did he respond. "Leibush, I'm going to tell you a story which will answer your question. Many years ago I studied Torah in the town of Skohl. There I had two study partners. We had been taught that if we were to study with the utmost diligence and dedication, never sleeping for one thousand nights in a row, we would merit a revelation of the prophet Elijah. We were very excited at this prospect, and we resolved to follow this plan of study together, a thousand consecutive nights without sleep.

"We were so enthusiastic that night followed night, and we hardly noticed the dawn breaking. After a while, though, we became tired and this regime became more and more difficult. Finally, one of my partners couldn't stand the strain, and dropped out. I continued learning every night with my remaining study partner, until on the eight-hundredth night, he also gave up the quest. I continued alone, more determined then ever to succeed.

"So, night after night I sat alone by candlelight in the dark shul, fighting sleep which was my constant enemy, ever threatening to overcome my resolve. Just as I thought I would succumb to exhaustion, I somehow found the strength to continue, for my desire to see the prophet burned in my soul.

"On the thousandth night a fierce storm blew into the town. It seemed that the demons of Hell had escaped and were determined to destroy all my hard won efforts. I, who was normally unfazed by the weather, no matter how violent, was shaken by the unearthly howls and piercing bolts of lightening that flashed across the sky. Still, I sat with my open book, determined that nothing would deter me from my goal.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash of glass. The wind had blown out one of the windows of the study hall, and its breath had extinguished my candles. This was too much for me. I had sat for a thousand nights, relentlessly pursing my goal though my strength was all but exhausted, and now this. The rain and wind pelted my face through the shattered window, and my spirits plummeted to the depths. Had I not been so terrified of the raging storm I would have simply walked out of the study hall.

"But then I regained my senses. After all, wasn't this my last night, after which I could expect a visit from the prophet Elijah himself! I couldn't let a mere storm, no matter how fierce, deprive me of my reward. I felt my way to the holy ark and slid open the carved doors. Then I wept and wept, begging G-d to help me through this trial. I don't know how long I stood there weeping and praying, but when I finished pouring out my yearning and frustration to the One Above, I realized that the storm had ended.

"I turned to look out of the shattered window to see the moon peeking through the remaining clouds. Then something else caught my attention. There, in the darkness, I saw the figure of an old man slowly approaching the study hall, and I knew it was Elijah.

"We sat and studied together throughout that unforgettable night. The last part of Torah that he taught me concerned the laws of building a synagogue. This teaching is so precious to me, that if I could, I would erect the entire building single-handedly from beginning to end. Alas, this little bit is all I am able to do, but even so, it is so dear to me that my entire being is filled with indescribable joy with each brick that I place."

Reb Leibush smiled. His brother had given him quite an explanation.

Horses don't see Eliyahu!

A man once complained to the Baal Shem Tov: "I saw written in a holy book that if a person refrains from speaking of trivial matters for forty days, and abstain from all material pleasures for that same period, he will merit that the prophet Elijah will reveal himself to him and teach him the secrets of creation.

"Well, I did exactly that. For forty days I ate only hard bread and water, deprived myself of sleep and in other ways afflicted myself. Above all, I guarded my tongue and spoke of no worldly matters. Yet, the prophet Elijah did not appear!" "Come with me," said the Baal Shem Tov.

They went out into the courtyard, where the Baal Shem Tov led the way to his stables. "You see that fellow over there?" he said to his visitor. "For the last forty days, he hasn't spoken of trivial matters. In addition, he leads an extremely ascetic existence. He hardly sleeps and subsists only on hay and water. He even walks around with nails in his shoes. Nevertheless, he has yet to receive a visit from Elijah. Because, unfortunately, he's still a horse!"

A Miracle In Front Of The Pope that Saved The Jewish Comunity

Once, there was a wealthy man whose daughter had reached marriageable age. As befitting his station, he sought a groom who was a great scholar, and he travelled to one of the famed Torah academies to find such a young man.
The head of the academy recommended a worthy young scholar named Rabbi Yaakov, and upon meeting him, the prospective father-in-law was very pleased. The young scholar, however, made three conditions before agreeing to the proposal: he must have a room where he could study undisturbed; his wife must allow him unlimited time for his studies; and he would have permission to leave his wife for a year to take care of some important business.
The wealthy man agreed to the requests, but he returned home to obtain his daughter's agreement. After her father described the young man's excellent qualities, the girl agreed, and the couple was married. The groom studied Torah day and night, and his new wife was impressed with his character and his behavior. Indeed, the match was right in her eyes, and she was content.
After the first year of marriage had passed happily, Rabbi Yaakov reminded his wife and father-in-law of the promise they had made to allow him to travel on business for a year's time. They accompanied him to the outskirts of town, and he continued on his way to Rome and to his mysterious mission.
In Rome, the ruler had an intelligent son whom he had betrothed to a foreign princess. The princess was also bright, and she stipulated that she would only marry a man who was well-versed in all the knowledge of the world. She proposed that he undertake a course of study before their marriage, and she would do the same.
She began to study under the tutelage of a priest who was vicious anti-Semite. The priest instilled in the girl such a hatred of Jews, that she asked her future father-in-law to force all the Jews to convert, or else to expel them from his realm. He considered her request, and in addition, decided to invite the Pope to deliver a sermon against the Jews at the royal wedding.
On the very day that the royal wedding was announced, Rabbi Yaakov arrived in Rome. News of the arrival of a Torah scholar of great repute spread through the city, and even reached the ears of certain notables close to the Pope, who mentioned it at the Papal court. The Pope became curious to meet this young scholar, and summoned him. The Pope was very impressed with the depth and breadth of Rabbi Yaakov's knowledge. Soon, word of this wise Jew reached even the royal court, and he was summoned to the king.
Rabbi Yaakov received favor from everyone who saw and heard him, and of all the scholars in the kingdom, he was selected to instruct the betrothed prince. This was, of course, the mission for which he had come to Rome.
Elijah the Prophet at times reveals himself to certain select Jews, and now, he appeared to Rabbi Yaakov, saying, "The Pope is a secret Jew, a descendant of Marranos." Elijah told him where and when he could find the Pope deep in prayer, wearing his talit and tefilin.
When Rabbi Yaakov appeared at the door of that room, the Pope was filled with fear. Immediately, Rabbi Yaakov calmed his fears. "Elijah the Prophet has sent me to you on a matter of great importance to the Jews of Rome. You will be commanded to deliver a sermon attacking the Jews at the royal wedding. You must not speak until I come to you again."
The day of the wedding finally arrived, and guests from every realm filled the great halls of the palace. As word spread that the Pope himself would soon deliver a sermon, excitement began to build. The Pope, however, did not appear, as he was awaiting Rabbi Yaakov.
Suddenly the renowned Jewish scholar appeared before the guests -- in the company of the Pope -- carrying a closed bag. He summoned the prince, and in front of the entire assemblage, he announced that he would like to show them a wonder. He bid the prince put his hand into the sack and withdraw from it whatever he would find within. The prince put in his hand and withdrew a beautiful, gem-encrusted crown. The crowd cheered.
Then, he asked that the princess come and do the same. She was happy to oblige, but when she withdrew her hand, she was grasping a frightful snake, which at once entwined itself around her neck. She uttered the most horrible cries, but everyone was rooted to their place in terror.
Rabbi Yaakov began to speak, "The prince has received what he deserves, and the princess has received her just reward as well. Princess, if you order the annulment of the evil decrees you have instigated, you will be saved, if not, you will perish."
Needless to say, the princess acquiesced to his demand. Rabbi Yaakov then departed; not a soul dared approach him. The King arose from his throne, still enthralled by what he had just witnessed. Before all his subjects and before the prince and princess, he vowed never to harm the Jews of his realm. Rabbi Yaakov, his mission completed, returned to his home and his happy wife.

The Price Of A Mitzvah

Reb Moshe earned his living as an innkeeper in a small town. One day, the squire of the area came to him with a proposition. "Moshe, I am moving to a distant province. I must sell all of my property here. I have known you for many years and know that you are honest. I am willing to sell all of my property to you at only a tenth of its real value if you will give me the cash within a few days."

Moshe was overwhelmed by this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He did not, however, have the amount of money in cash that the squire had named. Moshe's wife offered the following solution. "If we sell all of our valuable possessions, our silver and my jewelry, even our home, we will be able to come up with the money. Whatever we lack, I am certain we can borrow from friends and relatives. Thus we will be able to take advantage of this opportunity G-d has given us."

Moshe followed his wife's advice and set out for the squire's estate with the money. Along the way, he heard a blood-chilling shriek. He ran in the direction of the cry and found himself at the doorstep of a small home. He entered and saw a man lying dead on the floor, surrounded by a woman and her seven ragged children. Moshe sized up the situation and gave the purse of money to the widow.

At first the distraught woman refused to accept the money. But after much cajoling, Moshe managed to convince the woman to take the money.

This incident caused a tremendous tumult in heaven. This Jew had given away all of his earthly possessions, and the opportunity to become a very wealthy man, for the sake of a mitzva (commandment)! The Heavenly Court was deciding what kind of reward to bestow upon this person when the Adversary complained, "Before any of your righteous are given gifts from Heaven, they are tested. I propose that I be allowed to descend to the world and test this man, to see if he is truly deserving of such a reward."

Elijah the Prophet quickly intervened. "Let me be the one to administer the test. Even a tzadik would be hard put to pass a test administered by this one!"

Moshe had not returned home after giving the purse full of money to the widow and orphans. He decided to wander from town to town, trying to eke out a living and find a new place to settle. That first evening, though famished and fatigued, Moshe's happiness in having performed so great a mitzva was not lessened. At nightfall, he found a small shul (synagogue) and sat down to begin studying Torah. At that time, Elijah the Prophet, disguised as a wealthy businessman, descended to this world.

The businessman asked Moshe what had brought him to this town and Moshe began to tell the listener his tale. The businessman was very moved. He said to Moshe, "Thank G-d, I have been blessed with a very successful business. I have more money than I could every possibly use in my lifetime. I would like to offer you enough money to support your family for the rest of your lives in exchange for the merit of the great mitzva you performed today."

Moshe was exhausted. His empty stomach cried out. The offer was so tempting. But he answered, "G-d gave me the rare opportunity to do this tremendous mitzva with utter self-sacrifice. I will not part with my mitzva for all the money in the world."

The man persisted. "Your mitzva was indeed tremendous. I am therefore willing to keep my part of the offer for just one-half of the merit of your mitzva."

Again Moshe refused. And again, the businessman made a counter-offer. Moshe would not even part with one hundredth of the mitzva, for enough money to support himself and his wife for the rest of their lives.

The businessman revealed himself. "I am Elijah the Prophet. You are indeed blessed. Not only did you perform a great mitzva, but you also withstood the temptation of selling even the smallest amount of the mitzva. You may have one of three rewards. Either you and your wife will live long and healthy lives, or you will be granted great wealth, or you will be blessed with a son who will grow up to be a great tzadik and leader."

Without a moment's hesitation, Moshe answered, "My wish is to have a son who will become such a righteous person. For what are riches and long life compared to being blessed with such a child?"

"Your son," answered Elijah, "will be so great that his holiness will light up the entire world. But, if this is the reward you chose, know that you and your wife must accept upon yourselves to always be wanderers."

Moshe quickly traveled home to consult with his wife. She too, agreed, that they should rather be blessed with such a child than riches or long life. Lovingly they would live a life of wandering for the merit to bring this child into the world.

Within a year, a son was born to the couple who grew up to be the learned and holy Reb Menachem Mendel of Rimanov.

Eliyahu's 3 Promises

Once, three men - a poor man, a simpleton, and an old bachelor who was both poor and simple - came to Elijah to ask for his blessing.

The first man came to the prophet and said, "I am so poor that I can't even feed and clothe my family. Please, take pity on me, and give me your blessing that I may become wealthy."

Elijah agreed to help him, but on one condition: "When you become rich, and you certainly will, you must promise to give charity and share your wealth with others." The man promised, and Elijah handed him a coin. "This coin will make you rich," assured the prophet. "Don't forget your promise."

The second man came and made his request: "The one thing I desire most in the world is to become a Torah scholar. Please, help me."

Elijah considered his request worthy, but made one condition: "When you become a Torah scholar, you must promise to instruct even the simplest folk who come to you asking to study Torah."

"Of course, I promise," said the man. "It would be my honor and privilege to teach my fellow Jews."

Elijah took a sheet of parchment on which was written the Hebrew alphabet and handed it to the man, saying, "If you study from this page you will certainly become a great scholar. But don't forget your promise." The man parted from the prophet happily clutching the parchment to his chest.

Then the third man approached the prophet. "Master, please take pity on me. I am no longer young. I am very poor and not so bright. Worst of all," said the man, "I'm all alone in the world without a wife. But I won't take just any wife-I will marry only a woman with good sense."

Elijah took pity on the man. "I have the perfect woman for you. But, you must promise to listen to your wife in every matter, all the days of your life." The man agreed and Elijah led him into the depths of the forest. They entered a small hut in the forest where an old woman and her daughter were sitting. "This woman is the perfect wife for you," said the prophet, nodding towards the daughter. Both parties agreed to the marriage and it took place soon after.

Two years passed and Elijah returned to see if the three had kept their promises. First, he visited the opulent home of the formerly poor man. Approaching the huge door, he saw a sign that read: "Beggars and Deliveries to the Rear." Elijah went to the back door and was given a small coin. "I wish to speak with your employer," demanded the prophet. "Not permitted. You can have a coin and a loaf of bread."

"No," insisted Elijah. "I want to see the master of the house!"

"Take two coins and be off!" was the curt response. Still, Elijah stood his ground. In fact, he created such a fuss that the servants had to call the owner.

Elijah asked the man for a more substantial sum, but he just scoffed: "One coin should be enough for you!" Each time he asked, Elijah was rebuffed more violently.

"I see that you don't recognize me and you have forgotten your promise," Elijah said solemnly. "So, you must return my coin."

"Ha! Do you think that silly coin did anything? You can have it back, it's worthless." The man returned the coin and in no time he was poor again.

Next, Elijah went to visit the great yeshiva where the simpleton was now a renowned Torah scholar and dean of the yeshiva. "Pardon me Rabbi, but I would like to learn Torah," the prophet said to the great men.

"Have you studied the entire Talmud and all of its commentaries?"

"No, I haven't had the chance to study, but I want to very much."

"I'm sorry, I don't have time to instruct beginner students. You see, I am the head of the yeshiva, and I have more important things to do!"

Elijah begged the man, but to no avail. Then the prophet said, "I see you don't recognize me. What is more, you haven't kept your promise. You must return my parchment!"

"This parchment is worthless!" the scholar laughed. "Take it." No sooner had the prophet departed, than the head of the yeshiva forgot all of his learning.

Sadly Elijah trudged to the hut of the couple who had been married two years. The wife saw Elijah and told her husband, "We have never been privi-leged to have a guest, and here is a distinguished looking man approaching. Let's take our cow to be slaughtered and serve our guest properly."

The husband could not imagine how they would manage without the cow; they eked out a bare subsistence from her milk. It did not seem to make sense, but he agreed all the same. "If you feel that we should, let's prepare the cow."

Elijah ate and when he finished, he said to the couple, "I see that you have lived according to your promise, and so I have two more gifts for you-a coin and a parchment..."