Elijah

== In Judaism ==
=== Elijah's chair ===
{{See also|Brit milah}}
[[File:Chair of Elijah.JPG|thumb|"Chair of Elijah" used during the [[brit milah]] (circumcision) ceremony. The [[Hebrew (language)|Hebrew]] inscription reads "This is the chair of Elijah, remembered for Good."]]

At Jewish [[Brit milah|circumcision]] ceremonies, a chair is set aside for the use of the prophet Elijah. Elijah is said to be a [[witness]] at all circumcisions when the sign of the [[covenant (religion)|covenant]] is placed upon the body of the child. This custom stems from the incident at [[Mount Horeb]]:<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Kings|19|HE}}</ref> Elijah had arrived at Mount Horeb after the demonstration of God's presence and power on [[Mount Carmel]].<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Kings|18|HE}}</ref> God asks Elijah to explain his arrival, and Elijah replies: "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away".<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Kings|19:10|HE}}</ref> According to Rabbinic tradition, Elijah's words were patently untrue,<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Kings|18:4|HE}} and {{Bibleverse|1|Kings|19:18|HE}}</ref> and since Elijah accused Israel of failing to uphold the covenant, God would require Elijah to be present at every covenant of circumcision.<ref>"Elijah, Chair of." ''Encyclopaedia Judaica.'' Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 1971.</ref><ref>Unterman, Alan. "Elijah's Chair." ''Dictionary of Jewish Lore and Legend.'' London: Thames and Hudson, 1991.</ref>

=== Elijah's cup ===
{{See also|Passover Seder}}
In the [[Talmud|Talmudic literature]], Elijah would visit [[rabbis]] to help solve particularly difficult legal problems. Malachi had cited Elijah as the harbinger of the [[Jewish eschatology|eschaton]]. Thus, when confronted with reconciling impossibly conflicting laws or rituals, the rabbis would set aside any decision "until Elijah comes".<ref>"Elijah, Cup of." ''Encyclopaedia Judaica''. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 1971.</ref>

One such decision was whether the [[Passover Seder]] required four or five cups of wine. Each serving of wine corresponds to one of the "four expressions of redemption" in the [[Book of Exodus]]:
<blockquote>I am the Lord, and ''I will bring you out'' from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and ''I will deliver you'' from their bondage, and ''I will redeem you'' with an out-stretched arm and with great acts of judgment, and ''I will take you'' for my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."<ref>{{Bibleverse||Exodus|6:6–7|HE}}</ref></blockquote>

The next verse, "And ''I will bring you'' into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord."<ref>{{Bibleverse||Exodus|6:8|HE}}</ref> was not fulfilled until the generation following the Passover story, and the rabbis could not decide whether this verse counted as part of the Passover celebration (thus deserving of another serving of wine). Thus, a cup was left for the arrival of Elijah.

In practice the fifth cup has come to be seen as a celebration of future redemption. Today, a place is reserved at the seder table and a cup of wine is placed there for Elijah. During the seder, the door of the house is opened and Elijah is invited in. Traditionally, the cup is viewed as Elijah's and is used for no other purpose.<ref name=" Temple">Telushkin, Joseph. ''Jewish Literacy.'' New York: William Morrow, 2001.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rabbi Ario S. and Tess Hyams Judaica Museum |publisher=Temple Beth Sholom |year=2007 |url=http://www.bethsholom.com/about_us/museum.shtml |access-date=23 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070723083113/http://www.bethsholom.com/about_us/museum.shtml |archive-date=23 July 2007 }}</ref>

=== Havdalah ===
{{See also|Havdalah}}
[[Havdalah]] is the ceremony that concludes the [[Shabbat|Sabbath Day]] (Saturday evening in Jewish tradition). As part of the concluding [[hymn]], an appeal is made to God that Elijah will come during the following week. "Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah from Gilead. Let him come quickly, in our day with the messiah, the son of David."<ref name="Temple"/>