Eliyahu's Death/2

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Eliyahu's Death

Exegetical Approaches

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Overview

Commentators debate whether or not Eliyahu died when the whirlwind took him to heaven. Radak claims that the prophet did in fact die, and that the verses describe the burning of his body and ascent of his soul.  The miraculous nature of his death matched the miraculous nature of his life. Ralbag, in contrast, claims that Eliyahu was taken alive by Hashem and continues to live in some unknown place on earth.  Finally, a compromise position is taken by the Chatam Sofer who suggests that though Eliyahu's soul was taken by Hashem, his body did not disintegrate and Hashem often resurrects him to fulfill missions on earth.

Eliyahu Died

Despite the wondrous and dramatic nature of the whirlwind, Eliyahu died like every individual does.

"וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסְעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם" – These commentators disagree regarding what happened during the storm:
  • Death – Radak and Hoil Moshe2 understand the term "הַשָּׁמָיִם" to refer to the heavenly realm, and suggest that during the storm the chariots of fire burned Eliyahu's body, while his soul went up to heaven.
  • Transported – R. Saadia Gaon, in contrast, assumes that the word "הַשָּׁמָיִם" is hyperbolic and refers to the sky rather than "heaven."3   He claims that Eliyahu was  was lifted into the air via the whirlwind, and brought to an unknown place on earth, where he lived for an undesignated amount of time before he died.4  
"מִכְתָּב מֵאֵלִיָּהוּ" – These commentators must explain how Eliyahu could write a letter to Yehoram if he had died before Yehoram's reign.  They offer several possible explanations:
  • Prophetic Ibn EzraMalakhi 3:24About R. Avraham ibn Ezra brings the possibility that Eliyahu wrote the letter prophetically before he died and then gave it to one of the prophets to give to Yehoram in the future.5
  • Alive during Yehoram's reign – Since R. Saadia maintains that Eliyahu died at some point after the storm, it is possible that he was still alive during the reign of Yehoram and sent him a letter from wherever Hashem had placed him. The Biur, instead, posits that there is achronology in the verses and that the story of the storm in Chapter 2 really occurred at some point after Yehoram began to reign.6
  • Via vision after death – Radak suggests that after Eliyahu died he appeared to one of the prophets in a vision and told him to write the letter in his name.
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא" – As these sources assume that Eliyahu is no longer alive, they vary in how they explain how he can nonetheless act as Hashem's messenger before the "Day of God":
  • Eliyahu will be resurrected – Radak asserts that Eliyahu will be resurrected so that he can return to Earth before the Day of Judgement.
  • Eliyahu as a term for prophet – Hoil Moshe, in contrast, asserts that Malakhi does not mean to insinuate that Eliyahu himself is to return, but rather that at that point there will once again be prophets, like Eliyahu, in Israel.7
Why is Eliyahu's death so unusual? Hoil Moshe explains that in eras in which the nation was mired in idolatry, Hashem wanted his prophets' lives and deaths to be extraordinary so as to leave an impression on the people.  Recognizing prophets' wondrous, angel-like status would encourage people to heed their words.
What did בני הנביאים know and think? Radak suggests that the בני הנביאים did not know with certainty that Eliyahu had died and thought that he had simply disappeared (as he would somewhat regularly), so they went searching to find where he was secluded.8 Hoil Moshe disagrees and claims that the prophets did know that Eliyahu had died; they were simply looking for his body so they could bury it.
The "taking" of Eliyahu: "הַיּוֹם י"י לֹקֵחַ אֶת אֲדֹנֶיךָ" – These sources might differ in how they explain the text's repeated use of the term "לקח" rather than "מת":
  • According to R. Saadia, the language of "לקיחה" might be used because Hashem really did not have Eliyahu die in the whirlwind, but first took him elsewhere.9 
  • The other sources would suggest that "לקיחה" is not an unusual term to describe death, and has that connotation in several other places in Tanakh as well. See, for example, Yechezkel 24:15 where Hashem tells the prophet, "הִנְנִי לֹקֵחַ מִמְּךָ אֶת מַחְמַד עֵינֶיךָ בְּמַגֵּפָה", or Eliyahu's own request "קַח נַפְשִׁי" (Melakhim i 19:5) and Yonah's similar plea, "קַח נָא אֶת נַפְשִׁי" (Yonah 4:3).10  Radak and the Biur11 explain that the "taking" of Chanokh in Bereshit 5 also means that he died, not that he was taken alive by God.12
Eliyahu in Aggadah – This position would likely view the various aggadot which present Eliyahu as living as having specific educational messages, rather than being a presentation of historical facts.
Polemical or Philosophical motivation – This position is likely motivated by rationalist concerns and discomfort with the notion of such a miraculous longevity.  Moreover, the portrait of a millennia old Eliyahu is frighteningly close to that of an immortal Eliyahu, a concept from which commentators might have wanted to distance themselves.

Eliyahu is Alive

Eliyahu was taken alive by God and never died.

"בַּסְעָרָה" – Abarbanel suggests that the dramatic description of Eliyahu's being taken by Hashem in a whirlwind suggests that he did not die since if he had died a normal death, why would the verses elaborate upon it so extensively?  He further points out that the language of "וימת" no where appears in the story, as it does by other prophets.
"וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ...  הַשָּׁמָיִם": Where is Eliyahu? If Eliyahu did not die, where is he living? The verse suggests that he was taken to the heavens, but not all agree:
  • Eliyahu is alive on Earth – Ralbag is uncomfortable with the notion that a physical being might dwell among spiritual beings in the celestial sphere,14 leading him to suggest that the phrase "וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ... הַשָּׁמָיִם" does not mean that Eliyahu was taken to dwell in the heavens but rather that he was raised high in the air and taken to an unknown place on earth where he still lives.
  • Eliyahu is alive in Gan EdenMasekhet Derekh Eretz and Abarbanel instead suggest that the corporeal Eliyahu was taken to Gan Eden, and lives there.  While Abarbanel explicitly speaks of the "earthly Gan Eden"15 it is not clear if Masekhet Derekh Eretz understands "הַשָּׁמָיִם" literally and allows for Eliyahu to have been taken to a heavenly Eden.
"הַיּוֹם י"י לֹקֵחַ אֶת אֲדֹנֶיךָ מֵעַל רֹאשֶׁךָ" – Ralbag reads into these words that Eliyahu was to be taken away from Elisha specifically ("from upon your head"), but that he was not yet to be totally taken by Hashem in death.
Biblical parallels
  • Chanokh – This position could suggest that Chanokh is another example of a person who was taken by God (כִּי לָקַח אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים) while still alive.16
  • Pinchas –  Ralbag compares the extreme longevity of both characters noting that Pinchas, too, lives way beyond the natural order, playing a role in the story of the concubine in Givah and supervising the gatekeepers in the time of David.17 This leads him to agree with those who identify Pinchas and Eliyahu.18
"מִכְתָּב מֵאֵלִיָּהוּ" – The letter to Yehoram is brought as evidence that Eliyahu did not die in the whirlwind, but was rather alive, and even active afterwards.
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא" – This verse, too, is used as support for this approach.  Eliyahu can warn and coax the people into repentance prior to Hashem's Day of Judgement since he is still alive to act as prophet.
What did בני הנביאים know and think? According to Ralbag, the prophets recognized that Elisha had become Eliyahu's successor (as they say, "נָ֛חָה ר֥וּחַ אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ עַל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע"), but nonetheless believed Eliyahu to be alive and that they might find him.  Elisha, on the other hand, knew that Eliyahu was not meant to be found as Hashem had hidden him.
Eliyahu in Aggadah – In Rabbinic literature, Eliyahu plays a prominent role, appearing to the Sages and saving those in need.  He is clearly considered to still be living, as this approach suggests.
Why didn't Eliyahu die? Most of these sources do not address the question.19 Several modern scholars,20 looking to Eliyahu's image as a helper of men in aggadic literature, suggest that Eliyahu was left alive as a corrective.  His tenure as prophet was marked by an overly harsh attitude towards the people; Hashem wanted him to learn how to be defender and not just prosecutor.21  Thus he lives on to help and aid the people. Once he has redeemed and transformed himself, Elliyahu can become the one to bring the future redemption and truly "וְהֵשִׁיב לֵב אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים וְלֵב בָּנִים עַל אֲבוֹתָם".
Comparison to Moshe – Abarbanel questions how could it be that Eliyahu merited to be taken alive by Hashem, while Moshe, who was clearly of higher stature, died?22 Abarbanel answers that really both Moshe and Eliyahu's "death" were not natural, as both were simply taken by God rather than dying of natural causes.  Moshe did not retain his body only due to his high level of spirituality. His soul went straight to unite with and cling to its maker.23
Polemical and philosophical motivation

Repeatedly Resurrected

Eliyahu's body and soul were separated, with his soul rising to heaven and his body resting in the earthly Eden.  Every so often, though, Hashem clothes his soul back in his body and reveals him to men.

"וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסְעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם" – According to the Chatam Sofer, only Eliyahu's soul went up to the heavens. His body was left in the earthly Gan Eden.24
Later missions – After death, Eliyahu is given various missions which require him to return to earth.  At times he does so dressed in his human garb, and then has the full status of any human.  At other times, though, just his soul comes back (as when he visits a circumcision).  In such circumstances he has the status of an angel.
"מִכְתָּב מֵאֵלִיָּהוּ" – This position would suggest that Eliyahu was temporarily given back his physical form so as to write the letter..
"הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא" – Just as Eliyahu is often resurrected in his full body, so too will he be before the Day of Judgement.
Why is Eliyahu unique? It s not clear why Eliyahu merited to be continuously resurrected while other prophets and righteous leaders did not. It would seem that Hashem could have found a different worthy messenger to fulfill any of the missions given to Eliyahu.