With these words the TaNaKh introduces us to the mysterious and powerful character of Eliyahu HaNavi. While most Biblical commentators cover the chapters detailing his life and escapades from either the historical or moralistic points of view, few if any ever touch upon the deeper lessons these chapters teach about the ways and paths of the prophets.

There are many significant lessons contained in these few chapters that enable us to glean insights into what exactly was a prophet, how he trained, how he practiced and like how he lived the prophetic life. There are also other lessons herein about the true nature of prophetic power and the apparent innate psychic mind/soul potentials that reside within us, awaiting our application of prophetic disciplines to release them. I believe that there is much to be learned from the enumerated experiences of Eliyahu. I have long taught on this subject in my oral lessons, now it is time to put some of these ideas, teachings and their secrets into writing.

Without further delay or digression, let us jump right into the text and see what it really says, as well as to look at what it is not saying.

Eliyahu is introduced as a Tishbi, who is also of the Toshavei (dwellers) of Gilad. It is interesting that the word Tishbi pretty much means the same as the word Toshavei; they are spelled with the same letters. One should not consider this to be a coincidence, for as we know, there are no such things. So, essentially we can retranslate the above verse as saying Eliyahu is the Dweller of the Dwellers of Gilad. We really have no record of any specific place called Teshev or Tishbi or any similar sounding name. The name never appears before this in any Biblical text, nor does it appear afterwards. While it may very well refer to some lost village by that name, it is equally possible, like with many other things surrounding Eliyahu, that it is some kind of code containing some kind of secret.

Another curious thing about Eliyahu is that unlike all other prophets mentioned through the Bible, there is no mention of Eliyahu's parentage. In Biblical times, one's last name or family name was actually the name of one's father. Thus one is called his name ben (son of) so-and-so. Yet, with Eliyahu there is no mention of his father. There is not even any mention of his tribe. Essentially Eliyahu's origins are an enigma. No one really knows where he comes from. Yet, his entrance onto the Biblical stage clearly indicates that he was a well known figure in his time.

Is there a connection between Eliyahu's most curious unknown origins and his most unusual exit from the planet Earth? Legend tells us that Eliyahu ascended to Heaven and was transformed into the angel Sandalphon, in similar fashion as Enoch was taken above and transformed into Metatron. The role of these two angels is significant. They are said to be the two Cherubim that resided upon the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. Metatron and Sandalphon are said to be twin souls, male and female. They are the two entities that unite Heaven and Earth.

Talmudic legend tells us that Metatron stood by G-d's side and was His "consultant" in the creation of our universe. The classical Tosafot commentary to the Talmud asks the practical question how could Enoch be Metatron if Metatron stood by G-d before our creation and thus before the creation of Adam and Enoch himself. How could Enoch preexist before himself? Their answer is most revealing. They reveal that there was a Metatron in the beginning, just like the Talmud says, and that Enoch was not the first Metatron, but rather Metatron preexisted before him from the beginning. When Enoch ascended into Heaven he was absorbed into Metatron and became a part of him. Although this explanation might not fit exactly into the ancient sources, it also does not contradict them. Interestingly, it most certainly fits into the Kabbalistic teachings about Metatron revealed at a later time by the Kabbalistic author of the Emek HaMelekh.

Kabbalah teaches us that all human souls were originally incorporated in Adam. Adam was the composite soul of us all. According to the Emek HaMelekh, not all souls within Adam fell to Earth with the sin of eating the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, Good and Evil. A group of souls within Adam separated from him before the sin and stayed above. These souls collectively are Metatron. Therefore, Enoch personally returned to the level of Adam before the sin and was thus reunited with those souls which never fell. Enoch was the first man who was able to ascend above and be restored to his rightful Adamic place. Throughout the TaNaKh the appearance of a Metatron is always recorded as "the angel of the L-rd."

What separates Enoch from Eliyahu is that we know that Enoch was born of flesh and blood parents. Therefore, his ascension and absorption into a greater preexisting entity makes sense. However, with Eliyahu, we have no mention of parentage or lineage. He comes out of nowhere and returns into nowhere. He too becomes an angel on high. The only question remaining is this; was Eliyahu HaNavi already an angel of the Metatron class, who then came down to Earth only to return to Heaven from whence he came; or was he, like Enoch, a flesh and blood human who then ascended above to become one of the angels? What Eliyahu's true source is, we may never know. All we have is the recorded story. It reveals much, true, but at the same time, it conceals even more. We do know that the Biblical "angel of the L-rd" is also referred to as the "angel of the covenant." This angelic term is also applied to Eliyahu HaNavi. Again, we see here a peculiar relationship which we cannot fully fathom.

Here we have this well-known stranger Eliyahu and he is about to wield some very awesome power, unlike that expressed by any other prophet before him, with the possible exception of Moshe Rabbeynu. Eliyahu pops up on to the scene and makes an announcement to King Ahav of Israel that there shall be no rain throughout the land unless Eliyahu himself says so. Now, is this not a strange statement? Should we not have expected the prophecy to read something like, "thus says G-d, there shall be no rain until I, i.e. G-d decide otherwise." We would expect a proclamation in the name of G-d to be spoken to the King, but that is not what the text records. Eliyahu swears by G-d in Heaven that there shall be no rain until he (i.e. Eliyahu) says so.

We take for granted that G-d must have told this to Eliyahu prior to his encounter with King Ahav. We expect and believe this to be true; yet, nonetheless, regardless of what we believe, the text does not say or imply that which we want it to. Some might interpret this as a problem, but others, especially those trained in the prophetic schools recognize within Eliyahu's words an expression of his prophetic abilities that are far beyond mortal men, yet which can still be acquired by mere mortals.

As we see later on in the story when Eliyahu restores the rain, it was he himself that was very instrumental in materializing the rain. Our Sages speak of this power and state that there are certain "keys" in the hands of Heaven that can be given to a human being, these include the "key" of life and the "key" of rain." While most understand this in some nebulous mysterious way, in the prophetic schools this is understood as referring to the acqusition of a certain level of prophetic consciousness.

At this level of attachment to Heaven, the mind/soul of the prophet has transcended the bounds of physically oriented sensorial living. The prophet can attach his mind, and thus his will, to the very sub-atomic particles that create all forms of life and movement in the universe. Essentially, in this state of mind, the expanded consciousness of the prophet can actually see the entire pattern that creates weather conditions and then influence and direct those patterns in accordance to his will. This is what Eliyahu HaNavi did, granted, by the Will and direction of Heaven, but still, it was he who removed the rain, just as in similar fashion, it was he who later on restored it. This is the type of power we expect to see in the hands of an angel, not necessarily in the hands of a mere human prophet.

It is clear throughout the TaNaKh that prophetic training was acquired in the schools of the Benei Nviim that were prevalent in Biblical times. The Biblical texts clearly show that Eliyahu was considered to be the Grand Master of those many schools. Talmudic legend relates to us that Eliyahu HaNavi was trained by an earlier great prophet, Ahiyah HaShiloni. While, this may be true, still, there is no Biblical evidence to connect the two men. Needless to say, the Biblical texts were never written to be comprehensive history texts, so it is possible that such a detail could be true and then be left out of the text.

to be continued...