Fill the Cup of Elijah

Our Seder draws to an end but Redemption is not yet complete. Our activities here tonight recall us to our covenant with the Eternal One, to the tasks that still await us as a people called to service, to a great purpose for which the people of Israel lives: to bring to reality a world of שָׁלוֹם, wholeness, and, until that time, the preservation and affirmation of hope.

🌀 One of those present opens the door.

שְׁפֹךְ חֲמָתְךָ אֶל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְדָעוּךָ וְעַל מַמְלָכוֹת אֲשֶׁר בְּשִׁמְךָ לֹא קָרָאוּ. כִּי אָכַל אֶת־יַעֲקֹב וְאֶת־נָוֵהוּ הֵשַׁמּוּ. שְׁפָךְ־עֲלֵיהֶם זַעְמֶךָ וַחֲרוֹן אַפְּךָ יַשִּׂיגֵם. תִּרְדֹּף בְּאַף וְתַשְׁמִידֵם מִתַּחַת שְׁמֵי יְיָ.

Sh’foch khamatcha el ha-goyim asher lo y’da-ucha v’al mamlachot asher b’shimcha lo kara-oo. Ki achal et-ya’akov v’et navey-hu heyshammu. Sh’foch aleyhem za’mecha vacharon apcha yasigeym. Tirdof b’af v’tashmideym mitachat shmey Adonai.

Listen to us, neighbors! Come see what we do. We have nothing to hide here. We have much to share.

There are many who express their disdain for this living globe. Let the heavens and the earth pour their wrath upon them. Yes, let those who reject the beauty of creation and despoil its gifts feel our wrath, for their callousness destroys all sustenance.

But we state by our words and our actions that we strive to live in harmony with creation, recognizing within each fragment, the wondrous image of the Whole.

🌀 Pass the cup of Elijah around the table so that everyone can pour some of their wine into it.¹

We call this cup of wine Elijah’s cup—for the Prophet Elijah, the messenger of God, appointed to announce the era of the Messiah. Until now, this cup has stood empty.

We do not look for a Messiah who will magically remake the world. When we have accepted our responsibilities, pooled our efforts and remade the world—we will usher in the Messianic Era.

This will be a time of abundance and peace, when our people, and all the peoples of our earth, will live in security and plenty, and will be free to live in dignity with others. Just as we open the door for the messenger of the Messiah, so may we open our arms and the doors of our hearts as we work for the Messianic Era.

Eliahu haNavi

אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא, אֵלִיָּהוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּי, אֵלִיָּהוּ, אֵלִיָּהוּ אֵלִיָּהוּ הַגִּלְעָדִי. בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ יָבֹא אֵלֵינוּ עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד, עִם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד.

Eliyahu ha-navi, Eliyahu ha-Tishbi, Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu ha-Giladi; Bimheira v’yameinu yavo eileinu Im-Mashiach ben David, Im-Mashiach ben David.

Elijah the prophet… Elijah from Tishbi…, Elijah of Gilead; Soon, in our day, may he come to us; With the messiah, the son of David.

🌀 Close the door.

Footnotes

¹ This was an innovation of R. Naftali Zvi Horowitz of Ropshitz (May 22, 1760 – May 8, 1827)