Day of Ascent to Heaven - the 12th of Av Place of Ascent - Haifa Eliyahu HaNavi is the most famous and beloved prophet in the Torah. His life is described in the books of Melachim, including the miracles he performed, the inspiration he aroused, and his ascent to Heaven. According to tradition, Eliyahu HaNavi often descends to earth to help Jews in distress or to reveal the secrets of the Torah to our great sages. He is present at the brit milah of every Jewish boy and visits us each year at the Pesach seder. The prophet Malachi tells us that Eliyahu will announce the coming of Mashiach. Eliyahu appeared in the Land of Israel at a most critical time. At that time the Land of Israel was divided into two kingdoms: the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel (the Ten Tribes). On the throne of the latter sat King Achav, but the true ruler of the country was his wife, Queen Izevel, originally a Phoenician princess, who worshipped her own gods, and this became the cause of many misfortunes that befell the Land of Israel. One day the prophet Eliyahu met King Achav. Eliyahu warned the king of the divine punishment that would befall him if he did not put an end to idol worship and lead the community of Israel back to G-d. Achav mocked the idea, saying: "Did not Moshe already warn us in the Torah that the rain would stop and the earth would not yield its fruit if we worshipped other gods? Yet nothing has happened!" "G-d has been patient with you, but it seems you do not understand this. Now you will see that not only Moshe's words will come true, but mine as well. I tell you in the name of G-d that from this day there will be no rain until I say the word!" From that day, years of drought and famine began in the Land of Israel. The famine spread even beyond the borders of the country, so that bread could not be bought even for gold! The Ravens Feed Eliyahu And G-d commanded Eliyahu to withdraw to a desolate place, by the brook of Cherith near the Jordan: "You shall drink from the stream, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you," G-d promised him. And indeed, twice a day, morning and evening, the ravens came flying and brought him bread and meat from the table of the King of Judah. Some time passed, and the word of G-d came to Eliyahu, commanding him to go to the land of Sidon, where a noble Jewish woman would feed him. When Eliyahu reached the gate of Tzarfat in the land of Sidon, he saw a woman gathering wood. Eliyahu called to her: "Please bring me a little water and a piece of bread." – "All I have," the kind woman answered, "is a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I was just about to prepare the last meal for myself and my child. Should I give it to you?" "Do not be afraid," the Prophet assured her, "Go and bake me a small loaf first, and afterward bake one for yourself and your son. For thus says G-d: 'The flour in the jar will not be used up, and the oil in the jug will not run out, until the day G-d sends rain and the famine ends!'" This test required great faith, but the kind woman did not hesitate. She went and did as Eliyahu had told her, and behold! The handful of flour never seemed to diminish, and the oil did not run low for many days. Before Eliyahu left her, he had the opportunity to repay her kindness. It happened that her young son became gravely ill and was on the verge of death. When all hope of saving his life seemed lost, Eliyahu prayed to G-d and revived him. Ovadia Meanwhile Izevel, the wicked queen, continued to persecute the true prophets, and anyone who dared to speak in the name of the G-d of Israel was immediately put to death by her order. But right within her own palace was a man who, at great risk to his own life, tried to save the remaining true prophets of Israel. His name was Ovadia, who later became a well-known prophet himself. Ovadia hid 100 prophets in 2 secret caves and sustained them with bread and water. (There was even less water than bread, because it had not rained for many years). However, Izevel believed she had wiped out all the true prophets and that only Eliyahu remained. Bloodhounds were then sent throughout the land to find Eliyahu, but in vain. Yet when the time came for him to appear, he did so completely fearlessly. In the third year of the famine, G-d told Eliyahu to appear before King Achav. The king already understood that the famine was G-d's punishment, but he still wavered between right and wrong, and Eliyahu's task was to lead the king and all the Jews to acknowledge the truth and turn back to G-d. First Eliyahu appeared before Ovadia and told him to announce his arrival to King Achav, since Eliyahu was not afraid that Achav might plot to seize him. Achav met Eliyahu with hostility. "You have brought all these troubles upon our people," Achav said to him. Eliyahu leveled the accusation right back at the king. "Not I, but you and your family. You have abandoned the commandments of G-d and led all the people astray into the worship of Baal. This must stop now if Israel is to be saved. So now gather all the people to Mount Carmel, together with all your false prophets and priests of Baal, and we will settle this matter once and for all." On Mount Carmel Now Izevel had 850 "prophets" of Baal who enjoyed her protection and hospitality. They were now gathered at Mount Carmel together with vast crowds of the Jewish people. King Achav was also there to watch what would happen. When everyone had gathered, Eliyahu addressed the people of Israel: "How long will you waver between two opinions? You worship idols, but when you are in trouble, you turn to G-d. There cannot be two truths. Power belongs to G-d – why not remain faithful to Him? But if you believe in Baal, let Baal help you now!" Not a single voice rose to argue with Eliyahu. Then Eliyahu continued: "Behold! Here I stand alone, the only true prophet of G-d, facing 850 so-called 'prophets' of Baal. Yet as for the truth, this is not a matter to be decided by a majority. G-d Himself will prove it to you! And here is the test. Let two bulls be brought. Let the priests of Baal offer one to their god, and I will offer the other to the G-d of Israel, Creator of the world. We will not light the wood ourselves. They will beg Baal to send fire and accept the offering, and I will pray to G-d to send fire. Whoever answers shall be recognized as the true G-d." All those gathered voiced their agreement, and two bulls were brought at once. They were twins, identical in size and appearance. Lots were cast, and Eliyahu led his bull away. But when the prophets of Baal tried to lead their bull away, it would not move. The false prophets tried to pull the bull, but they could not budge it. Then Eliyahu came up to the bull and said to it: "Go with them, and let them not make excuses, for just as your brother will bring about a sanctification of G-d's Name, so you shall prove the falsehood of Baal." Only then did the bull follow the priests of Baal. The "prophets" and priests of Baal slaughtered their bull and offered it to Baal. They prayed for fire from morning until noon, but nothing happened. Then Eliyahu said to them mockingly: "Cry out louder – perhaps your god is busy talking, or perhaps he is on a journey? Perhaps he is asleep? Cry out loudly and wake him up!" The false prophets shouted with all their might, leaped around their altar, and cut themselves with knives and spears according to their custom until blood gushed from them. But still nothing happened, and they gave up, thoroughly exhausted. Then Eliyahu called the people to come closer and watch him. He gathered twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes, and built an altar to G-d. He ordered a trench to be dug around the altar and filled with water. He poured water over the offering and the wood until they were soaked. Then he offered a short prayer: "L-rd, G-d of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, let it be known today that You are G-d in Israel, and that I am Your servant and have done all these things by Your word. Answer me, L-rd, answer me!" No sooner had Eliyahu finished his prayer than G-d sent down fire from heaven, which consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, the earth around it, and even the water in the trench! In great awe, all the people fell on their faces and cried out: "The L-rd, He is G-d! The L-rd, He is G-d!" Then the people seized the false prophets and put them to death. At once a small cloud, the size of a man's hand, appeared in the sky. It grew very quickly, and within minutes the sky was black with clouds. The long-awaited rain came pouring down in torrents. Throughout the generations we have proclaimed this truth, that there is only One G-d, the Almighty and All-Powerful Creator and Ruler of the world. Every year, at the conclusion of the Yom Kippur service, we proclaim seven times the words "The L-rd, He is G-d." And now, more than ever, we must recognize this truth and put our trust in our G-d. The One who answered Eliyahu on Mount Carmel will surely answer us as well. Before Mashiach, our righteous Redeemer, comes, Eliyahu will appear upon the mountains of our Holy Land and proclaim the good tidings of Mashiach's coming. https://silatehilim.com/%D1%8D/ https://silatehilim.com/%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BC%D1%83-%D1%8D%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%8F%D0%B3%D1%83-%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8-%D0%BD%D0%B5-%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B6%D0%B5%D1%82-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%82%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D1%81/ https://silatehilim.com/%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%8D-%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BC-%D1%87%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%B0-%D1%8D%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%8F%D1%83-%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8-%D0%B8-%D1%8D%D0%BB%D0%B8/ https://silatehilim.com/%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%85-%D1%8D%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%8F%D0%B3%D1%83/