Why do many people sing about Eliyahu Hanavi after havdalah or during melaveh malka?
One explanation is found in Tur 295:1, which cites the Gemara (Eiruvin 43a). It says that Eliyahu cannot come on Erev Shabbos to announce the geulah, as it would disrupt our Shabbos preparations. Therefore, after Shabbos ends, we pray that he should come immediately. The Tur also mentions a custom to recite all verses that mention Eliyahu, as doing so is a segulah for memory and for success in the coming week.
But there’s a deeper reason for mentioning Eliyahu Hanavi at this time.
The Elya Raba (295:9), as quoted in Kaf HaChaim (295:19 and 300:5), brings a medrash that teaches: immediately after Shabbos, Eliyahu Hanavi sits in Gan Eden under the Tree of Life and records the merits of the Jewish people. When Hashem sees how committed Klal Yisrael is to the mitzvah of shemiras Shabbos, He tells Eliyahu to write it down, so that these merits can protect us against any midas hadin or difficult decrees. Since Eliyahu is destined to herald the arrival of Moshiach, Hashem is essentially tallying our merits with Eliyahu, allowing the merit-account to grow toward the eventual geulah.
Based on this, Rav Avrohom Yitzchok HaKohein Kook
writes in Shemoneh Kevatzim (6:120) that we too should engage in a similar practice on motza’ei Shabbos. He instructs us to reflect on the greatness and holiness of Klal Yisrael — a nation that just spent an entire day with the Shechinah, honoring the Borei and Melech HaOlam at every meal, with Hashem as the Guest of Honor. “How great is the nation of Klal Yisrael!” he writes, continuing with detailed praises of our people. Just as Eliyahu records our virtues, so must we.
We need to recognize how truly good we are.
As Rav Moshe Sassover once said: “Depression is not an aveirah, a sin—but it’s the greatest aveirah of all.” When we are in a positive frame of mind, we are more likely to do good, to embrace mitzvos. But when we are dejected, we risk falling into darker places.
Chazal (Shabbos 32a) offer an incredible insight into how judgment works in Shamayim. The pasuk says, “If there is a defending angel, one among a thousand, to declare a man’s righteousness, then G-d finds favor in him” (Iyov 33:23). Even if the angel can list 999 faults and finds only one virtue—he can still save the person. Even more: if the one mitzvah was deeply flawed, with 999 elements lacking and just one aspect done right—still, that one merit can tilt the judgment in his favor.
If Hashem and His angels are constantly searching for the sliver of good within us, shouldn’t we do the same for ourselves?
This message is beautifully expressed by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (Azamarah L’Elokai Be’odi, Likutei Moharan 282, paraphrased):
“Even when a person looks at himself and sees only failure, only sin, and cannot find even one good thing,
this is the yetzer hara’s strongest tactic: to drive a person to despair. But one must never fall into this trap. It is impossible that a person has never done anything good. Even if the good deed was flawed and incomplete, it still counts. Find that one point of light, the one good act, the one moment of sincerity, and allow yourself to feel joy because of it.”
Rebbe Nachman continues:
“This is what the pasuk means in Tehillim (37:10): Ve’od me’at ve’ein rasha, v’hisbonanta al mekomo v’einenu—’Just a little more and there will be no more wicked one; you will reflect on his place and he will be gone.’ Focus on your me’at tov, your small bit of good, and you’ll no longer see yourself as wicked. You’ll slowly grow toward true goodness, and when you look back, you’ll see the rasha is gone. By discovering your own nekudah tova, your spark of good, you take yourself from the kaf chov (side of demerit) to the kaf zechus (side of merit).”
Take It To Go!
What a powerful, meaningful avodah to take on each motza’ei Shabbos: to seek out the good in Klal Yisrael — and in ourselves. We can all join the avodah of Eliyahu Hanavi! Take a few minutes after Shabbos to grab a pen and paper, and write down a few praises of the Jewish people. Think about your Shabbos, and identify a couple of special things you saw your fellow Jew do. Write it down! Who knows when Hashem may pull out that piece of paper that you wrote, and use it to defend the Jewish people from a harsh decree!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 48.
