A Yid once came to the Baal Shem Tov and told him that he wanted to meet Eliyahu Hanavi. The Baal Shem Tov brushed him off, but time and again the man returned and insisted that we really wanted to meet Eliyahu Hanavi. Finally, the Baal Shem Tov relented but warned him that it wouldn’t be easy and he’d have to follow very precise instructions. The man was thrilled and agreed that he’d do anything it took!
The Baal Shem Tov tells him to go on the following Friday afternoon, late in the afternoon just a few minutes before candle lighting, to a certain address on the outskirts of town. Bring two suitcases, one full of food, enough to feed a family for Shabbos, and a second one full of children’s clothing. Knock on the door and tell them that you’re a traveler and you got stuck on the road and need a place to stay for Shabbos. There, over Shabbos, you will meet Eliyahu Hanavi. So the fellow followed these instructions, and when he knocked on the door a woman opened it. He immediately realized that this family was living in total and absolute poverty, but he followed the instructions and asked if he could stay for Shabbos. The woman replied that she’d be happy to host him, but that her husband had died a few years prior and they simply had no money and no food!
The man replied that this was not a problem at all! He happened to have a suitcase full of food with him that he didn’t really need, and he’d be happy to share it with the family for Shabbos! As they got ready for Shabbos, he realized the kids’ clothes were worn and tattered. He told the women that this was hard to explain, but he happened to have a suitcase full of brand-new children’s clothing that he had no use for, and they were welcome to have it! This family was overjoyed; they hadn’t seen such an abundance of food and clothing their whole lives! The whole Shabbos the man was looking at the door, waiting for Eliyahu Hanavi to walk in, but Shabbos came and went and he never appeared!
After Shabbos the Yid went back to the Baal Shem Tov and complained that Eliyahu never came! The Baal Shem Tov was surprised but told him that he needed to go back again the next Shabbos. This time he told him to bring one suitcase of food and one suitcase full of medicine. Sure enough, he knocks on the door right before Shabbos, the woman invites him in, and she tells him they are happy to host him but they have no food. Once again he says he happens to have a suitcase full of food that they can all share! He looks around at the kids and notices they all had caught some kind of sickness, and were in bed, miserable and sad. He opens up his second suitcase, and once again he says he can’t really explain why he has a suitcase full of medicine, but he has no need for it and they can take whatever they want and save the rest in case they need it in the future.
Once again, Shabbos came and went with no sign of Eliyahu Hanavi, and the man returned again to complain to the Baal Shem Tov. The Baal Shem Tov responded that he must go back one more time, and this time he guarantees he will find Eliyahu Hanavi. This time he should bring one suitcase of food, and one suitcase with pillows and blankets. The man goes back to the house right before Shabbos, and as he approaches the door, right before he knocks, he overhears a conversation taking place inside the house. It was now the start of the winter, and children were crying and telling their mother that they had no blankets and that it was freezing cold at night. They were begging their mother to find a way to get them pillows and blankets. What was the mother’s response? “Don’t worry, my children: just as Eliyahu Hanavi came 2 weeks ago and gave us food and clothing, and just as Eliyahu Hanavi came last week and brought us food and medicine, I am confident that Eliyahu Hanavi will come this week and bring us food and blankets!” With that, the man knocks on the door, once again saving the day.
After Shabbos, the Baal Shem Tov explained that to see Eliyahu Hanavi, to see someone else come and help another Yid, that’s not such a big deal. It is much more special to be Eliyahu Hanavi, to be the one that helps another Yid!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 12.