hutch (03/24/83)
Hmm, having dug around in the news files I find an article I never saw, from Mark Terribile, asking me to clarify my assertion that John the Baptist was Elijah reincarnated. Well, in fact this is a touchy point. The Jewish tradition of the time was that the Messiah would be preceded by a returned Elijah, for the specific indicator, turn in your Bible to the book of Malachi (the last one before the NT) and read chapter 4 especially verse 5. Then, turn to (at least) the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 11, verse 11 thru 14. Kind of blatant. Also, the transfiguration occurred after John the Baptist was beheaded at the command of Herod. Now, as to whether this was what can be called a literal reincarnation, well, the question remains slightly open, although the evidence implies that Elijah was reborn as John the Baptist. The reason I say this was a special case, is that the Pharisaic tradition of the time held that reincarnation might be possible, but that it was not likely to occur, and the concept of transmigration (reincarnation as a nonhuman) was totally rejected. Steve Hutchison ... tektronix!tekmdp!dadla!hutch
leichter (03/28/83)
Re: Elijah being reincarnated. There is one interesting issue involved here: Elijah - at least according to Jewish readings of the text - never died! I don't have the quotation available, but he was carried off to heaven in a (golden?) carriage, still quite alive - a unique attribute of his. Particularly appropriate at this time of year: At the Passover Seder, and extra cup of wine is set out "for Elijah"; at one point in the Seder, the front door is opened to let him in. (This is mainly a game - one of many - to keep the children interested; I don't know of any deep significance assigned to it, and I don't think there is even an explicit reference to the custom in the Haggadah (the book of prayers used for the Seder). A prayer is said while the door is open, but as best as I can recall it's a general welcome and praise of God.) Anyway...the Jewish tradition that says that Elijah will return with/as the Messiah does not require reincarnation as such (although there are other traditions, quite vague, that seem to imply it; the dead are promised "a place in the next world" which may or may not be the world after the coming of the Messiah, etc. Jewish tradition on this has never been very clear. -- Jerry decvax!yale-comix!leichter leichter@yale