Throughout
our long history the Jewish people have zealously guarded the mitzvah of circumcision, even during periods of
religious rebellion and apostasy. Only
once was there any weakness in the fulfillment
of this mitzvah. It was after King Solomon's death, approximately
five hundred years after the Jewish people entered the Land
of Israel.
During
this period the nation was divided into two kingdoms. A
Jew by the name of Ahab was appointed king over
ten of the 12 tribes. During his reign he established harsh decrees forbidding the
Jewish
people from following the Torah and performing its mitzvot, including the mitzvah of circumcision.
Elijah
the Prophet, seeing the Jews turning away from God and brazenly disregarding the mitzvah of Bris
Milah, proclaimed that Heaven should withhold its rain and dew from the
earth until the Jews would repent. The wife of Ahab,
Queen Jezebel, was enraged by his actions and sentenced Elijah to death.
Elijah
turned to God and prayed for protection. God said to him, "Are you different than your ancestors? When the patriarch
Jacob was threatened by his brother Esau
he fled from him. Similarly, when Moses
was in danger from Pharaoh he fled from him to Midian. And when
King David was threatened by King Saul he also fled from him."
Elijah took God's words as a sign that he must also flee, and he fled
to the mountain of Choravah.
God
revealed himself to Elijah and said, "Elijah, why are you here?" Elijah replied, "I
was zealously protecting Your honor." God replied. "You are constantly
indignant. You were angered in the wilderness when the Jews began marrying the
women of Moab. Now you are again righteously angered by seeing My children neglecting
the
commandment of circumcision. I therefore swear by your life that you
will witness My people perform the mitzvah of circumcision for all eternity!"
Elijah
then said, "God, You know that I am easily aroused to zealously uphold Your honor. Thus,
when I am in the presence of anyone who has transgressed even one of Your holy
commandments I will not be able to remain quiet!" God then promised Elijah that
on the day of the Bris the father of the child, the Mohel, and all those present
will be completely forgiven of their sins. (From Midrashic sources)
This is the reason why at
every Bris there is a
special chair designated for Elijah the
Prophet.
