Reply To: Dear Eliyahu HaNavi

Sam2:

The rule of Lo BaShamayim Hi still applies. Eliyahu HaNavi can’t answer those questions.

Part of the inspiration for this thread was that I recently saw a great piece from R’ Gershon Zaks (grandson of the Chofetz Chaim and talmid of the Brisker Rov) on Eliyahu HaNavi that dealt with that very issue.

R’ Gershon Zaks brought down a maamar Chazal that says Eliyahu HaNavi will come primarily to end all machlokesim, and explains that Eliyahu HaNavi is uniquely suited to accomplish this task because he has two different methods at his disposal. Since he is a Navi, he can ascertain the metziyus through nevauh (such as who an avaidah belongs to); and since he was one of the links of the transmission of the Torah (listed in the Rambam’s famous shalsheles hamesorah), he can explain Torah She’Baal Peh as it was originally given and understood.

Also, I would add that since Eliyahu HaNavi is still alive, he can come to us before techiyas ha’maysim.

I also always thought that Teiku standing for “Tishbi Yavo” is a cute mnemonic, but R’ Gershon Zaks brought down a legitimate source for this idea. I forgot who it was from, but DY seems to have found other legitimate sources as well…