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Abbie Agranov– 2nd grade

Opening the Door for Eliyahu HaNavi ‐ Shira Levitt (12th Grade)

Why do we open the door when reciting Shefoch Chamatcha? There are a few rabbis who comment on this. Rav
Moshe Isserles says that the reason we open the door is to publicize the fact that we believe in Hashem and are
not afraid of anything but Him. Rabbi Eliezer ben Rabbi Natan (the Ra’avan) says that we open the door so that
when Eliyahu comes with Mashiach, our door is already open for us to follow him. Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib
Alter (the Sfat Emet) says that when the Jews were in Egypt, they were commanded not to leave their homes so
that they wouldn’t see the downfall of the Egyptians. In the future redemption, however, the Jews will be al-
lowed to witness the punishment of the wicked. To underscore this, we open our doors.
There is actually a Midrash on this topic. Yitzchak blessed Yaakov on the Seder night. According to the Mid-
rash, Esav opened the door and walked into the room, at which point Yaakov slipped out the door without being
seen by his jealous brother. In commemoration of Yaakov’s rescue at the last moment by an open door, we open
our doors.

My favorite explanation for this strange tradition comes in the form of a story. One year at his Seder, Rav Men-
achem Mendel, the Rebbe of Kotzk, instructed a chassid to open the door for Eliyahu. The chassid was honored
and excited to be the one chosen to perform the task, and he was certain that the Rebbe wanted him to see Eli-
yahu. The Rebbe sensed this thought and said, “Eliyahu does not come through the door, but rather through the
mind.” In other words, when we open the door for Eliyahu, we’re not supposed to see Eliyahu coming through
the door. Rather, the act is a symbolic reminder for us all that we must change our ways so that Mashiach will
come soon.

We can learn from these ideas that everything has a reason. Unlike Amalek, who believe only in coincidence,
we as Jews know that there is a reason and explanation behind everything. Part of the challenge is learning to
accept the things we don’t understand and have faith that whatever happens is only part of G-d’s greater plan.