232 The Legends of the Jews
until he should be told by Elijah to proceed. The eighth day of the child's life arrived, the whole congregation was as- sembled at the synagogue10* to witness the solemn cere- monial, but to the great astonishment of his fellow-towns- men the father delayed it. The people naturally did not know he was waiting for Elijah to appear, and he was called upon once and again to have the ceremony take place. But he did not permit the impatience of the company to turn him from his purpose. Suddenly, Elijah, unseen, of course, by the others, appeared to him, and bade him have the cere- mony performed. Those present were under the impression that the father was holding the child on his knees during the circumcision; in reality, however, it was Elijah. After the rite was completed, Elijah handed the infant back to the father with the words : " Here is thy child. Take good care of it, for it will spread a brilliant light over the world." ""
It was also Elijah who in a similar way informed Rabbi Eliezer, the father of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tob, — the father of him whose name is unrivalled in the annals of the lijasidic Kabbalah — that a son would be born to him who should enlighten the eyes of Israel. This Rabbi Eliezer was justly reputed to be very hospitable. He was in the habit of stationing guards at the entrances to the village in which he lived, and they were charged to bring all strangers to his house. In heaven it was ordained that Rabbi Eliezer's hos- pitable instincts should be put to a test. Elijah was chosen for the experiment. On a Sabbath afternoon, arrayed in the garb of a beggar, he entered the village with knapsack and staff. Rabbi Eliezer, taking no notice of the fact that the beggar was desecrating the Sabbath, received him
