What are the various opinions on the matter? I know this is vague, but I'm really at a loss. My mother claims to have seen/spoken to Eliyahu Hannavi many years ago, so I'm curious on if we believe halakhically that this can be real, etc.
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1What exactly do you mean by "believe halakhically that this can be real"? Is the premise that reality is determined by a halkhic ruling?– AlexNov 27, 2018 at 1:43
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1@Sam Why might it not be possible? Just about anything is possible– Double AA ♦Nov 27, 2018 at 1:51
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1Someone can dream about anyy. The question that should be asked is whether this is meaningful Al pi halacha and not whether it can happen. Clearly she had the dream unless you think she is lying and if that is the case the question is off topic– DudeNov 27, 2018 at 2:17
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3The list of rabbis, throughout history, who allegedly met (and dreamt about) Eliyahu would probably admit that “this can be real”.– OliverNov 27, 2018 at 5:04
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2@AlBerko Based on what he wrote in the question and comments he's simply asking if Judaism believes that it is possible for his mother to have seen Eliyahu. (If a question sounds lame you can downvote it.)– AlexNov 27, 2018 at 17:48
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2 Answers
There is a very well discussed literature on the subject of dreams. As was already noted, our tzaddikim have experienced Eliyahu Hanavi, and have dreamed him. It is certainly possible that one could dream about him or dream interacting with him.
However, that being said; we are on a very low-level today, and while it is possible, it is unlikely except for the most saintly - and they probably won't tell you if they did. So what do we do if we dream about him? Well, it is more than likely that subconsciously or consciously Eliyahu Hanavi came up in conversation, or she thought about him. In which case, it is very common for us to dream about what happened in our lives, which can have a profound effect on us.
If indeed she dreamed about him, and there was no connection to what she experienced that day, she should make a note of it and speak to a Gadol to ascertain precisely, if anything should be done.
Since this was several years ago, I would take it as something that did not have a profound effect on her, since she would have gone to a Gadol immediately. I would surmise then, that the dream was probably a subconscious recollection of a past discussion of Eliyahu Hanavi or she read the accounts in Tanakh.
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Well done in presenting your first answer. You could improve it by citing some examples of people who have experienced Eliyahu Hanavi. Nov 27, 2018 at 19:55
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The answer implies that it is not common, and even if people did in fact experience it, it would have to be determined they didn't subconsciously or consciously relate to him in some way the previous day.– user18323Nov 28, 2018 at 15:06
Yes, dreaming of Eliyahoo can be real. Many people see Eliyahoo and many other Tzaddikim in their dreams.
The Halachic implications:
If Eliyahoo appears in a dream and asks you to do Mitzvos - do it (you don't lose).
If he asks you to transgress Mitzvos - don't do it.
If he tells you anything that pertains to money (as if somebody owes you or you owe somebody) - don't believe him (that's the Gemmorah's ruling).
If he says something questionable or unclear - ask a Rabbi.
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Why should you listen to anything he says? If dreams are a figment of your imagination, so is whatever he tells you. If dreams aren’t a figment of your imagination, and Eliyahu is actually appearing to you, then לא בשמים היא. You should be doing mitzvos and not doing aveiros regardless of what he tells you. If dreams are summoned by the subconscious, then if he tells you that you owe someone money, that’s you telling yourself that - and you should give it to him (or at least approach him about it - yes, המוציא מחבירו עליו הראיה, but I never said you must give it).– DonielFNov 27, 2018 at 14:07
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@DonielF What is not Halachic in what I said? He asked how to interpret the dream Halachicly and I answered very clearly. Which point exactly you object?– Al BerkoNov 27, 2018 at 15:10
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1Which Gemara is your answer(s) based on?– user18323Nov 27, 2018 at 15:33
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@AlBerko Your list of Halachic implications seem to be either false or irrelevant. 1 and 2 are at best redundant and at worst a לא בשמים היא issue, and 3 you say not to believe him (at the time you didn't have the line that it's the Gemara's ruling, but you still don't cite which one).– DonielFNov 28, 2018 at 20:31