What is the Jewish belief about the return of Elijah?

Question

I know part of the traditional passover observance includes inviting Elijah to come in, and that you look forward to his return. Why? In the Jewish belief, what is his role?

Answer 1

JewishEncyclopedia.com says:

"The climax of Elijah's activity is his appearance shortly before the Messianic time. "He is appointed to lead aright the coming ages, to restore the tribes of Jacob," says Ben Sira of him (Ecclus. [Sirach] xlviii. 10, 11). In the second half of the first Christian century it was expected that Elijah would appear shortly before the coming of the Messiah, to restore to families the purity which in the course of time had become doubtful ('Eduy. viii. 7; this is the opinion of Johanan b. Zakkai). A century later the notion prevailed that Elijah's office was "to bring peace and adjust all differences" (ib.). It was expected that all controversies and legal disputes which had accumulated in the course of time would be adjusted by him, and that difficult ritual questions and passages of Scripture seemingly conflicting with each other would be explained, so that no difference of opinion would exist concerning anything (Men. 45b; Ab. R. N. xxxiv.; Num. R. iii., near the end; compare also Jew. Encyc. i. 637a). The office of interpreter of the Law he will retain forever, and in the world to come his relation to Moses will be the same as Aaron's once was (Zohar, Ẓaw, iii. 27, bottom). But the notion which prevailed at the time of the origin of Christianity, that Elijah's mission as forerunner of the Messiah consisted mainly in changing the mind of the people and leading them to repentance, is not unknown to rabbinical literature (Pirḳe R. El. xliii., xlvii.). His real Messianic activity—in some passages he is even called "go'el" (="redeemer"; compare Friedmann, l.c. pp. 25, 26)—will commence three days before the coming ofthe Messiah. On the first day he will lament over the devastation of Palestine, but will close with the words: "Peace will now come over the earth"; on the second and third days he will speak words of comfort (Pesiḳ. R. xxxv. 161; Elijah as the "good messenger of salvation" is a frequent figure in the apocalyptic midrashim). When the archangel Michael blows the trumpet, Elijah will appear with the Messiah, whom he will present to the Jews ("Otot ha-Mashiaḥ," in Jellinek, "B. H." ii. 62, 125; see Eschatology). They will ask of Elijah, as an attestation of his mission, that he raise the dead before their eyes and revive such of the dead as they personally knew (Shir ha-Shirim Zuṭa, ed. Buber, 38, end; compare also Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch; Bousset, "The Antichrist Legend," p. 203)."

So you can see, Jewish beliefs do not differ too much from Christian/Messianic Jewish beliefs about Elijah's role; although the 3-day thing is off. Christians believe Elijah will return as one of the Two Witnesses during the Tribulation, preaching repentance to Israel and urging it to accept its Messiah. Scripture tells us He will not return until the Chosen People beg Him to return.

Non-Messianic Jews do not believe John the Baptist was Elijah. Christians and Messianic Jews understand that John the Baptist received a portion of Elijah's spirit, just as Elisha did upon Elijah's assumption into heaven. Elijah's spiritual return in the form of John the Baptist is sharply contrasted with his literal, physical return during the Tribulation.

Peace and love in Jesus.

Answer 2

Elijah's return will signify that the Messiah has come. That is why we look for his return.

Jews do not think John the Baptist was Elijah. Some Christians point to John because Elijah is noticeable absent in the Jesus story.

Answer 3

I think they believe that John the Baptist was the returned Elijah.