Chasidut for I Kings 18:36
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּעֲל֣וֹת הַמִּנְחָ֗ה וַיִּגַּ֞שׁ אֵלִיָּ֣הוּ הַנָּבִיא֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ יְהוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ אַבְרָהָם֙ יִצְחָ֣ק וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַיּ֣וֹם יִוָּדַ֗ע כִּֽי־אַתָּ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַאֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ ובדבריך [וּבִדְבָרְךָ֣] עָשִׂ֔יתִי אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said: ‘O LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word.
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 49,8. “You, o Yehudah, your brothers shall praise;” The word אתה at the beginning of this verse poses a problem. Our author directs the reader to look at Kings I 18,36-37 where the prophet Elijah repeatedly prefaces part of his prayer by addressing G’d in direct speech, i.e. with the word אתה, “You.” The whole idea of a creature addressing the King of the universe with the word אתה “YOU,” as we do in our daily prayers, i.e. ברוך אתה ה' וגו', is hard to understand for us who would not dare to address a mortal king in such familiar, almost insulting language.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy