וַתִּפֹּ֣ל אֵשׁ־יְהוָ֗ה וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶת־הָֽעֹלָה֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣עֵצִ֔ים וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִ֖ים וְאֶת־הֶעָפָ֑ר וְאֶת־הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה לִחֵֽכָה׃
I spadł ogień Wiekuistego, i pochłonął całopalenie i drwa i kamienie i ziemię, a nawet wodę, która była w rowie, wyssał.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
Our Rabbis were taught: "There are six kinds of fire: Fire that eats but does not drink; that drinks but does not eat; that eats and drinks; that burns up moist things as well as dry; fire that counteracts other fire; fire that supersedes fire; to wit, that eats but does not drink, refers to a common fire; that drinks but does not eat, refers to a fever; that eats and drinks, refers to that of Elijah; as it is written (I Kings 18, 38) And licked up the water that was in the trench; that burns up moist things as well as dry, refers to fire on the altar; fire that counteracts other fire, refers to Gabriel; fire that supersedes fire, refers unto the Shechina, for the Mastetr said God. stretched out His finger among the angels and consumed them."
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“Support me with raisin cakes, cushion me with apples, for I am lovesick” (Song of Songs 2:5).
“Support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with two fires [ishot], a heavenly fire and an earthly fire. Alternatively, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with two fires [ishot], the written Torah and the oral Torah.51The word of God is analogized to fire (see Deuteronomy 33:2 and Jeremiah 23:29). Alternatively, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with many fires [ishot]; with the fire of Abraham,52This is a reference to the fiery furnace into which Nimrod cast Abraham; see Bereshit Rabba 38:13. of Moriah,53Abraham took materials with which to make a fire at the binding of Isaac, which took place on Mount Moriah; see Genesis 22:7. of the bush, of Elijah,54On Mount Carmel; see I Kings 18:38. and of Ḥanaya Mishael and Azarya.55See Daniel chapter 3. Another matter, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” these are the halakhot, which are well-founded [hame’ushahshot].56These are halakhot that resulted from a rigorous process of deliberation. “Cushion me with apples,” these are the aggadot, whose fragrance and taste are like apples.
“For I am lovesick,” the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, all the maladies that you inflict upon me are in order to make me beloved to You.’57They are designed to cause me to return me to the path of righteousness. Alternatively, “for I am lovesick,” the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, all the maladies that the nations of the world afflict upon us are due to the fact that I love You.’ Alternatively, “for I am lovesick,” even though I am ill,58Sinful. I am beloved to Him.
It is taught: Until a person becomes ill, he eats whatever he finds. When he becomes ill, he seeks to eat all sorts of delicacies.59Food that is easier for him to chew and digest while he is ill, or food that tastes good and provides him with some enjoyment to counteract the discomfort of his illness. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: In the past, the Torah was accessible, and [people] would seek to hear a passage of the Mishna and a passage from the Talmud. Now that the Torah is not accessible, they seek to hear a passage from the Bible or a passage from aggada. Rabbi Levi said: In the past, money was available and a person desired to hear a passage from Mishna, halakha, and the Talmud. Today that money is not available, and especially because they are ill due to subjugation, they seek to hear only words of blessing and consolation.
“Support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with two fires [ishot], a heavenly fire and an earthly fire. Alternatively, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with two fires [ishot], the written Torah and the oral Torah.51The word of God is analogized to fire (see Deuteronomy 33:2 and Jeremiah 23:29). Alternatively, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with many fires [ishot]; with the fire of Abraham,52This is a reference to the fiery furnace into which Nimrod cast Abraham; see Bereshit Rabba 38:13. of Moriah,53Abraham took materials with which to make a fire at the binding of Isaac, which took place on Mount Moriah; see Genesis 22:7. of the bush, of Elijah,54On Mount Carmel; see I Kings 18:38. and of Ḥanaya Mishael and Azarya.55See Daniel chapter 3. Another matter, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” these are the halakhot, which are well-founded [hame’ushahshot].56These are halakhot that resulted from a rigorous process of deliberation. “Cushion me with apples,” these are the aggadot, whose fragrance and taste are like apples.
“For I am lovesick,” the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, all the maladies that you inflict upon me are in order to make me beloved to You.’57They are designed to cause me to return me to the path of righteousness. Alternatively, “for I am lovesick,” the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, all the maladies that the nations of the world afflict upon us are due to the fact that I love You.’ Alternatively, “for I am lovesick,” even though I am ill,58Sinful. I am beloved to Him.
It is taught: Until a person becomes ill, he eats whatever he finds. When he becomes ill, he seeks to eat all sorts of delicacies.59Food that is easier for him to chew and digest while he is ill, or food that tastes good and provides him with some enjoyment to counteract the discomfort of his illness. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: In the past, the Torah was accessible, and [people] would seek to hear a passage of the Mishna and a passage from the Talmud. Now that the Torah is not accessible, they seek to hear a passage from the Bible or a passage from aggada. Rabbi Levi said: In the past, money was available and a person desired to hear a passage from Mishna, halakha, and the Talmud. Today that money is not available, and especially because they are ill due to subjugation, they seek to hear only words of blessing and consolation.
Devarim Rabbah
What the verse said: “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: The ruler over people [is a righteous one, ruling through the fear of God]” (II Samuel 23:3); what is “is a righteous one, ruling through the fear of God”? The righteous, as it were, rule over what the Holy One blessed be He rules. How so? Everything that the Holy One blessed be He does, the righteous do. How so? The Holy One blessed be He remembers the barren;2He grants them children. Elisha remembered the Shunamite woman. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “He said: At this time next year, at this very time, you will embrace a son” (II Kings 4:16). The Holy One blessed be He revives the dead, and Elisha revived the Shunamite woman’s son.3II Kings 4:32–36. The Holy One blessed be He splits seas and Elijah and Elisha split seas. From where is it derived? “Even he, as he struck the water, it split here and there” (II Kings 2:14). The Holy One blessed be He heals without a medicated bandage and Elisha healed Naaman without a medicated bandage.4 II Kings 5:14–15. The Holy One blessed be He sweetens the bitter water and Elisha sweetened the bitter water, as so it is written: “He said: Bring me a new bottle, [and put salt there…. He went to the water source, and he cast salt there, and said: So said the Lord: I have cured this water]” (II Kings 2:20–21), and is written: “The water was cured” (II Kings 2:22). The Holy One blessed be He halts rain and Elijah halted the rain, as it is stated: “As the Lord [of hosts]…lives, there shall be neither dew nor rain” (I Kings 17:1). The Holy One blessed be He causes rain to fall and Samuel caused rain to fall, as it is stated: “Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call to the Lord…” (I Samuel 12:17). The Holy One blessed be He causes fire to descend, and Elijah caused fire to descend, as it is stated: “Fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering” (I Kings 18:38).