“The world stands on three things: on justice, on truth and on peace.”
(Seder Eliyahu Rabbá, cap 11)

1) What is and what is it called

• Name and variants: “Tanna Devei (d Eib) Eliyahu” means the teachings of the ‘school’ of Elijah. The title traditional groups two works related: Seder Eliyahu Rabbá (the “Great Order of Elijah”), and Seder Eliyahu Zuta (the “Small Order of Elijah”). The compilation is often refer too, in abbreviated form, as Seder Eliyahu.

2) Structure and extension

• Two sections:
  • Rabbá: 31 chapters in the critical edition modern standard.
  • Zuta: 15 chapters in the critical edition modern (though some ancient editions listed other numbers).

3) Date, place and authorship

• Final wording: The canonical form is set towards the end of the century X (time geónida), on the oldest materials. The text is anonymous and pseudepigráfico in the sense of being presented as transmitted teachings “in the school of Elijah”, not as a dictation literal of the prophet.
• Language: Hebrew rabbinical with period features post-talmudic; tone strongly aggádico-homiletical (ethical and devotional), with minimum halachic rules.

“Anyone who studies the Torah for the love she rises, and those who study for interest descends.”
(Rabbá, cap 18)

4) Gender and purpose

• Midrash aggádico of ethics and piety (mussar): Seder Eliyahu articulates a theology to practice on Torah study, prayer, teshuvah (repentance), charity (tzedakah), modesty, moral discipline, and reward/punishmentwith an emphasis remarkable in the right conduct (derech éretz) as a way to the “tree of life”.
• Universalism content: the text urges the upright conduct, and the recognition of God not only to jews, and promotes respect for the wise and for the “other” within the framework of rabbinical classic.

5) literary Features and key thematic

• Doctrinal framework:
  • Story in “series” (shiṭṭot): outline historical-theological structure stages of humanity and the divine service.
  • Reward and punishment: readings of Genesis (expulsion from the garden of Eden) to subjects with eschatological; guardians of Eden as a symbol of award, and the sword flamígera as punishment—images morales more than speculation mystical.
• Emphasis ethical-devotional: daily prayer, diligent study, humility, removal of pagan customs, zeal for the purity of morals and honesty economic.
• Narrative issue (especially in Zuta): stories introduced by formulas of the type: “it came to pass that...” to illustrate why sometimes the righteous will is evil and evil good in this world, affirming the divine justice in a long-term perspective.
• Controversial anti-karaíta (moderate): rare in midrashim aggádicos; it appears with a conciliatory tone (e.g., washing of hands, shejitá, prohibition of fat, degrees of kinship, etc).

6) Connection with the Talmud, and the tradition

• The expression “Tanna Devei Eliyahu” in the Talmud it works as formula of citation of baraitot (teachings external to the Mishnah) attributed to “the school of Elijah”, not necessarily as a reference to the text that we know of, although the collection preserves several of these maxims. Rishonim as Rabbi Nathan ben Yehiel (Arukh) already explained this double tradition.
• Links: is cited by later builds (e.g., Yalqut Shimoni), and dialogues, by affinity topic with literature pirqé ethical-homiletics (not to be confused with Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer, different artwork).

“The one who does teshuvah (repentance) for fear, your sin is blotted out; but the one that does it out of love, your sin is transformed into merit.”
(Rabbá, cap 14)

7) Manuscripts and editions

• First printed edition: Venice, 1598based on a copy of 1186.
• Editions problematic (XVII century): Prague, 1677, of Samuel b. Moshe Haida, with rewrites, tweens talmudic-kabbalistic and presentation “text old/new”, which distort the original.
• Editions recommended (XVIII–XIX): Brody 1798 (Yeshu'at Ya'akov), Siedlce 1835 (Me pray Esh), Vilna, 1840 (Ma aneh Eliyahu), and the ed. Warsaw 1880 (both texts).
• Critical edition modern key: M. Friedmann, Vienna 1900/1903, on the ms. Vatican 1073 (year 1073)with comments Me go ‘Ayin and an introduction extensive; fixed Rabbá 31 cap and Zuta 15. Is the academic standard.
• Modern translations: W. G. Braude & I. J. Kapstein (JPS, 1981); A. Y. Finkel (2013).

8) doctrinal Content

1. God, Torah and creation: moral order of the cosmos; the world it is held by study, service, and acts of kindness.
2. Teshuvah and free will: possibility of universal and permanent return; the merit is constructed with consistent discipline.
3. Prayer: prayers beautiful and interspersed; insists on kavaná (intention) and on a regular basis.
4. Tzedakah and social justice: give it cleansing and sustains the covenant community.
5. Derech éretz: good manners, modesty, temperance, business integrity, respect for teachers.
6. Attitude toward non-jews: ask for tolerance and fair treatment; the moral judgment transcends ethnicity (line unusual for the time).
7. Problem of evil: stories in Zuta facing the theodicy without cynicism.
8. Polemic with karaite: defense of the oral tradition without rants, supporting practices rabbinical.

9) Style and technique midráshica

• Mixed composition: re-reading of midrashim and previous appointments of baraitot, interwoven with homilies and parables moral.
• Narrative voice: sometimes marked with formulas like tanna devei eliyahu or mishum Eliyahu ha-Navi; estudios filológicos recent discusses how the voice works as “narrator-master” (Abba Eliyahu).

10) Place within the canon of rabbinic

• There is a midrash halachic systematic or an exegesis verse-to-verse; it is a handbook of theological ethics comprehensive in scope, very used in circles mussar and preaching.
• Influence: cited in discussions about Avot (e.g., the Baraita on Avot it contrasts with the cap 17 Zuta for textual criticism).

11) Use modern, and study resources

• Text and translations in the open: Sefaria delivers the Hebrew (with English translation part) Rabbá and Zuta; useful for direct reading and concordances.
• Panoramas current academic: recent work studying your ethos for a mercy, “minimum” or “inclusive”, the role of the “lego godly” and the relationship sinagogal-community.

“Blessed are those who fear the sky in secret, as his reward will be with you which is eternal.”
(Zuta, hold 7)

12) How to read it today (practical guide)

1. Start by Seder Eliyahu Rabbá (caps. 1-5 for theological framework, 10-16 for teshuvah and tzedakah, 22-31 for social ethics).
2. Continue Zuta for stories-example on divine justice.
3. Cross with Proverbs, Pirkei Avot, and midrashim ethical; to observe the convergence of language and axioms.
4. Refer to the editing Friedmann for critical apparatus and variants; prevents ancient editions with tweens not identified.

13) fine Points and discussions

• How “talmudic” is? Although appointment baraitot, its architecture is post-talmudic and its purpose parenético (call).
• Universalism vs. particularism: his tone inclusive does not negate the election of Israel; it poses ethical demands universal within a theology of the covenant.
• Historical value: as a testimony of practices and religious sensibilities of the era geónida, including the controversy karaíta, is a source of the first order.

In the synthesis (the essential “need to know”)

• It is a midrash aggádico of ethics and devotion, anonymous, set at the end of the century Xcomposed by Rabbá (31 caps.) and Zuta (15 caps.).
• Axis doctrinal: study-prayer-love, teshuvah, derech éretz, divine justice, and the moral responsibility of the individual and community level.
• Unique features: arguing with karaite in a moderate tone, articulated schemes historical (shiṭṭot) and shows sensitivity universalist uncommon in the midrashim.
• To study today: use Sefaria for the text, and Friedmann for the textual criticism; see translations JPS (Braude-Kapstein) and recent studies.

“The divine righteousness is revealed not in the power but in the mercy.”
(Rabbá, cap 15)