It happened in the time of R. Judah, the Pious that a child was born in the city of Regensburg, where R. Judah lived.

When the child was brought into the synagogue for circumcision and the people said Baruk ha-ba, [1] the whole congregation rose up, as is customary, but R. Judah remained sitting. Everyone said Baruk ha-ba, while 'R, Judah kept quiet, for he did not see the Prophet Elijah come in, as he usually does.

All the people wondered and asked him why he was so disrespectful to the child.

The pious manreplied: "Because I did not see the Prophet Elijah come in with the child, nor did he sit in the chair which had been prepared for him. He must have believed that no good would come of the child."

He also said to some persons: "Look through that window yonder and you will see the Prophet Elijah, in the guise of an old man with a long snow-white beard, sitting and praying."

 

[1] "Blessed be he that cometh!" These words are addressed to the Prophet Elijah, who always comes with the child, And this is the reason also for the custom of putting a second chair. [This explanation is in the original text, and has here been made a note.]