Elijah Rock

Elijah rock shout shout
Elijah rock comin' up Lord
Elijah rock shout shout
Elijah rock comin' up Lord

This distinctive ceramic cup is the Cup of Redemption reserved for the Prophet Elijah during the Passover seder. One of the central themes of this festival of freedom from Egyptian bondage is the welcoming of Elijah as the forerunner of the Messiah and the Age of Peace. The cup stands on an inverted bowl with a gold and black ball separating the base from the cup. The background colors, as determined by the artist, represent earth, water, and sky. The imagery includes the Torah and the swirls surrounding it represent the Torah scroll unrolled. Green symbolizes life, doves stand for peace, and the pitchers depict the fullness of life as well as being holders of the Eternal Light oil. The ark is God’s covenant with all humankind. The animal shapes symbolize creation and the creative process, with a kid prominently displayed for the seder. The fitted lid of the cup is topped with a golden chair representing charity to humankind. On Passover, a chair is left empty for the Prophet Elijah. However, this chair is available for anyone needing a meal. This piece by Robert Lipnick is one of the many examples of his work in Cleveland. It is especially noteworthy for its eternal Jewish symbols that come from the past and remain richly meaningful today. In the artist’s own words, “In my dream, next year’s world is a better place.”



For a great rendition of this wonderful Gospel Elijah Rock listen to the Klezmatics' Brother Moses Smote The Water version here. You will have to scroll down to find it.