Which prophet is traditionally welcomed when the door is opened during many Passover Seders? Elijah is the prophet traditionally welcomed. During the Seder, many Jewish families set aside a cup of wine for Elijah and open the door as a symbolic invitation.
The custom connects Elijah with hopes of redemption. The biblical prophet is associated with the promise that he will return before the “great and awesome day” of the Lord, and later Jewish tradition came to view him as a herald of the Messiah. Opening the door therefore expresses expectation as well as hospitality.
The practice is not a reenactment of the Exodus itself, so it should not be confused with the blood-marked doorposts in the biblical Passover story. Nor is the cup simply an extra ordinary serving: it is commonly called Elijah’s Cup and is reserved for this ritual. Customs vary, but the door-opening and invitation are widespread features of modern Seders.