Haftarah of VaYeira

Melachim II 4 : 1 - 37

The stories in this Haftarah describe two miracles that were performed by the prophet Elisha, a prophet who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the dynasty of Achav. Because Achav and Jezebel attempted to destroy the worship of G-d and replace it with the local gods of Baal, G-d had punished them with a drought that lasted for several years and severely damaged the economy. Elisha's mission was to revive the people's connection to G-d. To that end, he traveled throughout the country teaching and established an institute to train new prophets to replace those murdered by Jezebel. Unfortunately, due to the continuing economic crisis, there is no funding to support them, and he and his disciples are in dire straits.

The first story tells of one of Elisha's disciples, who had borrowed money using his children as a collateral, as was not uncommon when the alternative was starvation. The man died before paying back the loan, and the lenders demanded that his children be handed over. The Haftarah begins with his widow accosting Elisha and demanding that he help her. He has no money to give her, but he feels that it is imperative to find a way to help. He offers her a miraculous blessing, with detailed instructions as to how to carry it out. Fortunately, she had a little bit of oil in the house; this oil fills up many pots, and she is able to sell it and redeem her children.

1) And one woman among the wives of the disciple prophets cried out to Elisha, saying: “Your servant, my husband, died, and you know that your servant worshipped Hashem. The creditor is coming to take my two sons as slaves!”	)א) וְאִשָּׁה אַחַת מִנְּשֵׁי בְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים צָעֲקָה אֶל אֱלִישָׁע לֵאמֹר עַבְדְּךָ אִישִׁי מֵת וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ כִּי עַבְדְּךָ הָיָה יָרֵא אֶת ה’ וְהַנֹּשֶׁה בָּא לָקַחַת אֶת שְׁנֵי יְלָדַי לוֹ לַעֲבָדִים:
2) Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you?” “Tell me what you have in the house.” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil.”	(ב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ אֱלִישָׁע מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָּךְ הַגִּידִי לִי מַה יֶּשׁ לָךְ בַּבָּיִת וַתֹּאמֶר אֵין לְשִׁפְחָתְךָ כֹל בַּבַּיִת כִּי אִם אָסוּךְ שָׁמֶן:
3) He said, “Go borrow pots from outside, from all your neighbors, empty pots; don't be shy.	(ג) וַיֹּאמֶר לְכִי שַׁאֲלִי לָךְ כֵּלִים מִן הַחוּץ מֵאֵת כָּל שְׁכֵנָיִךְ כֵּלִים רֵקִים אַל תַּמְעִיטִי:
4) Go home, close the door behind yourself and your sons. Pour it into all those pots, and take away the full ones.”	(ד) וּבָאת וְסָגַרְתְּ הַדֶּלֶת בַּעֲדֵךְ וּבְעַד בָּנַיִךְ וְיָצַקְתְּ עַל כָּל הַכֵּלִים הָאֵלֶּה וְהַמָּלֵא תַּסִּיעִי:
5) She left him. She closed the door behind herself and her sons; they were bringing the pots to her, and she was pouring.	(ה) וַתֵּלֶךְ מֵאִתּוֹ וַתִּסְגֹּר הַדֶּלֶת בַּעֲדָהּ וּבְעַד בָּנֶיהָ הֵם מַגִּשִׁים אֵלֶיהָ וְהִיא מוֹצָקֶת:
6) It happened, as the pots got filled up, she said to her son, “Bring another pot!” He said to her, “There are no more pots!” And the oil stopped.	(ו) וַיְהִי כִּמְלֹאת הַכֵּלִים וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל בְּנָהּ הַגִּישָׁה אֵלַי עוֹד כֶּלִי וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ אֵין עוֹד כֶּלִי וַיַּעֲמֹד הַשָּׁמֶן:
7) She came, and told the Man of G-d. He said, “Go sell the oil, and pay the creditor. You and your sons can live on the rest.”	(ז) וַתָּבֹא וַתַּגֵּד לְאִישׁ הָאֱ-לֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לְכִי מִכְרִי אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן וְשַׁלְּמִי אֶת נִשְׁיֵךְ וְאַתְּ וֻבָנַיִךְ תִחְיִי בַּנּוֹתָר:

In contrast to the poverty-stricken widow of the disciple prophet, the second story in the Haftarah talks about a "great" woman - the wealthy, generous, and hospitable lady of Shunam. In his travels around the country, Elisha, known as the "Man of G-d", made frequent trips to her town, and stayed in her home. She decides to build an addition to her house to ensure the prophet's privacy and comfort. Elisha is overwhelmed by her thoughtfulness, and tries to repay the favor. The lady turns him down, saying "I dwell among my people" - I neither need nor want any special treatment. After Elisha's servant Gehazi informs him that she is childless, Elisha announces to her, using the exact words of the angels to Avraham and Sarah, that this time next year she will have a child. Her reaction, like Sarah's, is profoundly skeptical. But his word came to pass, and she gave birth to a son.

8) One day, Elisha passed by Shunam, and there was a great woman there; she persuaded him to break bread. Whenever he’d pass by, he would turn there to break bread.	(ח) וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיַּעֲבֹר אֱלִישָׁע אֶל שׁוּנֵם וְשָׁם אִשָּׁה גְדוֹלָה וַתַּחֲזֶק בּוֹ לֶאֱכָל לָחֶם וַיְהִי מִדֵּי עָבְרוֹ יָסֻר שָׁמָּה לֶאֱכָל לָחֶם:
9) She said to her husband, “Look, I know that this is a holy Man of G-d; he passes by here regularly.	(ט) וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל אִישָׁהּ הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִישׁ אֱ-לֹהִים קָדוֹשׁ הוּא עֹבֵר עָלֵינוּ תָּמִיד:
10) Let us make him a little attic room, let’s put there a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. When he comes to us, he can turn in there.”	(י) נַעֲשֶׂה נָּא עֲלִיַּת קִיר קְטַנָּה וְנָשִׂים לוֹ שָׁם מִטָּה וְשֻׁלְחָן וְכִסֵּא וּמְנוֹרָה וְהָיָה בְּבֹאוֹ אֵלֵינוּ יָסוּר שָׁמָּה:
11) One day, he came there. He turned into the attic, and slept there.	(יא) וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיָּבֹא שָׁמָּה וַיָּסַר אֶל הָעֲלִיָּה וַיִּשְׁכַּב שָׁמָּה:
11) He said to his servant Gehazi, "Call the Shunamite lady." He called her, and she stood before him.	(יב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל גֵּחֲזִי נַעֲרוֹ קְרָא לַשּׁוּנַמִּית הַזֹּאת וַיִּקְרָא לָהּ וַתַּעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו:
12) He said to him, “Please say to her, Here you have gone to all this trouble for us – what can I do for you? Maybe to speak on your behalf to the king or to the general?” She said, “I dwell among my people.”	(יג) וַיֹּאמֶר לו אֱמָר נָא אֵלֶיהָ הִנֵּה חָרַדְתְּ אֵלֵינוּ אֶת כָּל הַחֲרָדָה הַזֹּאת מֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת לָךְ הֲיֵשׁ לְדַבֶּר לָךְ אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹ אֶל שַׂר הַצָּבָא וַתֹּאמֶר בְּתוֹךְ עַמִּי אָנֹכִי יֹשָׁבֶת:
14) He said, “So what should we do for her?” Gehazi said, “But she doesn’t have a son, and her husband is old.”	(יד) וַיֹּאמֶר וּמֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר גֵּיחֲזִי אֲבָל בֵּן אֵין לָהּ וְאִישָׁהּ זָקֵן:
15) He said, “Call her.” He called her, and she stood by the entrance.	(טו) וַיֹּאמֶר קְרָא לָהּ וַיִּקְרָא לָהּ וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּפָּתַח:
16) He said, “At this season at the time of births, you will be hugging a son.” She said, “Don’t, sir, Man of G-d, don’t deceive your servant.”	(טז) וַיֹּאמֶר לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אַתְּ חֹבֶקֶת בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר אַל אֲדֹנִי אִישׁ הָאֱ-לֹהִים אַל תְּכַזֵּב בְּשִׁפְחָתֶךָ:
17) The woman became pregnant, and gave birth to a son, at this season at the time of births, as Elisha had told her.	(יז) וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיהָ אֱלִישָׁע:

One day, the child is taken ill and dies. The Shunamite lady tells no one, not even her husband, and places the child in Elisha's room, behind closed doors. She saddles her donkey and rushes to Elisha. When Elisha sees her coming, he is concerned and sends Gehazi to find out what's wrong, but she refuses to speak to anyone but Elisha himself. She encounters him and blames him for giving her false hope. Elisha tries to send Gehazi to heal the child, but she insists that he must go himself.

18) The boy grew. One day, he went with his father to the reapers.	(יח) וַיִּגְדַּל הַיָּלֶד וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיֵּצֵא אֶל אָבִיו אֶל הַקֹּצְרִים:
19) He said to his father, “My head! My head!” He said to the servant, “Take him to his mother.”	(יט) וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אָבִיו רֹאשִׁי רֹאשִׁי וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל הַנַּעַר שָׂאֵהוּ אֶל אִמּוֹ:
20) He brought him to his mother. He sat on her lap until noon, and died.	(כ) וַיִּשָּׂאֵהוּ וַיְבִיאֵהוּ אֶל אִמּוֹ וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל בִּרְכֶּיהָ עַד הַצָּהֳרַיִם וַיָּמֹת:
21) She went up; she laid him on the bed of the Man of G-d. She closed the door behind him, and left.	(כא) וַתַּעַל וַתַּשְׁכִּבֵהוּ עַל מִטַּת אִישׁ הָאֱ-לֹהִים וַתִּסְגֹּר בַּעֲדוֹ וַתֵּצֵא:
22) She called her husband; she said, “Please send me one of the servants, and one of the donkeys; I’m going to run over to the Man of G-d, and come back.”	(כב) וַתִּקְרָא אֶל אִישָׁהּ וַתֹּאמֶר שִׁלְחָה נָא לִי אֶחָד מִן הַנְּעָרִים וְאַחַת הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְאָרוּצָה עַד אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְאָשׁוּבָה:
23) He said, “Why are you going to him today? It is not Rosh Chodesh, nor Shabbat.” She said, “Shalom.”	(כג) וַיֹּאמֶר מַדּוּעַ אַתְּ הֹלֶכֶת אֵלָיו הַיּוֹם לֹא חֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא שַׁבָּת וַתֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם:
24) She saddled the donkey, she said to her servant, “Drive and go. Don’t stop riding unless I tell you.”	(כד) וַתַּחֲבֹשׁ הָאָתוֹן וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל נַעֲרָהּ נְהַג וָלֵךְ אַל תַּעֲצָר לִי לִרְכֹּב כִּי אִם אָמַרְתִּי לָךְ:
25) She went; she came to the Man of G-d, at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the Man of G-d saw her from afar, he said to his servant Gehazi, “There is that Shunamite lady.	(כה) וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתָּבוֹא אֶל אִישׁ הָאֱ-לֹהִים אֶל הַר הַכַּרְמֶל וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת אִישׁ הָאֱ-לֹהִים אֹתָהּ מִנֶּגֶד וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל גֵּיחֲזִי נַעֲרוֹ הִנֵּה הַשּׁוּנַמִּית הַלָּז:
26) Now please run over to her and ask her, “How are you? How is your husband? How is the child?” She said, “Shalom.”	(כו) עַתָּה רוּץ נָא לִקְרָאתָהּ וֶאֱמָר לָהּ הֲשָׁלוֹם לָךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לְאִישֵׁךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לַיָּלֶד וַתֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם:
27) She came to the Man of G-d at the mountain; and she grabbed his legs. Gehazi came over to push her away; but the Man of G-d said, “Let her be, because her soul is bitter, and Hashem hid it from me and hasn’t told me.”	(כז) וַתָּבֹא אֶל אִישׁ הָאֱ-לֹהִים אֶל הָהָר וַתַּחֲזֵק בְּרַגְלָיו וַיִּגַּשׁ גֵּיחֲזִי לְהָדְפָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ הָאֱ-לֹהִים הַרְפֵּה לָהּ כִּי נַפְשָׁהּ מָרָה לָהּ וה’ הֶעְלִים מִמֶּנִּי וְלֹא הִגִּיד לִי:
28) She said, “Did I ask for a son from my master? Didn’t I say, don’t disillusion me?”	(כח) וַתֹּאמֶר הֲשָׁאַלְתִּי בֵן מֵאֵת אֲדֹנִי הֲלֹא אָמַרְתִּי לֹא תַשְׁלֶה אֹתִי:
29) He said to Gehazi, “Put on your belt, take my staff in your hand, and go. If you run into anyone, don’t greet him; if anyone greets you, don’t answer him. And put my staff on the boy’s face.”	(כט) וַיֹּאמֶר לְגֵיחֲזִי חֲגֹר מָתְנֶיךָ וְקַח מִשְׁעַנְתִּי בְיָדְךָ וָלֵךְ כִּי תִמְצָא אִישׁ לֹא תְבָרְכֶנּוּ וְכִי יְבָרֶכְךָ אִישׁ לֹא תַעֲנֶנּוּ וְשַׂמְתָּ מִשְׁעַנְתִּי עַל פְּנֵי הַנָּעַר:
30) The mother of the boy said, “I swear upon Hashem, and upon your life, if I leave you!” He got up and followed her.	(ל) וַתֹּאמֶר אֵם הַנַּעַר חַי ה’ וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ אִם אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ:
31) Gehazi went before them; He placed the staff on the boy’s face. There was no voice and no reaction. He went back towards him and told him, “The boy did not wake up.”	(לא) וְגֵחֲזִי עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַמִּשְׁעֶנֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַנַּעַר וְאֵין קוֹל וְאֵין קָשֶׁב וַיָּשָׁב לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיַּגֶּד לוֹ לֵאמֹר לֹא הֵקִיץ הַנָּעַר:

Elisha takes responsibility for the child's life. Again behind closed doors, he paces and prays, and gives the child some of his own life-force. Once the child is not only alive but also conscious, he calls for the mother to take her son. She thanks him profoundly and exits, carrying her little boy.

32) Elisha came to the house. There was the boy, dead, lying on his bed.	(לב) וַיָּבֹא אֱלִישָׁע הַבָּיְתָה וְהִנֵּה הַנַּעַר מֵת מֻשְׁכָּב עַל מִטָּתוֹ:
33) He came in, and closed the door behind the two of them; he prayed to Hashem.	(לג) וַיָּבֹא וַיִּסְגֹּר הַדֶּלֶת בְּעַד שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה’:
34) He got up and lay down on top of the boy; he put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, the hands on his hands, and stretched out over him. The child’s flesh warmed up.	(לד) וַיַּעַל וַיִּשְׁכַּב עַל הַיֶּלֶד וַיָּשֶׂם פִּיו עַל פִּיו וְעֵינָיו עַל עֵינָיו וְכַפָּיו עַל כַּפָּיו וַיִּגְהַר עָלָיו וַיָּחָם בְּשַׂר הַיָּלֶד:
35) He got back up, and paced around the house, back and forth. He got up again and stretched out over him. The boy sneezed seven times. The boy opened his eyes.	(לה) וַיָּשָׁב וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּבַּיִת אַחַת הֵנָּה וְאַחַת הֵנָּה וַיַּעַל וַיִּגְהַר עָלָיו וַיְזוֹרֵר הַנַּעַר עַד שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים וַיִּפְקַח הַנַּעַר אֶת עֵינָיו:
36) He called to Gehazi, and said, “Call the Shunamite lady”. He called her, and she came to him. He said, “Pick up your son”.	(לו) וַיִּקְרָא אֶל גֵּיחֲזִי וַיֹּאמֶר קְרָא אֶל הַשֻּׁנַמִּית הַזֹּאת וַיִּקְרָאֶהָ וַתָּבוֹא אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר שְׂאִי בְנֵךְ:
37) She came, she fell to his feet, and bowed to the ground. She picked up her son, and went out.	(לז) וַתָּבֹא וַתִּפֹּל עַל רַגְלָיו וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרְצָה וַתִּשָּׂא אֶת בְּנָהּ וַתֵּצֵא: פ

"Haftarot Unrolled" Copyright © Kira Sirote

In memory of my father, Peter Rozenberg, z"l

לעילוי נשמת אבי מורי פנחס בן נתן נטע ז''ל