Haftorah Parashat Vayera
HAFTARAT VAYERA
19 November, Heshvan 17; II Melakhim, 4:1—4:37
Apparent Reason for Reading this Haftarah: Since the haftarah mentions a childless woman getting a son (like in the parsha), and—if we want to stretch the issue a step further—that son comes close to death and is then saved, the connection would seem to be obvious. On the other hand, Eliyahu also resuscitates a child, and we start reading this haftarah with a whole other story, about his helping a widow fend off her creditors. Both factors argue in favor of looking for some other connection.
Haftarah Summary: The haftarah opens with the story just mentioned, the widow of a prophet coming to Elisha to complain about the creditors’ threat to take her sons as slaves. Elisha asks what she has in the house, and then tells her to take that cruse of oil, gather pots from all her neighbors, and pour into them. Miraculously, the oil does not stop flowing until she runs out of pots; when she returns to him for advice, he tells her to sell the oil, repay the creditors, and live off the rest.
The text then moves on to the woman of Shunem (also not named), who insists Elisha use their house as his inn whenever he passes through their town. When he asks her what reward she would like, she denies having any need, but Gehazi, his attendant, mentions that she is childless. Elisha promises, and the next year she has a son.
Some time after that, the boy goes out to the fields with his father, takes ill, is sent home to his mother, and dies. She goes back to Elisha, insisting he help her. Elisha first gives his staff to Gehazi to use to heal the boy, but she refuses to leave until Elisha comes with her. Gehazi fails, so Elisha arrives and, by placing himself on the boy, revives the child.
The haftarah confuses us on its own terms, let alone in connecting to the parsha. The Midrash identifies the widow as Ovadyah’s wife, and says that she saved her generation, but does not tell us how. Since it is commenting on the verse in which she turns to Elisha for assistance, we might suspect that it was her turning to him which itself saved the generation.
If that were true, it suggests that the challenge of Elisha’s time was convincing people to treat the prophet of God as different from the prophets of other gods. This already provides a connection between the two stories in the haftarah, since the Shunemite woman also recognizes Elisha’s importance, so much so that she sets aside a residence for him in her house.
Other parallels heighten the connection between the incidents. In both, the woman who treats Elisha properly is rewarded, but at some point needs to consult further with the prophet on how to handle it—in the first story, on what she should do with the oil that came out of the container, in the second, on how she can have a live son, as was promised her.
The Connection to the Parsha, Revisited: Seen in that light, the stories of the parsha have a greater internal unity as well. Avraham is told of the coming of Yitshak, perhaps as partial reward for his having been a prime proponent of the worship of the Creator. In addition, he involves himself in welcoming guests although, in contrast to the Shunemite woman, he does not know of their august status. Finally, Avraham’s son is threatened with death but finds a reprieve, like the Shunemite.
Taking those together, they suggest that the haftarah wishes to focus our attention on the value and eventual reward for those who make efforts to recognize God and His representatives. The road for such people can be rocky (as for the Shunemite, or Ovadyah’s widow prior to turning to Elisha), but the end will be success.
Some differences between the haftarah and parsha seem worth noting as well. Elisha somewhat parallels Avraham, in that he is the figure producing the awareness of God in his generation. Yet Avraham seems more concerned with actual people than Elisha; Avraham himself runs to welcome the guests, and defends Sodom independent of any personal connection (Lot was already being saved, after all).
I have no desire to knock a prophet of God, but the verses appear to portray Elisha in harsher terms. Ovadyah’s widow is on the verge of losing her sons to slavery, and he only helps her once she turns to him, suggesting he was unaware of what was happening to the widow of one of his compatriots; he accepts the Shunemite woman’s kindness, yet knows nothing of her life circumstances, so that he must ask her what she needs (and be told by Gehazi), before he can bless her; later, when he revives the child, he simply gives him to her, without any display of emotion.
I cannot claim that the rabbis who chose haftarot wanted to emphasize these differences, but they do show the challenge facing a person who stands nearly alone in a generation. Avraham stood on one side, with the whole rest of the world against him and his monotheism, and yet managed to retain his affection for others, concern with their welfare (whether or not he was involved with them), and insistence that they get the best possible judgment from God.
Elisha does not appear to emerge from a similar challenge as unscathed. He displays a certain coldness to others, an indifference to their situations, suggesting how special Avraham was. It shows how personally wearing it is to stand for an ideal rejected by the rest of the world; that wear will usually affect the person doing so, as it might have in the case of Elisha. To see Avraham walk through that fire whole reminds us of how solid a foundation this Patriarch provides for our people.
Famous Phrases and Their Ramifications
In verse 13, when Elisha asks what the Shunemite needs, suggesting that perhaps she needs him to speak to some political officials, she responds be-toch ami anochi yoshavet, that I have relatives and influence of my own. Hovot haLevavot cites that as the opposite to the attitude we should have before God. He recommends seeing oneself as a stranger in God’s land, recognizing that influence or family connections cannot help with God. What we do is what is important.
Rosh haShanah 16b notes that the Shunemite woman’s husband questions her going to Elisha, since the day was “lo hodesh ve-lo Shabbat, neither Hodesh nor Shabbat.” The gemara infers an obligation to greet one’s teacher on holidays, known as “le-hakbil penei Rabo ba-regel,” which suggests the importance of maintaining a continuing relationship with a teacher, who can serve as a source of insight into understanding what God wants in this world. Shabbat Shalom.
[1] Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
[2] And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
[3] Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
[4] And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
[5] So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
[6] And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
[7] Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
[8] And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
[9] And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
[10] Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
[11] And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
[12] And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
[13] And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
[14] And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
[15] And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
[16] And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
[17] And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
[18] And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
[19] And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
[20] And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
[21] And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
[22] And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.
[23] And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
[24] Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
[25] So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:
[26] Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.
[27] And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
[28] Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?
[29] Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
[30] And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.
[31] And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
[32] And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
[33] He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
[34] And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
[35] Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
[36] And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son.
[37] Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.