VAYEIRA
Melachim II 4:1–37
Unwavering Faith

When we think of tests in faith, we usually imagine difficult situations that force us to come face to face with our conviction. This week’s Haftarah reveals a higher dimension of faith wherein one can attain a level of trust in Hashem to actually go outside of His set rules of natural principles. It displays that the faith of the devout is so strong that even hopeless situations leave room for miraculous intervention.

Elisha’s Promise of a Child

Our Haftarah describes Elisha Hanavi’s constant benefit from the warm hospitality of a Shunamite lady during his traveling. It continues with Elisha’s response to her generosity, by promising her that within the year she will give birth to a son and embrace him. His startling prediction raised major doubt in her mind due to her ripe old age, coupled with her inability to bear children. Indeed, she sensed some reservation in Elisha’s prediction, and she strongly requested from him that her child live a full, healthy life. (Malbim to Melachim II 4:14, 16) Elisha’s promise was fulfilled and the Shunamite gave birth to a boy within the predicted time. When the boy matured, sudden tragedy befell him and he became seriously ill and died soon after, in his mother’s arms. The Shunamite lady did not despair but instead calmly placed her lifeless child on Elisha’s bed in the guestroom. After doing so, she immediately traveled to Elisha who had been away at the time, and she gently reminded him of his promise that she would bear a child. Elisha understood her hint and realized the gravity of her situation, and he sent his servant Geichazi to rush to the scene of the child. Elisha followed afterwards, and upon entering the guestroom, he attempted to warm the child’s body while fervently praying to Hashem to restore the child to life. Indeed, Hashem responded to Elisha’s plea, and He returned the lifeless child to life.

The Shunamite’s Calm Response

When carefully studying this heartrending incident, we are overwhelmed by the Shunamite’s manner in dealing with her son’s sudden passing. The Haftarah states, “She arose, placed the [dead] child on the prophet’s bed, closed the door and left.” (4:21) There is no mention here of any emotional outburst, cry of despair, or feeling of grief or anguish. The Haftarah continues to relate how she calmly requested a donkey and informed her husband that she was making a peaceful journey to the prophet. Even after arriving at Elisha’s doorstep, she assured him that everything at home was in order. It was only after she entered his private quarters that she alluded to his promise and
hinted to him the seriousness of her situation. This entire episode reveals the Shunamite’s strength of character and her perfect faith in Hashem. She displayed an unparalleled degree of trust in Hashem and seemed to have regarded natural impossibilities within her realm of reality. Her confidence in Hashem was so strong that she sincerely anticipated a miracle of major proportions. She simply refused to accept the fact that her wonder-boy’s life ended so soon. She apparently reasoned that if Hashem overrode His rules of nature to grace a barren, aged lady with a son, He could override them again and return that son to life. In essence, she felt that since Hashem accepted Elisha’s original plea for a miracle, He could conceivably accept Elisha’s subsequent plea for a second miracle. Therefore, with total conviction, she calmly awaited a nearly unprecedented experience, the revival of her son. Hashem responded to her unwavering faith and performed one of His greatest miracles of all times.
One cannot help but ask, where did the Shunamite develop such faith and conviction? Although we know that Hashem’s ability is limitless, we are also aware of Hashem’s reluctance to alter His master plan for the world. The revival of the dead is an experience reserved, for the most part, for the end of days and is not meant to happen earlier. Chazal reveal that prior to the Shunamite’s miraculous experience world history
had only seen the revival of two people. (Pirkei D’Rebbe Eliezer 31, Melachim I 17:22) How could the Shunamite even dream of such a supernatural occurrence, let alone anticipate it happening to her son?

Sarah’s Reaction to Travelers’ Prediction

One could suggest that the Shunamite drew her strength from Hashem’s lesson to our matriarch Sarah in this week’s Parsha. The Torah records how three common travelers informed our patriarch Avraham that his aged and barren wife, Sarah, would bear a son. Sarah, then eighty-nine years old, did not pay much attention to their prediction. In fact, she chuckled at the notion of bearing a child at her stage in life. Hashem reprimanded her for this and asked Avraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Can I give birth when I am so old?’ Is anything out of Hashem’s reach?” (Bereishis 18:13-14)

We are somewhat puzzled by this dialogue. As far as we could see, Sarah’s response merely reflected the true improbability of bearing a child at her old age. Why should she, physically incapable of giving birth and well past that stage, entertain the remote idea of returning to her youth? We do agree that if a prophet had told her this news she would have been obligated to believe in its reality. However, as Ramban reminds us, the prediction came from three people who appeared to be ordinary Arabs. Since Sarah was totally unaware that the travelers were angels in disguise she seems to have responded most appropriately in her situation. She certainly appreciated the travelers’ blessing, but had long given up on dreaming about such remote ideas. Ramban therefore questions why did Hashem fault our righteous matriarch for her natural and logical response?

Sarah’s Faith Demanded More

Ramban answers that Hashem expected Sarah to rise above her physical limitations. With her supreme level of faith, she should have, at least, entertained the remote possibility of the nearly impossible. She should have believed that a miracle of that sort could actually happen to her, and she should have replied with hope and glee that Hashem should only bring such tidings to fruition. Ramban explains that Sarah’s
profound understanding of Hashem’s hidden ways should have left room in her mind for even the most remote of suggestions. (Ramban to Bereishis 18:15) Chazal teach us never to take anyone’s blessing lightly, even that of a believing non- Jew, because of its potential degree of fulfillment. (Megillah 15a) In this vein, even the seemingly bizarre words of three ordinary Arabs had some merit. Who knows, maybe those travelers were predicting a miraculous development of the near future. Maybe they were actually angels in disguise delivering a message from Above! Ramban explains that Sarah’s chuckle reflected that childbearing was outside of her realm of reality. Hashem reprimanded her for her attitude and reminded her that nothing is ever outside of His reality. If she had considered the prediction from Hashem’s perspective, she would have realized the true potential of her childbearing even at that age. One could suggest that the Shunamite fully absorbed Sarah’s lesson and that she thoroughly applied it to her own predicament. She had also experienced a miracle of major proportions and had been incapable of childbearing and had grown old before she miraculously conceived her son. It is quite possible that after her son’s birth, the
Shunamite carefully researched Hashem’s guidelines for miracles and concluded from Hashem’s lesson to Sarah that nothing was beyond His reality. She fully identified with this outlook and continuously viewed her wonder-boy’s existence in that light. When his tragic passing occurred, she saw her predicament as a perfect opportunity for faith. Drawing on her inner principles of faith, she immediately acted upon them. She reasoned that if Hashem willed, He could easily return her son to life. She therefore swiftly traveled to Elisha and hinted to him her need of a miracle. Her unwavering faith served her well, and Hashem responded to Elisha’s plea and restored her son to life.

Conviction, the Key to Mashiach’s Arrival

We consistently ask Hashem to end our troublesome exile and to send us our long awaited Mashiach. Many people find it difficult to fathom how this phenomenon will come about. There are so many obstacles in the way that even the earliest stages of redemption will require unprecedented miracles. Let us learn from the Shunamite and realize that nothing is outside of Hashem’s realm of reality. Since Hashem is undoubtedly interested in bringing His world to its fulfillment, even an unprecedented miracle is totally in line. If we, like the Shunamite, would display unwavering faith in Hashem’s ultimate revelation, our conviction would serve us well and Hashem would indeed restore His world to its earlier glory and far beyond.

***