Questions on פרק ד'
נסי אלישע. סיפור השונמית

Read the perek in its entirety.

פסוק א-ז
#1 This woman belongs to a particular group. Which group? Where have we seen this group in our sefer?
· "והנשה בא לקחת את שני ילדי וכו'" What does this phrase mean? See Shemot 22:24 and the Rashbam there. How does this loan thing connect with the children? (For an interesting connection with this, see Nehemia perek 5)
#5 ותסגור הדלת Why is this necessary? In which miracle stories of our perek do we see this same action (of closing the door) and where do we not see it. Can you explain?

The story of פסוק א-ז reminds us of a similar story with Eliyahu. Compare and contrast the two incidents. What does this tell us about the differences between the two prophets?

For a good summary of Elisha as a personality, See Daat Mikra, introduction to Melachim (in the 1st volume of Sefer Melachim) pgs 198-202.

פסוק ח'-ל"ח
General Questions
· This story is the Haftara for Parshat Vayera. In what way is it parallel to the story of birth/life of Yitzchak? Significance? How about the differences?
· This story provides is with some interesting information regarding the place of the Navi within wider society. What two points might we glean from our perek?
· DO you feel that the story here is more about Elisha? Gechazi? God? the Shunamite woman? – What is the message of the story?
· See (overleaf) the question of Rav Elchanan Samet (Megadim #13.) Is this a central issue in this perek? How so?

##29 See Radak (also Rashi) as to why Gechazi musn’t talk to anyone on his way to the house of the Shunamit. What does he suggest?
· According to Rashi (actually Chazal in the Mechilta) Gechazi doesn’t exactly follow orders here! If Radak is correct, then how would you articulate the difference in attitude between Gechazi and Elisha? (Note, according to Radak, what resulted from Gechazi’s attitude/actions.)
· Is there any hint to this difference in mindset in the p’shat of the perek?

#33-34 What series of actions does Elisha engage in in order to revive the child?
· "וישם פיו על פיו". עיין רד"ק.
מהם שני ההסברים שהרד"ק מציע להסביר הפעולות השונות שאלישע עושה כדי להחיות את הילד?

פסוקים מ"ב-מ"ד
On the basis of this story, when we say in zemirot Shabbat; “"אכלנו והותרנו כדבר ה' what do we mean?


For Further Study
The story of the "Shunamit" and her son is the Haftara of Parshat Vayera. See the book by Rav Yissachar Yaakobson – חזון המקרא- for his survey article about Prophetic miracles in Tanakh.