"And Elisha passed to Shunem"

1. "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that Elohim led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines..." (Shemot 13:17). Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion, saying: "A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk upon errors" (Chavakuk 3:1). This passage is difficult, and should be investigated. What is the reason FOR WRITING, "A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk," rather than any other prophet of the world, for by them, it is not written, 'A prayer of Isaiah the Prophet,' or of Jeremiah, or Ezekiel or Hosea, or the other prophets of the world?

2. HE RESPONDS, We have learned that Elisha merited in the world what no other prophet did, except for Moses. Come and behold, it is written, "And it fell on a day and Elisha passed to Shunem, where there was a great woman" (II Melachim 4:8). What is meant by "a great woman?" It is that she was great in her actions and the entire household was proud of her. She was the mistress of the house and, since her husband was not present in the house to be the master, she was mentioned instead of him.

3. "Where there was a great woman." Another EXPLANATION IS that she was greater than all the other women in the world because the other women were vexed and distressed when they saw a guest in the house, and they would not spend money on him. But she rejoiced with a guest, and spent money on him. When she saw Elisha she was moreover very happy with him. All the praise goes to the woman, because the guest of the house is the woman's. Therefore, it is written, "Where there was a great woman," for she was greater than all other women.

4. "And she said to her husband, 'Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of Elohim'" (Ibid. 9). HE ASKS, How did she know THAT HE WAS A HOLY MAN? HE RESPONDS, THE friends explained that she would spread a white sheet on his bed and never saw an emission of semen on it. Also, a fly never passed on his table.

5. HE ASKS, These words are difficult. You say that she never saw an accidental emission from him, but there are many people in the world who are so AND HAVE NO ACCIDENTAL EMISSIONS. What is the difference here? If you say that a fly never passed over his table, why is it written, "Behold now, I know?" Did only she and no one else know? Yet all those who saw him eat at his table knew, JUST LIKE HER.

6. HE RESPONDS, But rather she spoke well, "Behold now, I know." Only she knew because she arranged his bed when he lay down in it at night and when he arose in the morning. It was so that she spread a white sheet in his bed, and by this did she know, for the way of the world is that when a person arises from his bed, the sheet on which he slept exudes a foul odor. But when she removed the sheet from his bed, it exuded scents like those in the Garden of Eden. She said, 'If it were not for the fact that he is holy and the Holiness of his Master is upon him, a holy scent would not arise FROM THE SHEET.'

7. As a result, he had to separate from the house, because a person cannot be so careful inside the house. But she said, "Let us make a small upper chamber, I pray you, with walls; and let us set for him there a bed and table, and a chair, and a lamp" (Ibid. 10). HE INQUIRES, Why these four? HE RESPONDS, Because they restore the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, that is called an 'upper chamber with walls.' And so is it called, for it is written, "Then Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall" (Yeshayah 38:2).

8. "A bed, and a table, and a chair, and a lamp." HE ASKS, the order of the passage is not the order of the usage, because first a chair is needed, and afterwards a table, and afterwards a lamp, and then a bed. So why did she start with the bed? HE RESPONDS, Because she liked the bed better than everything, and a person places that which he likes first - FOR SHE NOTICED IN THE BED A HIGHER DEGREE OF HOLINESS ABOVE EVERYTHING.

9. "And it happened one day, that he came there" (II Melachim 4:11). HE ASKS, "And it happened one day." What day was it? HE RESPONDS, It is as we explained. Come and behold, that day was the holy day of Rosh Hashanah (the New Year), when the barren women of the world and the inhabitants of the world were remembered. He called the Shunamite and said, "Behold, you have been careful to take all this trouble for us" (Ibid. 13). Therefore, I must study the Judgments of the world today, because today the Holy One, blessed be He, Judges the world, and because I separated myself to be alone in this place, IN THE UPPER CHAMBER WITH WALLS WHICH WAS PREPARED FOR ME. I must search the sentences of the world, MEANING THAT WHOEVER SEPARATES TO BE ALONE ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT IS SNARED FIRST, THOUGH HE MAY BE GUILTLESS.

10. HE ASKS, "What is to be done for you? Would you be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?" (Ibid.) Is this important to a woman who never goes out or goes to the king's palace? But this day caused all the inhabitants of the world to await Judgment and on that day, the Holy One, blessed be He, shall be proclaimed as King, the King of Judgment. He said to her, 'If you need the Supernal King TO FORGIVE YOU for your actions, I WILL SPEAK AND BESEECH ON YOUR BEHALF.'

11. "And she answered, 'I dwell among my people.'" HE ASKS, What does she mean? AND HE RESPONDS, At the time when Judgment prevails over the world, a person should not separate himself from the general community and be apart. Then he will not be singled out above, and will not be noticed on his own. For at the time when Judgment prevails over the world, those who were distinctly known and recorded apart are caught first, even though they may be righteous. Therefore, a person should never separate to be apart from the people, for the Mercies of the Holy One, blessed be He, are always present over the whole people together. Therefore, she said, "I dwell among my people" and I do not want to be separate from them, as I have done until this day.

12. "And Gechazi answered, 'Verily she has no child'" (II Melachim 4:14). Elisha said to her, 'Certainly, the time is favorable for you TO REDEEM YOURSELF WITH A SON, because the day induces it,' FOR ON ROSH HASHANAH, BARREN WOMEN ARE REMEMBERED. "And he said, 'About this time, in the coming year, you shall embrace a son'...And the woman conceived and bore a son in the season of which Elisha had spoken to her" (Ibid. 16-17). Assuredly, at that time and afterwards he died. HE INQUIRES, What is the reason that he died? HE RESPONDS, Because the child was given to her and not to her husband, and he was bound to the Female place. Death awaits one who is bound to the Female. Whence do we know that he was given to her? Because it is written, "And you shall embrace a son."

13. Come and behold, by Abraham, it is written, "I will certainly return to you at this season" (Beresheet 18:10), and not to her. He will be bound to you indeed, and not with a female, for death is premature for one who comes from the Female side. "And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of Elohim," because she saw there a Holiness that was higher than that of everyone.

14. "And say to her, 'Is it well with you, is it well with your husband, is it well with the child?" (II Melachim 4:26). From here, we know that she is the mainstay of the house, FOR HE INQUIRED FIRST ABOUT HER WELL-BEING, AND THEN HER HUSBAND'S WELL-BEING. She went behind THE PROPHET, but before her husband. "And Gechazi came near to thrust her away." This has already been explained.

15. "But the man of Elohim said, 'Let her alone.'" HE INQUIRES, Why is it that here the verse calls him "the man of Elohim," yet he was referred to as "Elisha" when he was in the city? HE RESPONDS, Here he was assuredly "the man of Elohim," because here is his place, and not in the city, not at the time when the sons of the prophets were before him. THUS, THERE HE WAS NOT CALLED 'THE MAN OF ELOHIM,' BUT RATHER "ELISHA."

16. "And Hashem has hid it from me..." IS as written, "And Hashem rained upon S'dom and Amorah" (Beresheet 19:24), WHEREBY "AND HASHEM" MEANS HE AND HIS COURT OF JUSTICE, AND this is the court of law of below, MEANING MALCHUT. "And has not told me" (II Melachim 4:27). HE ASKS, Why did Elisha not know? HE RESPONDS, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'How can I kill this one? If I tell him, he will not let him die because it is his present. HE WILL PRAY FOR HIM, AND NOT PERMIT HIM TO DIE.' But he must die; as we learned, it is written, "You will embrace a son." HE WAS BOUND TO THE PLACE OF THE FEMALE, and death was caused from the Female place. Therefore, He did not tell him.

17. "And he said to Gechazi, 'Gird your loins, and take my staff in your hand and go you away.'" It was explained that the ability to perform the miracle had departed from him, FOR HE WAS NOT WORTHY OF IT. "As Hashem lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." HE INQUIRES, Why DID SHE CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT HE SHOULD GO HIMSELF, although Gechazi was already going? HE ANSWERS, She recognized the manners of that wicked Gechazi that he is not worthy for a miracle to be performed through him.

18. "And he put his mouth upon his mouth and his eyes upon his eyes..." HE ASKS, Why DID HE DO IT THAT WAY? HE ANSWERS, Elisha observed and knew that this place OF THE FEMALE, to which he is bound now, caused him TO DIE. CONSEQUENTLY, "he put his mouth upon his mouth and his eyes upon his eyes," in order to bind him in a different, high place - MEANING IN THE PLACE OF THE MALE, the place where there is life.

19. But he was not able to uproot him from the FEMALE place, to which he was connected before until he aroused a spirit from above. He connected to the SUPERNAL place and returned to him his soul. If he had not DONE so, he would never have returned TO LIFE. "And the child sneezed seven times," and not more THAN SEVEN, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE SEVENTY YEARS OF HIS LIFE, as it is written, "The days of our years are seventy" (Tehilim 90:10).

20. This is Habakkuk the prophet, as it says, "You shall embrace (Heb. choveket) a son." HABAKKUK IS DERIVED FROM 'EMBRACE.' HE ASKS, If so, he should have been called Chavuk ('embraced'). Why WAS HE CALLED 'Habakkuk,' which means two EMBRACES? HE RESPONDS, One EMBRACE IS of his mother and one EMBRACE IS of Elisha, who embraced him WHEN HE REVIVED HIM. Another explanation, He received two embraces, one from HIS MOTHER'S side and one from the PROPHET'S side. One embrace from the place from which he came originally - MEANING FROM THE FEMALE PLACE, AS MENTIONED - and another embrace that raised him to the higher levels, MEANING TO THE PLACE OF THE MALE, AS MENTIONED. BOTH THESE EMBRACES ARE INCLUDED IN HIS MOTHER'S EMBRACE, AND ALSO IN THE PROPHET'S EMBRACE. He was therefore called 'Habakkuk,' which means two EMBRACES.

21. "A prayer (Heb. tfilah) of the prophet Habakkuk" (Chavakuk 3:1). HE ASKS, What is the prayer THAT IS MENTIONED HERE? HE RESPONDS, This is the place to which he was originally connected FROM HIS MOTHER'S ASPECT, and this is the hand Tfilah ('phylactery'), MEANING THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN that is called 'Tfilah. "Upon errors" (Ibid.) MEANS that on the day he became bound to it, the errors of the world were suspended before the Holy One, blessed be He, WHICH WAS ROSH HASHANAH, AS MENTIONED. And Gvurah, WHICH IS NUKVA, dominated. This Tfilah, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, was therefore bound to him.

22. Another explanation for "A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk" is that a prayer of Habakkuk MEANS for Habakkuk, FOR THE TWO EMBRACES, which THE PROPHET gave him. "Hashem, I heard the report of You, and I was afraid" (Ibid. 2). Come and behold, when the spirit of the prophet was awakened over him - THAT IS, THE MALE WHEN HE EMBRACES, over this place, OVER THE SPIRIT OF THE FEMALE, which is Tfilah (lit. 'prayer'), WHICH HE HAD FROM THE EMBRACE OF HIS MOTHER - he approached with fear and trembling, LEST THE JUDGMENTS OF THE NUKVA SHOULD NOT REVISIT HIM. THEREFORE, HE SAID, "HASHEM, I HEARD THE REPORT OF YOU, AND I WAS AFRAID." This, they said, is like the proverb: 'One who is bitten by a dog trembles from his bark.'

23. "Hashem, revive Your work in the midst of the years" (Ibid.). HE ASKS, What is "Your work?" AND HE REPLIES, He said it ABOUT HIMSELF, that He is His work. "Revive Your work in the midst of the years" MEANS give him life to serve You among the supernal years, WHICH ARE THE SFIROT. Another explanation, Revive him so that he shall not die again.

24. "On errors (Heb. shigyonot):" HE INQUIRES, What is "shigyonot?" It should have said 'shgiot,' as it is written, "Who can discern errors (Heb. shgiot)?" (Tehilim 19:13). But "shigyonot" is defined as it is written, "shigayon ('musical instrument') to David" (Tehilim 7:1). THAT IS A LYRIC USED FOR PRAISE, for there were various types of praises available to the prophets to cause the Spirit of Prophecy to dwell upon them, as it is written, "That you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, and a timbrel" (I Shmuel 10:5), and, "But now bring me a minstrel" (II Melachim 3:15). Habakkuk needed pleasantness more than all of them, to sweeten that place, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, TO WHICH HE WAS PREVIOUSLY BOUND. THIS WAS IN ORDER to draw the Spirit of Prophecy upon himself. It is the same for all the other prophets except for Moses, who rose above all the prophets of the world. Happy is his portion.

25. Come and behold, when the Yisrael left Egypt, their spirits were broken and they heard the praises OF THE ANGELS, but they could not celebrate. When all the legions OF THE ANGELS and Chariots left with the Shechinah, they all raised THEIR VOICES in praise and song before the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Holy One, blessed be He, aroused the spirits of Yisrael. Then they heard the praises OF THE ANGELS, as their spirits remained within them and did not fly from them.

26. One knows AND FEELS his broken bones and broken spirit only after he leaves his work. Yisrael only tasted death when they departed from Egypt, but the Holy One, blessed be He, healed them, as it is written, "And Hashem went before them by day..." (Shemot 13:21). All the roads exuded scents of healing which entered their bodies, and they were healed. From the sound of the praises that they heard, they rejoiced and reposed and purified their spirit.

27. Pharaoh and all his people went after Yisrael to accompany them until they left Egypt. Likewise, all the supreme princes, who were appointed over them and the other nations, accompanied the Shechinah and all of Yisrael until they camped at Eitam, on the edge of the wilderness. This is what is written, "And it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go...although that was near" (Ibid. 17). "...That was near..." MEANS because that oath is near, the oath which Abimelech swore to the Patriarchs because of the good that the Philistines did for the Patriarchs, as it is written, "But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have sojourned" (Beresheet 21:23).