Don’t Move

In a way, learning the Parshios that speak about the Avos Hakedoshim is a unique experience. For the most part we know the storylines of the Pessukim, but each week is an opportunity to find new meaning, new insights into the way we are supposed to apply the lessons of the Avos to our own lives. The Haftorahs need be no different: we must assume that Chazal made their selection of the Pessukim to be Leined from Navi as an extension of the Sedra, and the lessons of the Haftorah must in some way relate to the particular one of the Avos to whom the week is devoted. Some weeks the connection is manifest, and others we must dig a bit deeper, and sometimes both are true even in the same Hafotrah.

The Haftorah for Parshas Vayera is taken from Sefer Melachim and relates two stories that happened in the time of Elisha, the Talmid of Eliyahu Hanavi. Most of the Pessukim are dedicated to a story that is overtly connected to the Parsha.

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This story, however, is the second one included in the Haftorah. The first story also speaks about the interactions between Elisha and a nameless woman, and speaks of a Nes that the Navi performed. The woman, identified only as Isha Achas M’Nishei Bnei Haneviim approached Elisha and cried that her husband had died and left her with debt. Unable to repay her creditors, her two sons were at risk of being sold as Avadim and she approached Elisha to request help. The Meforshim fill in some of the back story: This was the wife of Ovadiah HaNavi, who had hid Neviim from Achav HaMelech who wanted to kill them. In order to feed the hidden Neviim, Ovadiah had borrowed money with Ribis from Yehoram ben Achav, who was now demanding payment from the Almanah.

Elisha asks the Isha Achas what she has in her home, and she responds: “Ain L’Shifchasecha Kol Babayis Ki Im Asuch Shemen.” Elisha then tells her to borrow other Kelim from neighbors and to take the lone oil jug and begin pouring from the jug into the empty vessels. The Passuk tells us that the Isha followed the instructions of the Navi, and oil came out of the Asuch Shemen until there were no more empty Kelim, at which point it stopped. When she reported this to Elisha he instructed the Isha Achas to then sell the oil to repay the debts.

This story is rather well known, and certainly carries important messages, but its connection to our Parsha is not immediately clear. The story of the Isha Hashunamis is certainly long enough to be its own Haftorah—it is much longer than this first story—and is clearly related to the Sedra. Why then did Chazal wish us to include these earlier Pessukim? What message does the story of the Asuch HaShemen have that relates to our Parsha?

There is one detail in the story that seems to beg explanation, and may help us understand the intentions of Chazal. The Passuk tells us that Elisha gave detailed instructions as to what the Isha Achas should do once she had obtained Kelim: “U’Vaas V’Sagart HaDeles b’Adeych U’Baad Banaich V’Yatzakta Al Kol HaKelim HaEla V’Hamalei TaSi.” She was to close the door to her home, with her children inside, and then pour from the Asuch HaShemen into the Kelim. Then, as each Kli was filled, she was to move it aside.

It is this last step that requires explanation. Elisha is clearly telling the Isha Achas that once a vessel is full, rather than moving the jug onto the next Kli, she is to move the full Kli, but keep the jug in place. Clearly there is a reason for this diriective. If one is pouring from a bottle into a number of cups, he would generally move the bottle from one cup to the next as they fill up, and not replace the cup each time. If Elisha instructed the Isha Achas to do otherwise, there must have been a reason.

Rashi explains why this was necessary: “Lefi S’HAKBH Osahu K’Mayan V’Ain Derech Maayan Lazuz Mimkomo”. The jug had been made into a stream, explains Rashi, and a stream does not move from its place. It is not clear what this means: why was the jug made into a Maayan, and why does it matter that “Ain Derech Maayan Lazuz Mimkomo”? Sometimes when the words of Rashi are unclear it helps to look at the Medrah or Gemara that he cites, but in this case Rashi attributes his words to “Medrash Agadah Shamati”, an unnamed source.

Radak explains these words slightly differently. He writes that the Isha was not to move the Asuch because “Ma’seh Nes Lo Yihiyeh Ela B’Makom Shehischal Bo”. Because the oil flowing from the jug was clearly B’Drech Nes, she could not move the Asuch HaShemen because a Nes is not transient—it exists only in the location that it began. It could certainly be argued that Rashi had the same intent in referring to the Maayan created by Hashem, but in any case the words of Radak seem to open a door.

If we take this approach to the Passuk, it is teaching us a lesson in “Hilchos Nisim”: there is an element that is specific to the location in which a Nes occurs that is nontransferable. If the Isha Achas had moved the jug, it would no longer be in the place that the Nes occurred and there was a risk that the oil would cease to flow. It is interesting to note that there is a Bracha that is made if one comes to a location in which a Nes was done either to him, his family or all of Klal Yisroel. This adds to the notion that there is a significance to the location of a Nes that in a real way. Why is this the case? Why is the Klal of the Radak, “Ma’seh Nes Lo Yihiyeh Ela B’Makom Shehischal Bo”, true? Why might the Shemen have stopped if the Isha had moved the jug?

As noted, the source for the words of Rashi is unnamed and indeed not found in any Medrashim that we have access to. In addition, the words of Radak are not themselves found in any Divrei Chazal, but we may perhaps be able to find a related idea in earlier sources.

In Parshas Chukas, at the time of the Mei Meriva, Hashem reprimands Moshe Rabbeinu saying: “Ya’an Lo Himantem Bi L’Hakdisheni”, that his mistake, and therefore punishment, was somehow was rooted in a lack of Emunah.

The Yalkut Reuveni explains this Passuk with a Klal: whenever Hashem wishes to perform a Nes in a particular spot, his Shechina first rests there. This being the case, Moshe should have sensed the presence of the Shechina and not struck the rock. On the Madreiga of Moshe Rabbeinu, the lack of sensitivity to the Shechina was an Aveira akin to a lack of Emunah, and thus the reason for his punishment.

We learn an important lesson about Nissim from this Yalkut, which is based on the Tikunei Zohar: when a Nes takes place, there is necessarily Hashra’as Hashechina in that location. In fact the presence of the Shechina precedes the Nes—it is not possible for the Nes to occur without the Shechina.

We can perhaps explain the words of Radak based upon this Yalkut. If the Shechina is found wherever a Nes occurs, we can assume that the specific location has an added element of Kedusha. In fact, because the Shechina precedes the Nes, one can say that the Nes only occurs in that particular location. That being the case, we can understand why we would generally say “Ma’seh Nes Lo Yihiyeh Ela B’Makom Shehischal Bo”. Because the Nes relies on the presence of the Shechina, one cannot be gaurangeed that the Nes will continue if the location is changed. If the Isha Achas had moved the Asuch Hashemen, she would eventually end up far from the “Makom Shehischal Bo” and therefore not in the presence of the Shechina. Under those circumstance the oil may not have continued to flow, and her benefit from the Nes been limited.

Perhaps this Yesod, that the Shechina is found where the Nes occurs, is specifically relevant to our Parsha.

The Shem M’Shmuel, in Parshas Noach, notes that there is a connection between Bris Milah and Shabbos which manifests itself in two ways: a Ben Noach, who cannot be Nichnas L’Bris, has no connection to Shabbos and at the same time, Milah takes place on the eighth day so that each baby will welcome a Shabbos prior to their entering Briso Shel Avrohom Avinu. Obviously a link so patent requires explanation.

The Passuk in Tehillim says “Ki Alecha Haragnu Kol Hayom”, that Bnei Yisroel beseeches Hashem in the Zechus of the fact that we endanger our lives for His each day. The Gemara in Gittin brings a Drasha on this Passuk: “Zu Milah Shenitna B’Shmini”, that we risk our lives each day by being Meyakem the Mitzvah of Milah.

The Shem M’Shmuel explains that in reality one should not be able to live with a Bris Milah—B’Drech HaTeva is should be a life-threatening condition. Our survival, then is Lemayla Min HaTeva, represented by the number eight—that is why the Gemarah makes a point of the fact that Milah takes place on the eighth day. This is the connection to Shabbos, which is itself L’Mayla Min HaTeva. Because Shabbos exists in a world that is outside Teva, one can only be truly Shomer Shabbos if he is among those who are Nichnas L’Bris.

While the Mitzvah of Milah was given to Avrohom Avinu in Parshas Lech Lecha, this week’s Parsha includes a new form of the Mitzvha: “VaYamal Avrohom Es Beno Ben Shemonas Yamim”. Yitzchok Avinu was the first one to receive Milah B’Shmini, as Avrohom and Yishmael were older at the time of the Tzivuy. It is in our Parsha that we have the first instance of a Milah done in the correct time, and an appropriate time to reflect on an important message.

The story of the Asuch HaShemen teaches us that wherever there is a Nes there is Shechina to be found. If the Asuch had moved it would no longer have been in the Makom of the Shechina and the Nes would have ended. Milah B’Shmini reminds us that we really live B’Drerech Nes. only because Hashem wills it to be so can we survive as Mahol, otherwise the words “Ki Alecha Haragnu Kol Hayom” would not be mere metaphor.

It follows, then, that we live in the presence of the Shechina. If our entire lives are a Nes, because we are Nichnas L’Bris we must assume, perforce, that the Shechina is present. The Asuch HaShemen and Milah B’Shmini are thus closely connected: the Hilchos Nissim that we learn from Elisha teaches us the gift of Milah.

We must lead our lives cognizant of this reality: everywhere we go, the Shechina accompanies us. While this may seem limiting in some senses, it is actually very empowering. There is no goal too lofty, no achievement outside our reach if we realize that our entire existence is B’Derech Nes and the Shechina dwells in our very midst.