Chana Tannenbaum on Shunamit: When Everything Seems Hopeless

And one of the personalities that plays an important role is the character of Alicia. Now, as opposed to Aliyia whose miracles are almost bombastic, I would say the miracles of Alisha are much more on an individual level. Individuals have problems and he solves those problems. And one of the most significant problems that he solves is the story of the isha hashamit. Now you have it in front of you here as the ha tora for paratra. If we have time at the end we'll talk about what is the relationship between the two. But what I'd like to you first of all I want you to notice that the chapter actually begins with a different miracle. The haftra first begins with the miracle where which we actually spoke about here at the UO a number of years ago where um Alisha provides food for a oady right she the the king wants to take away her children and he gives her the miracle of the oil. So we're going to we're going to skip the first couple of pukim and we're going to begin in two kings. Uh, the two kings. It begins with yud. No, no, no. I'm sorry. We're going back a little further. It begins with It begins. Okay, everybody together. Okay. Um, wait a minute. We have source sheets also. Where did she go? >> Oh, you have the source sheets. Okay, fine. Cuz I don't have them. But okay, you've got them. Okay, good. Okay. And it was on that day, we get that. And it's important to note that at this point Elisha is not yet famous. Okay, I think that's an important point. And he comes to a city called Shunam. Now just for reference, Shunam is an area today which is about 4 kilometers east of Aula. And there's an Arab village which is called Sula S U L A. And the Arabs in that village believe that there is a house that is um a place that they go to for blessing. Okay. See, even though all these years have gone by, four kilometers from Aula, there's an Arab village called Sula which is associated with this place called Shunam. Now, Alicia goes there. Why does Alicia go there? Because part of Alicia's role as the Na'vi was to travel and visit different cities. And every time he came to this city, this is gidola. Now, how do you translate that word ishola? >> One second. >> Fat. >> Fat. I have a woman here who says that this is body shaming. That when we talk about somebody being large, >> okay, Right. I'm I'm just looking for an English translation. So you have Right. >> Pardon? >> Important. Right. That seems to be the more general that we're talking about a woman who is important. What would make her important? >> Money. >> Money. We do. She does have money. We'll see that in a minute. >> Influence. Good deeds. Okay. So I think you all understand that your initial reaction might have been physical large but we understand that large here reflects more to her actions and we see that very clearly because every time Alisha passed through town he would come and stay by her which indicates that she's very involved in what mitzvah >> in some cultures fat or large is also powerful because you have the money to eat >> right that's that could right so there we have a combination of those ideas. That's right. So, it indicates it indicates wealth ser which we'll see she has servants important spiritual status as well. And we begin meeting her really with acts of haknas orim. Notice that she does not have a name. Okay? She has a husband. We'll see him in a minute. Notice that she's nameless. We'll come back to that point in a minute. And she says to her husband, she says, "You know, I can tell that this guy is a >> holy person, which indicates that she also has a certain sensitivity to it." She says, Shamita vishan vik let's build him a little apartment and let's put in that apartment a bed a table a chair a light sh and then this way when he comes he won't feel like he's chasing somebody out of their bedroom you know it's much more comfortable when somebody has a specific guest room >> it's very nice and that's exactly what se suggesting which indicates to because already not only does she does but she >> right and she understands what would be more appropriate. It's her idea. She doesn't do it without >> her husband's approval and this is what she suggests to him and she's doing it in order to >> enhance >> enhance theatim that she is doing. Now you'll notice that he she sets aside this room and she puts in the room a table, a chair, a light. >> What does that remind you of? >> Correct. >> It reminds you of those things that were in the beta mikdash that had miracles associated with them. The shan had the had the bread on it. The minora had the what is the idea of her building a house where these miracles that were in the beta mikdash are actually in the shunami's house and this is what you have here in source number one and I I say yes thank you inside thank you in source number one theo tells us when it's talking about in in parachute after the ark which symbolizes God's throne on earth as expressed right the words I will designate this for my meeting place with you that has been completed the Mishkan is finished God commanded the construction of the table and the lampstand essential furnishings for a great room and >> say guest room as we have known from two kings 4:10 with a lady in Shunam planning to provide private accommodations for the prophet Alisha who was her frequent guest discusses such details with her husband. So that this is something that I think many of you are familiar with that when we use our home and we use our home forim our home in essence becomes a mikdash and many of you are familiar with rashi in source number two. Rashian source number two goes back to the miracles that were present in the tent of Sarah that disappear and those miracles come back when Yitzkat brings Rifka to the tent. You all know this right? He brought her Rifka into the tent and she became exactly like his mother Sarah. That is to say the words signify as much. Four, while Sarah was living, the light had been burning there in the tent from one Shabbat Eve to the next. There was always a blessing in the dough and the cloud which was always hanging over the tent. But since her death, all of them disappeared. So in other words, these ideas of the bread and the light and of course God's which is present in the homes was there in Sarah's tent came back with >> Rifka and is present in our homes on a weekly basis as well. Anyway, let's leave that aside for now and continue with our story. So the husband agrees and that brings us now to verse 11. Sh. It must have had a code or something. He doesn't even have to go to her. He shows up in. And he goes into his little room. And he says to Gaziot, "Call her." And he calls her. And she comes before him. And says to her, You know, you went in such a huge effort for us. What can we do in exchange? I want to repay you for the kindness that you have done. Do you need me to intervene for you perhaps with the king or with the general? ami and she answers no I'm good I live amongst my nation now first of all we understand her hesitance why doesn't she want to take reward or payment for what she's done for him >> that's right it takes away the mitzvah she did the mitzvah with no ulterior motives whatsoever and she doesn't once he's paying for it. It's no longer the same level of mitzvah. So, we understand that. However, having saying that, you'll notice that twice so far in our story, the verse began in verse with and again here in verse again it used it was the day capital T capital D. What would be the day? >> Correct. According to the Zohar, according to the Zohar, the day that Elisha is coming to the woman is Roshashana. And when he says to her, do you want me to intervene with the king? He doesn't mean the king mels. And her answer then isn't she doesn't just say no. What does she say? What is she saying about Roshana on Rosha Shana? We don't want to be singled out. That's correct. We do not want God to look at us under a >> microscope. We want God to see us as part of the and because we know that has a covenant with Ben Israel as a group and it's much >> safer to be part of that group and that's why I think you even have you know Jews no matter how unconnected they are will come to schul on Roshana to be part of the covenantal uh congregation is as the rv calls it. So it's very he gives her an offer and she turns it down. She says I'm good. So then Alicia says to his sidekick there so but what can we do to herazi says to him you know what she doesn't have any children and her husband is old now the first question I want to ask you is why doesn't the Na'vi he know that she doesn't have children. You would think that if this is a childless couple and the first thing he wants to do is pay her back, it almost like is the obvious thing to do. Why doesn't the Na'vi realize that this is a childish couple? >> Maybe he just goes to his room and does because he goes out. >> Okay, so that's one possibility. One possibility is the Na'vi is too removed and he's you know living except that this is a Na'vi. It's hard to say that because this is a Na'vi who we see him being involved in individuals problems. What I would like to suggest to you is that the reason the Na'vi doesn't see it as a problem is because she herself >> doesn't see it as a problem. She has created for herself a very full life of we see that here and then when he asks her is she lacking anything at this point her husband is old we don't I assuming she's old as well she sort of has made >> peace with her situation to the extent that the Na'vi doesn't even see it as a problem in any case. Look at the next verse, verse 15. So he says, "Call her." And she comes to the door. And he says to her, he says, "This time next year, you're going to have a son." and looks at her and says," she says to him, "Please, you know, holy man, don't don't don't don't don't mess with me." Why did >> well they already beginning to think as I mentioned to you, this is the ha tora for vira. So many of you beginning to understand this is very similar to Sarah's reaction. Correct? >> Yes. next same the same terminology that Mala says this time next year. Now there are a number of things here. First let's start with her reaction. Why do you think she reacts this way? >> She should be jumping up and down and clapping. >> Selfp protection. >> She already stated that she's part of the crowd. Don't make my name. Don't go because she knows that heaven she's pin pointed out that something may happen that's not good. She sees this as, right? She sees this as a potential danger and she's like, you know, I'm good. That's what we see her. I'm good. Don't. It's literally saying like, don't open up a can of worms. That was the expression on Pandora's box, whatever you want to call it. That seems to be her reaction. Now, wait a minute. Whose idea was this? >> Gazi's idea. Now, I want you to think about all the other biblical women who are barren, who do not have children. Who tells them that they're going to who tells Sar she's going to have a child? Who tells Shimshon's mother that she? This is the only situation we have where a human says to another human, God is going to give you the child. Kana prays and a says God will fulfill your request. But again, this isn't his decision to give her that child. So, first of all, yes. >> Also something very unusual. He always tells >> Yes, you will notice that. You will notice that that there's a tremendous amount I think of respect that Isha has for G for the Na'vi and she keeps distance from him where Gay Kazi is the intermediary and that could explain perhaps why Gazi sees the problem. Now if you look at source number five, source number five is a wellknown midrash that says Rabi Yohanan said there are three keys in the hand of the holy one blessed be he that were not entrusted to the hand of an agent and they are the key of reign, the key of a woman giving birth and the key of resurrection of the dead. And then he goes ahead and proves it. Which means that in order for Elisha to promise this chi, this child, he's essentially taking from God this key that belongs to God. So why does God along with it? >> Because what? >> Alisha. >> Cuz it's Alicia. >> Okay. Because this is something. Look at source number six. The righteous as it were ruled over what the holy one blessed be he rules. How so? Everything the holy one blessed be he does the righteous do. How so? The holy one bless blessed be he remembers the baron. Alicia remembered the shunami woman from where it is derived as it stated. He said this time next year you will have a child. The holy one blessed behe revives the dead. We'll see him do this as well. And Elisha revives the shunamat woman's son. This is an idea that we know goes there that God is willing to go along with what the sadik says. This by the way is the rationale for people who go today to get braot from rabbis. The rabbi doesn't have any way of making it come true. But the idea is if if they bless the hope is that God will go along with it. >> Alicia has enough. How do we know he's not getting it from God and saints? How do we know something? >> Okay, because in all other states there would be something and God said to there's missing that whole idea. Okay, so he offers her this child. We see that she is hesitant. She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at this reaction. and 17. And indeed, as Alicia did, the prophecy is fulfilled. She becomes pregnant and has a child. Child grows up. And he goes out to the field aiv. And he says to his father, "Rosi, Roshi, my head is hurting. Elanar and he says to one of the servants elimo. Oh, you better take him back to his mother. And so they carry him back to his mother and he sits on her lap until afternoon and he dies. Now how old is he? He's old enough to go out to the field, but he's young enough to be able to be >> carry six. >> He could be, you know, it doesn't tell us how old he is, but >> No, I don't think he's 17. Um, I don't think he's that big. I think it's probably some we say, you know, youngish like that. Now, what does he die of according to the shot? >> A headache. A what's a headache? >> No, no, no. This is sunstroke. Thank you. This is Israel, right? He goes out to the field. He complains about his head. He dies of a sunstroke. That's the shot. That's the shot. My head, my head. Why does the father say, "Take him to the mother." >> But this is something you notice throughout the chapter here. The husband who is also nameless. By the way, let's point that out. also the husband is also nameless is a very passive kind of character. Now, as you know from the book of Malikim or most tan in general, if something bad happens, it happens because there's a sin. Sin and punishment. That's that's the way it is in Tanakh except it goes to except when you get to safer and then things change. But in that's the way it works. So now why the is he dies because of sunstroke but what's the real reason here? What sin has happened here that the child deserves to die? >> They had a son in a miraculous way but they haven't sent him to go serve God. >> Okay just approach number one and I'm going to suggest two approaches here. Approach number one is if you think about the other women who have children in a miraculous way. And if you look now at the bottom, if you turn to the back page, if you look at source um all right, let's just look at let's look at source 18 and 19. um in chaft right >> you don't even you don't have it 19 the last well let's just look >> it's the last one okay you just have a well then I'll tell you something a has a child after many years what does Abraham do >> Abraham makes a suda you have 19 vhanar Go back to 18. A child who is born in a miraculous way, we expect something unusual about the child. What is the only action we see this child doing? He's going out to the field. Who goes out to the field? >> As of >> that's the only idea that we have. Now, if you go back for a minute to source seven, source seven is a very important source that appears in Rabbi Salvich's famous essay called My Beloved Knox called Doid. And he says, "Judaism states that the kindnesses of God are not given to man as an unconditional gift without obligation. They require something in return. Their essence imposes a moral halic demand upon the man who enjoys them. Indeed, while loving kindness from God emanates from the open, overflowing generous hand of the holy one, it is not an unlimited or unconditional gift. Such a gift is not absolute. The bestowing of good is always conditional and temporary. When God bestows wealth, property, influence, and honor, the recipient must know how to employ them. God gives you a gift. You have to know how to use it. How to turn those precious gifts into fruitful creative powers. How to include others in his happiness and greatness. how to render loving kindness with the divine kindness that emanates and issues forth to him from the neverending front. If an abundance of good does not bring man to absolute subordination to the holy one, then he is guilty of a fundamental sin resulting in the severe distress that it that in turn reminds him of obligation to the creator of the universe for the gift of his kindness. Listen to this next paragraph. Miracles put a responsibility on the individual who receives it. And I want to open this further not only on the individual who receives it, but on the >> clal that receives it. Miracles don't cost God anything. But he does not give out gifts. God gives on condition. Man has to give back in some way. Whether it's wealth, intelligence, or honor, man has to learn how to use the gifts that God gives. If one does not give to others, one is reneggging on one's responsibility to God. So approach number one here is why does the son die? The son dies from a banal disease, seat stroke because his life essentially has been >> meaningless. She hasn't raised him in such a way to make him special. She hasn't sent him to Tammud Torah. She hasn't thanked God for the miracle that she's done. And as the Rav says, if you don't appreciate it when you have it, >> you're taking away. Yes. just um looking at the pursuit that describes when the child goes out. It uses that phrase again by >> Yes, it does. Yes, it does. >> What's pointed out is this is the third. If you notice when he goes out to the fields again, it uses that term. The Zohar does not pick up on this at this point. >> Why would he be going to the fields in Russ? We don't we don't I don't have a good answer for it. But here what but what's when I say to you one second when I say to you that the child dies as a punishment to the >> does that go down well with you >> why not >> first of all she's such a person >> secondly children die because parent what's this >> thirdly he's little fourthly when he said I'm going to give you a child she said >> no >> she didn't ask for it >> right So therefore I want to suggest to you a second approach. The second approach is not that the sin is hers but rather who's the sin on >> Elisha. Why is the sin on Elisha? >> He didn't >> he didn't ask her. >> First he said >> he take remember also he takes this key that doesn't belong to him. He takes a power that no other human ever takes in the mikra. And if you know what if you give a somebody a child then whose responsibility is it to raise him? >> Alish. Where is Alisha? Alisha is the one who should be taking the kid around and taking him to Tamora. Where is Alisha's responsibility in our story here? So there are two possibilities here and it's not clear to us which one it is but either way we have the child's death and we'll talk about it in a minute about the fairness of it but um either because of the sin of the isha or the sin of uh the woman >> maybe both >> or maybe the combination of the two >> or well he said he he seems to be totally passive. So let's see what happens. Let's go back verse 21. She takes the dead body. She puts it in the guest room on the bed and closes the doorish. She calls to her husband. She says, "Quickly, get me the donkey and I have to make a quick trip to the husband says to her Shabbat." He says, "Wait, you know, it's not it's not it's not Shabbat, which indicates that the used to visit him." Okay. He says, you know, why do you want to go? And she says to him, "Shalom. It's good. And they saddle the donkey and she says to the boy drive, "Don't stop for any red lights." Only stop if I tell you Carmel. And she goes from Carmelim. And when he sees her coming, he says, "Oh, look who's coming." Now, how far is Shunam, which is a toa carell by donkey? >> Hours. Yes, correct. It is hours. It's probably four or five hours of hard riding. >> Mountains, right? You all understand that? We read the verse and it makes it sound like, "Oh, okay. It it's a couple of hours of hard writing till she gets there." Now, when the husband says to her, "Why are you going?" What does she say? >> Shalom. >> Why? Why did she put him in the room and close the door? >> She doesn't have not have time to explain. >> He saw that >> he saw the boy was sick. He doesn't ask. Don't ask, don't tell. There's also you many of you know that as soon as you say something >> it makes it much more real. So she doesn't even want to >> express admit what has happened at this point in time but we see that she has a why is she going to the Na'vi? Why is that her reaction? >> That's right. That's we see here that's what she believe. But she also believes in the power of the Na'vi that if Na'vi gave something like this, it can't be that the Na'vi's braha it's not a battery doesn't run out of braha. She refuses to accept it and she gets on the donkey and she goes and he sees her coming from the distance and he says to Gazi he understands it's an unusual visit and say shalom shalom shalom. So already um Alisha is suspicious. He says, "Ask her, you okay? Husband okay? Kid okay?" And what does she answer? Shalom. We're good. >> She right. She won't tell. And she comes to the she throws herself at his feet and comes to push her away. But then but he says to her, "Leave her alone. I see that she's upset many." What do we have here for the first time in the chapter? >> God's name. Notice that >> God was totally not here. Birth of the child as I pointed out miracle gone. It's only now where Lisha admits that I see that something's wrong. But many of us also make that mistake. Many of us think that niba is a gold ball that we look into it and the Na'vi gets the No, it doesn't work that way. The Na'vi only knows what >> God is going to tell him. And here what is Alisha doing for the first time? It's a little bit as we call he's eating a little bit humble pie. Right? If before he was the one who announced this time next year you're going to have a child. Now he's saying >> I don't know. I don't know. And why don't I know? >> Because Hashem didn't tell me. And so she says to him in verse 28. Did I ask for that son? Hello. When you offered it to me, I said to you, "Don't mess with me." >> Yeah. I I I saw this coming. Notice what doesn't she say? >> The kid is gone, >> right? She doesn't say that he's dead. She just said, so he knows that there's a problem with the child. So says to Gazi, He says to Gazi, who's probably younger than he is, "Take my staff and run ahead and put the staff on the child." Meaning Alisha thinks that the child is just >> sick. Okay? And he says, "Don't stop. Don't talk to anybody. Run ahead." Vat. Now notice what she's called in this verse. She says to him, >> "No way." Okay, notice that for the first time what she's being called in the verse. Aim Hanar because she is going to battle for this child. And she says to Nav'i, "No way. You are coming with me." and he goes after her. And indeed ran ahead. He tries the stick thing. It doesn't work. And he doubles back and he tells Alicia doesn't work. Now if it was a couple hours there, it's a couple hours back. So you want to assume minimum the child is laying dead eight eight hours. It's the summer. Okay. So you all understand what that means. And they find the body on his bed. Alicia comes and he closes the door and heavens. pivap and he lays himself down on the child eyes to eyes. Everybody would say this is some sort of mouthto-mouth CPR, but anybody who knows anything knows that CPR lasts, you know, only 3 minutes, whatever. It's certainly not eight hours later. But I think the metaphor is that is giving from himself over to this child and he's pacing. Obviously the pacing is part of his prayer. And again he lays on the child and the child sneezes seven times and behold he opens his eyes to the V. He calls her and he says to her, what is >> Raise up? Raise up your child. And this time, what does she do? She falls on his feet. Now, what happens? Let's sort of we we got the story. Let's analyze the story. So we see here that she is not willing to accept the death of the child. That is something that to her is just not a possibility. >> And what she does is we see her taking action. And you have this, by the way, I'm not going to read it because of lack of time, but you look in source eight and source 9, the RV continues talking about how sometimes when things are going too well, people don't react. And what gets them to react? >> A tragedy of sorts in any way. Notice as we pointed out, she doesn't she she never admits that >> he's gone. That's something that she doesn't let because therefore once she admits it, it's hard for the miracle to change it. And we all know about miracles are much more likely to happen behind >> closed doors away from people will not see it. Now she we see her fighting for the child. We see that the child goes. What I would like to suggest to you in the time that remains is that what we're actually seeing here is not only a miracle of Elisha similar to the miracle of Elon. We're also seeing a chapter of repentance. Who repents in our chapter? So first of all, Alicia clearly Alisha repents and the repentance begins with his humility when he says I don't know and then in order to revive the child he understands that's only going to happen when >> he prays and the idea of laying on the child I think is also his way of taking responsibility and by the way three chapters later many of you remember there is a famine and Alish A says to the Shunamit, take your family out to make sure. So we see that Alisha does maintain a relationship with him. So it's a story of repentance from Alicia's perspective. Who else repents? >> The Shunamit. How do you see the Shunamit's repentance? >> By the fact that she acknowledges before she had a baby, no acknowledgement. Now the child is revived. She acknowledges it. And when he says to her, it's not only physically raise your child, but it also means in a spiritual way. Now the child also does not have a name. Who is the child that was revived by Alicia? >> Who? >> No. Yona is the child that was revived by Eliu. You're you are thinking in the right direction. No. No. Yes. Let me show you why. When Alisha, one second, I'll tell you. When Alisha, listen. When Alisha says to her, "This time next year you're going to have a child." He uses the terminology. You are going to let me see where I have it here. Um here essentially is hugged him once when he was born. Now does anybody know I know you haven't gotten there yet what the book of talks about? Talks about why does bad things happen to >> good people. Why is this child a perfect na'vi to talk about this? Because as many of you point out, he is a child. Why would it fair that he be punished for Alisha or the Shunamit's child? So we do see if we do go around that this is the child who is he ends up becoming a Na'vi of significance which indicates part of that chuva process. that she did not >> right so that she too that she too goes through the chuva process when she recognizes that this has happened quickly what is the obvious connection to the para all of the surah so much of it is similar right they both remember strangers come to the us. >> There's in both stories. There's the lack of belief in the message. There's a >> the adon appears in both stories. Appears in both stories. And by the way, some of you might be familiar. There are some medashim that actually describe Yitzkak dying at the AKA and coming back to life as well. So that would be the similarities. Um there also >> before they born we have a naming of the person before they born. There are also there also similarities to the Hana story as well. But what I would like to suggest to you and here is where the idea is is that really what is what do I learn? What do I learn from the story? It is a miracle of Alicia but there's so much detail in it. And what I want to suggest to you is that perhaps here we have a story that is supposed to resonate very strongly with us today. You know that and I think many of you can attest to this to be doing true. Had you told my father ala shalom that he would have grandsons who were wearing IDF uniforms and were going out to fight, he would have thought that that was a total impossibility. I understand he was born in Czechoslovakia in 1938. He didn't think he would live to be bar mitzvah. I mean that was his reality. And you would think Israel Hebrew was a dead language. The country was desolate. It seemed to be an impossibility. And here if you look in source 11, a very famous prophecy that God says to Yescel, I'm sorry, I only brought a few in Hebrew at this point. Prophesies, very famous prophecy. Therefore, say to them, them are the dead bones. Thus says the sovereign God, I am going to open your graves and lift you out of your graves, oh my people, and bring you to the land of Israel. And you shall know, oh my people, that I am God, when I have opened your graves and lifted you out of your graves. I will put my breath into you, and you shall live again, and I will set you upon your own soil. Then you shall know that I, God, have spoken and have acted, declared God. What the story of the ish ishashu namit tells us that when things look >> totally hopeless child is dead a malas there comes a time where no god will has the ability to bring us back both on an individual level and on a national level and it's something that we are all experiencing every day ourselves but let's also remember what the rough taught us about the importance of >> recognizing our miracle, the gifts that God gives us. We have a responsibility and to recognize and give back.