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929/2 Kings 2-6: Boys, Baldness & Bears, Oh My
(כג) וַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְה֣וּא ׀ עֹלֶ֣ה בַדֶּ֗רֶךְ וּנְעָרִ֤ים קְטַנִּים֙ יָצְא֣וּ מִן־הָעִ֔יר וַיִּתְקַלְּסוּ־בוֹ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֔וֹ עֲלֵ֥ה קֵרֵ֖חַ עֲלֵ֥ה קֵרֵֽחַ׃ (כד) וַיִּ֤פֶן אַֽחֲרָיו֙ וַיִּרְאֵ֔ם וַֽיְקַלְלֵ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֣ם יקוק וַתֵּצֶ֜אנָה שְׁתַּ֤יִם דֻּבִּים֙ מִן־הַיַּ֔עַר וַתְּבַקַּ֣עְנָה מֵהֶ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנֵ֖י יְלָדִֽים׃ (כה) וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֖ם אֶל־הַ֣ר הַכַּרְמֶ֑ל וּמִשָּׁ֖ם שָׁ֥ב שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ {פ}
(23) From there he went up to Bethel. As he was going up the road, some little boys came out of the town and jeered at him, saying, “Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!” (24) He turned around and looked at them and cursed them in the name of the LORD. Thereupon, two she-bears came out of the woods and mangled forty-two of the children. (25) He went on from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
(כה) וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו׃
(25) The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over; so they named him Esau.
(יא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־רִבְקָ֖ה אִמּ֑וֹ הֵ֣ן עֵשָׂ֤ו אָחִי֙ אִ֣ישׁ שָׂעִ֔ר וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִ֥ישׁ חָלָֽק׃
(11) Jacob answered his mother Rebekah, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man and I am smooth-skinned.
(ח) וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו אִ֚ישׁ בַּ֣עַל שֵׂעָ֔ר וְאֵז֥וֹר ע֖וֹר אָז֣וּר בְּמׇתְנָ֑יו וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אֵלִיָּ֥ה הַתִּשְׁבִּ֖י הֽוּא׃
(8) “A hairy man,” they replied, “with a leather belt tied around his waist.” “That’s Elijah the Tishbite!” he said.
(ג) וַיֵּצְא֨וּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־בֵּֽית־אֵל֮ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו הֲיָדַ֕עְתָּ כִּ֣י הַיּ֗וֹם יקוק לֹקֵ֥חַ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶ֖יךָ מֵעַ֣ל רֹאשֶׁ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֛אמֶר גַּם־אֲנִ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי הֶחֱשֽׁוּ׃
(3) Disciples of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you-a today?” He replied, “I know it, too; be silent.”

(יח) וְחָגְר֣וּ שַׂקִּ֔ים וְכִסְּתָ֥ה אוֹתָ֖ם פַּלָּצ֑וּת וְאֶ֤ל כׇּל־פָּנִים֙ בּוּשָׁ֔ה וּבְכׇל־רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם קׇרְחָֽה׃

(18) They shall gird on sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; every face shall betray shame, and every head shall be made bald.

(ה) לֹֽא־[יִקְרְח֤וּ] (יקרחה) קׇרְחָה֙ בְּרֹאשָׁ֔ם וּפְאַ֥ת זְקָנָ֖ם לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֑חוּ וּבִ֨בְשָׂרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יִשְׂרְט֖וּ שָׂרָֽטֶת׃

(5) They shall not shave smooth any part of their heads, or cut the side-growth of their beards, or make gashes in their flesh.

(א) בָּנִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לַיקוק אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֑ם לֹ֣א תִתְגֹּֽדְד֗וּ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֧ימוּ קׇרְחָ֛ה בֵּ֥ין עֵינֵיכֶ֖ם לָמֵֽת׃

(1) You are children of your God יקוק. You shall not gash yourselves or shave the front of your heads because of the dead.

(מ) וְאִ֕ישׁ כִּ֥י יִמָּרֵ֖ט רֹאשׁ֑וֹ קֵרֵ֥חַ ה֖וּא טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא׃

(40) If a man loses the hair of his head and becomes bald, he is pure.
(טו) מַה־שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙ כְּבָ֣ר ה֔וּא וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לִהְי֖וֹת כְּבָ֣ר הָיָ֑ה וְהָאֱלֹקִ֖ים יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־נִרְדָּֽף׃
(15) What is occurring occurred long since,
And what is to occur occurred long since:
and God seeks the pursued.

אָמְרוּ לוֹ עֲלֵה שֶׁהִקְרַחְתָּ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מַאי וּנְעָרִים קְטַנִּים אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר שֶׁמְּנוֹעָרִים מִן הַמִּצְוֹת קְטַנִּים שֶׁהָיוּ מִקְּטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה תָּנָא נְעָרִים הָיוּ וּבִזְבְּזוּ עַצְמָן כִּקְטַנִּים

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וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק נַפָּחָא אָמַר בְּלוֹרִית רָאָה לָהֶן כְּגוֹיִים וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר רָאָה שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בָּהֶן לַחְלוּחִית שֶׁל מִצְוָה וְדִלְמָא בְּזַרְעַיְיהוּ נִיהְוָה הֲוָה אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לֹא בָּם וְלֹא בְּזַרְעָם עַד סוֹף כׇּל הַדּוֹרוֹת וַתֵּצֶאנָה שְׁתַּיִם דֻּבִּים מִן הַיַּעַר וַתְּבַקַּעְנָה מֵהֶם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנֵי יְלָדִים רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל חַד אָמַר נֵס וְחַד אָמַר נֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס מַאן דְּאָמַר נֵס יַעַר הֲוָה דּוּבִּים לָא הֲווֹ מַאן דְּאָמַר נֵס בְּתוֹךְ נֵס לֹא יַעַר הֲוָה וְלָא דּוּבִּים הֲווֹ וְלִיהְוֵי דּוּבִּים וְלָא לֶיהֱוֵי יַעַר דִּבְעִיתִי אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בִּשְׁבִיל אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנַיִם קׇרְבָּנוֹת שֶׁהִקְרִיב בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב הוּבְקְעוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנַיִם יְלָדִים

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וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר אֶל אֱלִישָׁע הִנֵּה נָא מוֹשַׁב הָעִיר טוֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנִי רֹאֶה וְגוֹ׳ וְכִי מֵאַחַר דְּמַיִם רָעִים וְאֶרֶץ מְשַׁכֶּלֶת אֶלָּא מָה טוֹבָתָהּ אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין חֵן מָקוֹם עַל יוֹשְׁבָיו אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן שְׁלֹשָׁה חִינּוֹת הֵן חֵן מָקוֹם עַל יוֹשְׁבָיו חֵן אִשָּׁה עַל בַּעְלָהּ חֵן מִקָּח עַל (מִקָּחוֹ) תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָאִין חָלָה אֱלִישָׁע אֶחָד שֶׁגֵּירָה דּוּבִּים בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת וְאֶחָד שֶׁדְּחָפוֹ לְגֵחֲזִי בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדַיִם וְאֶחָד שֶׁמֵּת בּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וֶאֱלִישָׁע חָלָה אֶת חׇלְיוֹ אֲשֶׁר יָמוּת בּוֹ תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן לְעוֹלָם תְּהֵא שְׂמֹאל דּוֹחָה וְיָמִין מְקָרֶבֶת לֹא כֶּאֱלִישָׁע שֶׁדְּחָפוֹ לְגֵחֲזִי בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו וְלֹא כִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה שֶׁדְּחָפוֹ לְיֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי מִתַּלְמִידָיו בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו

They said to him: Go up, for you have made the place bald for us that we can't charge for providing water. What is: “Young lads [ne’arim ketannim]”? Rabbi Elazar says: they were shaken empty [meno’arim] of the mitzvot; the word “young [ketannim]” means that they were of little faith [ketannei amana]. The Sages taught: They were lads, that is, already of age, but they disgraced themselves like young children.

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And Rabbi Yitzḥak Nappaḥa says: He saw that they had plaited locks like the gentiles. And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: He saw that they did not contain even a smidgen of a mitzva. Perhaps their descendants would have mitzvot? Rabbi Elazar says: He saw that neither in them nor in their descendants, through all generations. The verse states: “And two she-bears came out of the forest and tore forty-two children from them” (II Kings 2:24). Rav and Shmuel had a dispute. One says there was a miracle, and one says there was a miracle within a miracle. The one who says there was a miracle claims that there was a forest but no bears. The other says neither was there a forest nor were there bears. So let there be bears and no forest? Bears are frightened to venture into open areas but will attack people in their natural habitat, a forest. Rabbi Ḥanina says: Due to forty-two offerings that Balak, king of Moab, brought forty-two children were broken off from Israel.

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“And the men of the city said to Elisha: Behold, please, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees” (II Kings 2:19). But if the water is bad and the land causes women to miscarry, what is pleasant about it? Rabbi Ḥanin says: The grace of a place is upon its inhabitants. Rabbi Yoḥanan says: There are three graces: The grace of a place upon its inhabitants; the grace of a woman upon her husband; and the grace of a purchased item upon its buyer. The Sages taught: Elisha fell ill three times. One for inciting the bears to attack the children; and one for pushing Gehazi away with both hands; and one from which he died, as is stated three times in the verse about Elisha: “And Elisha became sick [ḥala] with his illness [ḥolyo] from which he would die” (II Kings 13:14). The Sages taught: It should always be the left that pushes and the right hand that draws him near. Unlike Elisha, who pushed Gehazi away with both hands, and not like Yehoshua ben Peraḥya, who pushed Jesus the Nazarene, one of his students, away with both hands.

(יב) פָּג֬וֹשׁ דֹּ֣ב שַׁכּ֣וּל בְּאִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־כְּ֝סִ֗יל בְּאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ׃

(12) Sooner meet a bereaved she-bear
Than a fool with his nonsense.

(יד) וְאֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֗י יִתֵּ֨ן לָכֶ֤ם רַחֲמִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הָאִ֔ישׁ וְשִׁלַּ֥ח לָכֶ֛ם אֶת־אֲחִיכֶ֥ם אַחֵ֖ר וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִ֑ין וַאֲנִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁכֹ֖לְתִּי שָׁכָֽלְתִּי׃

(14) And may El Shaddai dispose the man to mercy toward you, that he may release to you your other brother, as well as Benjamin. As for me, if I am to be bereaved, I shall be bereaved.”

(ח) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אַתָּ֣ה יָ֠דַ֠עְתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֨יךָ וְאֶת־אֲנָשָׁ֜יו כִּ֧י גִבֹּרִ֣ים הֵ֗מָּה וּמָרֵ֥י נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ הֵ֔מָּה כְּדֹ֥ב שַׁכּ֖וּל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְאָבִ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יָלִ֖ין אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

(8) You know,” Hushai continued, “that your father and his men are courageous fighters, and they are as desperate as a bear in the wild robbed of her whelps. Your father is an experienced soldier, and he will not spend the night with the troops;

(יט) וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הָעִיר֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע הִנֵּה־נָ֞א מוֹשַׁ֤ב הָעִיר֙ ט֔וֹב כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י רֹאֶ֑ה וְהַמַּ֥יִם רָעִ֖ים וְהָאָ֥רֶץ מְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר קְחוּ־לִי֙ צְלֹחִ֣ית חֲדָשָׁ֔ה וְשִׂ֥ימוּ שָׁ֖ם מֶ֑לַח וַיִּקְח֖וּ אֵלָֽיו׃ (כא) וַיֵּצֵא֙ אֶל־מוֹצָ֣א הַמַּ֔יִם וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֖ם מֶ֑לַח וַיֹּ֜אמֶר כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יקוק רִפִּ֙אתִי֙ לַמַּ֣יִם הָאֵ֔לֶּה לֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה מִשָּׁ֛ם ע֖וֹד מָ֥וֶת וּמְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃ (כב) וַיֵּרָפ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָׁ֖ע אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃ {פ}

(19) The men of the town said to Elisha, “Look, the town is a pleasant place to live in, as my lord can see; but the water is bad and the land causes bereavement.” (20) He responded, “Bring me a new dish and put salt in it.” They brought it to him; (21) he went to the spring and threw salt into it. And he said, “Thus said the LORD: I heal this water; no longer shall death and bereavement come from it!” (22) The water has remained wholesome to this day, in accordance with the word spoken by Elisha.