In a mighty wind. In a stormy wind.¹

footnotes: ¹ See Yechezkeil 1:4, where a “רוּחַ סְעָרָה” is part of the vision of the מַעֲשֶׂה מֶרְכָּבָה that is described by Yechezkeil.

Please remain here. He [Eliyahu] wished to drive him away because of his humility, so that he [Elisha] would not see him being taken away.²

footnotes: ² Alternatively, he did not want Elisha to be frightened by seeing the manner by which he was being taken away.—Ralbag

Your master. But [Scripture does] not [state,] “our master.” This teaches [us] that they were equal to Eliyahu.³

footnotes: ³ I.e., their level of prophecy was equal to Eliyahu’s. Tosefta Maseches Sotah 12:5.

And [he] rolled it up. He rolled it up in order that it would be easy to strike with it.

And [he] rolled it up. Not exactly rolling, but gathering together,⁴ which is called cueilir, in O.F.

footnotes: ⁴ I.e., he did not fold it neatly on its creases, but he bunched it up together.

You have made a difficult request. It is impossible [for me] to give you more than I possess.⁵

footnotes: ⁵ According to Rashi, Elisha apparently asked for a double portion of Eliyahu’s spirit. Alternatively, Elisha requested to attain two thirds of Eliyahu’s spirit and for all other prophets together to attain one third. -Radak Or, Elisha requested double the spirit of any other prophet.—Ralbag

If you will witness my departure from you. Then I will be able to do more and more.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ I.e., if you are spiritually elevated enough to observe my ascent, it would be an indication that your request would be granted.

It will be so for you, and if not, it will not be. That I am unable [to do so].

My father, my father! Chariot of Yisroel. My endeared teacher⁷ who is better for Yisroel with his prayers than chariots and horsemen.⁸

footnotes: ⁷ He referred to Eliyahu as “father,” because one’s disciples are considered like one’s own children, and conversely, the teacher is considered a father.—Ralbag See Rashi in Devarim 6:7. ⁸ I.e., his prayers are more effective for Yisroel than chariots and horsemen.—Targum

Where is Adonoy, the God of Eliyahu? That I was promised that a double portion of his spirit would rest upon me.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ Alternatively, where is God who does not show me His sign as He showed Eliyahu is the splitting of the water?”—Ralbag

Then he also struck the water. He too. In the Chapters of Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yose Haglili, [it states that] Elisha’s splitting [the Yardein] was twice as great as Eliyahu’s, for in the beginning there was the merit of them both, and now there was his merit alone.¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ See Rashi 3:1 below. Thus, Elisha’s request for twice Eliyahu’s spirit had been fulfilled.

Perhaps the wind of Adonoy carried him up. Is it possible that yesterday they said to him, “Do you know that today Adonoy is taking your master?”¹¹ and now they did not know where he was?¹² This teaches [us] that since the day when Eliyahu was hidden,¹³ the Holy Spirit departed from the prophets, and the Holy Spirit was no longer widespread throughout Yisroel.¹⁴

footnotes: ¹¹ Above, v. 5. ¹² They thought Eliyahu’s spirit returned to God, but his body was cast to the ground, and they sought to find it and bury it.—Metzudas Dovid ¹³ Some say that Eliyahu’s body remained whole and unharmed. He was carried to גַּן עֵדֶן where he remains hidden from mankind except when he is sent on special missions or to appear to the righteous. Radak Alternatively, they did not know that he would be removed from the world. Rather, they thought that God would take Eliyahu away to some remote location for a period of time. This was not an unusual occurrence. See I Melochim 18:12. ¹⁴ See Tosefta Maseches Sotah 12:5.

Until he was ashamed. He was ashamed¹⁵ [on account] of them, lest they say that he does not want to go to meet his teacher.¹⁶ Because he took over his high position, he does not want him to return. All this I saw in Tosefta of [Maseches] Sotah.¹⁷

footnotes: ¹⁵ I.e., “to the point of embarrassment.” The root of בש is בוש [=shame]. ¹⁶ I.e., he was afraid that they would think that he wanted Eliyahu to stay away so that he could keep his newly acquired position of leadership. Alternatively, the root of בש is בשש [=delay], i.e., “he delayed them considerably” from sending out people to search for Eliyahu. -Metzudas Dovid Also, see below 8:11 and Shemos 32:1. ¹⁷ 12:5.

But the water is bad. And because of the water, the land causes people to die, and send them to their graves. If so, what is the meaning of, “the city is a good place to live”?¹⁸ From here [we learn] that a place’s charm is perceived by its inhabitants.¹⁹

footnotes: ¹⁸ Above, at the beginning of this verse. ¹⁹ Maseches Sotah 47a. Rabbi Yochonon said that there are three types of charm. 1. The charm a place that is perceived by its inhabitants. 2. The charm a woman holds for her husband. 3. The charm of a newly purchased item for its buyer.

To the source of the water. From where the water flowed.

And threw salt there. Now is not salt a thing that spoils water? This was a miracle within a miracle.²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ This miracle was similar to the one performed by Moshe in Marah. After traveling through the wilderness for three days without water, the Bnei Yisroel finally came to a spring only to find the water undrinkably bitter. Moshe threw a tree whose wood was bitter into the water and the water became sweet and drinkable. See Shemos 15:22-26.—Radak

Little boys. Void of mitzvos.²¹

footnotes: ²¹ The literal meaning of נְעָרִים קְטַנִּים is “small children,” but obviously this is not the true meaning, because Elisha would never have cursed small children. The word נְעָרִים can also be interpreted as נְעוּרִים [=shaken out or empty] from good deeds. The word קטנים [=little] alludes to how small their faith was. Nonetheless, Elisha was punished for treating them so harshly. See Maseches Sotah 47a. Radak Alternatively, the boys came from a town called נַעֲרָן, which is mentioned in I Divrei Hayomim 7:28 and in Yehoshua 16:7. See below, 5:2.

“Go away, baldy!” “Go away from here, for you have made the place bald for us, [i.e.,] for until now we would be hired to bring sweet water from a distance, and we would earn our livelihood thereby.” But when [the water] became sweet, they lost their livelihood. Thus it is explained in [Maseches] Sotah.²²

footnotes: ²² 46b, and see Rashi there.

And saw them. He saw that neither in them nor in their descendants would there be any sap of good deed.²³²⁴

footnotes: ²³ See Shemos 2:12 and Rashi there. ²⁴ Some say that Elisha saw that their hair was cut in the style of the heathens. He believed that they were degenerate and depraved and foresaw that they would never return to the ways of the Torah. See Maseches Sotah 46b.