מלכים ב, פרק י״ג, פסוק כ׳

The death of a great spiritual leader often marks a dramatic turning point, where the loss of spiritual protection immediately impacts the political and military stability of a nation. The passing of the prophet Elisha serves as this exact seam, bridging the end of his protective presence with the sudden renewal of national troubles, while simultaneously setting the stage for an extraordinary event at his gravesite.

The primary approach among commentators is that during Elisha's lifetime, the Moabites were entirely subdued, as the prophet's merit served as a shield for the Israelites. However, with his death and the subsequent weakening of the kingdom, bands of Moabite raiders grew emboldened. They quickly returned to their old habits of invading the land to plunder and loot [רד״ק, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רש״י, מצודת דוד].

The exact timing of these invasions offers different perspectives. Some explain that the raids occurred in the spring, at the beginning of the year, taking advantage of the fresh grass to feed the enemy armies' livestock [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. Others suggest that the invasions began almost immediately, within the very same year of Elisha's passing [רד״ק, רלב״ג]. A contrasting perspective asserts that a full year elapsed before the attacks commenced. According to this view, Elisha's merit was so profound that it continued to protect the Israelites for a complete year after his death, with the Moabites only daring to enter the land once his first year in the grave concluded [מלבי״ם, אלשיך, חומת אנך].

These sudden Moabite incursions provide the backdrop for a startling miracle. While burying a man, the participants suddenly noticed an approaching enemy band. Seized by panic, they hastily threw the corpse into Elisha's burial cave. The moment the dead body touched the prophet's bones, the man came back to life. Opinions differ regarding the identity of this resurrected individual and the ultimate purpose of the miracle. One tradition identifies him as a deeply righteous man of his generation, Shallum son of Tikvah, who was renowned for his charity and for providing water to weary travelers. Through the merit of these deeds, he was granted a true resurrection, returning home to live out his life and raise a family [אלשיך, אברבנאל]. Conversely, another viewpoint contends that the man was actually wicked. In this scenario, the miracle was not performed for his benefit at all, but rather to protect Elisha's honor by preventing a wicked person from resting beside a righteous prophet. The man merely stood up to distance himself from the sacred space, never returning to a normal life [רלב״ג, אלשיך, אברבנאל].

The fact that this resurrection occurred a full year after the prophet's death underscores his immense spiritual magnitude. Typically, after a year, a soul fully ascends to higher realms, seemingly severing its ties to the physical world. Yet, even after this period had passed, Elisha's physical remains retained their miraculous power to breathe life into the dead [אלשיך].