מלכים ב, פרק ב׳, פסוק י״ד

In a fateful moment of transition, Elisha stands alone on the banks of the Jordan River. His master, Elijah, has just been taken away in a sudden storm, leaving him to face his first true test as an independent prophet. Until this moment, Elisha had deliberately refrained from performing miracles or prophesying out of deep respect for his teacher, but now he must step forward into his new role [אברבנאל].

Taking up Elijah's fallen cloak, Elisha strikes the river. This action serves as a personal trial, a way to discover if he possesses the power to part the waters just as his predecessor did, and to confirm that the spirit of prophecy has indeed transferred to him [אברבנאל]. As he strikes the river, he calls out to the God of Elijah. The primary approach among commentators is that this cry is a profound declaration of faith. Elisha proclaims that while the human servant has departed, the Divine Master remains; God's providence and infinite capability are as present as ever [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Other scholars view his words as a direct prayer. In this light, Elisha is either asking God to fulfill the prior promise of receiving a double portion of Elijah's spirit [רש״י, מלבי״ם], or simply pleading for God to accept his prayer and provide a validating sign [רד״ק]. This appeal highlights his immense humility. By invoking his teacher's merit rather than his own, he demonstrates his reliance on his predecessor's spiritual standing. Furthermore, he addresses God directly, which reflects the nature of pure prayer where one turns upward without intermediary titles, or perhaps because Elijah's name itself serves as a title of honor [חומת אנך].

A subtle complexity arises regarding who is additionally present or acting during this miraculous event. One perspective suggests this underlying presence refers to God Himself, emphasizing that God remains entirely unchanged in His greatness [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל], or that He will now extend His divine presence to Elisha just as He did for Elijah [מלבי״ם]. A second approach, accepted by many commentators, maintains that this highlights Elisha's own elevated status. Just as his master struck the water, Elisha performed the exact same act, proving he had achieved his teacher's spiritual heights and possessed the independent merit to command the river [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ, חומת אנך]. A third, unique interpretation proposes that Elijah actually returned in a spiritual form to strike the water alongside his student [רד״ק, חומת אנך].

Regarding the physical act of striking the river, there is a difference of opinion. Elisha may have struck the water only a single time, causing it to split immediately [רלב״ג], or he might have struck it a second time only after crying out to God [רד״ק]. Ultimately, the waters part, allowing him to cross safely. A distinct tradition notes that this particular miracle was actually twice as great as the one performed earlier. When the two men crossed the river together previously, the waters parted due to their combined merit. Now, however, Elisha successfully parts the river entirely on his own. He crosses the dry riverbed not merely as a successor, but as an established prophet standing firmly on his own merit [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל].