Daily Tanach Monday Sefer Melachim 2 Chapter 2 Part 4: Elisha splits the Jordon River using the cloak of Eliyahu

* The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer
  1. Elisha splits the Jordon River using the cloak of Eliyahu:
  • Elisha takes the mantle of Eliyahu and splits the Jordan River to return home: Elisha picked up Eliyahu’s mantle which had fallen from him in his ascent to heaven, and Elisha returned back from where he came and stood on the bank of the Jordan River. He then took Eliyahu’s mantle that had fallen from him, and used it to strike at the water of the river. While doing so, Elisha exclaimed, “Where is Hashem, the G-d of Eliyahu [who promised me that I will have twice the spirit of Eliyahu if I witness his ascent, and therefore I should likewise be able to split the river as he did[1]]? So, he too struck the water and it divided on this side and on that side, and Elisha crossed. [This was considered a double miracle in comparison to the splitting of Eliyahu, being that he was alone when he split it, while when Eliyahu originally split he was together with Elisha.[2]]
  • The students of the prophets accept Elisha as their new leader: The disciples of the prophets who were in Yericho witnessed what Elisha had done from a distance [i.e. that he split the river]. They exclaimed that the spirit of Eliyahu has rested on Elisha. The disciples came towards Elisha and prostrated themselves to the ground in front of him.

[1] See Rashi 2:12

[2] Rashi 2:12

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