Na’aman is completely shocked after undergoing such humiliation. Even the Turkish ambassador to Israel hasn’t received such treatment. What does Na’aman say to his entourage?
(11) But Na’aman was angered and walked away. “I thought,” he said, “he would surely come out to me, and would stand and invoke the Eternal his G-d by name, and would wave his hand toward the spot, and cure the affected part.
Na’aman was certain the Navi would come out, place his hand on his Tzara’at, and say, “אֵ -ל נָא רְ פָא נָא לָהּ – Please, O G-d, heal her now!”. He figured he’d be blessed with long life, peace and prosperity! But instead, the Navi does not even come out to see him and instead sends a messenger who tells him to go immerse in the Yarden?!
(12) Are not the Amanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? I could bathe in them and be pure!” And he stalked off in a rage.
Na’aman says in a rage before storming out, “Do I lack great rivers in Damascus? Your entire Kinneret is ten meters wide – come and see the Amana and Parpar! This is what rivers look like! Does he think I got Tzara’at because I do not bathe?”
(13) But his servants came forward and spoke to him. “Sir,” they said, “if the prophet told you to do something difficult, would you not do it? How much more when he has only said to you, ‘Bathe and be pure.’”
His servants presented a kal vachomer argument to him. They said: “Master, come and think for a moment. Suppose he had brought you into the house, looked at you, and said, ‘Please lift your sleeve’... only to declare it the most severe Tzara’at he’s ever seen in his life. You would ask, ‘Is there a cure for it?’ and he would respond, ‘Yes, you need to travel to Tibet, climb 7,000 kilometers high, and find the yellow sorrel plants that grow between January and February. Pick twenty such plants, crush them, and then travel to Afghanistan and bring back one-eyed frogs which can be found in the swamps between October and December. Then take ten such frogs and remove their single eye, place them in formaldehyde for three days, mix it with small zucchinis that grow in Moscow only during Pesach, and after you mix it all together and apply it to your body – you will be healed!’”
His servants closed their argument by saying to him: “Master, what did he ask of you? To walk a few meters from here to the water, immerse seven times, and if it works, it works; if it doesn’t, we go home! If he had told you to travel to India to bring sorrels, you would have gone! So, what’s your problem? Go immerse!”
(14) So he went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, as the agent of God had bidden; and his flesh became like a little child’s, and he was pure.
Na’aman is convinced, and they go to the Yarden.
(15) Returning with his entire retinue to the agent of G-d, he stood before him and exclaimed, “Now I know that there is no G-d in the whole world except in Israel! So please accept a gift from your servant.”
Na’aman then returns to Elisha the prophet. He returned with all his camp; after having promised he was willing to return only with the horse. He then insists on giving a gift, desiring to pay for the services rendered him. “Please take a gift.”
(16) But he replied, “As G-D lives, whom I serve, I will not accept anything.” He pressed him to accept, but he refused.
Na’aman urged him to take but he refused. Chazal ask, why did he not accept the gift? After all, the Gemara (Berachot 10b) says: הָ רוֹצֶה לֵהָ נוֹת — יֵהָנֶה, כֶּאֱלִישׁ ָע – One who wishes to benefit may benefit, like Elisha. If so, why did Elisha not want to benefit from Na’aman’s money?! If he brought so much money with him and is willing to return only with his horse, why not take it from him?! Rashi says, it was because the money of idolatry was mixed in with it.
(17) And Na’aman said, “Then at least let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for I will never again offer up burnt offering or sacrifice to any god, except G-d.”
Na’aman requests from Elisha to take earth from the Eretz Israel to build an altar in Aram, and here he accepts upon himself to be a Ger Toshav, according to the Gemara (Gittin 57b). When Elisha blessed him and he was healed from the Tzara'at, he brought him close, and he accepted upon himself to be a Ger Toshav.
So far, the Pesukim that appear here are part of the Haftarah. There are three more Pesukim, however, which do not appear in the Haftarah, but they are related to it. We’ll jump there now.
(21) So Gechazi hurried after Na’aman. When Na’aman saw someone running after him, he alighted from his chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?”
After Na’aman parts from Elisha and returns home, Gechazi runs after him. Gechazi was Elisha’s attendant, and according to the Yerushalmi, he was great in Torah learning. The moment Na’aman saw Gechazi running, he understood something had happened. He descends from the chariot and asks, “What happened? What’s wrong?”
(22) “All is well,” he replied. “My master has sent me to say: Two youths, disciples of the prophets, have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.”
Gechazi lets him know that two youths arrived asking for food and clothing, and Elisha now needs to provide for them.
(23) Na’aman said, “Please take two talents.” He urged him, and he wrapped the two talents of silver in two bags and gave them, along with two changes of clothes, to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of him.
Na’aman made him swear that this was indeed the case, as beforehand Elisha had refused all payment and gifts, and had even sworn that he’d not accept any. Gechazi then took the items and went home, and we’ll now skip ahead one Pasuk.
(25) He entered and stood before his master; and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gechazi?” He replied, “Your servant has not gone anywhere.”
Gechazi returns to Elisha, and Elisha asks him, “Where have you been?! I’ve been looking for you for three hours!” Gechazi responds, “I went nowhere – I just had some errands around town to take care of; nothing important.”.
(26) Then Elisha said to him, “Did not my spirit go along when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to take money in order to buy clothing and olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves?
Elisha then challenges Gechazi, “Did you not go to Na’aman, tell him stories, and take money from him?
(27) Surely, the leprosy of Na’aman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” And as Gechazi left his presence, he was snow-white with leprosy.
In the Haftarah we will read this Shabbat, from Parshat Metzora, we asked who is referenced in the opening Pasuk of וְ אַ רְ בָּעָ ה אֲ נָשׁ ִ ים הָ יוּ מְ צֹרָ עִ ים – Four men who were afflicted with Tzara’at. These are Gechazi and his three sons, as just described. The Haftarah we read this Shabbat is a direct continuation of the Haftara we just stepped through.
