We Do Not Bury a Rasha Next to a Tzadik (Sanhedrin 47a) , : - - : -

The Gemara (Chulin 7b) learns from this story (of the bones being revived after touching the bones of Elisha) that Tzadikim are even greater after their death more than in their lifetime. (In Elishas lifetime, he revived the child of the Shunamite woman after prayer and a procedure which brought the child slowly back to life. In his death, the revival was immediate.) Aruch Lner questions that this miracle seems to only enforce the concept that a Rasha should not be buried next to a Tzadik. And he answers that it would have only been necessary for Elisha to expel the body from his grave. However, since Elisha revived the man this teaches the concept that a Tzadik is greater after their death than in their lifetime. So who was this man that was revived from the dead? Rashi explains that the man was a Rasha, a false prophet mentioned earlier in the chapter. The earlier story was that Edo, a true prophet, had been sent to Bais El to warn Yeravam ben Nevat not to sacrifice to Avodah Zarah on the altar that he had built there. Yeravam started to raise his hand to grab Edo but a miracle occurred to damage his hand. Afterwards Yeravam invited Edo to share a meal, but Edo refused saying HaShem had commanded him not to eat or drink while in Bais El. After Edo left, one elderly false prophet ran after Edo and reached him resting under a tree. The false prophet invited Edo to come eat with him at his house. Edo said he was not able to do so at the command from HaShem. The false prophet said I am also a prophet and HaShem said that Edo should come eat at this house. Edo believed him and went and ate with the false prophet. After eating, Edo left and continued on his way. Since he did not obey the command of HaShem, he was punished. A lion came and killed him. The false prophet, upon hearing what happened, went and buried Edo. Then, the false prophet commanded his children upon his death to bury him next to Edos grave, thinking perhaps that would spare his bones from being burnt. After many years the false prophet died and his children went to bury him next to Edo. On the way, they were scared by a troop of enemy soldiers and fled, throwing the body of the false prophet onto the grave of Elisha. Yalkut Shimoni mentions that the false prophet was Yonasan ben Gershon ben Moshe, who did teshuvah on the day that Edo died. Ein Yaakov explains that even though he did teshuvah he had too much baggage to be buried with Elisha. However, since Edo facilitated his teshuvah he was allowed to be buried next to that Tzadik. (Edo was not on the same level as Elisha since he failed to fully obey Hashems command.) Maharitz Chayos (in the name of the Yerushalmi) says this false prophet was Michah, who was saved by Moshe and later built an idol as mentioned in Shoftim. Thus, he would have lived at least 700 years from the time of the Exodus until after the death of Elisha. Medrash on Shir HaShirim states the false prophet was Amaeziah was served as Cohen at the altar established for idol worship in Bais El. Medrash Shor states that he was not a Rasha, but was the son of the Shunamite woman that Elisha has already revived from the dead. On the way to his burial, they threw his body into the grave of Elisha and again he was revived and walked away to be buried near by. Pirkei dRabbi Eliezer states that this person was not a false prophet or even a Rasha; rather he was a Tzadik. Elisha revived him to life and he went back to his home and fathered a son. Rabbi Azaryah says one needs to know the power of Tzedakah from this story. This mans name was Meshulam ben Tikvah and he was one of the great people of his generation. Every day he would take barrels of water and food to the gates of the city and provide for the travelers that came to the city. And as a reward for these acts of Tzedakah, he merited for ruach hakodesh to came to his wife, Chuldah. (In the story with Elishas bones, he was referred to as a man, implying a man who had a famous wife that eclipsed him and only Chuldah is such a woman

in the book of Kings). And after his revival Meshulam fathered a child whom he named ( which is an acrostic for )