וַיַּ֜עַל וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב עַל־הַיֶּ֗לֶד וַיָּשֶׂם֩ פִּ֨יו עַל־פִּ֜יו וְעֵינָ֤יו עַל־עֵינָיו֙ וְכַפָּ֣יו עַל־כפו [כַּפָּ֔יו] וַיִּגְהַ֖ר עָלָ֑יו וַיָּ֖חָם בְּשַׂ֥ר הַיָּֽלֶד׃
Lalu ia naik dan berbaring di atas anak itu. Ia meletakkan mulutnya di atas mulut anak itu, matanya di atas mata anak itu, dan telapak tangannya di atas telapak tangan anak itu. Ia merentangkan tubuhnya di atas anak itu, dan tubuh anak itu pun menjadi hangat.
Derashot HaRan
Similarly, the remediation of any creation requires an effluence reaching it and effecting such remediation through agents of which we have no knowledge. But when this remediation comes through a supplicant, it would seem that this supplicant himself is a mediating agent through which the effluence comes to rest upon the object of his supplications. For this reason, when Eliyahu brought back to life the son of the widow of Zarefat (I Kings 17:21), he stretched himself out upon him three times, the boy's substance thereby being readapted for the reception of life. And Elisha, too, when he brought back to life the son of the Shunamite woman (II Kings 4:34), lay down upon him and placed his mouth to his mouth, instructing first (Ibid 29): "and lay my staff upon the face of the child." And Jacob, likewise, said (Genesis 48:9): "Take them to me and I will bless them," and he placed his hands upon them. All of this demonstrates that the effluence is conditioned for the object of the blessing through the agency of him who pronounces the blessing or the prayer, for which reason it is desirable that the first be in close proximity to the second or even in contact with him if possible.