The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 10

Shemuel anoints Shaul as the first King of Israel and informs him that, on his way back home he will experience three signs that testify to the fact that Hashem’s plan for the Jewish people is now manifesting itself in his personal life. First, Shaul will meet two men near the Tomb of Rachel who will substantiate Shemuel’s message that the donkeys he had originally gone looking for had indeed been found and who will also confirm Shaul’s hunch that his father would be preoccupied with worry about his son’s whereabouts by now.

At the second “rest stop” along his journey, Shaul is told that he will encounter three men on their way to worship God at Bet El, and that these individuals will present him with a gift of two loaves of bread. Finally, Shaul is informed that he will meet and join together with a band of prophets accompanied by four types of musical instrument and will undergo a spiritual transformation whereby he himself is granted prophetic inspiration.

Shemuel also foretells that the nation will soon gather in Gilgal and that Shaul is to wait for Shemuel’s arrival for seven days before offering any sacrifices or heading out to war; we will read more about this incident and its outcome in a future chapter. All of the signs occur as predicted by Shemuel; nevertheless, when he returns home, Shaul does not share any of the details of his new appointment with his family members.

Shemuel convenes a national meeting at Mitzpah and, after once again castigating the people for succumbing to their weaknesses and demanding a king, conducts a lottery through which Shaul is identified as the chosen monarch. Surprisingly, however, he is nowhere to be found, having hid himself amongst the luggage to avoid notice. Shemuel triumphantly introduces the modest yet physically impressive new king to his subjects, many of whom immediately accept his authority and bring gifts of tribute to him. Nonetheless, a significant group of citizens are unconvinced of Shaul’s ability to lead them and refuse to offer him any obeisance. Shaul, with characteristic modesty, ignores these slights.

There is much to comment on in this chapter. I will point out just a few highlights. The signs provided by Shemuel, rather than serving to reassure him or assuage his doubts, instead seem to chart the course of the evolution of Shaul himself from a modest and dutiful seeker of donkeys, to a recipient of tribute from those seeking Hashem, to finally one who encounters Hashem directly through the intimate experience of prophecy. The progression in numbers – two men are involved in the first sign, three in the second, and four instruments in the third – reflects the notion of elevation and ascendance in Shaul himself, it is indicative of a process of growth he is undergoing.

There is another key element to the signs that should be mentioned. On one hand, the fact that the first sign is manifest near the Tomb of Rachel has symbolic import; Shaul, a member of the Tribe of Benjamin, is a descendant of Rachel, and this pedigree justifies his claim to the throne. At the same time, the phrase “is Shaul also among the prophets”, coined when people observed him in the state of prophetic inspiration, emphasizes that one’s background and lineage is insignificant – what counts is who you are, not necessarily where you came from. We see, then, that a delicate balance must be struck between the politics of royal lineage and heritage – important to ensure that a king’s authority will be accepted by the populace – and the requirements of moral character, knowledge and wisdom that determine whether the leadership provided by the king will be accepted by the Almighty.

Shaul’s excessive modesty is also a subject worthy of consideration. While it is praised in some Midrashim as a testimony to his greatness, other Rabbinic sources construe it as reflecting a lack of confidence or assertiveness that would be unbecoming of a monarch. The truth is that the career of Shaul ultimately substantiates the negative assessment of his modesty – it was a symptom of his insecurity, need for human approval and fear of rejection by his brethren/subjects, rather than a genuine and heartfelt humility rooted in an awareness of the Creator that would have given him the strength to withstand the temptation to capitulate to peer pressure. And, as upcoming chapters will reveal, this weakness proved to be a fatal flaw for Shaul in the long run.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 9

This chapter details the first meeting of Shaul and Shemuel and beginning of the process that will lead to Shaul’s being anointed King of Israel. Some of the female donkeys of Shaul’s father, Kish, have gone missing, and Shaul and a young lad are dispatched on a mission to find them. After three days of travel, Shaul suggests that they abandon the search and return home. His young assistant responds that there is a well-known prophet in the area whom they could consult about the whereabouts of the missing donkeys.Shaul is hesitant to approach this man of God empty handed; the lad reassures Shaul that he has a little bit of money on his person that he can offer the prophet as a tribute.

When they reach the area in which Shemuel the prophet resides, Shaul and the lad encounter some young women who are drawing water nearby. The girls provide them with detailed information as to where and when they are most likely to secure an audience with the prophet. Following these directions, Shaul and his assistant encounter Shemuel on the street as he is about to enter a home for a sacrificial meal with about thirty participants.
The day before, Shemuel had already received a prophecy from Hashem predicting this meeting. Upon meeting Shaul, he informs him that the donkeys he was seeking had already found their way home safely, adding the enigmatic comment that this should be insignificant to Shaul whose family “has it all” anyway. Shaul questions the meaning of this statement, being that he, his tribe (Binyamin) and his family are of very humble stock, but the prophet does not address these objections. Shemuel had already set aside a very honorable portion of meat for Shaul at the gathering, again suggesting that Shaul is destined for greatness and demonstrating that Shemuel was more than prepared for his illustrious visitor. The chapter ends with Shemuel poised to deliver a secret message to Shaul, which is presented in full form in the next chapter.
As an introduction to Shaul as a person, this story provides us with some insight into his character and his fitness for which he is using the best users of mass gaining supplements. He presents as a humble and hard-working young man who perseveres in the task of searching for his father’s donkeys but is at the same time realistic and modest enough to abort the mission when it begins to seem fruitless or counterproductive. He does not seem like an especially wealthy or showy individual; he pursues the donkeys on foot, not on horseback, and he has no cash on him to donate to the prophet (the servant, who has a negligible amount of money in his pocket, apparently has more than the master!)

When the two men interact with the women by the water, despite the romantic overtones of the setting and the flirtatious behavior of the ladies (the rabbis say that their long-winded instructions were drawn out intentionally so they could spend more time gazing at the handsome Shaul), the object of their affections is single-mindedly focused on his job and not distracted by amorous interests. All of these qualities – humility, disinterest in riches and control of his instinctual drives – qualify him to serve as the King of Israel. The Torah commands the king to limit the wealth he amasses, the number of women he marries, and the number of horses he possesses, as well as instructing him to study Torah constantly so he remains cognizant of his modest place in the universe as a creature standing in the presence of Hashem.

At the same time, we observe some intimation of the limits of Shaul’s character even at this early stage of his career. Twice Shaul makes a pronouncement that is “overruled” by his servant; it would be unnecessary to point out these fine details, other than to suggest to the reader that Shaul is susceptible to suggestion and easily influenced by the expectations and demands of others. As we will see, this quality of modesty reflects a deeper flaw in Shaul’s personality that will pose significant problems for him moving forward.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 8

This chapter is undoubtedly the “turning point” in the Book of Shemuel. Shemuel is now old and appoints his sons, Yoel and Aviyah, to serve as judges in his stead. However, the text tells us that the sons of Shemuel exhibited signs of corruption – they took bribes – and therefore did not find favor in the eyes of the people as Shemuel had. In response to this “failed” process of succession, the nation approaches Shemuel and demands that a king be chosen to rule over them.

Shemuel is greatly disturbed by this request and prays to Hashem. Hashem reassures Shemuel that he should not interpret this development as an indictment of him; rather, it is a sign that the Jewish people reject Hashem as their king. Hashem instructs Shemuel to fulfill the request of the Jews but first to make them aware of how the coronation of a king will affect their lives.

Shemuel addresses the populace and details the various ways in which the needs of the king and his government will impinge upon the freedoms and property of his subjects. He will collect taxes in the form of money, produce and livestock and will draft both men and women into his service. He will enjoy the benefits of absolute authority and they will be subordinate to his desires and direction. The Jews insist that they nevertheless wish to have a king rule over them, and Hashem commands Shemuel to begin the process of finding the right man for the job.

The question of whether the establishment of a monarchy was a positive or negative development in the history of Israel is hotly debated by the commentators. The Tanakh itself seems to send mixed messages on the issue. On one hand, the Torah is understood as commanding us to choose a king, and the key refrain of the Book of Shofetim – which charts the disastrous decline of the Jewish people in the absence of a strong central government – appears to support the view that having a king is a necessity. On the other hand, Shemuel’s reaction in this chapter, and Hashem’s statement that the request for a king is a sign of rejection of the Almighty, indicate that the move to appoint a king is perceived negatively.

We may be able to distinguish here between two functions that a monarchy serves. The primary benefit that it would provide to the nation would be much-needed stability. We can see that Shemuel was sensitive to this concern and intended to respond to it in two ways; first, by proactively engaging in public life, traveling, educating and inspiring, and by passing the mantle of leadership on to his sons so that the momentum thus created would not end with his eventual death. He was the first Shofet to take steps to prevent a relapse into idolatry after his demise. This aspect of “kingship” is a welcome development even from Shemuel’s perspective.

Sadly, Shemuel’s efforts in this regard fall flat because his sons are not capable of replacing him. The Midrash tells us that they didn’t actually take bribes but set up a bureaucratic system of judging the nation that entailed charging court fees and expecting remuneration for their time. Apparently, the absence of charisma, enthusiasm and selfless devotion on their part – the reduction of the position of Shofet into a mere “job” – left a bad taste in the mouths of the people, perhaps reminding them of the regime of the sons of Eli all over again.

The presence of Shemuel, an individual of immense spiritual stature, filled the void of leadership to such an extent that the idea of a king seemed irrelevant; the people were satisfied. His sons, by contrast, left much to be desired; perhaps the people figured that, if they are going to settle for career politicians of one sort or another, they might as well have the “real deal”, a king.

The second function served by a king is providing an emotional sense of security to the people. This is where, from a religious standpoint, the establishment of a monarchy is inherently problematic and objectionable. The human king projects a comforting illusion that everything is under control and that everyone is well protected, but he exacts a heavy price for this from his subjects in the form of taxes and services.

Other nations are prepared to make these sacrifices in exchange for what they believe is the only source of security available to them – the beneficent protection of a king. However, the Jewish people should know better. They should realize that ultimately, protection and security come only from Hashem and are dependent on the Jewish people’s observance of Torah and mitzvoth. Shemuel was profoundly disappointed that the psychological weakness of the people led them to seek emotional reassurance from a ruler of flesh-and-blood instead of inspiring them to develop a more lasting and genuine sense of confidence from their relationship with the True King.
So we can say that Shemuel recognized and even tried to address the first motive for having a king – namely, the need for stability. This function of the monarchy is what was “missing” in the Book of Shofetim that Shemuel himself wrote, and appointing a king to serve this purpose would indeed constitute a mitzvah. On the other hand, the desire for the false emotional security provided by a king is what distressed Shemuel and aroused his opposition; this search for a human being who would offer the nation a superficial feeling of safety and protection was construed as a rejection of Hashem’s kingship rather than the fulfillment of His will.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 7

This chapter begins with a verse that actually serves as the conclusion of the previous paragraph; it describes the relocation of the Ark of the Covenant to the home of Avinadav where it would remain for the next twenty years.

This is the only chapter in which we observe Shemuel as the actual spiritual and political leader of the nation. The Jewish people have wearied from the oppression of the Pelishtim and finally turn to Hashem to seek relief from their suffering. They gather around Shemuel in Mitzpah. In marked contrast from the corrupt regime of the sons of Eli that capitalized on the magical and superstitious thinking of the common folk, Shemuel assures them that simplistic solutions like invoking the power of the Ark will not work; if they wish to be worthy of Hashem’s assistance, they must reject idolatry and serve Him exclusively.

In response, the Jews acknowledge their waywardness and fast, pouring water on the ground as a symbolic gesture of “pouring out their souls” before Hashem. When the Pelishtim hear that the Jewish people have congregated in Mitzpah, they prepare to attack. The Jews ask Shemuel to pray on their behalf – he offers a sacrifice and through a miraculous thunderstorm and divine intervention, the Pelishtim are confounded and defeated by Israel.

The chapter concludes by recounting that Shemuel’s leadership of the Jews continued for the rest of his life. Rather than relying on the nation to approach him for guidance, Shemuel would travel throughout the country regularly in order to teach and judge the citizens in every region of Israel, returning to his home in Ramah once each circuit was completed. This ensured that the Jewish people remained on the proper path and, as a function of his tireless efforts, the Jews enjoyed success, prosperity and peace during those “golden” years.

The story of Shemuel is reminiscent of the cycle of the “Shofetim” with which we are already familiar; the spiritually decadent nation finally yearns for Hashem after years of oppression and persecution, a spiritual leader arises who is capable of directing them with genuine wisdom, and they once again find themselves the recipients of the Divine blessings promised to them in the Torah.

However, Shemuel stands out from among his predecessors in his proactive approach to governance and his ability to unify the Jewish people both religiously and politically. He is not content with the mere removal of idolatry from the midst of Israel; he dedicates his entire life and career to inspiring and educating the Jews.

In this way, the activities and character of Shemuel “rehabilitate” the image of the Shofet that had been tarnished by the indiscretions of less impressive leaders like Gideon, Yiftah and Shimshon. He also represents the reemergence of the special role of the tribe of Levi, who had been chosen by Hashem to be the primary teachers and religious educators of the Jewish people.

The sacred task of the Levites had been neglected for generations, as we saw in the stories of the Graven Image of Mikha and the Concubine at Giveah where Levites, rather than serving as paragons of virtue and selflessness, embody corruption and materialism. The descent of the Levites and Kohanim from holy to profane was most disturbingly manifest in the depraved conduct of the sons of Eli whom Shemuel had been selected to replace.

In this connection it is noteworthy that Shemuel was a descendant of Qorah. Qorah rebelled against Moshe Rabbenu in the wilderness, challenging the validity of the selection of Kohanim as the designated servants of Hashem in His sanctuary. However, his efforts were misguided and self- serving, so he ultimately failed and he and his followers were severely punished. Shemuel continues the legacy of his ancestor in contesting the “status quo” of priestly authority, this time on a legitimate basis – as a response to the immoral behavior of the sons of Eli.

In this way, Shemuel “redeems” the memory of Qorah and salvages what was positive and genuine in Qorah’s otherwise ill-conceived struggle. Shemuel’s offering of a sacrifice in this chapter, as well as the Midrashim that depict his “innovating” the controversial principle that a non-Kohen is allowed to slaughter (though not offer) sacrifices in the Temple, reflect this element of his role as gadfly to the religious establishment of the time.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 6

After seven months of attempting to hold onto the Ark of the Covenant, the Pelishtim seek advice from their magicians as to how to properly return it. The sorcerers tell them to fashion five golden hemorrhoids and five golden mice, corresponding to the five leaders of the Pelishtim and their respective regions, and to send it with the Ark as a gift of tribute. They further instruct the people to place the Ark on a brand new wagon pulled by two nursing cows whose young are confined at home; if the terrible punishments that have come upon the Pelishtim were of divine origin, then the cows will proceed toward Bet Shemesh despite their natural instinct to be reunited with their babies.

The Pelishtim comply with the instructions and watch as the cows pull the wagon and carry the Ark all the way to Bet Shemesh, where it is discovered by a group of Jews working in the field. The men of Bet Shemesh are ecstatic when they see the Ark. They chop the boards of the wagon up into firewood and offer two nursing cows as thanksgiving sacrifices to Hashem.

However, their joy is short-lived, because their behavior is judged by Hashem to be disrespectful to the holiness of the Ark and a plague strikes the men of Bet Shemesh, claiming the lives of “seventy men, and fifty thousand men”. Stricken with fear by this turn of events, no one among the citizens of Bet Shemesh is willing to accept the responsibility of receiving and guarding the Ark. They summon the people of Qiryat Yearim to retrieve the Ark from them immediately.

At first glance, there is no clear explanation for the calamity that befalls the Jews in Bet Shemesh. What exactly did they do wrong? Our chapter is an excellent illustration of the two extremes of relationship to ritual objects and institutions, both of which are unhealthy. Venerating the Ark and attributing magical powers to it borders on idolatry and is a symptom of profound distortion in our relationship to Torah and Hashem. On the other hand, discounting the significance and holiness of the Ark undermines its purpose, which is to inspire us with reverence and love for Hashem.

The Jewish people had moved beyond their superstitious attitude toward the Ark (a good thing) but had replaced that with a casual and irreverent attitude. And as we read in the Torah in several places, access to the Mishkan and the holy objects within it was severely restricted in order to prevent people from becoming too comfortable or blasé about them.

One who treats the Mishkan or its implements with disrespect is punished very harshly, because these entities are concrete symbols of the Divine presence. The devastation at Bet Shemesh was a reminder from Hashem that while avoiding superstitious and magical thinking is imperative, it should not lead us to disregard the significance of the sacred tools Hashem has given us with which to serve Him.

We must guard ourselves from thinking that a Sefer Torah, Mezuzah, Tefillin or any other holy item has its own independent supernatural effects on the world; only Hashem governs His creation and no other forces operate besides Him. At the same time, we should not allow ourselves to shift to the opposite extreme and to denigrate these objects or treat them as mundane, since this will prevent the commandments of Hashem from achieving their purpose of drawing us closer to Him. They should not be seen as ends in themselves but as means to an end. But we must venerate and cherish them because of the holy end that they serve.

One last point that is worthy of mention is the number of casualties recorded in connection with the incident at Bet Shemesh – was it seventy men, fifty thousand men or both? It is also difficult to imagine that there were fifty thousand people living in Bet Shemesh! The Rabbis suggest that one or the other of these numbers is not literal but metaphoric: either seventy righteous men died, each of whom was the equivalent of fifty-thousand because of his greatness, or fifty-thousand died, each of whom was equivalent to the seventy members of the Sanhedrin in greatness. Targum Yehonatan states that both numbers are literal; according to him, seventy leaders and fifty-thousand commoners perished.

If the fifty thousand is to be taken literally, perhaps it refers to deaths throughout Israel as a result of this sin, and is not limited to citizens of Bet Shemesh. Or perhaps it refers to all those who died on account of the Ark, including both Jews and Pelishtim. Another possibility is that this represents the cumulative number of Jewish casualties over the entire conflict with the Pelishtim and its battles. Previously, fifty thousand had died; the seventy men lost at Bet Shemesh brought the total number to 50,070.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 5

The Pelishtim place the Ark of the Covenant in the house of their god Dagon in Ashdod, as if to indicate that their idol had triumphed over of the God of the Jews. The next morning, when they arrived at the temple, the statue of Dagon had fallen over before the Ark. They put it back on its stand; the following morning, the severed head and hands of Dagon were found at the threshold of the temple. Stubbornly committed to their pagan superstitions, this spectacle persuaded the priests of Dagon to institute a new “custom” that prohibited stepping directly on the threshold in the spot where the limbs of their god had been discovered. (Dagon was a fish-man god, therefore he had no feet.)

The residents of Ashdod were then smitten with plagues and with painful hemorrhoids. Assuming that this was the result of the conflict between the God of Israel and Dagon whose house was located in their territory, they asked the rulers of the Pelishtim to transfer the Ark somewhere else. It is moved to Gat and then to Eqron; each time, deadly illness and painful affliction strikes those who dwell in the city where it is placed. Recognizing that the unbearable suffering they are experiencing is associated with their continued possession of the Ark, the Pelishtim resolve to send it back to the Jews as soon as they possibly can.

There is a clear connection between this narrative and that of the story of the plagues in Egypt. This link is explicitly acknowledged by the Pelishtim in their reflection upon what is befalling them and their consideration of the appropriate response. The suffering they experience forces them to release the Ark, representing the Divine presence, from its captivity and to free it to travel to the Holy Land.

The Pelishtim are compelled to acknowledge the power and dominion of the God of Israel, and although they first attempt to deny His omnipotence – they hope that moving the Ark from city to city, they will eventually find a location He is unable to afflict – they ultimately realize that His judgment is inescapable. The parallel to Pharaoh in Egypt and his resistance but eventual capitulation to the plagues is quite evident.

It is interesting to note that Hashem did not provide assistance or support to the Jews in their battle against the Pelishtim, yet He is very persistent in hammering the Pelishtim with plagues so they will relinquish the Ark. We saw that the Jews’ overemphasis on the Ark was an unfortunate distortion of their religious priorities; yet here it seems as if Hashem Himself is more zealously protective of the Ark than of His people!

In order to understand what is happening here, we must distinguish between the circumstances at hand. The Jewish people, because of their distance from Torah and mitzvoth, were unworthy of Divine help; to empower them and bless them would be to implicitly validate their corruption. However, the fact that the Pelishtim had successfully taken the Ark was at first perceived as proof of the superiority of their god, Dagon, to Hashem; allowing such a desecration of Hashem’s name and boon to the practitioners of idol worship would have been just as disastrous as allowing the Jews to prevail in battle in their state of corruption. This explains the critical need for Hashem’s miraculous intervention here – it was for the sake of His glory, not that of the Ark.

The Reading

The Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 4

This chapter describes the fulfillment of Shemuel’s prophecy about the implosion of the house of Eli. The Jewish people have sustained serious losses in their ongoing military conflicts with the Pelishtim. The elders advise them to bring the Ark of the Covenant, accompanied by Hofni and Pinhas, the sons of Eli, onto the battlefield with them.

The soldiers of Israel receive the Ark enthusiastically, feeling that it signifies that their success is guaranteed. At the same time, the Pelishtim are stricken with fear and panic, worrying that the powerful God of Israel will indeed defeat them. It seems that the Pelishtim either believed that the Ark was itself a god or that the Keruvim atop the Ark were the gods of the Jews.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Ark was with them, the Jews lose the battle. Hofni and Pinhas, sons of Eli, are both killed. The Ark itself is captured and placed in the idolatrous house of the Phillistine god Dagon. Eli HaKohen was sitting at the gate of the city nervously; he was extremely anxious about the decision to take the Ark to the battlefield and eagerly awaited its safe return. A messenger arrives and informs Eli that his sons have died and that the Ark has been taken; when he hears the news of the Ark, the shock causes him to lose his balance, fall backwards and break his neck, killing him instantly.

The wife of Pinhas, one of the sons of Eli, was pregnant. Upon hearing the news of the demise of her husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law and of the capture of the Ark, she enters premature labor and delivers a baby boy whom she names “Ikhavod”, meaning “there is no honor”. She saw the deaths of the religious leaders and the loss of the Ark as the ultimate affront to the dignity of Israel; when she restates the meaning of the name before dying, however, only the capture of the Ark is mentioned as a reason why the honor of the Jewish people has departed.

It is worth highlighting that the attitude of the Jewish people to the Ark of the Covenant is tainted with a healthy measure of superstition and idolatry. They relate to the Ark as a kind of magical talisman or good luck charm and believe that Hofni and Pinhas, despite their incorrigibly bad behavior and distance from Hashem, will confer divine blessing to the troops with their mere presence.

When the Ark arrives at the camp, the Jews celebrate, proclaiming that the Ark will save them from the Pelishtim and ignoring the fact that it is their relationship with the Almighty (or lack thereof) that will ultimately determine their fate. The Jewish orientation toward the Ark is, in the final analysis, not that much different from the view articulated by the thoroughly idolatrous Pelishtim, and it comes as little surprise to the reader that Hashem does not enable the Jews to triumph over their enemies at this time. Eli HaKohen and his daughter-in-law share this overestimation of the power of the Ark of the Covenant. In the aftermath of the battle, both of them react to the capture of the Ark as if it constitutes a tragedy that surpasses the deaths of Hofni and Pinhas in importance.

Another interesting point in the story is the parallelism between the death of Pinhas’ wife here and the death of Rachel as described in the Torah. Both enter labor suddenly and assign names with a “tragic” overtone to their children (although Yaaqov changed the name Ben-Oni, “son of my suffering”, to Binyamin). Both die in childbirth and the deaths of both are linked to the “taking” of something associated with divine power or influence – in this case, the capture of the “magical” Ark and in Rachel’s case, her stealing of the “fortune-telling” teraphim from her father Lavan.

The deaths of these women mark the end of their respective eras in Jewish history. The connection between the narratives is highlighted by the text when it mentions that the messenger who delivers news from the battlefield is from the tribe of Binyamin; this biographical detail would seem to be insignificant, but it draws our attention to the similarity between the story here and the story in Beresheet.

Undoubtedly, the religious beliefs espoused here by the Jews are evidence of the influence of the surrounding pagan culture upon them. The removal of the Ark of the Covenant from the spiritual landscape of the nation and its eventual return is a symbolic “restart” for Israel, clearing away old, distorted, pagan ideas that attached themselves to Jewish ritual objects and performances and making room for the new era of Torah study and authentic divine service that will be ushered in by the prophet Shemuel.

Audio Reading

Audio Summary

Shemuel Alef Chapter 3

After reading of the stark contrast between the spiritual emptiness of the sons of Eli and the spiritual growth of Shemuel, we now learn about a watershed moment in Jewish history – Shemuel’s first prophetic experience and the beginning of his career as one of the greatest prophets who has ever lived.

Shemuel and Eli were both asleep at the Temple complex. Suddenly, Shemuel hears a voice beckoning to him; assuming that it is the elderly (now blind) Eli who must be in need of his assistance, Shemuel gets out of bed and runs over to him. Eli assures Shemuel that he did not call him and sends him back to bed. This happens twice more; finally, Eli realizes that what Shemuel is hearing is the voice of the Almighty calling to him in prophecy. He instructs his young protégé to respond to the voice next time he hears it and to receive its message.

Hashem informs Shemuel of the imminent destruction of the priestly house of Eli, including the untimely demise of his two sons. Hashem explains that Eli himself is worthy of this terrible punishment because he failed to intervene and prevent his children from desecrating God’s name, and that the sin was so severe that it could not be expiated.

The next morning, Shemuel is understandably hesitant to share the content of the message with Eli, but Eli insists that he be told the truth. One gets the impression that Eli may have suspected that Shemuel’s prophecy, like the prophecy of the unnamed prophet who visited Eli in chapter two, probably had to do with the Heavenly decree against his family. Shemuel divulges the details of the communication he received. Eli, in his typically weak and passive fashion, accepts the judgment of Hashem upon himself and does not argue, repent or otherwise seek to have it overturned.

With Shemuel’s ascendance to the level of prophecy, the Jewish people are finally in a position to be taught, inspired and redeemed by a leader of the highest caliber. Therefore, the process of removing the corrupt “old guard” (i.e., the sons of Eli) from the picture is now underway. It is especially appropriate that the inaugural prophetic vision of Shemuel is itself a revelation about the radical transformations that are about to take place; namely, the replacement of the entrenched, defective and dysfunctional religious establishment with an enlightened, prudent and godly one.
One tragic element of the story is the weakness of Eli HaKohen. Although in all respects a righteous man, he seems to lack the courage or strength of conviction necessary to put a stop to the injustices being perpetrated by his sons. Moreover, Eli interprets the prophetic messages conveyed to him as if they are fatalistic pronouncements. Normally, we view such communications as Hashem’s way of offering us opportunities to learn from our mistakes and rectify them before it is too late; Eli simply resigns himself to what he perceives as inevitable.
The Rabbis note that in Shemuel’s prophecy he is told that the sins of the sons of Eli will not be atoned for through a sacrifice or meal offering; they comment that the sins could, however, have been atoned for by Torah study and charity. In other words, there was no quick ritual fix that would “change God’s mind” about the sons of Eli the way that a superficial religious person might expect. Doing more of the same – more sacrifices, more offerings, more empty, external religious actions – would not serve to shift the worldview such hardened criminals in any fundamental way nor enable them find favor in the eyes of the Almighty.
Real internal change, however, WAS and always is possible. Advances in Torah knowledge and self-understanding, genuine and lasting improvement of character, or the replacement of selfishness and greed with generosity and compassion would have constituted profound and revolutionary change and might very well have led to the cancelation of the devastating decree against the house of Eli.
Sadly, rather than read between the lines of the prophecies and attempt to engage in or facilitate genuine repentance to avert the disastrous consequences that are in store, Eli is unwilling to confront his sons and redirect them constructively. By his own choices and actions, then, Eli is the one who renders the prophetic warning absolute and irrevocable. It is, we might say, a literal example of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 2

This chapter opens with the famous Tefillat Hannah, the prayer of thanksgiving that Hanna recited after being blessed with a child and bringing him to the Mishkan to leave him there. The prayer reflects on the instability of human fortune and emphasizes that only the Creator ultimately determines our fate. It concludes with a request that the enemies of Hashem be decimated and that true leaders – specifically, a chosen King of Israel – be uplifted and strengthened.

The sons of Eli are well known for their insensitivity, unabashed corruption and mafia-style tactics of managing the affairs of the sanctuary at Shiloh. They demand more of the sacrificial animals’ flesh than the portions to which they are entitled. Even more disturbingly, they refuse to show the slightest deference to the sanctity of the religious services and at least wait until the rituals are completed before partaking of the meat.When their instructions are not carried out, they take what they want by brute force. Rumors swirl that they have even engaged in inappropriate liaisons with women who come to visit the Temple precincts.

Needless to say, the sons of Eli have a terrible reputation in Israel and are the object of the animosity and resentment of their fellow Jews. They are a prime example of desecration of Hashem’s name, representing the Almighty in a negative way and conveying the impression that the service of God is just another manifestation of materialism, avarice and selfishness. The “religion” of the sons of Eli has nothing to do with transcendence or holiness.

In the meantime, Shemuel grows both in his knowledge and devotion to Hashem and in his popularity among the people. His parents visit him yearly and his mother Hanna, repeatedly blessed by Eli HaKohen for her noble act of dedicating Shemuel’s life to Divine service, has five more children.

Eli HaKohen makes a feeble and unsuccessful attempt to rebuke his sons and correct their behavior. Unsurprisingly, his efforts have little or no effect. A prophet visits Eli and informs him that because his sons have brought shame upon the priesthood and defiled the offerings of God, his descendants will be cursed with short lifespans and severe poverty. The two sons of Eli are destined to die on the very same day and to be replaced by a trustworthy and honorable Kohen who (together with his children) would restore dignity to the office of the priesthood, the institution of the Temple and the Torah of Hashem.

There is much to comment upon in this chapter but for the sake of brevity I will suffice with a single observation. The prayer of Hanna is often misunderstood as being unrelated to the specific content of her story and to have minimal relevance to the narrative of the book of Shemuel. Some reputable scholars and rabbis (for instance, Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom) have even suggested that it was a generic hymn that people would recite on occasions of salvation and deliverance and that it merely became associated with Hanna because she chose to use it to celebrate this milestone in her life.

Our understanding of the introduction to the Book of Shemuel, however, leads us to precisely the opposite conclusion. The greatness of Hanna was that she saw the universal significance of her particular story. It makes perfect sense that her thanksgiving ode to Hashem would likewise reflect the broad principles she felt were exemplified by her plight and Hashem’s answer to her prayer and that they wouldn’t be bogged down with the details of her personal life.

Because Hanna rose above the limitations of her own family drama and diagnosed the spiritual illness of the nation as a whole, she took the bold steps that actually resolved the crisis that had gripped the Jewish people for generations. In her prayer, she presents us with a “big picture” perspective on Divine providence as well as expressing her hope that the actions she had taken would eventuate in the establishment of a stable and successful monarchy in the land of Israel.

Shemuel Alef Chapter 1

It is important to note that the appellation “Shemuel Alef” is actually a misnomer; our tradition counts only one “Sefer Shemuel” in Tanakh. However, due to the length of the book, it was subdivided for convenience into “Alef” and “Bet”.

The Book of Shemuel begins with the story of another “Levite” and his family. Elqanah has two wives, Hanna and Peninah; Hanna is barren while Peninnah has children. Unlike the Levite in the story of the “Concubine in Giveah”, Elqana does not merely talk about visiting the House of God – indeed, he does so on a regular basis with his entire family.

During this period of Jewish history, the Kohanim who provided religious leadership to the nation and officiated the Temple services were exceedingly corrupt (we will learn more about the depth of their corruption in the next chapter.) Nonetheless, Elqanah, seemingly a pious Jew, believed in supporting “the system” and was very committed to making pilgrimages to the sanctuary at Shiloh at the appointed times.

The routine visits to Shiloh were particularly uncomfortable experiences for the family. Peninnah would use them as opportunities to draw attention to the fact that she, unlike her rival co-wife, had children (the Sages ascribe noble motives to Peninnah, suggesting that she wished to inspire Hannah to pray to God for the blessing of fertility.) Like any childless woman sitting at a holiday table surrounded by children who are not her own, Hanna would become deeply depressed and would often completely lose her appetite. Elqanah’s attempts to comfort and console her were unsuccessful.

Finally, on one visit to Shiloh, Hannah decides to visit the sanctuary and pray to God for a miracle. She makes a vow that if she is indeed blessed with a child, she will consecrate him as a Nazirite and leave him at the Mishkan for his entire life so he can be exclusively devoted to the service of Hashem.

Eli, the High Priest whose sons have been managing the religious affairs of Israel in an egregiously immoral manner, is himself a decent man; believing Hannah to be drunk and muttering to herself erratically, he rebukes her. When she explains her plight he instead offers his blessing that her prayer be accepted. She returns to her husband with a hopeful and optimistic attitude.

Hashem answers Hannah’s petition and she has a son named Shemuel. When the time comes for the family to visit Shiloh, Hannah declines to join, preferring to wait until her new baby is weaned and can be left at the sanctuary permanently in fulfillment of her vow. When he finishes nursing, Hanna keeps her promise and presents the young boy to Eli the Kohen by whom he will be trained in the study of Torah and the service of Hashem.

One key difficulty that many encounter in studying this story is the vow of Hanna. If she plans on giving up her child anyway, why bother praying for him in the first place? Most mothers who ask Hashem to grant them fertility do so for the purpose of experiencing motherhood and enjoying its many gratifying milestones. Hanna’s request appears to defy logic.

In order to understand Hanna’s motivation and her greatness we must reflect upon the background of this narrative and its context. Hanna’s breakthrough comes when she realizes that her problem is not a personal one; rather, it is symptomatic of the general spiritual decline of the Jewish people. The Torah tells us that when the Jews are faithful to their covenant with Hashem, no woman among them will be infertile. Thus, Hanna identified her infertility as a manifestation of the withdrawal of the divine presence from Israel. She also realized that this absence of Divine providence was itself a function of the poor spiritual leadership of the nation.

Kohanim and Levites who should have been sources of inspiration and education for the people had transformed the religious institutions into corrupt vehicles of their own enrichment. Pilgrims who came to visit the sanctuary, rather than being treated to healthy doses of wisdom, insight and encouragement, were shaken down for money (or, at that time, the meat of sacrifices).

Hanna realized that the only way for the general curse upon the nation to be lifted would be if a leader amongst the Jews would arise and reform the institutions that had fallen into spiritual disrepair; for a person to emerge who could challenge the status quo, reestablish the principles and values that had been forgotten, and guide the Jewish people back to the Torah and its commandments once again.

This leader would need to stand out from among his brethren (hence being a Nazirite) and be isolated from the general culture of the common folk (hence growing up on the Temple grounds). Hanna hoped that the pain of infertility she experienced, a sign of the distance of her people from Hashem, could be transformed into the change that would alleviate not only her suffering but that of many others.