The Water-Drawers Who Gazed at Saul on the Ascent to Ramah

"And he passed through the land of Shalishah" (1 Samuel 9:4) — that is, the house of Ramah. "As they were going up the ascent" etc., "and they answered them and said, 'He is here'" etc. (1 Samuel 9:11-12). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Mari bar Yaakov said: Do you not see a cloud that is bound over his entrance? And "yesh" (there is) means nothing other than a cloud, as you say, "And there is (yesh) when the cloud" etc. (Numbers 9:21). "As you come into the city, so shall you find him" etc. (1 Samuel 9:13). And all this length, why? It teaches that they were gazing upon Saul's beauty, and they were not satisfied with him — the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yose said: Would you make the daughters of Israel act so? Behold, just as it is impossible for a man to feed his eyes from a woman who is not fit for him, so it is impossible for a woman to feed her eyes from a man who is not fit for her. And all this length, why? It teaches that the hour had not yet arrived of which the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Samuel, "At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man" (1 Samuel 9:16).