Saul, the Woman of Endor, and the Question Whom Shall I Bring Up

Midrash Shmuel 24:3

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And he said (to her), 'Divine for me, I pray you, by the ghost,' etc.; and the woman said to him, 'Behold,' etc.; and Saul swore to her by the LORD, etc." (I Samuel 28:8, 9, 10). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: To what may the matter be compared at that hour? To a woman who was set beside her lover, and who swore by the life of her husband. So too Saul inquires by the ghost (ov) and the familiar spirit (yidde'oni), and yet he says, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall befall you for this thing" (ibid., there, verse 10). "And the woman said, 'Whom shall I bring up for you?'" etc. (ibid., there, verse 11). "Whom" — "from which"? From those who said, "Who is the LORD?" (Exodus 5:2), or from those who said, "Who is like You," etc. (ibid., 15:11).

Themes

WomenEgyptSupernaturalWisdomExodus

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelHis Mother and His Father Shall You Fear and the Lord Your God ShallRebbi, that is Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, the redactor of the Mishnah, teaches that the honor a person gives to father and mother is precious before "Him who spoke aMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelRabbi Yishmael Taught You Say This Is Optional(Exodus 21:3) introduces a condition for the Hebrew bondsman: "If alone he came, alone shall he go out." The Mekhilta uses this verse to determine whether a masMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelIf His Master Gives Him a WifeThe Torah addresses the case of a Hebrew servant whose master gives him a wife during his term of service. In (Exodus 21:4), the verse begins with the word "If"Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelRabbi Yosei Haglili Elaborates on the Boundaries of Paternal Power byThe Torah states: "And if a man sells his daughter as a maid-servant" (Exodus 21:7). The Mekhilta draws a striking inference from this phrasing. A father may seMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelIf a Man Open a Pit Why Is This StatedThe Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael pauses over a verse that seems, at first glance, unnecessary. The Torah has already taught that a person is liable for damage doneBook of TobitKingdom of King SennacheribIt’s a story packed with adventure, piety, and a healthy dose of divine intervention. to a particularly intense moment from the beginning of the story. Our hero