Serving Your Teacher Is Like Standing Before the Shekhinah

Midrash Shmuel 8:6

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"And the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli" (1 Samuel 3:1). Rabbi Pinhas and Rabbi Yirmiyah in the name of Rabbi Hiyya said: Was he then standing before the Shekhinah? Rather, all the time that he stood before Eli it is as though he stood before the Shekhinah. And so it says, "As the LORD lives, before whom I have stood" (1 Kings 17:1). Was he then standing before the Shekhinah? Rather, all the time that he stood before Ahijah the Shilonite it is as though he stood before the Shekhinah. Rabbi Helbo in the name of the school of Rabbi Shila: It is written here, "Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water [upon the hands of Elijah]" (2 Kings 3:11) — even if he were asking for water before him, he would give it to him. What is the reason it does not write here "who learned Torah from Elijah," but rather "who poured water" — this teaches that even if he were asking for water, he would give it to him.

Themes

ShekhinahHumility

Biblical References

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