Midrash Shmuel Reader

"For the LORD is a God of knowledge" (1 Samuel 2:3). Rabbi said: I wonder how they cancelled "Who graciously grants knowledge" on the Sabbath, for if a person has no knowledge, how is he to pray? Rabbi Pinchas said: Great is knowledge, for it is placed in the middle between two mentions [of the Divine Name], "then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:5), and it says, "For the LORD is a God of knowledge." Rabbi Elazar said: Great is knowledge, for it is weighed against the Holy Temple, "the place for Your dwelling that You made, O LORD, the Sanctuary, O Lord, that Your hands established" (Exodus 15:17). And the Rabbis said: Anyone who has no knowledge in him, it is forbidden to have compassion on him. And what is the reason? "For it is a people of no understanding; therefore He who made it will not have compassion on it" (Isaiah 27:11).

"And by Him deeds are weighed" (1 Samuel 2:3). We do not know whether [the meaning is] "by Him deeds are weighed", or whether [it means] deeds that are not directed toward Him. Scripture therefore teaches: "He made known His ways unto Moses, His deeds unto the children of Israel" (Psalms 103:7). "The bow of the mighty men is broken, etc." (1 Samuel 2:4) — [rendered in Aramaic:] the bow of the mighty men is broken, and the weak have inherited their strength. "They that were full have hired themselves out for bread" (1 Samuel 2:5) — this is Peninnah, who was full of sons, yet she hired herself out. "And they that were hungry have ceased" — Hannah, who was hungry for sons, ceased. How is this so? Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah [explained]. Rabbi Yehudah says: grandchildren are like children. Rabbi Nehemiah says: Peninnah had ten sons. Hannah would bear one, and Peninnah would bury two; Hannah would bear two, and Peninnah would bury four; three, and Peninnah would bury six; four, and Peninnah would bury eight. When she passed the fifth, Peninnah came and prostrated herself at her [Hannah's] feet. She said to her: "I beg of you, pray for [the remaining] two, that they may live." She prayed for them, and they were called by her [Hannah's] name.

Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Yose explained the verse as referring to the matriarchs. "Those who were sated with bread have hired themselves out" (1 Samuel 2:5) — this is Leah, who, being sated with sons, hired herself out. "And those who were hungry have ceased" — this is Rachel, who, being hungry for sons, ceased. "While the barren has borne seven" — this is Leah, who was barren from her house of childbearing, yet bore seven. "And she that had many children has languished" — this is Rachel, who was fit to raise up the majority of the tribes, yet languished. Who did such a thing?

"The LORD kills and makes alive, the LORD brings down to Sheol and raises up" (1 Samuel 2:6). There we learned: the congregation of Korah is not destined to rise up, as it is said, "and the earth covered them" (Numbers 16:33) — in this world; "and they perished from the midst of the assembly" — for the world to come; these are the words of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Elazar says: concerning them it says, "The LORD kills and makes alive, brings down to Sheol and raises up." Rabbi Berekhiah in the name of Rabbi Helbo said: even their names were lost from beneath their registers. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi in the name of Rabbi said: thus was the congregation of Korah sinking and going down, until Hannah arose and prayed on their behalf, "The LORD kills and makes alive," and so forth.

"The Lord makes poor and makes rich, He brings low, He also lifts up" (I Samuel 2:7). A matrona asked Rabbi Yose [ben Halafta]. She said to him: In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create His world? He said to her: In six days, as it is written, "For in six days the Lord made the heavens" (Exodus 31:17). She said to him: From then onward, what is He sitting and doing? He is idle. He said to her: God forbid, He is not idle; rather, He sits and pairs couples. She said to him: I too can do that. (She decreed and said: Let so-and-so marry so-and-so, and let so-and-so be married to so-and-so. She said to him:) If it is so, I have a thousand male slaves and female slaves; in a short hour I am able to pair them. She went to her house and set them up in rows upon rows, and she decreed: Let so-and-so marry so-and-so, and let so-and-so be married to so-and-so. She joined them in the morning, and found them—some of them with cracked heads, some of them blinded, some of them broken. She returned to Rabbi Yose and said to him: Everything that you said, you said well. I could not stand by my words. Your goodness! Who is your God? He said to her: Did I not already tell you—if it is light in your eyes, it is hard before the Holy One, blessed be He, as the splitting of the Sea of Reeds? This is what is written, "God settles the solitary in a home, He brings out prisoners into prosperity" (Psalms 68:7)—like one who brings out prisoners into prosperity. Rabbi Berechiah said: In this language He answered her—the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and makes ladders, raising this one and lowering that one, bringing low this one and lifting up that one, as it is written, "The Lord makes poor and makes rich, He brings low, He also lifts up."

"He raises up the poor from the dust" (1 Samuel 2:8) — this is Joseph. "He lifts the needy from the dunghill" — "And Pharaoh sent and called Joseph" etc. (Genesis 41:14). "To seat them with princes, and make them inherit a throne of honor" — "And Joseph was the governor over the land" (ibid. 42:6). Another interpretation: "He raises up the poor from the dust" — this is Daniel. "He lifts the needy from the dunghill" — "And Daniel was taken up out of the den" (Daniel 6:24). "To seat them with princes, and make them inherit a throne of honor" — "And they proclaimed concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom" (ibid. 5:29).

"For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and He has set the world upon them" (1 Samuel 2:8). Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: As long as Israel is made into a single bond below, as it were, the Kingdom of Heaven is in its place. And there are for them five verses [bearing this out]. "Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens" (Amos 9:6) — when? "And has founded His vault upon the earth" (ibid.). "And He became King in Jeshurun" (Deuteronomy 33:5) — when? "When the heads of the people gathered together" (ibid.). "Who rides the heavens as your help" (Deuteronomy 33:26) — when? "And in His majesty the skies" (ibid.). "Happy are you, O Israel, who is like you, etc." (ibid. 33:29). And this is [the meaning of]: "To You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwells in the heavens" (Psalms 123:1) — that were it not for me, as it were, etc.

"He guards the feet of His faithful ones" (1 Samuel 2:9) — it is written His faithful one (in the singular). Another interpretation: "He guards the feet of His faithful ones" — this is Joseph. "And the wicked are silenced in darkness" — this is the wife of Potiphar. "For not by strength shall a man prevail" — as we have learned: Who is mighty? One who conquers his impulse. "But his bow abode in firmness" — Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: the bow was drawn taut and returned, as it is written, "But his bow abode in firmness, and the arms of his hands were made supple" (Genesis 49:24). Rabbi Yitzchak said: his seed was scattered and went out by way of his fingernails. "From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob" — Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Mattena: he saw the icon of his father and his blood cooled. Rabbi Menachma in the name of Rabbi Avin: he saw the icon of his mother and his blood cooled. "From there, the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel."

"The LORD, His adversaries shall be shattered" (1 Samuel 2:10) — it is written "His adversary" (in the singular). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: If there is one, he shall fall; and if there are two, they shall fall. "Against him He shall thunder in the heavens" — it is written "they go up." Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If they go up to the heavens, from there I thunder with My voice and bring them down. "The LORD shall judge the ends of the earth" — Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: These are the nations of the world, whose covenant is cut off from their Creator. "And He shall give strength to His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed" — there are ten horns. How so? At first, they were all given upon the head of Israel; but when Israel sinned, they were taken from them and given to the nations of the world. This is what is written: "He has cut down in fierce anger every horn of Israel" (Lamentations 2:3). And it says: "And concerning the ten horns that were upon its head" (Daniel 7). And when Israel does repentance, the Holy One, blessed be He, returns them to their place. This is what is written: "And all the horns of the wicked I will cut off; the horns of the righteous shall be exalted" (Psalms 75:11) — and those horns which the Righteous One of the world cut off shall be exalted. And when does the Holy One, blessed be He, return them to their place? When the horn of the King Messiah is exalted, as it is written: "And He shall give strength to His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed."

"Also before they would burn the fat, the priest's lad would come and say to the man who was sacrificing: Give meat to roast for the priest, for he will not take from you cooked meat, but only raw. And the man would say to him: Let them burn the fat first, and then take for yourself as your soul desires; and he would say: No, but you shall give it now, and if not, I will take it by force" (1 Samuel 2:15-16). Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Why do you eat the remnants of the meal-offering and leave the handful for the flies? And why do you eat the meat and leave the fats spread out in the sun? What do Israel say to him? Let the priest come and dash the blood and burn the fats, and afterward let him take for himself meat. And what does the priest say to them? The blood I will not dash, and the fats I will not burn—"Give meat to roast for the priest, and if not, I have taken it by force" (1 Samuel 2:16). What is said at the end? "And the sons of Eli were sons of belial" (1 Samuel 2:12)—sons who cast off the yoke of Heaven from upon themselves; they said: There is no kingship in Heaven, as it is written, "And the sons of Eli were sons of belial." And another verse says: "Certain men, sons of belial, have gone out and led astray," etc. (Deuteronomy 13:14).

"And his mother would make him a little robe" (1 Samuel 2:19). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Natan: The garment that goes down with a person to Sheol comes with him in the time to come. And what is the reason? "It is changed like clay under the seal, and they stand forth as a garment" (Job 38:14). Therefore it is written, "and he was wrapped in a robe" (1 Samuel 28:14).

And it is written (1 Samuel 2): "And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, etc." He said to him: All the children that the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to give you—may they be from this righteous woman. And similarly: "And Isaac entreated the LORD opposite his wife" (Genesis 25:21). What is the meaning of "opposite his wife"? This teaches that Isaac was stretched out [in prayer] here, and she was stretched out [in prayer] there. He said before Him: Master of all the worlds, all the children that You are destined to give me—may they be from this righteous woman. She too said: All the children that You are destined to give me—may they be from this righteous man. And similarly: "And may your house be like the house of Perez, etc." (Ruth 4:12). They said to him: All the children that the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to give you—may they be from this righteous woman.

"For the LORD had remembered Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters" (1 Samuel 2:21). "He sets the barren woman of the house as a joyful mother of children, Hallelujah" (Psalms 113:9). "He sets the barren woman of the house" — this is Sarah, "and Sarai was barren" (Genesis 11:30); "a joyful mother of children" — "Sarah has nursed children" (Genesis 21:7). Another interpretation: "He sets the barren woman of the house" — this is Rebekah, "and Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren" (Genesis 25:21); "a joyful mother of children" — "and the children struggled together within her" (Genesis 25:22). [Another interpretation:] "He sets the barren woman of the house" — this is Leah, "and the LORD saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb" (Genesis 29:31); "a joyful mother of children" — "[because I have borne him]" — this is six sons (Genesis 29:34). Another interpretation: "He sets the barren woman of the house" — this is Rachel, "and Rachel was barren" (Genesis 29:31); "a joyful mother of children" — "and God remembered Rachel" (Genesis 30:22). [Another interpretation:] "He sets the barren woman of the house" — this is the wife of Manoah, "and the angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, Behold now, you are barren and have not borne" (Judges 13:3); "a joyful mother of children" — "and you shall conceive and bear a son" (Judges 13:3). [Another interpretation:] "He sets the barren woman of the house" — this is Zion, "Sing, O barren one who did not bear" (Isaiah 54:1); "a joyful mother of children" — "and you will say in your heart, Who has borne me these?" (Isaiah 49:21). [Another interpretation:] "He sets the barren woman of the house" — this is Hannah, "and Hannah had no children" (1 Samuel 1:2); "a joyful mother of children" — "for the LORD had remembered Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters" (1 Samuel 2:21).

"He who curses his father and his mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deep darkness" (Proverbs 20:20). Rabbi Yudah bar Rabbi Nachman and Rabbi Levi: one of them said, this is like one who bought himself a knife in order to cut meat with it. It fell upon his finger and cut it. He said: I bought it only in order to cut meat with it; was it perhaps in order to be cut by it? So too, a person begets only for his own honor, yet they curse him. This is what is written: "He who curses his father and his mother, etc." And the other one said, this is like one who lit himself a lamp in order to enjoy its light. It fell upon his garment and burned it. He said: I lit it only in order to enjoy its light; was it perhaps in order to be burned by it? So too, a person begets children only for his own honor, yet they curse him. This is what is written: "He who curses his father and his mother."

Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: There are two commandments whose reward the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed in the Torah — the lightest of the light and the heaviest of the heavy. The lightest of the light is "You shall surely send away the mother" (Deuteronomy 22:7) [as it says, "that it may go well with you and that you may prolong your days"]; and the heaviest of the heavy is "Honor your father [and your mother]" (Exodus 20:12). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: Just as their reward was great, so was their punishment great. This is what is written: "The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother" (Proverbs 30:17) — "you shall not take the mother together with the young" (Deuteronomy 22:6) — "the ravens of the valley shall pluck it out, and the young eagles shall eat it" (Proverbs 30:17). This one plucks out and that one eats. Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Let the raven, who is cruel, come and pluck it out, and let it derive no benefit from it; and let the eagle, who is merciful, come and eat it.

"For in much wisdom is much grief, etc." (Ecclesiastes 1:18). Whenever a person increases in wisdom, he increases in grief; and whenever he increases [in knowledge], he increases in suffering. Solomon said: Because I increased in wisdom, I increased in grief, and because I increased in knowledge, I increased in suffering. Rav said: A scholar (talmid chacham) requires no warning. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: Fine linen garments that come from Beit Shean, if one of them is scorched, how great is the loss it brings; but coarse linen garments that come from Arbel, if one of them is scorched, how slight it is and how slight is its loss. To what may the matter be compared? To two who entered a shop: one ate fine bread and fatty meat and drank old wine, and went out sick; and one ate coarse bread and legumes and drank cold water, and went out healthy. So too, have you ever seen in your days a donkey or a camel with a fever upon it? Among whom is suffering found? Among human beings. Rabbi Yishmael taught: According to the camel is the burden. Rabbi Meir taught: According to the cunning of the serpent, so was its punishment. Because it is written, "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field" (Genesis 3:1), therefore it is written, "the serpent is cursed above all." There are those who increased wisdom for their own good, and those who increased it to their own harm. Those who increased it for their own good were David and Solomon; those who increased it to their own harm were Doeg and Ahitophel. There are those who increased wealth for their own good and those for their own harm: those for their own good were David and Solomon; those for their own harm were Korach and Haman. There are those who increased might for their own good and those for their own harm: those for their own good were Judah and David; those for their own harm were Goliath and Samson. There are those who increased in old age for their own good and those for their own harm: those for their own good were Jacob and David; those for their own harm — "And Eli was very old, etc." (1 Samuel 2:22).

Rabbi Yudah son of Rabbi Simon said in the name of Hezekiah: This is one of the verses that our master (Rabbeinu) would expound favorably. "[the women] that they lay with, the women" (1 Samuel 2:22) — is it possible that the sons of that righteous man would do such a thing? Say therefore: because [the women] would bring up holy offerings to Shiloh, [the sons] would detain them and lodge them away from their homes for one night, [and] the Holy One, blessed be He, accounts it against them as though they had lain with them. And likewise: "And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre" (1 Samuel 8:3) — is it possible that the sons of that righteous man would do such a thing? Say therefore: because they would take the tithe and adjudicate with it. Rabbi Berekhiah said: A caravan [mevrakhta — term uncertain] used to pass through Beersheba, and they would set aside the needs of the community and busy themselves with their own needs. And likewise: "and she sat in the opening of Enaim" (Genesis 38:14) — is this possible? Rather, she sat at an opening where all eyes (einayim) are turned toward her. She said: May it be [Your] will that I not go out from this house empty.

"And he said to them, 'Why do you do such things?' etc." (1 Samuel 2:23). Rabbi Abbahu said: The Torah has taught you proper conduct (derekh eretz): when you hear good about your fellow, you may report it in the name of the one who said it; but when you hear evil about him, report it in the name of others. "From all this people." "No, my sons, for it is not good, etc." Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Abbahu said: An elder in whom something disgraceful is found is not brought down from his greatness; rather they say to him, "Be honored and sit in your house." As for a nasi (patriarch), what is the ruling? Rabbi Yochanan said: They remove him. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak brings it (a proof) from here: "No, my sons, for it is not a good report that I hear" — "they remove the people of the Lord" — ("the people of the Lord") they restore him. Rabbi Chaggai said: Moses — they do not restore him, for he killed them. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: They even flog him. Rabbi Yehudah Nesi'ah heard and grew angry. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish fled and went out to Migdal Tzevo'aya. Rabbi Yochanan arose and did not come down to the study session. Rabbi Yehudah Nesi'ah arose with him and said to him: Why did you not come down to the study session? He said to him: A key has been placed in Migdal Tzevo'aya. He said to him: Were there no Shimon ben Lakish — no [matter]. He blew into his hand alone, and no sound went forth; he clapped with both of them, and their sound went forth. When Rabbi Yochanan heard this, he went out to his own province and read before him this verse: "whom God went to redeem for himself as a people, and to make for himself a name" (2 Samuel 7:23). He said to him: Enough for you — you resemble your Creator.

Rabbi Ami would treat lightly any scholar who was appointed for silver. Rabbi Yoshiya taught: the tallit that is upon him is like the saddlecloth of a donkey. Rabbi Ashian taught: an elder who is appointed for silver, they do not call him "Rabbi," and they do not rise before him; rather, may he be cast down upon the ground, and the tallit that is upon him is like the saddlecloth of a donkey. Rabbi Zeira and one of the rabbis were sitting and laboring in the Torah before the study house of Tiberias. One of those who are appointed for silver passed by. That one of the rabbis said to Rabbi Zeira: let us appear to be laboring in the Torah, so that we need not rise before him. Rabbi Zeira said: I, explicitly, will not rise before him. Yaakov, the man of Kfar Nevoria, expounded a single verse in the rebellious synagogue of Caesarea, and the rabbis praised him. "Woe to him who says to wood, Awake" (Habakkuk 2:19) — this is an elder who is appointed for silver. "Arise, to the dumb stone, it shall teach" (ibid.) — does he know how to teach? — in astonishment. "Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver" (ibid.) — and for the sake of his silver he was appointed. "And there is no breath at all within it" (ibid.) — he knows nothing. If you seek a word of Torah, behold there is Rabbi Yitzchak son of Rabbi Elazar in the rebellious synagogue of Caesarea. "But the LORD is in His holy Temple; let all the earth be silent before Him" (ibid. 2:20) — but the LORD is in His holy Temple.

"If a man sins against a man, the judges shall judge him (the court makes a settlement between them); but if a man sins against the Lord, who shall intercede for him? But they did not listen to the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to put them to death" (1 Samuel 2:25). One verse says, "For I do not desire the death of the dead [reading 'the dead' for 'the wicked']" (Ezekiel 18:32), and another verse says, "Because the Lord desired to put them to death." How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "I do not desire the death of the dead"; but once their decree of judgment is sealed: "the Lord desired to put them to death." One verse says, "You who hear prayer, to You shall all flesh come" (Psalms 65:3), and another verse says, "You have covered Yourself with a cloud, so that no prayer can pass through" (Lamentations 3:44). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "You who hear prayer"; but once the decree of judgment is sealed: "You have covered Yourself with a cloud," and so forth. One verse says, "Out of the mouth of the Most High does not come the evil and the good?" (Lamentations 3:38), and another verse says, "And the Lord watched over the evil" (Daniel 9:14). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Out of the mouth of the Most High it does not come"; but once the decree of judgment is sealed: "And the Lord watched over the evil." One verse says, "Wash your heart from evil, and so forth" (Jeremiah 4:14), and another verse says, "For though you wash with lye, and so forth" (Jeremiah 2:22). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Wash your heart from evil"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "For though you wash." One verse says, "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him" (Psalms 145:18), and another verse says, "Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?" (Psalms 10:1). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "Why, O Lord, do You stand far off?" One verse says, "Seek the Lord while He may be found" (Isaiah 55:6), and another verse says, "As I live, I will not be sought by you" (Ezekiel 20:3). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Seek the Lord while He may be found"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "As I live, I will not be sought by you." One verse says, "Return to Me, and I will return to you" (Malachi 3:7), and another verse says, "Does one fall and not rise again? Does one turn away and not return?" (Jeremiah 8:4). How is it? How can these two verses both be upheld? Before the decree of judgment is sealed: "Return to Me, and I will return to you"; once the decree of judgment is sealed: "Does one turn away and not return?"

"And there came a man of God unto Eli" — this is Elkanah — "and said unto him: Thus saith the Lord: Did I reveal Myself indeed [unto the house of thy father]" (1 Samuel 2:27) — this is Elkanah. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: When a person goes into exile from Judah to the Galilee, or from the Galilee to Judah, this is not called exile; but when he goes into exile from the Land to outside the Land, he is called an exile. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: "Did I reveal Myself indeed" — two revelations did I reveal: one to bring your children out of Egypt, and one to give the priesthood to your children, and you rebel against Me. Rabbi and Rabbi Yonatan and Rabbi Tanchuma and Rabbi Yudah and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish and Rabbi Avin and Rabbi Chiyya in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: In two places we find that the impure One purified Himself for the sake of the honor of the righteous one. In Egypt, where did He reveal Himself to him? Rabbi Berechiah in the name of Rabbi Chelbo: from within the palace of Pharaoh. And in Midian, where did He reveal Himself to him? Rav Huna in the name of Rav Acha: from within the hollow of the pillar. He said to it: If one boil were to rise upon any of your limbs, would not all your limbs feel it? So too: "Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord" (Jeremiah 23:24).

"And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest" etc. (1 Samuel 2:28). "Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest and bringest near" (Psalms 65:5) — happy is he who attaches himself to Him; happy is he who attaches himself to Him, and He brings him near. A noblewoman asked Rabbi Yose. She said to him: Whom does your God desire? — He brings near. He brought before her a basket of figs, and she kept picking out the good ones, picking them and eating them. He said to her: You know how to pick out, yet the Holy One, blessed be He, does not know how to pick out? The one whose deeds He sees to be good, him He chooses and brings near. Rabbi Menachma in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak: Not everyone who is near is near, and not everyone who is far is far. There is one who is chosen and rejected and brought near; there is one who is chosen and rejected and not brought near. Aaron was chosen — "And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest" (1 Samuel 2:28); and rejected — "And the LORD was very angry with Aaron" (Deuteronomy 9:20); and brought near — "And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother" (Exodus 28:1). Saul was chosen — "See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen" (1 Samuel 10:24); and rejected — "It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul as king" etc. (ibid. 15:11); and not brought near — "And I have rejected him from reigning over Israel" etc. (ibid. 16:1). David was chosen — "And He chose David His servant" (Psalms 78:70); and rejected — "And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and they stood in a place that was far off" (2 Samuel 15:17). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: They placed him under a ban, yet even so he accepted his ban upon himself. This is what is written: "And David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, going up and weeping, and his head was covered" (2 Samuel 15:30). And brought near — Rabbi Yudan said: Ira the Jairite was David's teacher, and he brought him near. This is what David says: "Let those that fear Thee return unto me, and those that know Thy testimonies" (Psalms 119:79) — "and they shall know" (vi-yadʿu) is written [the form invites the reading "and they shall know," that they may learn] — this is Ira the Jairite, who was his teacher, and he brought him near.

"Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: I said indeed (that your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever)" (1 Samuel 2:30). Rabbi Yehoshua son of Rabbi Nechemiah in the name of a certain rabbi — Rabbi Miyasha was sitting before Rabbi Abahu — said: "I said" is stated two times. By whom was it stated two times? "Your house and the house of your father should walk before Me forever," "and now [the LORD declares] far be it from Me" (1 Samuel 2:30). Rabbi Yirmiyah in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Yitzhak said: The Holy One, blessed be He, was more stringent concerning the honor of the righteous than concerning His own honor. Concerning the honor of the righteous it is written, "And I will bless those who bless you (and the one who curses you I will curse)" (Genesis 12:3). Concerning the honor of the Holy One, blessed be He: "for those who honor Me I will honor" — I Myself will honor them; "and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" — by means of others.

"And the man of yours whom I shall not cut off from My altar, etc." (1 Samuel 2:33). Rabbi Meir went up to a certain place called Mamla, and he found there men whose heads were black. He said to them: "Tell me, perhaps you are from the family of Eli?" — concerning whom it is written, "And all the increase of your house shall die as men" (1 Samuel 2:33). They said to him: "Rabbi, pray for us." He said to them: "Occupy yourselves with charity, and you will lengthen your days." He read before them this verse: "A crown of glory is the hoary head" (Proverbs 16:31) — where is it found? "In the way of charity it is found" (ibid.).

"And this shall be the sign to you" (1 Samuel 2:34). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: it is a sure matter that will come upon your two sons, upon Hophni and Phinehas, and so on. And you shall know it from "And I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest" (ibid., verse 35). And like it is: "And this shall be the sign to you, that I have sent you" (Exodus 3:12). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: it is a sure matter that I have sent you, in your bringing forth the people out of Egypt (ibid.); from "in your bringing forth the people out of Egypt" you shall know "that you shall serve God upon this mountain" (ibid.). "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in your house [shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread]" (1 Samuel 2:36) — this expression is nothing other than an expression of sustenance, as it says: "Put me, I pray, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread" (ibid.).

"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.

"And the word of the LORD was precious in those days" (1 Samuel 3:1), and so forth. Ten things were called precious, and these are they: the Torah, and prophecy, and understanding, and knowledge, and folly, and the righteous, and the death of the righteous, and lovingkindness, and wealth, and Israel. The Torah, from where? As it is written, "She is more precious than rubies" (Proverbs 3:15). Prophecy, from where? As it is written, "And the word of the LORD was precious in those days." And understanding, from where? As it is written, "He who spares his words has knowledge, and a man of understanding is of a precious spirit" (Proverbs 17:27). And knowledge, from where? As it is written, "and the lips of knowledge are a precious vessel" (ibid.). Folly, from where do we derive it? As it is written, "more precious than wisdom and than honor is a little folly" (Ecclesiastes 10:1). And the righteous, from where? As it is written, "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them" (Psalms 139:17). And the death of the righteous, from where? As it is written, "Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of His pious ones" (Psalms 116:15). And lovingkindness, from where? As it is written, "How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God" (Psalms 36:8). And wealth, from where? As it is written, "The slothful man does not roast his prey, but the precious wealth of a man is to be diligent" (Proverbs 12:27). Israel, from where? As it is written, "Is Ephraim a precious son to Me? Is he a darling child?" and so forth (Jeremiah 31:19).

"And it came to pass [on that day], when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, etc." (1 Samuel 3:2). From here the Sages said: anyone who raises up a wicked son or a wicked disciple, in the end his eyes grow dim. A wicked son — from Isaac: "And it came to pass, when Isaac was old, that his eyes were dim, so that he could not see" (Genesis 27:1). Why? Because he raised up Esau, a wicked son. A wicked disciple — from Ahijah the Shilonite: "But Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were set by reason of his age" (1 Kings 14:4). Why? Because he raised up Jeroboam, a wicked disciple.

"And the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the Temple of the Lord" etc. (I Samuel 3:3). Before the Holy One, blessed be He, causes the sun of one righteous person to set, He causes the sun of another righteous person to shine. On the day that Rabbi Akiva died, Rabbeinu HaKadosh was born, and concerning him they applied: "The sun also rises, and the sun goes down" (Ecclesiastes 1:5). On the day that Rabbeinu HaKadosh died, Rav Adda bar Ahava was born, and concerning him they applied: "The sun also rises, and the sun goes down." On the day that Rav Adda bar Ahava died, Rav Hamnuna was born, and concerning him they applied: "The sun also rises, and the sun goes down." On the day that Rav Hamnuna died, Rav Avin was born, and concerning him they applied: "The sun also rises, and the sun goes down." On the day that Rabbi Avin died, Abba Hoshaya the man of Tiria was born, and concerning him they applied: "The sun also rises, and the sun goes down." On the day that Abba Hoshaya the man of Tiria died, Rabbi Hoshaya his son was born, and concerning him they applied: "The sun also rises, and the sun goes down." Before the Holy One, blessed be He, caused the sun of Sarah to set, He caused the sun of Rebecca to shine, as it is said: "And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother" (Genesis 24:67). Before the Holy One, blessed be He, caused the sun of Moses to set, He caused the sun of Joshua to shine: "And the Lord said to Moses, Take you Joshua the son of Nun" (Numbers 27:18). Before the Holy One, blessed be He, caused the sun of Joshua to set, He caused the sun of Othniel son of Kenaz to shine: "And Othniel son of Kenaz captured it" etc. (Judges 1:13). Before the Holy One, blessed be He, caused the sun of Eli to set, He caused the sun of Samuel to shine: "And the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the Temple of the Lord" etc.

"God thunders with His voice wondrously, doing great things that we cannot know" (Job 37:5). Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Reuven: Have you ever seen in your days one man going out from the north, and another man going out from the south, and they meet one another? This could only be if they had made a signal between them. So too Moses in the wilderness and Aaron in Egypt, both going out at the same hour and meeting one another — this could only be because the Word designated them. You find that at the moment the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Aaron, "Go to meet Moses, to the wilderness" (Exodus 4:27), He turned back and said to Moses, "And also, behold, he is coming out to meet you, [and when he sees you] he will rejoice in his heart" (ibid. 4:14). It is not so; rather, at the moment the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Aaron, "Go to meet Moses, to the wilderness," Moses heard through that same single utterance and went out. This is what is written, "God thunders with His voice wondrously" — both of them went out through a single voice.

Rabbi Yudan said: It is written, "The high mountains are for the wild goats" (Psalms 104:18). Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This hind, her limbs are narrow, and she has difficulty giving birth. And what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He provides for her a serpent, and it bites her, and her limbs slacken. And when she gives birth, what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He provides for her an herb, and she eats it and is healed. This is what is written, "He does great things that we do not comprehend" (Job 37:5). Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This hind, her limbs are weak, and she seeks water, and she is afraid of a wild beast. What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He places in her a frenzied spirit, and she beats with her feet and beats with her horns, and the wild beast hears and flees. This is what is written, "[God thunders marvelously with His voice;] He does great things that we do not comprehend" (Job 37:5). Rabbi Elazar said: This man sleeps upon his bed, and the serpent is poised before his bed. And what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He places in him a frenzied spirit, and he flings out with his hands and flings out with his feet and puts on his garments inside out, and the serpent hears and flees. This is what is written, "God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things that we do not comprehend" (Job 37:5).

Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, knows the wonders that He performs for His creatures, but His creatures do not know the wonders that He performs with them. It was taught: There are three [things] whose sound travels from one end of the world to the other, and the creatures are in their midst and do not perceive it. And these are they: the day, and the rains, and the soul at the moment when it departs [from the body]. The day, from where [do we know this]? Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Ila'i said: You think that this day glides along with the firmament, but it is only sawing through the firmament like this saw. And the rains, from where [do we know this]? Rabbi Levi said: "Deep calls unto deep at the sound of Your channels" (Psalms 42:8). The soul, from where [do we know this]? Rabbi Shmuel, the brother of Rabbi Pinchas bar Chama, was in mortal danger, and his companions went up to visit him. A word came [to them] and they laughed. He said: The sound of the soul of that man's brother is shattering cedars and uprooting trees, and you sit here and do not know it.

Bar Kappara said: The Holy One, blessed be He, made that which is not seen seen, and that which does not hear hear, and that which does not speak speak. That which is not seen [was made] seen — from where [do we know this]? "And all the people saw the voices and the torches" (Exodus 20:15). That which does not hear [was made to] hear — from where [do we know this]? "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD" (Joshua 24:27). And that which does not speak [was made to] speak — from where [do we know this]? "And the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey," etc. (Numbers 22:28).

"And the LORD said to me: Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me" (Jeremiah 15:1). You find that whatever is written of this one is written of that one. This one was a Levite and that one was a Levite. This one built altars and that one built altars. This one ruled over Israel and Judah, and that one ruled over Israel and Judah. This one offered sacrifice, and that one offered sacrifice. This one [was summoned] by a calling, and that one by a calling. This one [answered] with "Hineni" (Here I am), and that one with "Hineni." "And [God] called [to him out of the midst of the bush] and He said, Hineni" (Exodus 3:4). There [in the Mishnah] we learned: The priest had bolted [the door] from within, and the son of Levi was sleeping outside; the [divine] speech leaped over [Eli] to Eli and spoke with Samuel: "And the LORD called Samuel, and he said, Hineni" (I Samuel 3:4). "And he ran [to Eli] and said, Hineni, for you called me" (ibid. there, verse 5). Said Rabbi Yochanan: like this perfect heifer—"And the LORD came and stood and called as at the other times: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said, [Speak], for Your servant hears" (I Samuel 3:10).

"From the fruit of a man's mouth he shall be satisfied with good, and the recompense of a man's hands shall be returned to him" (Proverbs 12:14). Rabbi Simlai said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Reuben: You began with the saving of lives first—"And Reuben heard, and he delivered him from their hands" (Genesis 37:21). By your life, the cities of refuge shall not be set apart at first except from your territory! This is what is written: "Bezer in the wilderness, in the land of the plain, for the Reubenites" (Deuteronomy 4:43). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Judah: You saved four souls for Me—three from the fire and one from the pit: Tamar and her two sons from the fire, and Joseph from the pit. By your life, I will save for you Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the fire, and Daniel from the lions' pit. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: You said, "And you shall know this day, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God" (Deuteronomy 4:39). By your life, I will write concerning you, "And there arose no prophet again in Israel like Moses" (Deuteronomy 34:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Rahab: You said, "For the Lord your God, He is God in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath" (Joshua 2:11). It is well "upon the earth"—you were there; but "in the heavens above," you said what your eyes did not see. By your life, your son shall stand and see what the prophets did not see! This is what is written: "The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God" (Ezekiel 1:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Hannah: From the beginning of the creation of the world, no flesh and blood praised Me with this expression, "Lord of Hosts" (1 Samuel 1:11), except you. By your life, your son shall stand and open with it! This is what is written: "Thus said the Lord of Hosts: I have remembered that which Amalek did to Israel" (1 Samuel 15:2).

Rabbi Abbahu said: At the hour when Ebed-melech the Cushite went to raise up Jeremiah from the pit, what does he say to him? "Put now these worn-out rags and cast-off clothes, etc." (Jeremiah 38:12). Jeremiah said to him, "Would that I had one ladder." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Is it a ladder that you seek? [Is there not] a rope in My hand for your old age? Is it not so written, 'And she let them down by a rope through the window' (Joshua 2:15)? And likewise of you, 'And they drew up Jeremiah with ropes' (Jeremiah 38:12)." Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "You said, 'because they come to me to inquire of God' (Exodus 18:15) — that one who needs fire must blow upon it. So too you, whenever you have need of a matter, you shall come to Me." This is the meaning of what is written, "And when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him" (Numbers 7:89).

Rabbi Chiyya taught: “Avraham, Avraham” (Genesis 22:11), “Yaakov, Yaakov” (Genesis 46:2), “Moshe, Moshe” (Exodus 3:4), “Shmuel, Shmuel” (1 Samuel 3:10) — this is an expression of affection and an expression of urging. Rabbi Elazar says: It was said to him and for the generations. There is no generation that does not have within it one like Avraham; there is no generation that does not have within it one like Yaakov; there is no generation that does not have within it one like Moshe; there is no generation that does not have within it one like Shmuel.

"And the Lord said to Samuel: Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel" (1 Samuel 3:11). Rabbi Shmuel bar Rav Nachman said: This is the capture of the Ark. "On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken... and I will tell him that I judge... and he did not rebuke them" (ibid. 3:12-13) — he did not reprove them. "And therefore I have sworn concerning the house of Eli" (ibid. 3:14). Rav Kahana was standing and praying, and Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba was standing and praying before him. When Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba had finished, he did not wish to conclude before Rav Kahana. Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba said to him: Is this how you conduct yourselves in Babylonia, that you distress your elders? He said to him: Does the Rabbi not know that I come from the family of Eli, concerning whom it is written, "the iniquity of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or by offering forever" (ibid. 3:14)? By sacrifice and by offering it is not atoned for, but it is atoned for by prayer. And he prayed for him, and he lived a long life, until his teeth became red like the teeth of date pits.

"And Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him" (1 Samuel 3:19). Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: Even after he fell to the ground, he did not let any of his words fall to the ground (ibid.), for thus he says to Saul, "And tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me" (1 Samuel 28:19) — within my partition. "And Samuel lay until the morning" (1 Samuel 3:15). "And Eli called Samuel" (1 Samuel 3:16). It is not written here "So may God do to me and so may He add," but rather "So may God do to you and so may He add" (1 Samuel 3:17). He said to him: Just as my sons do not inherit my place, so your sons do not inherit your place. "And Samuel told him all the words, and he said, He is the LORD" (1 Samuel 3:18) — He is the Master, He is the Lord; "let Him do what is good in His eyes."

"And all Israel from Dan etc." (1 Samuel 3:20). Abba, the father of Shmuel bar Abba, used to deal in silk, and he sent [goods] to Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira in Nisibis. After a time, [the Rabbi] settled accounts with him. He [Abba] said to him: "My master does not owe this sum." He [the Rabbi] said to him: "Were there not words [an agreement between us]?" He said to him: "Is your word not more to be relied upon by me than the money?" He [the Rabbi] said to him: "Since you have relied upon my word concerning you, may you merit to raise a son like Samuel the prophet, of whom it is written, 'And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew [that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD]' (1 Samuel 3:20)." And he merited to raise Shmuel bar Abba. "And the LORD continued to appear in Shiloh etc." (1 Samuel 3:21). Rabbi Berekhiah in the name of Rabbi Levi [said]: In every place where the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed, "in Shiloh" [is written with a he]; the second [occurrence] is written "in Shilo" [with a vav].