How Elkanah Drew All Israel Up to Shiloh

"And that man went up" (1 Samuel 1:3). He was elevated in his house, elevated in his courtyard, elevated in his city, elevated among all Israel; and all his elevation was at his own expense. "To worship and to sacrifice": Rabbi Abba bar Joseph in the name of Rabbi Isaac: prayer is greater than the sacrifices, for it is written "to worship" and afterward "to sacrifice." And the Rabbis say: prayer is equal to all the sacrifices, for it is written "to worship and to sacrifice." Elkanah would bring up with him to the pilgrimage festival his wife, his sons, his sisters, and all his relatives. They would come and lodge in the city square, and the town would take notice, and they would ask them, "Where are you going?" And they would answer, "To the House of the LORD that is in Shiloh, from which Torah and commandments go forth. Why do you not come with us, that we may go together?" Immediately their eyes would flow with tears, and they would say, "We will go with you," and they would answer, "Yes." By the next year, five households; the year after, ten households; until all of them were going up. The road by which he went up one year, he would not go up the next, until all of them were going up. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Elkanah, you have tipped Israel toward the scale of merit and trained them in the commandments, and many gained merit through you. I will bring forth a son from you who will tip Israel toward the scale of merit and train them in the commandments." From this you learn that in reward for Elkanah came Samuel.