Young Samuel Rules the Law Before His Teacher Eli

"I am the woman who stood here beside you" (1 Samuel 1:26). Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: from here we learn that it is forbidden to sit within four cubits of one praying. "For this child I prayed" (1 Samuel 1:27). Rabbi Eleazar said: from here we learn that Samuel ruled a point of law in the presence of his teacher, as it is said, "and they slaughtered the bullock and brought the child to Eli" (1 Samuel 1:25). Because "they slaughtered the bullock," did they bring the child to Eli? Rather, they brought an ox for an offering; Eli said, "Call a priest, let him come and slaughter it." Samuel saw them searching about for a priest to slaughter, and he said to them, "Why do you go searching for a priest? Slaughtering is valid when done by a non-priest." They brought him before Eli, who said to him, "How do you know this?" He said to him: Is it written, "and the priest shall slaughter"? It is written, "and he shall slaughter the bull" (Leviticus 1:5), and then, "and the sons of Aaron the priests shall offer" (Leviticus 1:5) - from the receiving of the blood onward is the priestly duty; from here that slaughtering is valid by a non-priest. He said to him: You have spoken well, but one who rules a point of law in the presence of his teacher is liable to death. Hannah came and cried out before him, "I am the woman who stood here beside you." He said to her: Let me be, that I may punish him; and I will seek mercy, and He will give you a better son than this one. She said to him: "For this child I prayed." "And I also have lent him to the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:28). At that moment the holy spirit flashed within her: all the days Samuel lives, Saul will live.