Saul's grief was profound. The prophet Samuel, his guide and sometimes his critic, was gone. According to Legends of the Jews, Saul felt isolated, adrift. And in his desperation, he turned to something… unconventional. He sought out the witch of En-dor.
Now, Saul wasn’t exactly upfront about who he was. Accompanied by his adjutants, Abner and Amasa, he disguised himself. But, as we'll see, some secrets are hard to keep, especially from a witch!
There's an interesting rule in necromancy, the art of communicating with the dead. The Zohar tells us that a spirit, when summoned, usually appears upside down – head downward, feet in the air. Unless… unless a king is the one doing the summoning.
So, when the figure of Samuel stood upright before them, the witch instantly knew who her disguised visitor truly was. Imagine that moment! The air thick with anticipation, the flickering candlelight, and then… the unmistakable presence of a king.
But here's where things get even stranger, adding to the mystery of the encounter. The witch could see Samuel, but she couldn't hear what he said. Saul, on the other hand, heard Samuel's words, but couldn't see him. It’s a peculiar phenomenon described in Legends of the Jews: the conjuror sees the spirit, the one who requested the summoning hears it. And anyone else present? They neither see nor hear a thing.
It's a layered experience, almost like a carefully constructed play. Each person receives a different piece of the puzzle, highlighting the limitations of our perception. Was this a true communication? A trick of the mind? Or something else entirely? The story of Saul and the witch of En-dor leaves us with more questions than answers, a reminder that even in the face of death, the mysteries of life—and the afterlife—remain.