Hannah's Story
Hannah: More Than Just the Mother of Samuel, Nechama Aschkenazy,
https://www.thetorah.com/article/hannah-more-than-just-the-mother-of-samuel
Prayer in Contrast to "Ruts" and "Rote" Existence)
Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Insecurity of Freedom (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1966), 20.
Prayer is not a stratagem for occasional use, a refuge to resort to now and then. It is rather like an established residence for the innermost self. All things have a home, the bird has a nest, the fox has a hole, the bee has a hive. A soul without prayer is a soul without a home. Weary, sobbing, the soul, after roaming through a world festered with aimlessness, falsehoods and absurdities, seeks a moment in which to gather up its scattered life, in which to divest itself of enforced pretensions and camouflage, in which to simplify complexities, in which to call for help without being a coward. Such a home is prayer. Continuity, permanence, intimacy, authenticity, earnestness are its attributes. For the soul, home is where prayer is.https://opensiddur.org/miscellanea/pedagogy/on-prayer-by-abraham-joshua-heschel-1969/.
Hevrutah:
Notice:
A. It's symbols.
B. Premise and world view. Is her psalm related to the qualities of "rote" forms.
C. What does her prayer remind you of (if anything)?
Hannah's Second Prayer
(א) וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל חַנָּה֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר עָלַ֤ץ לִבִּי֙ בַּֽיהוה רָ֥מָה קַרְנִ֖י בַּֽיהוה רָ֤חַב פִּי֙ עַל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔י כִּ֥י שָׂמַ֖חְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ (ב) אֵין־קָד֥וֹשׁ כַּיהוה כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ (ג)אַל־תַּרְבּ֤וּ תְדַבְּרוּ֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה יֵצֵ֥א עָתָ֖ק מִפִּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י אֵ֤ל דֵּעוֹת֙ יהוה (ולא)[וְל֥וֹ] נִתְכְּנ֖וּ עֲלִלֽוֹת׃ (ד) קֶ֥שֶׁת גִּבֹּרִ֖ים חַתִּ֑ים וְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים אָ֥זְרוּ חָֽיִל׃ (ה) שְׂבֵעִ֤ים בַּלֶּ֙חֶם֙ נִשְׂכָּ֔רוּ וּרְעֵבִ֖ים חָדֵ֑לּוּ עַד־עֲקָרָה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְרַבַּ֥ת בָּנִ֖ים אֻמְלָֽלָה׃ (ו) יהוה מֵמִ֣ית וּמְחַיֶּ֑ה מוֹרִ֥יד שְׁא֖וֹל וַיָּֽעַל׃ (ז) יהוה מוֹרִ֣ישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁ֑יר מַשְׁפִּ֖יל אַף־מְרוֹמֵֽם׃ (ח) מֵקִ֨ים מֵעָפָ֜ר דָּ֗ל מֵֽאַשְׁפֹּת֙ יָרִ֣ים אֶבְי֔וֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב֙ עִם־נְדִיבִ֔ים וְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד יַנְחִלֵ֑ם כִּ֤י לַֽיהוה מְצֻ֣קֵי אֶ֔רֶץ וַיָּ֥שֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם תֵּבֵֽל׃ (ט) רַגְלֵ֤י חֲסִידָו֙ יִשְׁמֹ֔ר וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יִדָּ֑מּוּ כִּי־לֹ֥א בְכֹ֖חַ יִגְבַּר־אִֽישׁ׃ (י) יהוה יֵחַ֣תּוּ מְרִיבָ֗ועָלָו֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יַרְעֵ֔ם יהוה יָדִ֣ין אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְיִתֶּן־עֹ֣ז לְמַלְכּ֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖ם קֶ֥רֶן מְשִׁיחֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(1) And Hannah prayed:
My heart exults in GOD;
I have triumphed through GOD.
I gloat over my enemies;
I rejoice in Your deliverance.(2)There is no holy one like GOD,
Truly, there is none beside You;There is no rock like our God.(3)Talk no more with lofty pride,Let no arrogance cross your lips!For the ETERNAL is an all-knowing God,
By whom actions are measured.(4)The bows of the mighty are broken,And the faltering are girded with strength.(5)The sated are hired out for bread;The starving hunger no more.While the infertile woman bears seven,The mother of many is forlorn.(6) GOD deals death and gives life,
Casts down into Sheol and raises up.(7) GOD makes poor and makes rich,
Casts down, and also lifts high—(8)Raising the poor from the dust,Lifting up the needy from the dunghill,To set them with nobles,Granting them seats of honor.For the pillars of the earth belong to GOD,
Who has set the world upon them.(9)[God] guards the steps of the faithful,But the wicked perish in darkness—For none shall prevail by strength.(10)GOD’s foes shall be shattered—
Thundered against from the heavens. GOD will judge the ends of the earth—
Giving power to the king,And triumph to the anointed one.
The Meaning of Shmuel
והנה שמואל מגזרת שמו אל, וקראתי אמו בשם אל, כי נתנו לה כאשר שאלה, ואל תתמה איך יקרא שם אדם בשם אל, כי הנה כמוהו צורי שדי (במד' ז לו)
. Now Shemu’el (Samuel) comes from shemo el (his name is God). Samuel’s mother called him by God’s name because the Lord answered her request. Do not be amazed that a human being should be called by God’s name, for, observe, we find this to be the case with the name Zurishaddai (Num. 7:36).
Through Agency, a Place of Honor
That a woman is made to epitomize the grandeur of language and fashion the paradigm of the prayer activity is an essential feature of this tale. Through a creative use of language and its sacred possibilities, Hannah catapulted herself from the immediate constraints of her time and place, from becoming forever frozen in the position of the “woman at the window," a bystander in history, into the eternal memory of her people. She influenced the course of Israelite progression in time and therefore was given a place of honor in the sacred text that chronicles it.
Hannah: More Than Just the Mother of Samuel, Nechama Aschkenazy,
https://www.thetorah.com/article/hannah-more-than-just-the-mother-of-samuel
Hannah, A Prophet
חַנָּה — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה וַתֹּאמַר עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּיהוה רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּה׳״. ״רָמָה קַרְנִי״, וְלֹא רָמָה פַּכִּי. דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְּקֶרֶן — נִמְשְׁכָה מַלְכוּתָן, שָׁאוּל וְיֵהוּא שֶׁנִּמְשְׁחוּ בְּפַךְ — לֹא נִמְשְׁכָה מַלְכוּתָן.
Hannah was a prophetess, as it is written: “And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord” (I Samuel 2:1), and her words were prophecy, in that she said: “My horn is exalted,” and not: My pitcher is exalted. As, with regard to David and Solomon, who were anointed with oil from a horn, their kingship continued, whereas with regard to Saul and Jehu, who were anointed with oil from a pitcher, their kingship did not continue.
The Contrast between the Son's of Eli and Samuel
(יא) וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ אֶלְקָנָ֛ה הָרָמָ֖תָה עַל־בֵּית֑וֹ וְהַנַּ֗עַר הָיָ֤ה מְשָׁרֵת֙ אֶת־יהוה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י עֵלִ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (יב) וּבְנֵ֥י עֵלִ֖י בְּנֵ֣י בְלִיָּ֑עַל לֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ אֶת־יהוה׃
(11) Then Elkanah [and Hannah] went home to Ramah; and the boy entered the service of GOD under the priest Eli. (12) Now Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they paid no heed to GOD.
The Violation of Raw Meat Taken By Force
(יג) וּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־הָעָ֑ם כׇּל־אִ֞ישׁ זֹבֵ֣חַ זֶ֗בַח וּבָ֨א נַ֤עַר הַכֹּהֵן֙ כְּבַשֵּׁ֣ל הַבָּשָׂ֔ר וְהַמַּזְלֵ֛ג שְׁלֹ֥שׁ הַשִּׁנַּ֖יִם בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (יד) וְהִכָּ֨ה בַכִּיּ֜וֹר א֣וֹ בַדּ֗וּד א֤וֹ בַקַּלַּ֙חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַפָּר֔וּר כֹּ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַעֲלֶ֣ה הַמַּזְלֵ֔ג יִקַּ֥ח הַכֹּהֵ֖ן בּ֑וֹ כָּ֚כָה יַעֲשׂ֣וּ לְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַבָּאִ֥ים שָׁ֖ם בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃ (טו) גַּם֮ בְּטֶ֘רֶם֮ יַקְטִר֣וּן אֶת־הַחֵ֒לֶב֒ וּבָ֣א ׀ נַ֣עַר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאָמַר֙ לָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֹּבֵ֔חַ תְּנָ֣ה בָשָׂ֔ר לִצְל֖וֹת לַכֹּהֵ֑ן וְלֹא־יִקַּ֧ח מִמְּךָ֛ בָּשָׂ֥ר מְבֻשָּׁ֖ל כִּ֥י אִם־חָֽי׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו הָאִ֗ישׁ קַטֵּ֨ר יַקְטִיר֤וּן כַּיּוֹם֙ הַחֵ֔לֶב וְקַ֨ח־לְךָ֔ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּאַוֶּ֖ה נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָמַ֥ר ׀[לֹא֙](לו) כִּ֚י עַתָּ֣ה תִתֵּ֔ן וְאִם־לֹ֖א לָקַ֥חְתִּי בְחׇזְקָֽה׃ (יז) וַתְּהִ֨י חַטַּ֧את הַנְּעָרִ֛ים גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יהוה כִּ֤י נִֽאֲצוּ֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֵ֖ת מִנְחַ֥ת יהוה׃
(13) This is how the priests used to deal with the people: Whenever anyone brought a sacrifice, the priest’s boy would come along with a three-pronged fork while the meat was boiling, (14) and he would thrust it into cauldron, or the kettle, or the great pot, or the small cooking-pot; and whatever the fork brought up, the priest would take away on it. This was the practice at Shiloh with all the Israelites who came there. (15) [But now] even before the suet was turned into smoke, the priest’s boy would come and say to the party that was sacrificing, “Hand over some meat to roast for the priest; for he won’t accept boiled meat from you, only raw.” (16) And if the response to this was, “Let them first turn the suet into smoke, and then take as much as you want,” he would reply, “No, hand it over at once or I’ll take it by force.” (17) The sin of the young men against GOD was very great, for those men treated GOD’s offerings impiously.
Instructions about Offerings
(ל) יָדָ֣יו תְּבִיאֶ֔ינָה אֵ֖ת אִשֵּׁ֣י יהוה אֶת־הַחֵ֤לֶב עַל־הֶֽחָזֶה֙ יְבִיאֶ֔נּוּ אֵ֣ת הֶחָזֶ֗ה לְהָנִ֥יף אֹת֛וֹ תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יהוה׃ (לא) וְהִקְטִ֧יר הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֶת־הַחֵ֖לֶב הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה וְהָיָה֙ הֶֽחָזֶ֔ה לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָֽיו׃ (לב) וְאֵת֙ שׁ֣וֹק הַיָּמִ֔ין תִּתְּנ֥וּ תְרוּמָ֖ה לַכֹּהֵ֑ן מִזִּבְחֵ֖י שַׁלְמֵיכֶֽם׃ (לג) הַמַּקְרִ֞יב אֶת־דַּ֧ם הַשְּׁלָמִ֛ים וְאֶת־הַחֵ֖לֶב מִבְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן ל֧וֹ תִהְיֶ֛ה שׁ֥וֹק הַיָּמִ֖ין לְמָנָֽה׃
(30) one’s own hands shall present יהוה’s offerings by fire. The offerer shall present the fat with the breast, the breast to be elevated as an elevation offering before יהוה; (31) the priest shall turn the fat into smoke on the altar, and the breast shall go to Aaron and his sons. (32) And the right thigh from your sacrifices of well-being you shall present to the priest as a gift; (33) he from among Aaron’s sons who offers the blood and the fat of the offering of well-being shall get the right thigh as his portion.
Hannah's Epilogue
(יח) וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל מְשָׁרֵ֖ת אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יהוה נַ֕עַר חָג֖וּר אֵפ֥וֹד בָּֽד׃ (יט) וּמְעִ֤יל קָטֹן֙ תַּעֲשֶׂה־לּ֣וֹ אִמּ֔וֹ וְהַעַלְתָ֥ה ל֖וֹ מִיָּמִ֣ים ׀ יָמִ֑ימָה בַּֽעֲלוֹתָהּ֙ אֶת־אִישָׁ֔הּ לִזְבֹּ֖חַ אֶת־זֶ֥בַח הַיָּמִֽים׃ (כ) וּבֵרַ֨ךְ עֵלִ֜י אֶת־אֶלְקָנָ֣ה וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וְאָמַר֙ יָשֵׂם֩ יהוה לְךָ֥ זֶ֙רַע֙ מִן־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את תַּ֚חַת הַשְּׁאֵלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖ל לַֽיהוה וְהָלְכ֖וּ לִמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃ (כא) כִּֽי־פָקַ֤ד יהוה אֶת־חַנָּ֔ה וַתַּ֛הַר וַתֵּ֥לֶד שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־בָנִ֖ים וּשְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֑וֹת וַיִּגְדַּ֛ל הַנַּ֥עַר שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל עִם־יהוה׃ {ס}(כב) וְעֵלִ֖י זָקֵ֣ן מְאֹ֑ד וְשָׁמַ֗ע אֵת֩ כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשׂ֤וּן בָּנָיו֙ לְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֵ֤ת אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁכְּבוּן֙ אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים הַצֹּ֣בְא֔וֹת פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
(18) Samuel was engaged in the service of GOD as an attendant, girded with a linen ephod. (19) His mother would also make a little robe for him and bring it up to him every year, when she made the pilgrimage with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. (20) Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May GOD grant you offspring by this woman in place of the loan she made to GOD.” Then they would return home. (21) For GOD took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. Young Samuel meanwhile grew up in the service of GOD. (22) Now Eli was very old. When he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who performed tasks at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,
The Clothing of the Priests
(ז) וַיִּתֵּ֨ן עָלָ֜יו אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּ֗נֶת וַיַּחְגֹּ֤ר אֹתוֹ֙ בָּֽאַבְנֵ֔ט וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ אֶֽת־הַמְּעִ֔יל וַיִּתֵּ֥ן עָלָ֖יו אֶת־הָאֵפֹ֑ד וַיַּחְגֹּ֣ר אֹת֗וֹ בְּחֵ֙שֶׁב֙ הָֽאֵפֹ֔ד וַיֶּאְפֹּ֥ד ל֖וֹ בּֽוֹ׃
(7) He put the tunic on him, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him, girding him with the decorated band with which he tied it to him.
Samuel Wears the Coat Hannah Made for Him Throughout his Life
(כז) וַיִּסֹּ֥ב שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל לָלֶ֑כֶת וַיַּחֲזֵ֥ק בִּכְנַף־מְעִיל֖וֹ וַיִּקָּרַֽע׃ {ס}
(27) As Samuel turned to leave, Saul seized the corner of his robe, and it tore.
Eli's Sons
(כג) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם לָ֥מָּה תַעֲשׂ֖וּן כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֤י שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵיכֶ֣ם רָעִ֔ים מֵאֵ֖ת כׇּל־הָעָ֥ם אֵֽלֶּה׃ (כד) אַ֖ל בָּנָ֑י כִּ֠י לֽוֹא־טוֹבָ֤ה הַשְּׁמֻעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י שֹׁמֵ֔עַ מַעֲבִרִ֖ים עַם־יהוה׃ (כה) אִם־יֶחֱטָ֨א אִ֤ישׁ לְאִישׁ֙ וּפִֽלְל֣וֹ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְאִ֤ם לַֽיהוה יֶחֱטָא־אִ֔ישׁ מִ֖י יִתְפַּלֶּל־ל֑וֹ וְלֹ֤א יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ לְק֣וֹל אֲבִיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־חָפֵ֥ץ יהוה לַהֲמִיתָֽם׃ (כו) וְהַנַּ֣עַר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל הֹלֵ֥ךְ וְגָדֵ֖ל וָט֑וֹב גַּ֚ם עִם־יהוה וְגַ֖ם עִם־אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ {פ}
(23) he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I get evil reports about you from the people on all hands. (24) Don’t, my sons! It is no favorable report I hear GOD’s people spreading about. (25) If someone sins against another person, God may grant a pardon; but if someone offends against GOD, who can obtain a pardon?” But they ignored their father’s plea; for GOD was resolved that they should die. (26) Young Samuel, meanwhile, grew in esteem and favor both with God and with other people.
https://www.thetorah.com/article/turning-to-god-when-a-fertility-ritual-fails
https://etzion.org.il/en/tanakh/neviim/sefer-shmuel-aleph/chapter-2-2-shmuel-contrast-sons-eli-vs-11-26
https://www.thetorah.com/article/channas-unconventional-prayer
