Channah's Prayer/2

Channah's Prayer

Exegetical Approaches

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Personal Praise

Channah's prayer is a personal song of thanksgiving to Hashem for granting her request for a child. This approach subdivides regarding whether the song was authored by Channah and specific to her situation or not:

Channah's Own Song

The prayer is of Channah's making and focuses on her personal story.  It relates to both her earlier travails as a barren woman and her present happiness in the birth of her son.

Sources:RashiShemuel I 2:1-10About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef KaraShemuel I 2:1-10About R. Yosef Kara, RadakShemuel I 2:1-10About R. David Kimchi,¹ AbarbanelShemuel I 2:1-10About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, Hoil MosheShemuel I 2:10About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi

"וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה" – Abarbanel points to Tanakh's description of Channah's words as a "prayer" as support that Channah's words were not a prophecy but rather a song of thanksgiving.

"עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּיהוָה רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּי"י " – The opening lines of praise to Hashem can be understood simply as thanks to Hashem for raising Channah up from despondency. Whereas in her barrenness she had been sad and lowly, now her heart was filled with joy and she had the pride to raise her head.

"רָחַב פִּי עַל אוֹיְבַי " – According to these sources, the enemy mentioned refers to Penina (and others like her), who had upset Channah yearly regarding her barren state.² Abarbanel explains the choice of language "and my mouth has widened" as a contrast to Channah's quiet ways when she was distressed.  He points out that those who are full of sorrow tend to speak quietly, without their voices being heard.  Thus, too, Channah had previously prayed in silence ("שְׂפָתֶיהָ נָּעוֹת וְקוֹלָהּ לֹא יִשָּׁמֵעַ").  Now, though, she opened her mouth wide to rejoice in Hashem's aid.

"שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ" – At first glance, the word salvation is not the expected choice to describe being granted a child.  Nonetheless, in this story, where infertility is accompanied by taunts from a rival wife, salvation might refer to being spared further humiliation.

"וְאֵין צוּר כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ"

• Rashi and R. Yosef Kara, following Bavli BerakhotBerakhot 10aAbout the Bavli,³ take this verse out of its simple meaning and read "צוּר" as "צייר".  Channah is saying that there is no artist like Hashem who can form a living soul, alluding to the birth of Shemuel.
• Radak more simply reads the word "צוּר" as a metaphor for strength, saying that Channah is praising Hashem's ability to reverse nature and make one who was barren fruitful.

"אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה" – These words, too, are aimed at Penina (and similar women), who had been haughty in their fertility, and looked down upon the barren Channah.

Changing fortunes of man – The heart of the song speaks of how a person's situation can change overnight, just as Channah's barren state had reversed itself.  Through the many examples that Channah brings she both gives hope to the unfortunate and quiets those who gloat in their good fortune.⁴

"עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה" – This example of life reversals, found exactly in the middle of the prayer, highlights Channah's personal situation.  Rashi and Radak maintain that even the second half of the statement (וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה) refers to her specific story: while Channah bore many children, Penina lost hers.⁵

Requests for Shemuel – According to Abarbanel, in contrast to the rest of the song, verse ten constitutes not praise, but requests regarding Shemuel. Channah prays that Hashem will break Shemuel's enemies⁶ and thunder upon them from on high.⁷  She further requests that Shemuel grow to judge Israel, and appoint upon them a king who will be given strength and glory by Hashem.

Mention of king – Hoil Moshe (in contrast to Abarbanel) claims that the king and anointed one of verse 10 do not refer to a monarch, but to Shemuel himself. The words reflect Channah's hopes that her son grow to be a leader and prophet, strengthened and exalted by Hashem.  He points out that Moshe, too, is referred to as a king even though he was not one,⁸ and that Eliyahu is told to anoint Elisha as prophet, suggesting that prophets can be referred to as anointed ones. Nonetheless, the choice of language is still somewhat difficult.

Pre-existing Song

Channah's prayer was not her own composition. Rather, in thanking Hashem she utilized a song that was prevalent in her day since it had a passing reference to her specific situation. This could be analogous to someone today reciting a psalm when in distress, even if not all the details of the mizmor are applicable and fitting.

National Request

Channah's prayer relates not to her personal life but to the fate of the nation.  It focuses on the themes of dominion and kingship as a segue into her request that Hashem appoint an appropriate leader for the nation.

Sources:R. Silber⁹

Historical background – Channah stands at a period of transition in the leadership of Israel.  Sefer Shofetim ends with a picture of a nation in anarchy.  The last few chapters describe the mockery of the idol of Michah¹⁰ and the atrocities of the concubine of Givah, revealing how low the nation had sunk both in their relation to Hashem and to their fellow man.  The refrain of these chapters "בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֵין מֶלֶךְ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִישׁ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו יַעֲשֶׂה"‎¹¹ cries out the need for a new form of leadership.

Barrenness and request for son – Channah's infertility is representative of the nation's barrenness and lack of leadership.  Channah requests a child but only so as to give him back to Hashem.  She is in effect  pleading not for herself but for the nation, asking not for a son but for a ruler.

Mention of a king – In mentioning a king, Channah is not a prophetess but a visionary.  She sees the nation's need and asks Hashem, "וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ", that he anoint a monarch.

Reversals of fortune – The many examples of the changing fortunes of man highlight the main theme of Channah's song, Hashem's dominion in the world.  Channah does not only pray for a king, but she also provides a blueprint of what that king need be. As Devarim 17 warns, one of the dangers of monarchy is that power goes to the ruler's head and he begins to trust in himself, leading him to forget the true King, Hashem. Thus, throughout her song Channah emphasizes, "לֹא בְכֹחַ יִגְבַּר אִישׁ"; for, after all, "אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּי"י".

Who are Channah's enemies? R. Silber suggests that the enemies that Channah refers to are the corrupt leaders of Israel who need to be replaced.  She points to their haughtiness ("אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה"), a marker of their problematic leadership.

"רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָו יִשְׁמֹר" – Channah points out that Hashem watches over the righteous while silencing the wicked. For a king to be successful he must always be subservient to Hashem, acting according to His will and doing what is just and right.

The song as introduction to Sefer Shemuel – Channah' prayer is a very apt introduction to the Book of Shemuel which revolves around finding the proper monarch for Israel. David is chosen because he recognizes the lesson of "לֹא בְכֹחַ יִגְבַּר אִישׁ",  that wars are not won with swords or spears but "בְּשֵׁם י"י צְבָאוֹת".‎¹²  Shaul, in contrast lost his kingship because he let himself be his guide, rather than obeying Hashem's commands. R. Silber writes that Channah's story "stands in the beginning of a book on kingship as a definition of what a king must be, "מַלְכּוֹ", His king".  David lived that, while Shaul did not.

The Song and Rosh Hashanah – Channah's prayer is read as the haftarah for Rosh HaShanah.  One of the reasons for the choice might be its focus on the theme of Hashem's dominion and kingship, which is of course, one of the focal points of the day (מלכויות).  The famous liturgical poem, "ונתנה תוקף", which emphasizes how all is in God's hands even seems to be built off of Channah's song.¹³

Historical Prophecy

Channah's song contains prophetic material relating to the nation as a whole.  This approach subdivides regarding the time period to which the song refers:

Distant Future

The prayer relates to events throughout the nation's history from the defeat of the Philistines by the hand of Shemuel until the time of Mashiach.

Sources:Targum Yonatan, Radak¹⁴

"וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה" – Radak claims that the language of "תפילה" usually refers to events which are to occur in the future rather than to that which has transpired in the past.  Nonetheless, it is not the expected verb to connote prophecy, and is more fitting for a request.

Opening lines of praise – According to Targum Yonatan the various expressions of praise ("עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּיהוָה רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּי"י" etc.) do not represent Channah's own feelings, but rather the nation's future exultation after their victories over various foes.

References to enemies – Since the entire song relates to Israel vanquishing its foes, references to enemies is expected.

"שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ" – The language of "ישועה" is appropriate for this approach as Channah is speaking about actual salvation from enemies, and not just a granting of her request for a child.

Specific allusions – Targum Yonatan presents almost every sentence of the song as referring to Israel's salvation from a different enemy: the Philistines, Assyria, Babylonia, Greece, and Persia.  However, the Targum only loosely links the words of the text with the event alluded to.  Thus, for example, it connects the phrase "אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּי"י" to the defeat of Sancheriv by saying that with his downfall all the nations will claim that there is none like Hashem.  It connects the war against Greece with the verse "קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים וְנִכְשָׁלִים אָזְרוּ חָיִל" as the story is one in which the weak defeat the mighty.

Changing fortunes: "עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה" – Radak raises the possibility that the barren woman is a metaphor for Israel in distress, while the fruitful lady represents Israel's enemies.  Channah prophesies that at some point, Israel will be the one to flourish while her enemies become desolate.  This idea can be applied to the other examples of reversal of fortunes as well.

Mention of a king – As this position claims that the whole prayer is prophetic, there is no problem speaking of a king even though Israel had as of yet to appoint a monarch. According to Targum Yonatan, however, the verse actually speaks of the ultimate battle of Gog and Magog and the Messianic era.

Close Future

The entire song focuses on the time period of Shemuel, weaving present events with future actions to be done by the prophet.

Sources:RalbagShemuel I 2:1-10About R. Levi b. Gershom

¹ Radak also brings the opinion of Targum Yonatan below that the prayer is in essence a prophecy relating to the entire nation.

² One might question whether the language of "enemy" is too strong to refer to a rival wife. 

³ See also Bavli MegillahMegillah 14aAbout the Bavli.

⁴ Radak further suggests that through these images Channah attempts to teach the nation to trust in Hashem and pray to him for salvation. Since all the ups and downs of life are in the hand of Hashem, the people must learn to turn to him when in distress. She points to herself as an example: just as her prayer for a child was heeded, so too will their requests be granted.

⁵ Radak claims that the number seven should not be taken literally and simply means that she had many children (as attested to later: ).  Rashi, in contrast, following the Midrash, suggests that the number be taken literally.  He calims that each time that Channah bore a child, Peninah lost two.  Thus, when Channah bore her fifth, she prayed for Peninah that she not lose her final two children, and these two are thus attributed to Channah (5+2=7).

⁶ While others read the phrase "י"י יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָיו" to mean that Hashem's enemies shall be broken, Abarbanel assumes that Hashem is simply the address of the request.

⁷ Abarbanel claims that this request is granted when Shemuel is victorious over the Philistines, as the verse states, "וַיַּרְעֵם י"י בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עַל פְּלִשְׁתִּים" (Shemuel I 7:10).  He also raises the possibility that it refers to Chapter 12, when Shemuel has Hashem rain and thunder on the people in the dry season as a warning sign regarding their request for a king.

⁸ Moshe is never explicitly referred to as a king in Torah.  Hoil Moshe points to Bereshit 36:31, " וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם לִפְנֵי מְלׇךְ מֶלֶךְ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" assuming that the king of Israel mentioned in the verse is Moshe.  This reading, however, is not at all clear.

⁹

See R. David Silber, "Kingship, Samuel, and the Story of Hanna," Tradition 23:2 (1988): 64-75.

¹⁰ See chapters 17-18 which depict a society which is so lost that its members enlist Levites as Priests to worship idolatry and assume this will be pleasing in the eyes of Hashem.

¹¹ "In those days there was no king in Israel, each as was right in his eyes did he do."

¹² See his words to Goliath: "וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן וְאָנֹכִי בָא אֵלֶיךָ בְּשֵׁם י"י צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתָּ."

¹³ Thus the poems' query, ",מי יחיה ומי ימות" parallels Channah's words, "י"י מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה".  Similarly the line "מי יעני ומי יעשר, מי ישפל ומי ירום" matches Channah's " י"י מוֹרִישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁיר מַשְׁפִּיל אַף מְרוֹמֵם.".  Finally Channah's reference to the satiated going hungry is alluded to by the poem's question: "מי ברעב ומי בצמא."

¹⁴ Radak also brings the possibility that Channah's words were a personal prayer of thanksgiving.