Difference between revisions of "Channah's Prayer/1/en"
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<div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | <div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | ||
<h2>Mixed Metaphors?</h2> | <h2>Mixed Metaphors?</h2> | ||
| − | Channah's prayer in Shemuel I 2 is ostensibly a song of praise and thanksgiving for the birth of her son.  Surprisingly, though, there is but a passing reference | + | <p>Channah's prayer in Shemuel I 2 is ostensibly a song of praise and thanksgiving for the birth of her son.  Surprisingly, though, there is but a passing reference devoted to the birth.  Instead, the reader notes much war-related language and imagery, including reference to enemies (רָחַב פִּי עַל אוֹיְבַי), salvation (שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ), and battle (קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים), all of which seem to have little relevance to the events at hand.  Who is the enemy that Channah speaks about? From whom is she being saved? </p> |
| + | <p>The end of the song is even more troubling. Channah prays that Hashem give strength to His king and anointed one, yet, at this point in history Israel has not yet instituted a monarchy.  About what king is Channah praying? Moreover, why would she mention the king in a personal prayer of thanksgiving anyway? The mixture of images makes the reader wonder if perhaps more lies beneath the surface of Channah's words than originally assumed.</p> | ||
| − | <h2></h2> | + | <h2>Additonal Questions</h2> |
| − | <p>Several | + | <p>Several other aspects of the song raise questions as well:</p> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה – To whom are these words addressed?  What "high talk" is Channah referring to?</li> | + | <li><b>"אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה"</b> – To whom are these words addressed?  What "high talk" is Channah referring to and trying to counter?</li> |
| − | <li>Life reversals – The heart of the song lists a series of changes in fortune, emphasizing how both the elite can fall and the downtrodden can rise.  What is Channah's goal in bringing all | + | <li><b>Life reversals</b> – The heart of the song lists a series of changes in fortune, emphasizing how both the elite can fall and the downtrodden can rise.  What is Channah's goal in bringing all these examples?  Is she trying to comfort the despondent, or to rattle the overconfident?</li> |
| − | <li>"...י"י יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָיו עָלָיו בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם" – Is Hashem the | + | <li><b>"...י"י יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָיו עָלָיו בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם"</b> – Is Hashem the object of this sentence or simply the address of the request? If the former, why is Channah praying for the defeat of Hashem's enemies?  If the latter, whose enemies is she talking about?  Either way, how is this sentence connected to the rest of the prayer?</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
Version as of 06:33, 28 September 2016
Channah's Prayer
Introduction
Mixed Metaphors?
Channah's prayer in Shemuel I 2 is ostensibly a song of praise and thanksgiving for the birth of her son. Surprisingly, though, there is but a passing reference devoted to the birth. Instead, the reader notes much war-related language and imagery, including reference to enemies (רָחַב פִּי עַל אוֹיְבַי), salvation (שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ), and battle (קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים), all of which seem to have little relevance to the events at hand. Who is the enemy that Channah speaks about? From whom is she being saved?
The end of the song is even more troubling. Channah prays that Hashem give strength to His king and anointed one, yet, at this point in history Israel has not yet instituted a monarchy. About what king is Channah praying? Moreover, why would she mention the king in a personal prayer of thanksgiving anyway? The mixture of images makes the reader wonder if perhaps more lies beneath the surface of Channah's words than originally assumed.
Additonal Questions
Several other aspects of the song raise questions as well:
- "אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה" – To whom are these words addressed? What "high talk" is Channah referring to and trying to counter?
- Life reversals – The heart of the song lists a series of changes in fortune, emphasizing how both the elite can fall and the downtrodden can rise. What is Channah's goal in bringing all these examples? Is she trying to comfort the despondent, or to rattle the overconfident?
- "...י"י יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָיו עָלָיו בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם" – Is Hashem the object of this sentence or simply the address of the request? If the former, why is Channah praying for the defeat of Hashem's enemies? If the latter, whose enemies is she talking about? Either way, how is this sentence connected to the rest of the prayer?
