Difference between revisions of "Channah's Prayer/1/he"
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<page type="Introduction"> | <page type="Introduction"> | ||
<h1>תפילת חנה</h1> | <h1>תפילת חנה</h1> | ||
| − | <h2> | + | <h2>אישי או לאומי?</h2> |
| − | <p>Channah's second prayer (<a href="ShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">שמואל א' ב':א'-י'</a>) follows the birth of her son Shemuel and the fulfillment of her vow to consecrate him to Hashem.  It opens with the exultation and exaltation of "עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּי"י רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּי"י", which appear to begin an ode of praise and thanksgiving for Hashem's answering of her personal quest for a son.  Surprisingly, though, the remainder of the prayer contains, at most, a single passing reference to the birth of Shemuel.<fn>ראו <a href="ShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">שמואל א׳ ב׳:ה׳</a> "עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה".  בעוד ש<multilink><a href="PesiktaRabbati43" data-aht="source">פסיקתא רבתי</a><a href="PesiktaRabbati43" data-aht="source">מ"ג</a><a href="Pesikta Rabbati" data-aht="parshan">אודות פסיקתא רבתי</a></multilink> ומדרש שמואל (השוו <multilink><a href="RashiShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">רש"י</a><a href="RashiShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">שמואל א' ב':א'-י'</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' שלמה יצחקי</a></multilink>) | + | <p>Channah's second prayer (<a href="ShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">שמואל א' ב':א'-י'</a>) follows the birth of her son Shemuel and the fulfillment of her vow to consecrate him to Hashem.  It opens with the exultation and exaltation of "עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּי"י רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּי"י", which appear to begin an ode of praise and thanksgiving for Hashem's answering of her personal quest for a son.  Surprisingly, though, the remainder of the prayer contains, at most, a single passing reference to the birth of Shemuel.<fn>ראו <a href="ShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">שמואל א׳ ב׳:ה׳</a> "עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה".  בעוד ש<multilink><a href="PesiktaRabbati43" data-aht="source">פסיקתא רבתי</a><a href="PesiktaRabbati43" data-aht="source">מ"ג</a><a href="Pesikta Rabbati" data-aht="parshan">אודות פסיקתא רבתי</a></multilink> ומדרש שמואל (השוו <multilink><a href="RashiShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">רש"י</a><a href="RashiShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">שמואל א' ב':א'-י'</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר' שלמה יצחקי</a></multilink>) הבינו את הפסוק הזה כמתייחס לתהפוכות החיים האישיים של חנה ופנינה, ברמה הפשוטה זה קשה, שכן חנה ילדה רק ילד אחד עד לנקודה זו.</fn>  Instead, it suddenly veers from this path to battle-related imagery, including enemies ("רָחַב פִּי עַל אוֹיְבַי"), salvation ("שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ"), and warriors ("קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים וְנִכְשָׁלִים אָזְרוּ חָיִל").  The reader is thus left to wonder: who is this enemy and from whom or what is Channah being rescued?</p> |
| − | <p>The conclusion of the song is even more puzzling, as there Channah prays that Hashem give strength | + | <p>The conclusion of the song is even more puzzling, as there Channah prays that Hashem give strength "לְמַלְכּוֹ" ו"מְשִׁיחוֹ" ("וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ וְיָרֵם קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ"), despite there being no monarchy at this point in Israelite history.  About which king is Channah praying?<fn>ראו גם <a href="Channah's Prayer and David's Song" data-aht="page">שירת חנה ושירת דוד</a>.</fn>  Moreover, why would she mention a king in a personal prayer of thanksgiving?  All of this diversity of topics and images makes the reader wonder if perhaps more lurks beneath the surface of Channah's words than was originally anticipated.</p> |
| − | <h2>"וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל" – | + | <h2>"וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל" – בקשה או הודאה?</h2> |
| − | + | המלה "וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל" appears twice within the brief Channah pericope של שני הפרקים הראשונים בשמואל א'.  בהופעתה הראשונה, "וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל עַל י"י וּבָכֹה תִבְכֶּה" ‎(<a href="ShemuelI1" data-aht="source">שמואל א׳ א׳:י'</a>)‎‏, it appears to clearly describe Channah's beseeching of Hashem to relieve her barrenness and bestow upon her a son.  Indeed, virtually every single Biblical instance of all of the various forms of the verb "להתפלל" similarly refers to petitionary prayer.<fn>לרשימה מלאה של הפסוקים המקראיים, ראו השורש <a href="https://mg.alhatorah.org/Concordance/6419">"פלל" בקונקורדנציה</a>. ראו גם את הניסוחים של ירושלמי ברכות ג':ג': "וחייבין בתפילה כדי שיהא כל אחד ואחד מבקש רחמים על עצמו" ובבלי ברכות כ': (לפי מקצת נוחסאות): "וחייבות בתפלה דרחמי היא".  להרחבה, ראו <a href="$" data-aht="page">תפילה</a>.</fn>  One of the lone possible exceptions<fn>תפילת יונה (<a href="Yonah2-1-10" data-aht="source">יונה ב'</a>) היא הקבלה מעניינת, מכיוון שלמרות שההקשר שלה מרמז שזו עתירה להינצל מטביעה, אין בה בקשות אלא הודאה.  ראו <multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYonah2-2" data-aht="source">ר׳ אליעזר מבלגנצי</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYonah2-2" data-aht="source">יונה ב':ב'</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">אודות ר׳ אליעזר מבלגנצי</a></multilink> המקשר בינה לתפילת חנה ומציע ששתיהן תפילות שבח. מקרה נוסף שניתן לדון בו הוא <a href="ShemuelII7-18-29" data-aht="source">שמואל ב׳ ז׳:כ״ז</a>.</fn> is our second "וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל" which introduces Channah's second prayer (ב<a href="ShemuelI2-1-10" data-aht="source">פרק ב'</a>).  Is this another petition, and if so, what additional request is Channah making?  Or, might this be an anomalous Biblical usage in which the prayer is one of praise or thanksgiving which serves to close the circle opened by Channah's initial prayer?  במלים אחרות האם מדובר ב"תפילת בקשה" או ב"שירה"? | |
<h2>שאלות נוספות</h2> | <h2>שאלות נוספות</h2> | ||
<p>Several other lines of Channah's prayer raise questions as well:</p> | <p>Several other lines of Channah's prayer raise questions as well:</p> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li><b>"אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה"</b> – To whom are these words addressed?  | + | <li><b>"אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה"</b> – To whom are these words addressed?  על איזה סוג דיבור Channah referring and trying to counter?</li> |
| − | <li><b> | + | <li><b>תהפוכות חיים</b> – The heart of Channah's oration 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, rattle the overconfident, or both?</li> |
<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, about whose enemies is she speaking?  Either way, how is this sentence connected to the rest of the prayer?</li> | <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, about whose enemies is she speaking?  Either way, how is this sentence connected to the rest of the prayer?</li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
Version as of 00:42, 25 September 2019
תפילת חנה
הקדמה
אישי או לאומי?
Channah's second prayer (שמואל א' ב':א'-י') follows the birth of her son Shemuel and the fulfillment of her vow to consecrate him to Hashem. It opens with the exultation and exaltation of "עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּי"י רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּי"י", which appear to begin an ode of praise and thanksgiving for Hashem's answering of her personal quest for a son. Surprisingly, though, the remainder of the prayer contains, at most, a single passing reference to the birth of Shemuel.1 Instead, it suddenly veers from this path to battle-related imagery, including enemies ("רָחַב פִּי עַל אוֹיְבַי"), salvation ("שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ"), and warriors ("קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים וְנִכְשָׁלִים אָזְרוּ חָיִל"). The reader is thus left to wonder: who is this enemy and from whom or what is Channah being rescued?
The conclusion of the song is even more puzzling, as there Channah prays that Hashem give strength "לְמַלְכּוֹ" ו"מְשִׁיחוֹ" ("וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ וְיָרֵם קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ"), despite there being no monarchy at this point in Israelite history. About which king is Channah praying?2 Moreover, why would she mention a king in a personal prayer of thanksgiving? All of this diversity of topics and images makes the reader wonder if perhaps more lurks beneath the surface of Channah's words than was originally anticipated.
"וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל" – בקשה או הודאה?
המלה "וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל" appears twice within the brief Channah pericope של שני הפרקים הראשונים בשמואל א'. בהופעתה הראשונה, "וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל עַל י"י וּבָכֹה תִבְכֶּה" (שמואל א׳ א׳:י'), it appears to clearly describe Channah's beseeching of Hashem to relieve her barrenness and bestow upon her a son. Indeed, virtually every single Biblical instance of all of the various forms of the verb "להתפלל" similarly refers to petitionary prayer.3 One of the lone possible exceptions4 is our second "וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל" which introduces Channah's second prayer (בפרק ב'). Is this another petition, and if so, what additional request is Channah making? Or, might this be an anomalous Biblical usage in which the prayer is one of praise or thanksgiving which serves to close the circle opened by Channah's initial prayer? במלים אחרות האם מדובר ב"תפילת בקשה" או ב"שירה"?
שאלות נוספות
Several other lines of Channah's prayer raise questions as well:
- "אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה" – To whom are these words addressed? על איזה סוג דיבור Channah referring and trying to counter?
- תהפוכות חיים – The heart of Channah's oration 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, rattle the overconfident, or both?
- "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, about whose enemies is she speaking? Either way, how is this sentence connected to the rest of the prayer?
