Channah's Prayer/2

Channah's Prayer

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Overview

Channah's prayer appears in the context of a personal story, yet it mentions enemies and kings, topics of national significance.  Commentators struggle to determine which takes precedence and what message Channah intended to express.  Rashi and others prefer to read the whole song as a thanksgiving prayer relating to Channah's individual circumstances and the birth of her son. This requires reinterpreting some of the imagery, but has the advantage of the song fitting in nicely with the surrounding chapters.

Targum Yonatan, in contrast, attempts to read the prayer as related to the future fate of the nation, suggesting that Channah prophesied about Israel's future victories over its foes. Though this nicely explains the many references to war, it is not clear why Channah would be sharing such news at the moment of her son's birth.

A third approach suggests that the mixture of personal and national in the song is intentional.  Channah rejoices in the birth of her son, but simultaneously requests from Hashem that he grow to provide the nation with much needed leadership and salvation from their enemies.

Personal

Channah's prayer is a personal song of thanksgiving to Hashem for granting her request for a child.  It revolves around 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 Hoil MosheShemuel I 2:10About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi

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

"עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּי"י רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּי"י" – The opening lines of praise to Hashem are appropriate for the occasion.  Channah gives thanks to Hashem for raising her 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.

Reference to enemies

• According to these sources, the enemy mentioned refers to Penina (and others like her), who had upset Channah yearly regarding her barren state.²
• R"A Bazak,³ instead, suggests that this line of the song is not directly related to Channah's circumstances. He posits that Channah did not compose her own prayer but rather utilized a preexisting song of thanksgiving since it had a passing reference to her specific situation.⁴   As such, certain aspects of the song actually have little to do with Channah's personal story.⁵

"רָחַב פִּי" – 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, Channah might be referring to deliverance from humiliation.

"וְאֵין צוּר כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ"

• Rashi and R. Yosef Kara, following Bavli BerakhotBerakhot 10aAbout the Bavli,⁶ 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 – 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.⁷

"עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה" – This particular 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.⁸

Mention of a king – These sources differ in how they explain the mention of a king:

• Prophetic – According to R. Yosef Kara and Radak, mention of the future king was prophetic.  Channah saw that her son was to later anoint the first king of Israel and ended her prayer with a wish that Hashem give him strength. It is not clear, however, why she should mention this right now.
• Personal – Hoil Moshe, in contrast, 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.⁹

National

Channah's song contains prophetic material relating to the nation as a whole.  It speaks of events throughout the nation's history from the defeat of the Philistines by the hand of Shemuel until the coming of the Mashiach.

Sources:Targum YonatanShemuel I 2:1-10About Targum Yonatan (Neviim), RadakShemuel I 2:1-10About R. David Kimchi¹⁰

"וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה" – Radak attempts to support this approach by claiming 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 still 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 בַּי"י 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 and imagery of war – Since much of the song relates to Israel vanquishing its foes, references to enemies is expected.

"שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ" – Similarly, 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 each of the song's opening verses 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 not a reference to Channah, but is rather a metaphor for Israel in distress.  Similarly, the fertile lady is not Penina but rather symbolic of Israel's enemies.  Channah prophesies that in the future 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.

Watching over the righteous – According to Targum Yonatan verses 6-9 focus on the rewards and punishments of people in the next world.

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 not of Shaul or the Davidic dynasty but of the defeat of Gog and Magog and the Messianic era.

Relevance to the story – One of the difficulties of this approach is its lack of relevance to the surrounding story.  Why does Channah prophesy about all these events right now, and why are they being shared with the reader?

Personal and National

Channah's prayer relates to both her personal life and to the fate of the nation. She simultaneously thanks Hashem for a son, and requests that her child grow up to usher in a new era of leadership for Israel.

Sources:RalbagShemuel I 2:1-10About R. Levi b. Gershom, AbarbanelShemuel I 2:10About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, R"D Silber¹¹

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 Michah¹² and the atrocities of the concubine of Giv'ah, 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"‎¹³ proclaims the need for a new form of leadership.

Channah's request for son – When Channah requested a child, it was not only for herself but for Israel as a whole.¹⁴ As such, she vowed to give him right back to Hashem. Shemuel was to be raised in the Mikdash, training to become a leader while surrounded by holiness.

Opening lines of praise – According to Abarbanel the opening verses of praise refer to Channah's rejoicing over the birth of her son. Ralbag, in contrast, suggests that her happiness relates to what she hoped her son would accomplish as a future leader: vanquishing Israel's enemies and returning the nation to worship of Hashem.

Reference to enemies

• External – According to Ralbag, the enemies refer to the Philistines whom Shemuel is to defeat. Since there is a spark of prophecy in Channah's words, she can speak as if the salvation has already occurred.
• Internal – R. Silber, in contrast, claims that Channah is speaking of the corrupt leaders of Israel whom Shemuel is to replace.  He could say that Channah speaks in the past tense despite this being a request, in the manner of many psalmists who do the same, thereby expressing confidence that the desired outcome will come to fruition.

Changing fortunes – The many examples of reversals in man's plight highlight the main theme of Channah's song, Hashem's dominion in the world.  Channah emphasizes how Hashem can change life's trajectory overnight, a lesson she has felt in her personal life, and one that is essential for Israel's future leaders to recognize.  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.¹⁵ Thus, throughout her song, as she prays for leadership, Channah emphasizes that "לֹא בְכֹחַ יִגְבַּר אִישׁ"; it is Hashem who is the true King.

"י"י יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָיו עָלָיו בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם" – According to Ralbag and Abarbanel, these words are a request that Hashem break Shemuel's enemies, the Philistines,¹⁶ and thunder upon them from on high.¹⁷

"יָדִין אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ" – This is a request that Shemuel merit to judge the people.

Mention of a king – In mentioning a king, Channah is not necessarily a prophetess but a visionary.¹⁸  She sees the leadership vacuum and asks Hashem, "וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ", that, through her son, He anoint a monarch.

The song as introduction to Sefer Shemuel – Channah's 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".‎¹⁹  Shaul, in contrast lost his kingship because he let himself be his guide, rather than obeying Hashem's commands.²⁰ R. Silber suggests 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".  While David recognized this, 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 one of the focal points of the day (מלכויות).²¹  In fact, the well known liturgical poem, "ונתנה תוקף", which emphasizes how all is in God's hands, even seems to be built off of Channah's song.²²

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 usage of the word "enemy" to describe Penina is too strong a choice for the gentle Channah.

³ See his article, "תפילת חנה".

⁴ This would be analogous to someone today reciting a psalm when in distress, even if not all the details of the psalm are applicable.  It is questionable, however, if there existed such a corpus of prayers in the time of Channah.

⁵ A difficulty with this approach relates to the mention of a king at the end, since the original author of the prayer would also not have been living during the monarchic period. This leads R"A Bazak to suggest that this line might have been added to the song afterwards.  As support for such a possibility he points to an opinion brought by Ibn Ezra Tehillim First Commentary 51:20About R. Avraham ibn Ezrato explain Psalm 51. The opening of the psalm suggests that it was said by David after his sin with Batsheva, but the ending alludes to a Jerusalem which needs rebuilding.  Ibn Ezra cites a possibility that the concluding line was added much later.
R. Bazak must nonetheless explain why the prophet decided to include the later addition, if Channah had never said it. He suggests a structural reason. The Book of Shemuel ends with David's song to Hashem, which closes with the words "מִגְדּוֹל יְשׁוּעוֹת מַלְכּוֹ וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ". As such, the two songs, with mentions of a king/anointed one, form bookends for Sefer Shemuel as a whole.  To see a discussion of other parallels between the two songs, see Channah's Prayer and David's Song.

⁶ See also Bavli MegillahMegillah 14aAbout the Bavli.

⁷ 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.

⁸ Radak claims that the number seven should not be taken literally and simply means that Channah had many children (as attested to later in the chapter,"וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד שְׁלֹשָׁה בָנִים וּשְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת").  Rashi, in contrast, following the Midrash, suggests that the number be taken literally.  He claims that each time that Channah bore a child, Penina lost two.  Thus, when Channah bore her fifth, she prayed for Penina that she not lose her final two children, and these two are thus attributed to Channah (5+2=7).

⁹ To explain the choice of language, he points out that Moshe, too, is referred to as a king even though he was not one, and that Eliyahu is told to anoint Elisha as prophet, suggesting that prophets can be referred to as anointed ones. Nonetheless, it should be noted that 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.

¹⁰ Radak also brings the above possibility that Channah's words were a personal prayer of thanksgiving.

¹¹ See R. David Silber, "Kingship, Samuel, and the Story of Hanna," Tradition 23:2 (1988): 64-75.  The various commentators listed here each suggest a different balance regarding how much and which sections of the prayer are personal and which relate to the nation.

¹² See Shofetim 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.

¹³ "In those days there was no king in Israel, each as was right in his eyes did he do."

¹⁴ Channah's personal situation and barrenness can even be seen as representative of the nation as a whole, bereft not of child but of leadership.

¹⁵ See ShadalDevarim 17:14About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto who elaborates on this idea when explaining the need for the special laws of a king.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ They 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). Abarbanel also raises the possibility that the request 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.

¹⁸ Nonetheless, Ralbag maintains that this was said via prophecy.

¹⁹ See his words to Golyat: "וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי אַתָּה בָּא אֵלַי בְּחֶרֶב וּבַחֲנִית וּבְכִידוֹן וְאָנֹכִי בָא אֵלֶיךָ בְּשֵׁם י"י צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי מַעַרְכוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חֵרַפְתָּ."

²⁰ Shaul initially loses his kingship because he fails to wait for Shemuel, fearing that he will lose his army (and hence the war) if he waited any longer. In contrast to David, Shaul forgets that victory is not related to human might, but Hashem's backing.  He loses the monarchy a second time when he decides on his own to spare the king and sheep of Amalek rather than totally destroying them as commanded by Hashem.

²¹ Bavli Rosh HaShanahRosh HaShanah 11aAbout Bavli Rosh HaShanah, in contrast, connects the choice to the theme of זכרונות, remembering, and the fact that Channah was remembered on Rosh Hashanah. Bavli Berakhot Berakhot 29aAbout the Bavlipoints to the fact that the nine blessings of the Mussaf prayer relate to the nine mentions of Hashem in Channah's prayer.

²² Thus the poems' query, "מי יחיה ומי ימות" parallels Channah's words, "י"י מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה".  Similarly,  Channah's reference to the satiated going hungry is alluded to by the poem's question: "מי ברעב ומי בצמא."  Finally, the line "מי יעני ומי יעשר, מי ישפל ומי ירום" matches Channah's "י"י מוֹרִישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁיר מַשְׁפִּיל אַף מְרוֹמֵם".