Did Shemuel Come Back to Life/2

Did Shemuel Come Back to Life?

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Overview

In trying to understand how and if Shemuel came back to life, commentators struggle to balance their beliefs about the efficacy of magical practices with the simple reading of the text.  Thus, Malbim, who believes that magical powers exist, claims that the text can be read literally for the Ba'alat Ha'Ov really had the ability to resurrect Shemuel. On the other hand, Ralbag and R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon, convinced that necromancy is a fraudulent art, prefer to reread the text and suggest that no one was resurrected. Shaul either imagined the entire scene, or the sorceress tricked him into thinking that Shemuel was revived.

A third group of commentators take a middle position and attempt to read the revival of Shemuel literally but to simultaneously dismiss the abilities of the necromancer.  Thus, R. Saadia claims that Hashem, not the necromancer, brought Shemuel back, while Akeidat Yitzchak suggests that Shemuel raised himself.  A final possibility is brought by Abarbanel, who claims that Shemuel's body was animated but not his soul.

Shemuel was Brought Back to Life

Shemuel came back to life to speak to Shaul. This opinion subdivides regarding how he was revived:

By the Sorceress

The sorceress had powers to bring Shemuel back to life.

Sources: Vayikra Rabbah26:7About Vayikra Rabbah, Tanchuma (Buber)Emor 4About Tanchuma (Buber), MalbimShemuel I 28:12About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, Hoil MosheShemuel I 28:15About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi

Powers of Ba'alat Ha'Ov – According to these sources, necromancy is a real art¹ and some people have the power to bring the dead back to life.² Malbim, nonetheless, limits this ability, maintaining that a necromancer can affect only the material soul which stays with the physical body for twelve months after death.³  The noble soul, however, is immune to such magic as it returns to its Creator immediately upon a person's demise.

Magic versus rationalism – The Hoil Moshe points out that throughout history there have been ideas that seemed to defy rational thinking and yet were proven true, so one should not be quick to dismiss the possibility of certain magical practices having some natural explanation.⁴

How did the sorceress recognize Shaul? According to these sources, the dead materialize in different ways when called by a king rather than by a layman.  To greet a king, the dead will emerge from the ground with their head first, while for a regular person the legs exit first.

"וַתִּזְעַק בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל" – Malbim explains that Ba'alat Ha'Ov cried out because as soon as Shemuel emerged head first she realized that Shaul had deceived her and that she had been speaking to the king all along.

Seeing versus hearing – The verses suggest that while only the sorceress was able to see Shemuel,⁵ Shaul was able to hear and converse with him. These sources claim that this is how necromancy works.  The one who raises the dead can see him, while the one who requested him hears his voice.

"וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל" / "וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה אֶת שְׁמוּאֵל" – These verses can be understood literally as it was really Shemuel who appeared to the woman and spoke to Shaul.

Knowledge of past and future – Since Shemuel himself was speaking, he had full knowledge of past events. In addition, as a prophet, he could tell Shaul what was to occur in the future.

Shemuel's anger – Shemuel was upset about being resurrected since the dead are not meant to be brought back to life by black magic.

Prohibition against necromancy – According to this position, the prohibition stems not from the fact that there is no truth to the art,⁶ but because this is not the path through which Hashem wants people to know the future.

By Hashem

Hashem, not Ba'alat Ha'Ov, revived Shemuel in order to allow him to speak to Shaul .

Sources: R. Saadia GaonIn R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon (Ginzei Sechter 1 p. 299-300)In Radak Shemuel I 28:24In Abarbanel Shemuel I 28:11About R. Saadia Gaon,⁷ R. Hai GaonIn Radak Shemuel I 28:24In Abarbanel Shemuel I 28:11About R. Hai Gaon⁸

Powers of Ba'alat HaOv – According to this position, humans do not have the ability to bring back the dead and the sorceress normally only tricked people into believing that she did.

"וַתִּזְעַק בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל" – As the Ba'alat Ha'Ov had never in her life actually revived someone from the dead, she was shocked that Shemuel had indeed come back to life, and screamed in terror upon seeing him.

How did the sorceress recognize Shaul? The fact that a miracle occurred might have led her to conclude that the person seeking Shemuel must have been important enough to merit one, leading her to recognize Shaul.

"אֱלֹהִים רָאִיתִי עֹלִים מִן הָאָרֶץ" – Abarbanel Shemuel I 28:11About R. Yitzchak Abarbanelsuggests that according to this position the Ba'alat Ha'Ov referred to Shemuel as "אֱלֹהִים" because she recognized the hand of God in the resurrection.

"Whom shall I raise" – Abarbanel Shemuel I 28:11About R. Yitzchak Abarbanelquestions this approach on the grounds that the woman's invitation, "whom shall I raise for you" assumes that she had such capabilities.⁹  These commentators would respond that this was simply part of her deception, a way of convincing her clients to believe in her abilities.

Description of Shemuel – The woman was able to describe Shemuel accurately since she was really seeing him.

"וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל" – R. Saadia points to this phrase as proof that Shemuel had been resurrected, for if this was just the necromancer pretending to be Shemuel, how could the narrator write, "and Shemuel spoke"?

Knowledge of past and future – Shemuel, as a prophet revived by Hashem, could easily refer back to events that had happened in the past and also foretell the future.

Shemuel's anger – Shemuel's anger at being raised is somewhat difficult for this position. If Hashem revived him, why is Shemuel so upset? These sources might answer that this is Shemuel (and Hashem's) way of telling Shaul that the manner in which he sought to know Hashem's will and future events was wrong.

Why speak to Shaul in this manner? R. Chofni Gaon¹⁰ questions, if Hashem revived Shemuel so as to share with Shaul what was to occur during the war, why did He not more simply answer Shaul through the permitted methods (prophecy or dreams) that Shaul had sought to begin with!  In addition, by pretending to use necromancy, there is the added danger that people would be led to believe that there was real magic in the Ov and power in the sorceress to bring back the dead!

By Shemuel

Shemuel came back of his own accord.

Sources: R. Shemuel b. Eli, Akeidat YitzchakTorah 65About R. Yitzchak Arama

Souls after death – These sources assert that in certain circumstances, departed souls have the ability to converse with or appear to the living.  Akeidat Yitzchak compares the phenomenon to the many places in Tanakh where angels take on a physical form to appear to humans.  As further support, he points to the stories in the Talmud of sages conversing with Eliyahu the prophet.  R. Shemuel similarly points to Talmudic tales of spirits talking to each other in cemeteries.

Magical powers – Akeidat Yitzchak asserts that although there is a vast divide between magic and prophecy, the former does have some efficacy in awakening a higher level of perception and attaining knowledge of the future.

Role of the sorceress – Akeidat Yitzchak maintains that due to Shaul's sins, Shemuel did not want to appear to him. This led Shaul to seek a Ba'alat Ha'Ov, who had some knowledge of magic, so as to prompt Shemuel into appearing. Her magic was supposed to jump-start the process, but not actually raise Shemuel.

"וְאֶדְרְשָׁה בָּהּ" – According to R. Arama, the language of "and I will seek through her" suggests that Shaul never meant for the Ov to raise Shemuel herself, but rather that he, through her magic, would be better able to get Shemuel to converse with him. As further support, R. Arama points out  that Shaul does not ask the lady to seek the Ov, but rather "קָסֳמִי", to use her magic.

"חַי ה' אִם יִקְּרֵךְ עָוֹן בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה" – Similarly, Akeidat Yitzchak claims that Shaul was able to promise that no sin would come to to the woman, because he was not asking her to actually do the regular Ov ceremony and revive someone from the dead.

No mention of magical ceremony – R. Arama claims that the verses skip straight from the request to see Shemuel to his appearance without mention of any magical acts done by the sorceress, because she did not actually perform her normal magical procedure.  Shemuel simply arrived on his own.

"וַתִּזְעַק בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל" – The lady cried out because she had not expected to see the prophet without doing any of her usual actions.

How did the sorceress recognize Shaul? When Shaul had requested that she raise Shemuel, he did not use any titles, leading the woman to believe that he was referring to a layman by that name.  When she saw the prophet, she realized that it was the king who had requested him, for who else would dare to refer to the prophet by his first name alone?

Knowledge of past and future – Shemuel, as a prophet, could converse with Shaul about both the past and future.

Only Shemuel's Body was Raised

The woman had a demon cling to Shemuel's body and animate it. His soul, however, did not return to earth.

Sources: AbarbanelShemuel I 28:11About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel¹¹

Powers of Ba'alat HaOv – According to Abarbanel, although the Ba'alat Ha'Ov can not bring back a soul from the dead, she can cause a demon to animate a dead body (even that of a prophet).¹²  He further asserts that even in his day, knowledgeable people verify that certain people have the ability to animate the dead and set them to watch over their animals at night.

Existence of  demons – Abarbanel claims that the existence of demons is a reality attested to by the Talmud,¹³ which states that they are similar in some ways to angels, with the ability to foretell future events.¹⁴

"Who shall I raise" – According to Abarbanel, these words of the Ba'alat Ha'Ov testify to her ability to actually raise someone from the dead.  Similarly, the fact that Shaul sought her out, attests that he, too, recognized that there would be some utility in visiting.

"וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה אֶת שְׁמוּאֵל" – This verse can be read literally since Shemuel's body really was raised from the dead, and the sorceress saw him. Similarly, she was able to describe him accurately because a true body stood before her.

"וַתִּזְעַק בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל" – It is not clear why the lady cried out if she knew all along that she was animating the prophet. His appearance should not have come as a shock.

How did the sorceress recognize Shaul? According to Abarbanel, the subject of the words, "וַיִּקֹּד אַפַּיִם אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ" is Shemuel rather than Shaul.¹⁵ The woman realized that the only person before whom the prophet would bow would be a king, letting her identify Shaul.

"וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל שָׁאוּל" – Since the demon spoke from the body of Shemuel, the verse can identify his speech as that of Shemuel.

Knowledge of past and future – Abarbanel claims that demons have the ability to see the future so the demon inhabiting Shemuel's body could tell Shaul what was to befall him.

Shemuel's anger – Abarbanel maintains that Shemeul was angry, not because his spiritual rest was interrupted, but because his holy body which had been a vehicle for the word of Hashem, was now inhabited by a demon.¹⁶

Prohibition against necromancy – The prohibition against necromancy stems from Hashem's desire that His people seek out a true prophet rather than use black magic and demons to read the future.

No One Came Back to Life

The necormancer did not return anyone to life.  This position subdivides regarding how to understand what did in fact occur:

The Sorceress Tricked Shaul

Ba'alat Ha'Ov pretended that Shemuel had come back to life, tricking Shaul into believing that he was speaking to the prophet.

Sources: R. Shemuel b. Chofni GaonGinzei Schechter 1 p. 299-300In Radak Shemuel I 28:24In Abarbanel Shemuel I 28:11About R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon

Powers of Ba'alat Ha'Ov – According to this position all necromancers are frauds who deceive their clients into believing that they have resurrected someone.

How did the necromancer fool Shaul? According to R. Shemuel b. Chofni  Gaon (as brought by Radak) the woman simply pretended that she saw Shemuel and arranged for another person to hide and speak in a low voice to sound like the prophet. Alternatively, she disguised her own voice and used ventriloquism to throw the sound so it appeared to emerge from a different place.  Since Shaul was already anxious and strongly desired to speak to Shemuel, he was deceived.¹⁷

How did the sorceress recognize Shaul? R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon (as brought by Radak) asserts that the necromancer had recognized Shaul immediately after he arrived. However, she kept this knowledge to herself until later so that Shaul would think that she identified him only through supernatural powers.

"וַתִּזְעַק בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל" – The lady's loud cry was part of the ruse to suggest that it was her magic which revealed that the person requesting Shemuel was Shaul.

Describing Shemuel – The Ba'alat Ha'Ov might have seen Shemuel while he was alive and was thus able to describe him to Shaul even though she did not revive the prophet.  However, even if she had never seen the prophet, her description was vague enough that it could refer to any number of people.¹⁸

"וַיֵּדַע שָׁאוּל כִּי שְׁמוּאֵל הוּא" – R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon maintains that the verse can say that Shaul "knew" it was Shemuel even though it was not really him because the root "ידע" can also mean to believe.¹⁹

"וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל" – R. Saadia questions that if the conversation took place between Shaul and the lady (and not with Shemuel), how can the verse say "וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל".  R. Chofni Gaon responds that this is simply a short way for the verse to say that the sorceress said her speech in the name of Shemuel.²⁰  Alternatively, one could suggest that the verse is speaking from the perspective of Shaul who believed that Shemuel was talking verse is speaking from the perspective of Shaul²¹ who believed that Shemuel was talking.²²

Knowledge of past – R. Chofni posits that Shemuel's earlier prophecy that Hashem was going to punish Shaul and cut off his dynasty was public knowledge. Similarly, all Israelites knew about Shaul's sins and the fact that David was supposed to be his successor. As such, the Ba'alat Ha'Ov could speak of these facts even without reviving Shemuel.

Knowledge of future – Since the necromancer was aware of both the Philistines' strength and Shaul's low morale and state of mind, it was not difficult for her to surmise that Israel was going to lose the coming battle and that Shaul would die. Her words were not proof that she was privy to some esoteric knowledge but simply an educated guess.

Shaul Imagined the Conversation

Shaul only imagined that Shemuel had returned from the dead.

Sources: RalbagShemuel I 28:8Shemuel I 28:19About R. Levi b. Gershom²³

Powers of Ba'alat Ha'Ov – According to Ralbag, the power of the Ba'alat ha'Ov lay in her ability to awaken and strengthen the imagination so that a person seeking to speak with the dead would imagine a conversation on the topic he desired.

The role of the necromancer – Abarbanel questions why, according to this theory, Shaul needed to visit the Ba'alat Ha'Ov rather than simply find a place of solitude in which to sit alone with his thoughts and imaginings. Ralbag maintains that it is specific speech and actions of the sorceress which enable the imagination, and at home Shaul would not have achieved the same result.²⁴

Describing Shemuel – According to Ralbag, Ba'alat Ha'Ov's actions to invoke the imagination work on herself as well, leading her to envision in her mind the person being sought. She thus described Shemuel as she imagined him,  presumably based on how she had seen the prophet in life.

"וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל" – This position would say that this verse is written from the perspective of Shaul who imagined that Shemuel was talking to him.

Knowledge of past events – Since the entire conversation was happening in Shaul's head, it could refer to events that Shaul had heard Shemuel speak of in the past: his sin with Amalek, losing the kingship to David etc.  It is not surprising that feelings of guilt and fear were prominent in his thoughts.

Knowledge of the future – Ralbag explains that Shaul had some prophetic powers²⁵ which enabled him to see the future.  In addition, since Shaul knew that Hashem had left him and the upcoming war reminded him of his mortality, it is not hard to see how he could have imagined Shemuel telling him of such a fate.

Differentiating truth and imagination – Abarbanel questions how Shaul would not be aware that all he heard was just a figment of his imagination.  He claims that such a lack of clarity is found only in people with mental disorders who have lost their mind, and that it is difficult to suggest that Shaul fell into such a category.

¹ Malbim points out that the TalmudSanhedrin 65bAbout the Bavli suggests that such magic was still practiced in its time.

² This belief is part of their larger belief in impure powers and black magic. For other stories where this comes to the fore see Rachel's Stealing of the Terafim and Why Worry About Bilam?

³ See Bavli ShabbatShabbat 152b-153aAbout the Bavli.

⁴ He points to the concept of magnetism as an example.  Many would think that it has no rational basis yet scholars have explained it scientifically. See, for example, the Rashba, who points to magnetism as a phenomenon that defies rational thought and nature.

⁵ Thus, Shaul must ask her whom she sees.

⁶ See Ibn EzraVayikra 19:31Vayikra 19:31Devarim 18:11About R. Avraham ibn Ezra and RambamHilkhot Avodah Zarah 6:1Hilkhot Avodah Zarah 11:16Hilkhot Avodah Zarah 6:1-2About R. Moshe b. Maimon who claim this.

⁷ R. Saadia's position is brought in the commentaries of R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon, Radak and Abarbanel.

⁸ R. Hai Gaon's position is mentioned by Radak and Abarbanel.

⁹ Radak similarly points out that the very fact that Shaul sought her presumes that she had the power to actually revive Shemuel.  This position would respond that Shaul's personal beliefs as to the abilities of the Ba'alat Ha'Ov were simply wrong.

¹⁰ See also Radak and Abarbanel.

¹¹ See also the opinion of AugustineIn Abarbanel Shemuel I 28:11About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, brought by Abarbanel, that a demon took on the form of Shemuel.

¹² Abarbanel points out that once the soul has left to cleave to Hashem, a prophet's body is no different than anyone else's.

¹³ For a few of many examples, see Bavli Berakhot 55b, Bavli Sukkah 28a, Bavli Chagigah 16a,  Bavli Sanhedrin 65b and Bavli Sanhedrin 67b.

¹⁴ See Bavli Chagigah 16a.

¹⁵ He points out that since Shaul did not see anyone (only the woman did), it would not make sense that he would bow to the prophet.

¹⁶ He points out that Shemuel says, "לָמָּה הִרְגַּזְתַּנִי לְהַעֲלוֹת אֹתִי", emphasizing that it was the manner in which he was raised that was the problem.

¹⁷ Abarbanel nonetheless casts doubts as to how Shaul, an intelligent leader, could be so foolish as to be tricked by the Ba'alat Ha'Ov if she really had no powers.  However, the very fact that Shaul sought out the lady presumes that he believed in her capabilities, in which case it would be much easier to mislead him. Moreover his anxious state, and his dread regarding what the battle might bring, meant that he was not in top form to discern fraud from reality.

¹⁸ As such, the fact that it persuaded Shaul that she in fact revived the prophet is somewhat surprising.  This might suggest that Shaul's desire that the Ov be successful was more important than any real proof.

¹⁹ In truth, all of these positions would likely explain the verse in this manner since at the point when the narrator shares this, Shaul has neither seen nor heard Shemuel, and has only listened to the Ba'alat Ha'Ov's description of him. Thus, according to no one could Shaul really have "known" for a fact who had appeared.

²⁰ R. Saadia argues that if any time the text says "and he said" a reader can posit that it is really another person speaking, this will lead people to play loosely with the text and distort its meaning. R. Chofni responds that in general the simple understanding of a verse should always be maintained; it is only when a verse cannot be upheld by logic (such as our case which speaks of the dead talking) that there is room for reinterpretation. He points to Shofetim 9:13, which speaks of various plants talking, as another example where most readers would be comfortable reading the verse non-literally..

²¹ As another example of a verse which is written from the perspective of a character's beliefs rather than reality, he points to Yehoshua 2:7, which speaks of the king's servants chasing after Yehoshua's spies ("וְהָאֲנָשִׁים רָדְפוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם") when in reality the spies were still in hiding by Rachav.

²² He would likely explain the language of "And she saw Shemuel" in the same way, that the verse is either written from the point of view of Shaul or means that that she pretended to see Shemuel.

²³ See also RambamHilkhot Avodah Zarah 11:16Hilkhot Avodah Zarah 6:1-2About R. Moshe b. Maimon who understands the general working of the Ov in this manner but does not address our chapter specifically.

²⁴ Ralbag suggests that there is an element of magic in the Ov's actions ("ענין האוב הוא לעורר הדמיון כדי שיגיע לו מין ממיני הקסם"). Alternatively, one might posit that the Ov simply created a certain atmosphere which facilitated a person's imaginings.  Just as it is much easier to imagine spooky noises when sitting around a campfire in the dark than when sitting in a pastoral park in sunlight, so too it would have been easier for Shaul to imagine speaking to Shemuel in the Ov's home than in his own.

²⁵ As evidence he points to the episodes in which Hashem had him prophesy and the reaction of the people, "הֲגַם שָׁאוּל בַּנְּבִיאִים".