Did Shemuel Come Back to Life/2
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Did Shemuel Come Back to Life?
Exegetical Approaches
Shemuel was Brought Back to Life
By Ba'alat Ha'Ov
Ba'alat Ha'Ov had powers to bring Shemuel back to life.
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. Malbim, however, limits this ability, maintaining that a necromancer can affect only the material soul which stays with the physical body for twelve months after death. The noble, soul, however, is immune to such magic as it returns to its Creator immediately upon a person's demise.
How did Ba'alat Ha'Ov 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 lied to her and that she had been speaking to the king all along.
Seeing versus hearing – The verses suggest that while only Ba'alat Ha'Ov was able to see Shemuel,2 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 אֶל שָׁאוּל" – This verse is understood literally. Since Shemuel was really revived, it was he who spoke to Shaul.
Knowledge of past and future – Since it was actually Shemuel who conversed, he had full knowledge of the past events of which he spoke. In addition, as a prophet, he could tell Shaul what was to occur in the future.
Shemuel's anger
By Hashem
Hashem, not Ba'alat Ha'Ov, revived Shemuel.
Powers of Ba'alat HaOv – According to this position, humans do not have the ability to bring back the dead and the Ba'alat Ha'Ov normally only faked the ability to do so.
"וַתִּזְעַק בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל" – As the Ba'alat Ha'Ov had never in her life revived someone from the dead she was shocked that Shemuel had come back to life.
"אֱלֹהִים רָאִיתִי עֹלִים מִן הָאָרֶץ" – Abarbanel suggests that according to this position the Ba'alat Ha'Ov referred to Shemuel as "Elokim" because she recognized the hand of God in the resurrection.
"Who shall I raise" – Abarbanel questions that the woman's invitation, "who shall I raise for you" assumes that she had such capabilities.3 These commentators would respond that this was simply part of the deceit of her trade. The necromancer needed her clients to believe in her abilities, allowing her to pretend to do as requested.
How did Ba'alat Ha'Ov recognize Shaul
Why did Hashem choose this path? R. Chofni Gaon4 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 Shual had sought to begin with.
"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 Soul Lived On
Sources: R. Shemuel b. Eli
A Demon was Created
Ba'alat Ha'Ov had a demon cling to Shemuel's body
Powers of Ba'alat HaOv
The Demon
Usages of the Ov in Tanakh
Shemuel speaking
Shemuel's prophecy
No One Came Back to Life
Imagination
Shaul only imagined that Shemuel had returned from the dead.
The story – Shaul was just imagining that Shemuel was talking to him and thought that it was happening.
Shaul imagining a prophecy – According to the approach one has to explain how did Shaul imagine something in the future? Ralbag explains that Shaul had some prophetic power that told him he will die. In addition Shaul knew that Hashem left him and was thinking of his death so it is not hard to say that he imagined Shemuel telling him about his death.
Prophecy
Powers of evil
Why by Ba'alat HaOv – Abarbanel asks why did Shaul need to go to Ba'alat HaOv to imagine what will happen. Ralbag says that Ba'alat HaOv told the Shaul the look of Shemuel which helped him start imagining that Shemuel was speaking.
Shaul believing in his imagination – Abarbanel questions that Shaul would differentiate between his imagination and what is really happening and saying this would make Shaul into a sickly person.
Ba'alat HaOv knowing Shaul – Ba'alat HaOv guessed that the only person asking for Shemuel would have been Shaul.
Trickery
Ba'alat HaOv pretended that she saw and heard Shemuel, leading Shaul to believe that Shemuel had been brought back to life.
Sources: R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon
"וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל" – R. Saadia questions that if the conversation took place between Shaul and Ba'alat Ha'Ov (and not 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 Ba'alat Ha'Ov said her speech in the name of Shemuel. Alternatively, the verse is speaking from the perspective of Shaul who believed that Shemuel was talking5.
The prophecy – R. Chofni posits that Shemuel's earlier prophecy that Hashem would cut Shaul's dynasty and that Hashem had left him was public knowledge. As such, Ba'alat HaOv could speak of it. Moreover, as she had seen signs of the Philistines' strength and Israel's weakness she further guessed that Israel was to lose the coming battle and that Shaul would die. Her words were not proof of some esoteric knowledge that she was privy to but simply an educated guess.
"יֵּדַע שָׁאוּל" – 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.6
Knowing it was Shaul – Radak writes in the name of R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon that Ba'alat HaOv knew from the beginning of the story that Shaul was the one who came to her. She only pretended that she did not know until later so that Shaul would believe that she had supernatural powers.
Describing Shemuel – The Ba'alat Ha'Ov might have seen Shemuel while he was alive and thus had no problem describing him to Shaul. Even if she had not, the description she gives is very vague, and probably true of any number of people. The fact that it persuaded Shaul that she in fact revived the prophet is somewhat surprising (and might suggest that his desire that the act be true was more important than any real proof.)
Shaul believing and falling down – Abarbanel asks on this approach from the aftermath of the conversation. We hear that Shaul gets frightened from Shemuel's words. How can Shaul who was smart be misled to thinking that Ba'alat HaOv really saw Shemuel? Also, if Shaul did not see anything by himself why would he fall down with no energy left in him?
