Shaul's Sin in the Battle with Amalek/2
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Shaul Loses the Kingship
Exegetical Approaches
Kept Agag Alive
Severity of Shaul's sin:
- Shaul thought he was more just than Hashem – Bavli Yoma and Yalkut Shimoni suggest that Shahul thought he could decide who needs to be punished or saved on his own, leading to his extra mercy here but extreme cruelty in Nov.
- Consequences of deed – Bavli Megillah says that had Agag been killed immediately Haman would have never been born,1 suggesting that that was the problem. This is a weak explanation since there is no evidence in the text that anyone was born before Agag was killed by Shemuel.
- Shaul simply did not listen to Hashem's commandment. Hashem said to destroy all of Amalek so leaving over even just one person violated the directive.
"וַתַּעַט אֶל הַשָּׁלָל" – The sin of not killing Agag is missing from the text, as Shemuel rebukes in verses 14, 19, and 22-23 only about the spoils that were left, and does not mention a word about keeping Agag alive.3
"הַגִּישׁוּ אֵלַי אֶת אֲגַג" – The only hint in the verses4 that not killing Agag was the sin is in verses 32-33 where Shemuel kills Agag, and even that can be understood as a demonstration that Hashem won the battle and not Shaul
"כִּי חַטַּאת קֶסֶם מֶרִי וְאָוֶן וּתְרָפִים הַפְצַר" – This approach can posit, like Targum Yonatan, that Shemuel is comparing Shaul's disobedience to Hashem's words to a sin of magic, since both promote lack of faith in Hashem.
Shaul vs. David
Did Not Consecrate the Spoils
Severity of the sin:
- Shaul thought כוחי ועוצם ידי
- Shaul gave in to the nation
- Shaul caused the battle to be for a different purpose than it was intended to be for
Purpose of the war – Ralbag and Abarbanel suggest this battle with Amalek was for a different purpose than most wars. Generally, a war is to gain back lost country, to expand territory, or to take revenge. However, Shaul was commanded in the battle against Amalek to take revenge for their degradation of Hashem's name.
"וַתַּעַט אֶל הַשָּׁלָל" – Shemuel's rebuke to Shaul focuses on the animals that he hears were left over.
"כִּי חַטַּאת קֶסֶם מֶרִי וְאָוֶן וּתְרָפִים הַפְצַר"
David's battle with Amalek
Shaul vs. David
Did Not Fight All of Amalek
Sources:Hoil Moshe
Severity of the sin: – Hoil Moshe says Shaul was rushing to boast about his victory that he decided to not fight all of Amalek.
"מֵחֲוִילָה בּוֹאֲךָ שׁוּר"
"וַיִּתְפֹּשׂ אֶת אֲגַג מֶלֶךְ עֲמָלֵק חָי" – Hoil Moshe understands that Shaul was planning on killing Agag. He just brought him alive to brag about him in front of the nation.
