Shmuel the Prophet - Shavit Hakimi - One of my students

Shmuel the Prophet

Shmuel was a great judge and leader to Bnai Yisrael. He was also the only judge that had the ability to prophesize. He was the last judge of the circle, and may have been the greatest to ever live.He was a miracle even as a child. His father, Elkanah, had 2 wives; Chana and Penina. Penina was able to have children, unlike Chana, who was barren. Elkanah would go to the Cohanim once in a while and brought korbanot to pray for a child. They worshipped and davened to Hashem all day long, and then finally Eli sent them a child.One interesting story about Shmuel is about Bnai Yisrael and their quest for a king. They had said they were tired of going in the same circle, so they pleaded to Hashem for a new ruler, like a king. Hashem told Shmuel to go and fetch Shaul, later the king of Bnai Yisrael (Shmuel temporarily raises form the dead and tells Shaul of future). Hashem was outraged with Bnai Yisrael and so was Shmuel. I don’t think that this meant that Bnai Yisrael did not love Shmuel, it was just that they needed a change.Shmuel’s name has many different meanings, all in relation to Hashem. Some of the names are Heard of God, Name of God, or son of El . His name is a representation of his closeness to Hashem and how he was portrayed. At a very young age, Shmuel was faced with a war with the Phillistines, and took it on with great courage. He organized an army, and defeated the Phillistines, with the help of God. Another interesting theory is that in the stories of Shmuel, he brings sacrifices to the sanctuaries, and he also built altars. The Cohanim and the Levyim are the only people permitted to sacrifice, and being a prophet and a nazir isn’t enough. But in his case, it was. This proves that Hashem had a special bond with him, unlike many other judges. Right before Shmuel’s retirement as a judge, he gave a sort of “farewell speech”, to people at an assembly at Gilgal, and told them not to fall into the same circle, and then he threatens that Hashem will send them back in the same circle.In Shmuel’s eyes, his people came first. He always tried to warn them for their own good, and that is a true quality of individuality. Like many of the judges, he always cared for his people, but he always made the special effort to take care of them, even after he was gone (even though he had the extra ability to foresee the future).Even though he had that extra ability, something else set him apart for all the rest of the judges and that is perseverance. He always went the extra mile, and kept humble. In that way, I think he has an everlasting impression on the Jewish People, and will be remembered throughout history.