A Full Life?: The Death of Shmuel

For they taught: One who died at 50 years of age, died in being karet. One who died at 52, this is the death of Shmuel the prophet

One who died at 60, this the death that is mentioned in Torah. One who dies at 70, this is a death of affection. One who dies at 80, this is a death of old age.

From then on, this is a life of pain

R`Nahman further said to R`Isaac: What is the meaning of the verse, "And it came to pass when Samuel was old." Did Samuel ever reach old age? He lived only for fifty-two years. For a Master said: If a man dies in his fifty-second year he is said to have died at the age reached by Samuel, the Ramathite?⁽⁴⁾ - He replied: Thus said R`Johanan: Old age came prematurely upon him, for it is written "It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king." Samuel complained before Him: Sovereign of the Universe! You have made me equal to Moses and Aaron, for it is written, Moses and Aaron are amongst His priests, and Samuel among them that call upon His name.

As in the case of Moses and Aaron the work of their hands did not come to nought in their lifetime, so too let not the work of my hands come to nought in my lifetime.

The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: How shall I act? Shall Saul die? Of this Samuel will not approve. Shall Samuel die young?

People will speak ill of him. Shall neither Saul nor Samuel die? The time has come for David to reign and one reign may not encroach on another even by a hair's breadth.

Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will make him prematurely old and this is what is written, Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the Tamarisk tree in Ramah.⁽⁸⁾ How comes Gibeah to Ramah?⁽⁹⁾

This is to teach you that it was the prayer of Samuel the Ramathite that was the cause of Saul's two and a half years'⁽¹⁰⁾ sojourn as king in Gibeah?

Should then one man be put aside because of another? - Yes, for R`Samuel B`Nahmani said in the name of R`Jonathan: What is the meaning of the verse, Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth?⁽¹¹⁾

Scripture does not say, by their works,' but, 'by the words of my mouth', this proves that one may be put aside because of another.

Regarding one who died at 52, this is the death of Shmuel the Prophet.

Rabbi Abba son of Rabbi Pappi, Rabbi Y’hoshua of Sichninin in the name of Rabbi Levi said, "In all labour there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.” Channah, through lengthening her prayers, shortened the life of Shmuel, for she said, "that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever (ad olam).” And the “olam/eternity/term/lifetime” of a Levite is only 50 years, for it is written, " and from the age of fifty years they shall return from the service of the work, and shall serve no more;” and so it is for them, 52 years.

Rabbi Yosi said in the name of Rabbi Bun, (the extra two are from when) she weaned him.