What is Shmuel's Role?

(א) וְהַנַּ֧עַר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל מְשָׁרֵ֥ת אֶת־ה' לִפְנֵ֣י עֵלִ֑י וּדְבַר־ה' הָיָ֤ה יָקָר֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין חָז֖וֹן נִפְרָֽץ׃ (ס)

I Samuel 3:1

(1) And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Why was נבואה "precious" in those days?

רש"י על שמואל א ג׳:א׳:א׳

(א) היה יקר . היה מנוע , וכן ( משלי יז כז ) : יקר רוח איש תבונה , מנוע דברים , אדם מבין :

Rashi on I Samuel 3:1:1

(1) was withheld: (Heb. ‘yakar,’ dear.) And similarly, (Prov. 17:27) ‘y’kar ruach’ one whose breath is dear is an understanding man, meaning, one whose speech is withheld is an understanding man.

שמואל א ג׳:ב׳

(ב) וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ ועינו [וְעֵינָיו֙] הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃

I Samuel 3:2

(2) And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place—now his eyes had begun to wax dim, that he could not see—

Why does the Navi include that "his eyes had begun to dim"? (We would think it was simply a result of age, but all the Navi had to do was say that Eli had grown old)

רד"ק: (ב) "...ואמר כל המעמיד בן רשע עיניו כהות, מנא לן מיצחק וכן עלי, ולדעת הדרש היה הספור הזה הנה לפי שעתיד לזכור הנבואה סבאה לשמואל על עון בניו."

Eli's powers of נבואה--his spiritual "eyes"--had begun to dim as a result of the way his sons acted, so that נבואה would now come to Shmuel.

Midrash Shmuel 8:8: This was a "measure for measure" punishment. Since Eli had turned a blind eye to his sons' wrongdoings, consequently, he was going blind.

שמואל א ג׳:ג׳-ה׳

(ג) וְנֵ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ טֶ֣רֶם יִכְבֶּ֔ה וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל שֹׁכֵ֑ב בְּהֵיכַ֣ל ה' אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם אֲר֥וֹן אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (פ) (ד) וַיִּקְרָ֧א ה' אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (ה) וַיָּ֣רָץ אֶל־עֵלִ֗י וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הִנְנִי֙ כִּֽי־קָרָ֣אתָ לִּ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹֽא־קָרָ֖אתִי שׁ֣וּב שְׁכָ֑ב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ (ס)

I Samuel 3:3-5

(3) and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, (4) that the LORD called Samuel; and he said: ‘Here am I.’ . (5) And he ran unto Eli, and said: ‘Here am I; for thou didst call me.’ And he said: ‘I called not; lie down again.’ And he went and lay down.

Why did Shmuel think that it was Eli who called for him?

Mahari Kara: Since Eli was becoming blind, he required someone to be near him to help him when necessary, and so it was only natural for Shmuel to assume it was Eli who had called out to him.

שמואל א ג׳:ו׳-ז׳

(ו) וַיֹּ֣סֶף ה' קְרֹ֣א עוֹד֮ שְׁמוּאֵל֒ וַיָּ֤קָם שְׁמוּאֵל֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִ֔י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנְנִ֔י כִּ֥י קָרָ֖אתָ לִ֑י וַיֹּ֛אמֶר לֹֽא־קָרָ֥אתִי בְנִ֖י שׁ֥וּב שְׁכָֽב׃ (ז) וּשְׁמוּאֵ֕ל טֶ֖רֶם יָדַ֣ע אֶת־ה' וְטֶ֛רֶם יִגָּלֶ֥ה אֵלָ֖יו דְּבַר־ה'

I Samuel 3:6-7

(6) And the LORD called yet again Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said: ‘Here am I; for thou didst call me.’ And he answered: ‘I called not, my son; lie down again.’ (7) Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

Why didn't Shmuel or Eli realize that it was Hashem calling out Shmuel's name (especially after it had occured twice)?

This was Shmuel's first נבואה! He did not realize that he was receiving it since it had been a while since anyone had received any נבואה. Additionally, while Shmuel became a נביא, he was training under Eli to help work in the Beit Hamikdash. This explains why BOTH Shmuel and Eli failed to recognize that Shmuel was receiving נבואה. His reception of the נבואה was a sign that he would soon replace Eli. (Samuel I, The Rubin Edition)

Important to note the following:

Eli believed Shmuel had had a dream, and nothing more
It's common that when Hashem gives a person נבואה, he protects them from all of His glory, otherwise a person would die of awe (too much for a human to withstand)

שמואל א ג׳:ח׳

(ח) וַיֹּ֨סֶף ה' קְרֹא־שְׁמוּאֵל֮ בַּשְּׁלִשִׁית֒ וַיָּ֙קָם֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־עֵלִ֔י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הִנְנִ֔י כִּ֥י קָרָ֖אתָ לִ֑י וַיָּ֣בֶן עֵלִ֔י כִּ֥י ה' קֹרֵ֥א לַנָּֽעַר׃

I Samuel 3:8

(8) And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said: ‘Here am I; for thou didst call me.’ And Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the child.

*the number three signifies a חזקה (it's a powerful number)*

DISCUSS: Who else answered their נבואה with the answer "here I am"? Is there any connection between people who answer Hashem in this way (even though Shmuel mistakenly answered this and ran to Eli, not Hashem)?

שמואל א ג׳:ט׳-י׳

(ט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵלִ֣י לִשְׁמוּאֵל֮ לֵ֣ךְ שְׁכָב֒ וְהָיָה֙ אִם־יִקְרָ֣א אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ דַּבֵּ֣ר ה' כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בִּמְקוֹמֽוֹ׃ (י) וַיָּבֹ֤א ה' וַיִּתְיַצַּ֔ב וַיִּקְרָ֥א כְפַֽעַם־בְּפַ֖עַם שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל ׀ שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ דַּבֵּ֔ר כִּ֥י שֹׁמֵ֖עַ עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ (פ)

I Samuel 3:9-10

(9) Therefore Eli said unto Samuel: ‘Go, lie down; and it shall be, if thou be called, that thou shalt say: Speak, LORD; for Thy servant heareth.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (10) And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times: ‘Samuel, Samuel.’ Then Samuel said: ‘Speak; for Thy servant heareth.’

רד"ק: (י) "ויבא ה' ויתיצב"- נראה בפעם הזאת נראית תמונה לנגד עיניו במראה הנבואה, לפיכך אמר ויתיצב כמו ויתיצב מלאך ה' בדרך (במדבר כב, כב).

"Hashem came and stood",- Not only did Shmuel hear a voice, but he had a vision of a figure standing in front of him.

DISCUSS: How does Hashem appear to other people during their first נבואה?

THE נבואה

שמואל א ג׳:י״א-י״ד

(יא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל הִנֵּ֧ה אָנֹכִ֛י עֹשֶׂ֥ה דָבָ֖ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲשֶׁר֙ כָּל־שֹׁ֣מְע֔וֹ תְּצִלֶּ֖ינָה שְׁתֵּ֥י אָזְנָֽיו׃ (יב) בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ אָקִ֣ים אֶל־עֵלִ֔י אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ הָחֵ֖ל וְכַלֵּֽה׃ (יג) וְהִגַּ֣דְתִּי ל֔וֹ כִּֽי־שֹׁפֵ֥ט אֲנִ֛י אֶת־בֵּית֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם בַּעֲוֺ֣ן אֲשֶׁר־יָדַ֗ע כִּֽי־מְקַֽלְלִ֤ים לָהֶם֙ בָּנָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א כִהָ֖ה בָּֽם׃ (יד) וְלָכֵ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי לְבֵ֣ית עֵלִ֑י אִֽם־יִתְכַּפֵּ֞ר עֲוֺ֧ן בֵּית־עֵלִ֛י בְּזֶ֥בַח וּבְמִנְחָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

I Samuel 3:11-14

(11) And the LORD said to Samuel: ‘Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. (12) In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end. (13) For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity, in that he knew that his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he rebuked them not. (14) And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever.’

[Cool fact: Where else in Navi do we find the term "when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will ring"?]

מלכים ב כ״א:י״ב

(יב) לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר ה' אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִי֙ מֵבִ֣יא רָעָ֔ה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם וִֽיהוּדָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ כָּל־שמעיו [שֹׁ֣מְעָ֔הּ] תִּצַּ֖לְנָה שְׁתֵּ֥י אָזְנָֽיו׃

II Kings 21:12

(12) therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.

ירמיהו י״ט:ג׳

(ג) וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ שִׁמְע֣וּ דְבַר־ה' מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֖י יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ ה' צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֤יא רָעָה֙ עַל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּל־שֹׁמְעָ֖הּ תִּצַּ֥לְנָה אָזְנָֽיו׃

Jeremiah 19:3

(3) and say: Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle;

DISCUSS: What does this prophecy mean to you? What do you think it means for Shmuel?

שמואל א ג׳:ט״ו-י״ח

(טו) וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב שְׁמוּאֵל֙ עַד־הַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־דַּלְת֣וֹת בֵּית־ה' וּשְׁמוּאֵ֣ל יָרֵ֔א מֵהַגִּ֥יד אֶת־הַמַּרְאָ֖ה אֶל־עֵלִֽי׃ (טז) וַיִּקְרָ֤א עֵלִי֙ אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל בְּנִ֑י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (יז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָ֤ה הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־נָ֥א תְכַחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נִּי כֹּ֣ה יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֤ אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף אִם־תְּכַחֵ֤ד מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר מִכָּל־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (יח) וַיַּגֶּד־ל֤וֹ שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א כִחֵ֖ד מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר ה' ה֔וּא הַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינָ֖ו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (פ)

I Samuel 3:15-18

(15) And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to tell Eli the vision. (16) Then Eli called Samuel, and said: ‘Samuel, my son.’ And he said: ‘Here am I.’ (17) And he said: ‘What is the thing that He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me, God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that He spoke unto thee.’ (18) And Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said: ‘It is the LORD; let Him do what seemeth Him good.’

While Hashem never told Shmuel to tell over his נבואה to Eli, Shmuel decided to respect Eli and tell him what the נבואה said, but he minced his words and left out the part about the decree concerning Eli and his sons.

The Start of the Era of Shmuel

שמואל א ג׳:י״ט-כ״א

(יט) וַיִּגְדַּ֖ל שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל וַֽה' הָיָ֣ה עִמּ֔וֹ וְלֹֽא־הִפִּ֥יל מִכָּל־דְּבָרָ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃ (כ) וַיֵּ֙דַע֙ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִדָּ֖ן וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כִּ֚י נֶאֱמָ֣ן שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל לְנָבִ֖יא לַה' (כא) וַיֹּ֥סֶף ה' לְהֵרָאֹ֣ה בְשִׁלֹ֑ה כִּֽי־נִגְלָ֨ה ה' אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל בְּשִׁל֖וֹ בִּדְבַ֥ר ה' (פ)

I Samuel 3:19-21

(19) And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. (20) And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. (21) And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

How did Shmuel's first נבואה impact him?

Metzudos: Shmuel grew in wisdom and fear of Hashem.

רד"ק: (יט) "ולא הפיל מכל דבריו ארצה"- כל מה שהיה אומר היה בא, והקב"ה מקיים על ידו אפילו הדברים שהיה אומר שלא ברוח נבואה, ובזה הדבר ידעו כל ישראל כי נאמן שמואל לנביא ה'..."

"He did not cast any of his words to the ground"- All that he said came to pass, and Hashem made this happen even the things that he said that he didn't prophesize, and with this matter Bnei Yisrael knew that Shmuel was a true Prophet of Hashem.

רש"י על שמואל א ג׳:כ״א:א׳

כי נגלה ה' אל שמואל . לפי שאמר למעלה ודבר ה' היה יקר בימים ההם , אמר כאן כי מעתה בשביל שמואל , נגלה ושנה והרגיל להגלות :

Rashi on I Samuel 3:21:1

for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel: Since the Scripture stated above (2:1) “and the word of the Lord was withheld in those days,” he states here that from now on, for Samuel’s sake, He revealed Himself repeatedly.

Kli Yakar: This highlights the difference between the declining years of Eli and Shmuel's entrance onto the scene. As a result of Chafni and Pinchas' transgressions, Eli and Shiloh both lost their notability and נבואה declined in Israel.

Abarbanel: Hashem's presence would have left Shiloh completely, if not for Shmuel's worth. Now, thanks to Shmuel, it was reinstated to a greater level than it had been at previously, as נבואה became prevalent.

SUM UP: Who was Shmuel/what was his role in regards to Bnei Yisrael (and Shiloh)?