Shmuel Alef 1:1-2:10
One reason this section of the Neviem is read Rosh Hashanah is because it contains two prayers. Because she was baron, Channah gave birth to the Shmoneh Esreh. This silent meditation is referred to by the Gemara simply as Tefilah or prayer . Rosh Hashanah at its core is a day of prayer.
(א) וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִן הָרָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים מֵהַר אֶפְרָיִם וּשְׁמוֹ אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן יְרֹחָם בֶּן אֱלִיהוּא בֶּן תֹּחוּ בֶן צוּף אֶפְרָתִי.
(ב) וְלוֹ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים שֵׁם אַחַת חַנָּה וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית פְּנִנָּה וַיְהִי לִפְנִנָּה יְלָדִים וּלְחַנָּה אֵין יְלָדִים.
(ה) וּלְחַנָּה יִתֵּן מָנָה אַחַת אַפָּיִם כִּי אֶת חַנָּה אָהֵב וַיקוק סָגַר רַחְמָהּ.
(ו) וְכִעֲסַתָּה צָרָתָהּ גַּם כַּעַס בַּעֲבוּר הַרְּעִמָהּ כִּי סָגַר יקוק בְּעַד רַחְמָהּ.
(1) Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. (2) And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
(5) but unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb. (6) And her rival vexed her sore, to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
(יא) וַתִּדֹּר נֶדֶר וַתֹּאמַר יקוק צְבָאוֹת אִם רָאֹה תִרְאֶה בָּעֳנִי אֲמָתֶךָ וּזְכַרְתַּנִי וְלֹא תִשְׁכַּח אֶת אֲמָתֶךָ וְנָתַתָּה לַאֲמָתְךָ זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים וּנְתַתִּיו לַיקוק כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ.
Rabbi David Silber Asks :
Why does Channa want a son so badly if within her vow, she says she will give the child up and not raise him?
(א) וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת לֵוִי. (ב) וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יְרָחִים.
(ז) וַתֹּאמֶר אֲחֹתוֹ אֶל בַּת פַּרְעֹה הַאֵלֵךְ וְקָרָאתִי לָךְ אִשָּׁה מֵינֶקֶת מִן הָעִבְרִיֹּת וְתֵינִק לָךְ אֶת הַיָּלֶד. (ח) וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה לֵכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ הָעַלְמָה וַתִּקְרָא אֶת אֵם הַיָּלֶד. (ט) וַתֹּאמֶר לָהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה הֵילִיכִי אֶת הַיֶּלֶד הַזֶּה וְהֵינִקִהוּ לִי וַאֲנִי אֶתֵּן אֶת שְׂכָרֵךְ וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּנִיקֵהוּ.
(1) And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. (2) And the woman conceived, and bore a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
(7) Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter: ‘Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?’ (8) And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: ‘Go.’ And the maiden went and called the child’s mother. (9) And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her: ‘Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.’ And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
At the start of Safer Shemot and Shmuel the male character is first referred to as the generic ISH or Man. Women initiate salvation in both origin stories. Channah is innovative and creative, Moshe's mother and sister take an active role in saving his life. The Medrash tells us that Miriyam told her father to be with her mother.
Both mothers gave birth to not only a son but the savior of a generation. The son they gave up came back to both of them in different ways. Channah was given more kids and Yocheved got to nurse her own son.
(ג) וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אִם בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם אַתֶּם שָׁבִים אֶל יקוק הָסִירוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר מִתּוֹכְכֶם וְהָעַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְהָכִינוּ לְבַבְכֶם אֶל יקוק וְעִבְדֻהוּ לְבַדּוֹ וְיַצֵּל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים.
(ד) וַיָּסִירוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַבְּעָלִים וְאֶת הָעַשְׁתָּרֹת וַיַּעַבְדוּ אֶת יקוק לְבַדּוֹ.
(ה) וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל קִבְצוּ אֶת כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּצְפָּתָה וְאֶתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְכֶם אֶל יקוק.
(ו) וַיִּקָּבְצוּ הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיִּשְׁאֲבוּ מַיִם וַיִּשְׁפְּכוּ לִפְנֵי יקוק וַיָּצוּמוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיֹּאמְרוּ שָׁם חָטָאנוּ לַיקוק וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּצְפָּה. (ז) וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים כִּי הִתְקַבְּצוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּצְפָּתָה וַיַּעֲלוּ סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּרְאוּ מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים.
(ח) וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל שְׁמוּאֵל אַל תַּחֲרֵשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ מִזְּעֹק אֶל יקוק אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְיֹשִׁעֵנוּ מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים. (ט) וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל טְלֵה חָלָב אֶחָד ויעלה [וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ] עוֹלָה כָּלִיל לַיקוק וַיִּזְעַק שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל יקוק בְּעַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲנֵהוּ יקוק. (י) וַיְהִי שְׁמוּאֵל מַעֲלֶה הָעוֹלָה וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נִגְּשׁוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּרְעֵם יקוק בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עַל פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְהֻמֵּם וַיִּנָּגְפוּ לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(יג) וַיִּכָּנְעוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וְלֹא יָסְפוּ עוֹד לָבוֹא בִּגְבוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וַתְּהִי יַד יקוק בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים כֹּל יְמֵי שְׁמוּאֵל.
(יד) וַתָּשֹׁבְנָה הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים מֵאֵת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֶקְרוֹן וְעַד גַּת וְאֶת גְּבוּלָן הִצִּיל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיְהִי שָׁלוֹם בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵין הָאֱמֹרִי.
(טו) וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו.
(3) And Samuel spoke unto all the house of Israel, saying: ‘If ye do return unto the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts unto the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’
(4) Then the children of Israel did put away the Baalim and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only.
(5) And Samuel said: ‘Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.’
(6) And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there: ‘We have sinned against the LORD.’ And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah. (7) And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
(8) And the children of Israel said to Samuel: ‘Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that He save us out of the hand of the Philistines.’ (9) And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt-offering unto the LORD; and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD answered him. (10) And as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel; but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten down before Israel.
13) So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel; and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.
(14) And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the border thereof did Israel deliver out of the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
(15) And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
Rabbi Silber points to the Prayer of Channah as an answer to the question he stated earlier. Channah has a clear vision of what is needed for Bnay Yisroel, a leader the caliber of Moshe and Aharon.
(א) וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל חַנָּה וַתֹּאמַר עָלַץ לִבִּי בַּיקוק רָמָה קַרְנִי בַּיקוק רָחַב פִּי עַל אוֹיְבַי כִּי שָׂמַחְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ. (ב) אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּיקוק כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ וְאֵין צוּר כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ. (ג) אַל תַּרְבּוּ תְדַבְּרוּ גְּבֹהָה גְבֹהָה יֵצֵא עָתָק מִפִּיכֶם כִּי אֵל דֵּעוֹת יקוק ולא [וְלוֹ] נִתְכְּנוּ עֲלִלוֹת.
(ד) קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים וְנִכְשָׁלִים אָזְרוּ חָיִל. (ה) שְׂבֵעִים בַּלֶּחֶם נִשְׂכָּרוּ וּרְעֵבִים חָדֵלּוּ עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה. (ו) יקוק מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה מוֹרִיד שְׁאוֹל וַיָּעַל. (ז) יקוק מוֹרִישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁיר מַשְׁפִּיל אַף מְרוֹמֵם. (ח) מֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל מֵאַשְׁפֹּת יָרִים אֶבְיוֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב עִם נְדִיבִים וְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד יַנְחִלֵם כִּי לַיקוק מְצֻקֵי אֶרֶץ וַיָּשֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶם תֵּבֵל.
(ט) רַגְלֵי חסידו [חֲסִידָיו] יִשְׁמֹר וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדָּמּוּ כִּי לֹא בְכֹחַ יִגְבַּר אִישׁ. (י) יקוק יֵחַתּוּ מריבו עלו [מְרִיבָיו עָלָיו] בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם יקוק יָדִין אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ וְיָרֵם קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ.
(1) And Hannah prayed, and said: My heart exulteth in the LORD, My horn is exalted in the LORD; My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; Because I rejoice in Thy salvation. (2) There is none holy as the LORD, For there is none beside Thee; Neither is there any rock like our God. (3) Multiply not exceeding proud talk; Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And by Him actions are weighed.
(4) The bows of the mighty men are broken, And they that stumbled are girded with strength. (5) They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; And they that were hungry have ceased; While the barren hath borne seven, She that had many children hath languished. (6) The LORD killeth, and maketh alive; He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. (7) The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich; He bringeth low, He also lifteth up. . (8) He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, He lifteth up the needy from the dung-hill, To make them sit with princes, And inherit the throne of glory; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, And He hath set the world upon them.
(9) He will keep the feet of His holy ones, But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; For not by strength shall man prevail. (10) They that strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces; Against them will He thunder in heaven; The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength unto His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.
Rabbi Silber states the theme of the Tefilah of Channah is Kingship. This is a central theme in Rosh Hashanah, Channah wishes to establish Hashems kingdom on earth and that is what she is praying for. Ultimately her prayers are answered and Shmuel crowns God as sovereign of the Jewish people.
This is what we are doing on Rosh Hashanah, crowing God as King.