While reading the haftarah for Pinchas, I realized certain elements resembled that of King Shaul's final days. Only things ended quite differently. Why don't we look at these parallels together and explore how things could have ended differently?
Our Haftarah takes place in the Book of Kings. The kingdom of United Israel split into two kingdoms: Judah (housed the tribe of Judah, Benjamin, and the Levites; Yehudah) and Israel (housed the other ten tribes) three generations ago after King Rehoboam (King Solomon's son) refused to reduce the burdens placed on the other tribes.
The prophet Eliyahu comes from the northern kingdom of Israel, currently under the rule of the weak-willed yet tyrannical King Ahab and his foreign Phonecian queen, Jezebel. Although this marriage brought political stability and economic prosperity, it worsened Israel's spirituality. King Ahab enables widespread idolatry through building temples to Ba'al for Queen Jezebel. They also import priests and prophets of the idols Ba'al and Asherah. Jezebel herself enacts political purges against Hashem's prophets. Eliyahu is incredibly zealous and jealous for Hashem, and he caused drought on the land for 3 years to defend Hashem's honor.
After Eliyahu challenges the priests of Ba'al to a sacrifice contest (this Haftarah is read after Ki Tisa, the Golden Calf). The priests of Ba'al fail even after pleading, shouting, and gashing themselves while Eliyahu succeeds in getting Hashem to consume the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the earth as well as evaporate the water surroundig the sacrifice with only a prayer. After proving Hashem's superiority over idols and convincing the Israelites that Hashem is the only G-d, Eliyahu then kills the priests of Ba'al with the people. This is the aftermath.
(מו) וְיַד־יְהֹוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ וַיְשַׁנֵּ֖ס מׇתְנָ֑יו וַיָּ֙רׇץ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אַחְאָ֔ב עַד־בֹּאֲכָ֖ה יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃
(46) GOD’s hand had come upon Elijah. He tied up his skirtsj and ran in front of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
j: He tied up his skirts Lit. “He bound up his loins.”
(א) וַיַּגֵּ֤ד אַחְאָב֙ לְאִיזֶ֔בֶל אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה אֵלִיָּ֑הוּ וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרַ֛ג אֶת־כׇּל־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים בֶּחָֽרֶב׃
(1) When Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had put all the prophetsa to the sword,
(2) Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “Thus and more may the gods dob if by this time tomorrow I have not made you like one of them.”
(3) Frightened,che fled at once for his life. He came to Beer-sheba, which is in Judah, and left his servant there;
a: All the prophets Of Baal; see 18.40
b: Thus and more may the gods do A formula of imprecation. Many Heb. mss. and Septuagint add “to me.”
c: Frightened So many Heb. mss. and Septuagint; most mss., and the editions, read “And he saw, and.”
(ה) וַיַּ֥רְא שָׁא֖וּל אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיִּרָ֕א וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד לִבּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃
The prophet Samuel appointed Shaul as king of Israel some years ago (our original text is unclear and says ...and two years; therefore, many sources render the length of kingship unknown; although commonly interpreted as a reasonable number 20 or 22 years, certain interpretations see Shaul's kingship as only lasting two years and no more). King Shaul and the prophet Sh'muel saw an era of significant transition combined with a blur between king and prophett unlike the clear separation seen in Eliyahu's time.
Under King Shaul's leadership, there was no idolatry in the land (Pikrei DeRabbi Eliezer 17:12), and Israel managed to become and independent, united kingdom that could hold its own against its neighbors: the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Philistines, Zobah, and Amalek* (Samuel I 14:47) and any plunderers.
However, King Shaul made crucial errors that ultimately doomed his kingship (will be discussed in a future episode and sheet).
- King Shaul did not wait long enough for the prophet Sh'muel to arrive and make the sacrifice against the Philistines because his soldiers were leaving. Instead, Shaul did the sacrifice, which was improper. This prevented his dynasty from being established over Israel forever (Samuel 1 13:13-14).
- King Shaul did not eliminate Amalek and spared their king as well as taking the animals for sacrificing to Hashem (Samuel I 15:17-21; Shabbat Zachor Haftarah). As a result, Hashem rejected Shaul as king and tore it away from him (Samuel I 15:23-29), even saying he regretted making Shaul king at all (Samuel I 15:11). This almost led to Shaul's death alone if Sh'muel did not plead with Hashem all night long according to our sages (Taanit 5b:4).
(4) he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush and sat down under it, and prayed that he might die. “Enough!” he cried. “Now, O ETERNAL One, take my life, for I am no better than my predecessors.”d
d: predecessors Lit. “fathers.”
(כא) וַתָּב֤וֹא הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַתֵּ֖רֶא כִּֽי־נִבְהַ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו הִנֵּ֨ה שָֽׁמְעָ֤ה שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ בְּקוֹלֶ֔ךָ וָאָשִׂ֤ים נַפְשִׁי֙ בְּכַפִּ֔י וָֽאֶשְׁמַע֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ אֵלָֽי׃
(כב) וְעַתָּ֗ה שְׁמַֽע־נָ֤א גַם־אַתָּה֙ בְּק֣וֹל שִׁפְחָתֶ֔ךָ וְאָשִׂ֧מָה לְפָנֶ֛יךָ פַּת־לֶ֖חֶם וֶאֱכ֑וֹל וִיהִ֤י בְךָ֙ כֹּ֔חַ כִּ֥י תֵלֵ֖ךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃
(21) The woman went up to Saul and, seeing how greatly disturbed he was, she said to him, “Your handmaid listened to you; I took my life in my hands and heeded the request you made of me.
(22) So now you listen to me: Let me set before you a bit of food. Eat, and then you will have the strength to go on your way.”
(8) He arose and ate and drank; and with the strength from that meal he walked forty days and forty nights as far as the mountain of God at Horeb.
(23) He refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But when his courtiers as well as the woman urged him, he listened to them; he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
The language (Hebrew and English) parallels as well: rising, eating, and leaving in that order for both Eliyahu and Saul with his courtiers.
Then the word of GOD came to him: “Why are you here, Elijah?”
(ו) וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל שָׁאוּל֙ בַּיהֹוָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א עָנָ֖הוּ יְהֹוָ֑ה גַּ֧ם בַּחֲלֹמ֛וֹת גַּ֥ם בָּאוּרִ֖ים גַּ֥ם בַּנְּבִיאִֽם׃
(6) And Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urimb.
b: A kind of oracle; see note at Exod. 28.30 and 1 Sam. 14.41. or by prophets.
(10) He replied, “I am moved by zeal for the ETERNAL, the God of Hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and put Your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they are out to take my life.”
(11) “Come out,” He called, “and stand on the mountain before GOD.”
And lo, GOD passed by. There was a great and mighty wind, splitting mountains and shattering rocks by GOD’s power; but GOD was not in the wind. After the wind—an earthquake; but GOD was not in the earthquake.
(12) After the earthquake—fire; but GOD was not in the fire. And after the fire—a soft murmuring sound.e
e: a soft murmuring sound In contrast to others “a still, small voice.”
(13) When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his mantle about his face and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice addressed him: “Why are you here, Elijah?”
(14) He answered, “I am moved by zeal for the ETERNAL, the God of Hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and have put Your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they are out to take my life.”
(15) Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me and brought me up?” And Saul answered, “I am in great trouble. The Philistines are attacking me and God has turned away from me; He no longer answers me, either by prophets or in dreams. So I have called you to tell me what I am to do.”
Ulitmately, King Shaul dies from suicide on the battlefield within the same day (Samuel I 31:4). In contrast, Hashem inspires Eliyahu to continue living. It is only later after Eliyahu has fully trained Elisha his successor that Hashem pulls Eliyahu up into a fiery chariot (Kings II 2:11). Within our tradition, Eliyahu is still present in our world with Havadalah, brit milah, and Pesach to see us continue our covenant with Hashem.
And here is the major question: why does Hashem act so differently here? Is Hashem's response to Eliyahu different because of what befell King Shaul?
(15) GOD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, [and] on to the wilderness of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael as king of Aram.
(16) Also anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
(17) The LORD has donee for Himself as He foretold through me: The LORD has torn the kingship out of your hands and has given it to your fellow, to David,
e: Some mss. and Septuagint read “to you.”
(ו) וַתִּצְלַ֤ח רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־שָׁא֔וּל (בשמעו) [כְּשׇׁמְע֖וֹ] אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיִּ֥חַר אַפּ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃
(ז) וַיִּקַּח֩ צֶ֨מֶד בָּקָ֜ר וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח בְּכׇל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ בְּיַ֣ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים ׀ לֵאמֹר֒ אֲשֶׁר֩ אֵינֶ֨נּוּ יֹצֵ֜א אַחֲרֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ וְאַחַ֣ר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כֹּ֥ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לִבְקָר֑וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֤ל פַּֽחַד־יְהֹוָה֙ עַל־הָעָ֔ם וַיֵּצְא֖וּ כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד׃
(6) When he heard these things, the spirit of God gripped Saul and his anger blazed up.
(7) He took a yoke of oxen and cut them into pieces, which he sent by messengers throughout the territory of Israel, with the warning, “Thus shall be done to the cattle of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” Terror from the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
(כח) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלֶ֛יהָ ק֥וּמִי וְנֵלֵ֖כָה וְאֵ֣ין עֹנֶ֑ה וַיִּקָּחֶ֙הָ֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַיָּ֣קׇם הָאִ֔ישׁ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃
(כט) וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶל־בֵּית֗וֹ וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֙לֶת֙ וַיַּחֲזֵ֣ק בְּפִֽילַגְשׁ֔וֹ וַֽיְנַתְּחֶ֙הָ֙ לַעֲצָמֶ֔יהָ לִשְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר נְתָחִ֑ים וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֶ֔הָ בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֥וּל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(28) “Get up,” he said to her, “let us go.” But there was no reply. So the man placed her on the donkey and set out for home.
(29) When he came home, he picked up a knife, and took hold of his concubine and cut her up limb by limb into twelve parts. He sent them throughout the territory of Israel.
(כ) וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֶת־הַבָּקָ֗ר וַיָּ֙רׇץ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אֵלִיָּ֔הוּ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶשְּׁקָה־נָּא֙ לְאָבִ֣י וּלְאִמִּ֔י וְאֵלְכָ֖ה אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ לֵ֣ךְ שׁ֔וּב כִּ֥י מֶה־עָשִׂ֖יתִי לָֽךְ׃
(21) He turned back from him and took the yoke of oxen and slaughtered them; he boiled their meatg with the gearh of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and became his attendant.
g: their meat Lit. “them, the flesh.” with the gear
h: with the gear I.e., using it as firewood; cf. 2 Sam. 24.22.
(יד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם לְכ֖וּ וְנֵלְכָ֣ה הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וּנְחַדֵּ֥שׁ שָׁ֖ם הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃
(טו) וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל וַיַּמְלִ֩כוּ֩ שָׁ֨ם אֶת־שָׁא֜וּל לִפְנֵ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־שָׁ֛ם זְבָחִ֥ים שְׁלָמִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׂמַ֨ח שָׁ֥ם שָׁא֛וּל וְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־מְאֹֽד׃ {פ}
(14) Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there inaugurate the monarchy.”
(15) So all the people went to Gilgal, and there at Gilgal they declared Saul king before the LORD. They offered sacrifices of well-being there before the LORD; and Saul and all the men of Israel held a great celebration there.
(21) Make for Me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being,* your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.
*: sacrifices of well-being Others “peace-offering.” Meaning of Heb. shelamim uncertain.
The ending features Elisha slaughtering of oxen. When King Shaul was crowned, sacrifices of well-being were made, which includes sheep and oxen.
The only time that King Shaul and Eliyahu are mentioned in any kind of context together is as "the eight princes of men" alongside the meshiach and the prophet Sh'muel.
The Gemara continues homiletically interpreting verses that relate to the end of days. It is stated: “And this shall be peace: When the Assyrian shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight princes among men” (Micah 5:4). The Gemara asks: Who are these seven shepherds? The Gemara explains: David is in the middle; Adam, Seth, and Methuselah are to his right; Abraham, Jacob, and Moses are to his left. And who are the eight princes among men? They are Yishai, Saul, Samuel, Amos, Zephania, Zedekiah, Messiah, and Elijah.
(א) וַיְהִ֣י רָעָב֩ בִּימֵ֨י דָוִ֜ד שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים שָׁנָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁנָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ דָּוִ֖ד אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה {ס} וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ וְאֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַדָּמִ֔ים עַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־הֵמִ֖ית אֶת־הַגִּבְעֹנִֽים׃
(ב) וַיִּקְרָ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לַגִּבְעֹנִ֖ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְהַגִּבְעֹנִ֞ים לֹ֣א מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֚י אִם־מִיֶּ֣תֶר הָאֱמֹרִ֔י וּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נִשְׁבְּע֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם וַיְבַקֵּ֤שׁ שָׁאוּל֙ לְהַכֹּתָ֔ם בְּקַנֹּאת֥וֹ לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃
(1) There was a famine during the reign of David, year after year for three years. David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD replied, “It is because of the bloodguilt of Saul and [his] house, for he put some Gibeonites to death.”
(2) The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them.—Now the Gibeonites were not of Israelite stock, but a remnant of the Amorites, to whom the Israelites had given an oath; and Saul had tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.—
(26) Saul's first act as king was his successful attack upon Nahash, king of the Ammonites, who had ordered the Gileadites to remove the injunction from the Torah barring the Ammonites from the congregation of Israel. In his next undertaking, the campaign against the Philistines, he displayed his piety. His son Jonathan had fallen under the severe ban pronounced by Saul against all who tasted food on a certain day, and Saul did not hesitate to deliver him up to death. Jonathan's trespass was made know by the stones in the breastplate of the high priest. All the stones were bright, only the one bearing the name Benjamin had lost its brilliancy. By lot it was determined that its dimmed lustre was due to the Benjamite Jonathan. Saul desisted from his purpose of executing Jonathan only when it appeared that he had transgressed his father's command by mistake. A burnt offering and his weight in gold paid to the sanctuary were considered an atonement for him. In the same war Saul had occasion to show his zeal for the scrupulous observance of the sacrificial ordinances. He reproached his warriors with eating the meat of the sacrifices before the blood was sprinkled on the altar, and he made it his task to see to it that the slaughtering knife was kept in the prescribed condition. As recompense, an angel brought him a sword, there being none beside Saul in the whole army to bear one.
(35) So perished the first Jewish king, as a hero and a saint. His latter days were occupied with regrets on account of the execution of the priest of Nob, and his remorse secured pardon for him. Indeed, in all respects his piety was so great that not even David was his equal: David had many wives and concubines; Saul had but on wife. David remained behind, fearing to lose his life in battle with his son Absalom; Saul went into the combat knowing he should not return alive. Mild and generous, Saul led the life of a saint in his own house, observing even the priestly laws of purity. Therefore God reproached David with having pronounced a curse upon Saul in his prayer. Also, David in his old age was punished for having cut off the corner of Saul's mantle, for no amount of clothing would keep him warm. Finally, when a great famine fell upon the land during the reign of David, God told him it had been inflicted upon him because Saul's remains had not been buried with the honor due to him, and at that moment a heavenly voice resounded calling Saul "the elect of God."
However, we also see collateral damage with Eliyahu's proclamation of drought specifically that of the widow and her ill son. Without Eliyahu's intervention, her son would have stayed dead.
(1) Elijah the Tishbite, an inhabitant of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the ETERNAL lives, the God of Israel whom I serve, there will be no dew or rain except at my bidding.”
(יז) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה חָלָ֕ה בֶּן־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה בַּעֲלַ֣ת הַבָּ֑יִת וַיְהִ֤י חׇלְיוֹ֙ חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֔ד עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־נֽוֹתְרָה־בּ֖וֹ נְשָׁמָֽה׃
(יח) וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ מַה־לִּ֥י וָלָ֖ךְ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּ֧אתָ אֵלַ֛י לְהַזְכִּ֥יר אֶת־עֲוֺנִ֖י וּלְהָמִ֥ית אֶת־בְּנִֽי׃
(17) After a while, the son of that woman—the owner of the house—fell sick, and his illness grew worse, until he had no breath left in him.
(18) She said to Elijah, “What harm have I done you, O agent of God, that you should come here to recall my sin and cause the death of my son?”
But what do you think?
- Why were King Shaul and Eliyahu treated differently by Hashem in their time of crisis?
- How does zeal play a role in your life? Has your zeal ever had negative consequences?
- If you were in crisis, how would you want others to help you in your suffering? How would you want Hashem to respond to your suffering?
- How would you apply what you learned to those struggling within your community?
- Jewish Family Services of Western New York: a local organization in Buffalo that provides important social services for the Jewish community including mental health counseling as well as supporting Shoah survivors and refugees
- Elijah's Journey: a suicide prevention and awareness organization named after what happened in the Haftarah
- The Blue Dove Foundation: nonprofit that addresses mental illness and addiction in the Jewish community through traditional Jewish values and philosophy
- Refuat Hanefesh: nonprofit that fights against mental illness stigma and improve Jewish communal support of mental illness
- Association of Jewish Psychologists: provide psychological support centered on Jewish identity and resources to find Jewish mental health professionals
- Lohamim Lahayim: an Israeli nonprofit that supports IDF soldiers struggling with combat-related trauma
- Osim Nefashot: an Israeli initiative that aims at promoting mental wellness through creativity and connection
- Jami: a British nonprofit that improves communication on mental health for hte Jewish community
- Jewish Federation: provides support for social service issues including mental health across the world