Chana- A Spiritual Revolutionary

(1) There was a man from “Ramathaim-zophim.” in the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. (2) He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless. (3) This man used to go up from his town every year to worship and to offer sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh.—Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD there. (4) One such day, Elkanah offered a sacrifice. He used to give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; (5) and to Hannah he would give one double portion for he loved Hannah and the LORD had closed her womb. (6) Moreover, her rival, to make her angry, would taunt her that the LORD had closed her womb. (7) This happened year after year: Every time she went up to the House of the LORD, the other would anger her, so that she wept and would not eat. (8) Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why aren’t you eating? Why are you so sad? Am I not more devoted to you than ten sons?”

(9) After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and the priest Eli was sitting on the seat near the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.— (10) In her wretchedness, she prayed to the LORD, weeping all the while. (11) And she made this vow: “O LORD of Hosts, if You will look upon the suffering of Your maidservant and will remember me and not forget Your maidservant, and if You will grant Your maidservant a male child, I will dedicate him to the LORD for all the days of his life; and no razor shall ever touch his head.” (12) As she kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. (13) Now Hannah was praying in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. (14) Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Remove your wine from yourself. (15) And Hannah replied, “Oh no, my lord! I am a very unhappy woman. I have drunk no wine or other strong drink, but I have been pouring out my heart to the LORD. (16) Do not take your maidservant for a lawless woman; I have only been speaking all this time out of my great anguish and distress.” (17) “Then go in peace,” said Eli, “and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him.” (18) She answered, “You are most kind to your handmaid.” So the woman left, and she ate, and was no longer downcast. (19) Early next morning they bowed low before the LORD, and they went back home to Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah and the LORD remembered her. (20) Hannah conceived, and at the turn of the year bore a son. She named him Samuel, because “I asked the LORD for him.”

After explaining the uncommon expression, on her heart, the Gemara cites an additional statement in the matter of Hannah. And Rabbi Elazar said: Hannah spoke impertinently toward God on High. As it is stated: “And she prayed at the Lord,” as opposed to the common phrase: To the Lord. This teaches that she spoke impertinently toward on High. And on a similar note, Rabbi Elazar said that Elijah spoke impertinently toward God on High as well in his prayer at Mount Carmel, as it is stated: “Answer me, Lord, answer me, that this people will know that You are the Lord, God, and You have turned their hearts backward” (I Kings 18:37), claiming that God caused Israel to sin. On this topic, Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From where do we know that the Holy One, Blessed be He, ultimately conceded to Elijah that he was correct?

(21) And when the man Elkanah and all his household were going up to offer to the LORD the annual sacrifice and his votive sacrifice, (22) Hannah did not go up. She said to her husband, “When the child is weaned, I will bring him. For when he has appeared before the LORD, he must remain there for good.” (23) Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do as you think best. Stay home until you have weaned him. May the LORD fulfill His word.” So the woman stayed home and nursed her son until she weaned him. (24) When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a jar of wine. And though the boy was still very young she brought him to the House of the LORD at Shiloh. (25) After slaughtering the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. (26) She said, “Please, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you and prayed to the LORD. (27) It was this boy I prayed for; and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him.

(1) And Hannah prayed:
My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is raised high through the LORD; my mouth is enlarged over my enemies because I rejoice in Your deliverance.

(2) There is no holy one like the LORD: Truly, there is none beside You;
There is no rock like our God.

(3) Talk no more with lofty pride; let no arrogance cross your lips!
For the LORD is an all-knowing God;By Him actions are measured.

(4) The bows of the mighty are broken, and the faltering are girded with strength.

5) Men once sated must hire out for bread; men once hungry hunger no more.
While the barren woman bears seven, the mother of many is forlorn.

6) The LORD deals death and gives life, casts down into Sheol and raises up.

(7) The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He casts down, He also lifts high.

(8) He raises the poor from the dust, lifts up the needy from the dunghill,
Setting them with nobles, granting them seats of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s; He has set the world upon them.

(9) He guards the steps of His faithful, but the wicked perish in darkness—
For not by strength shall man prevail.

10) The foes of the LORD shall be shattered; He will thunder against them in the heavens.
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; He will give power to His king
and will raise the horn of His anointed one.

Alternative Translation: May He grant power to His king and raise the horn of His anointed one.

Hannah was a prophetess, as it is written: “And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord” (I Samuel 2:1), and her words were prophecy, in that she said: “My horn is exalted,” and not: My pitcher is exalted. As, with regard to David and Solomon, who were anointed with oil from a horn, their kingship continued, whereas with regard to Saul and Jehu, who were anointed with oil from a pitcher, their kingship did not continue.

(1) Give ear, O heavens, let me speak;
Let the earth hear the words I utter! (2) May my discourse come down as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
Like showers on young growth,
Like droplets on the grass.
(3) For the name of יקוק I proclaim;
Give glory to our God!
(4) The Rock!—whose deeds are perfect,
Yea, all God’s ways are just;
A faithful God, never false,
True and upright indeed.
(5) Corruption is not His-
The blemish is His chidren's

A perverse and twisted generation.

(29) Were they wise, they would think upon this,
Gain insight into their future: (30) “How could one have routed a thousand,
Or two put ten thousand to flight,
Unless their Rock had sold them,
יקוק had given them up?”
(31) For their rock is not like our Rock,
In our enemies’ own estimation