(Some) Villains of Tanakh - Ba’alat Ha’ov (the Witch) of Ein Dor By Vered Hollander-Goldfarb

Part I – Text: I Samuel 28:3-25

Background:

Saul is forced into war against the Philistines in the region of the Gilboa Mountains. He and his army seem to be stationed at the lower level of the mountains facing the Jezre’el Valley. The Philistines are stationed in Shunem (current day village of Sulem, near the town of Afula) in the valley, across from the Gilboa Mountains. Ein Dor is located in the valley.

“Ba’alat ov:” There are several translations for this biblical term: a medium, a familiar spirit, a ghost, a witch. What seems clear is that this woman communicates with the spirit of the dead in some manner that allows her to see the dead person, but the person that sought her services is only able to hear. It is not obvious that she was able to hear the spirit she raised.

1. Pay attention to the opening verse (3). It is full of information that is significant to understanding the events that follow.

2. Many different ways are listed as means of receiving a response from God. What does it tell us about the Tanakh’s approach to the human desire to know the future?

• We may view it negatively, but various forms of divination seem perfectly acceptable at this point in history. However, some forms are strictly forbidden by the Torah.
  

3. Why does Saul disguise himself?

• Is it due to shame, fear of his own people, fear of the reaction of ba’alat haov, fear of the enemy?
  

4. What is the significance of the event taking place at night?

5. Why does the narrator tell us that the woman accuses the man (whose identity she does not know) of trying to have her killed, as Saul has killed off the ovot?

• Sometimes a narrator gives confirmation of an event by telling it twice; once the narrator speaks, and once it comes out of the mouth of a character. It helps us believe that the event happened as told.
  

6. How did the woman come to know that the unidentified visitor was Saul?

• Her response recalls episodes in Genesis: The great cry of Esau that has been tricked (Gen 27:34,) and the accusation of Jacob who was tricked by Laban (Gen 29:25). This may seem insignificant, but as the story proceeds we will be pointed to Genesis again.
  

7. Where is Samuel located?

• This might sound like a funny question, but in biblical times all dead people were understood as going to Sheol, the nether world. Pay attention to the verbs that indicate this.
  

8. Samuel’s answer is what Saul has already said himself (“God has left me”). If Saul knew this, why did he go the ba’alat ov?

9. Why does Saul collapse upon hearing Samuel’s words?

• It is not only the shock of the message (which was cruelly blunt). There is a physical reason for this. How can you explain that Saul allowed himself to get to this point? (If you are familiar with the rest of stories about Saul, try to think of any incidents that might shed light on this).
  

10. In verses 21-22 the woman creates an interesting bargain: Because she risked her life and adhered to his request, Saul now has to do as she requests. This seems even, until you look at the details in the text. How does what Saul asked from her compare with her request from Saul?

11. What other biblical character does her behavior remind you of? What is the narrator telling us?

• As we have seen, narrators were familiar with other stories and sometimes use them to add depth to their own story.
  

Part II – The Torah Sources of the Prohibition: Leviticus 19:31

1. How is the practice ov viewed?

• Notice the company it keeps, and the issue of impurity that is mentioned as resulting from such consultation. (Impurity has nothing to do with physical cleanliness). The choice of punishments is also interesting as it has 2; one that seems Heaven-given and one that is carried out by the community.
  

2. Why does it seem to be prohibited?

• And what is prohibited? Who is to receive which punishment?
  

3. What was the basis for Saul’s killing of all the Ovot?

• There is clearly a death penalty involved, but does it require the “law” (king, in our case) to actively pursue the issue, or is it only in cases that it is brought to the attention of the court? Pay attention to the word for Saul’s killings used by baalat haov in our story, and the terminology used in the Torah. Did you understand the term (and its context) in the same manner that Saul seems to have understood it?
  

Part III – Rabbinic Material

Indeed, if we stop to think about it, Saul’s behavior is less than logical, but it is very human.

What does this Midrash highlight about Saul in that situation?

We are not well trained at oath taking, so let us just remember that one takes an oath by something that is very dear to us, that being functioning as collateral. Breaking the oath would harm that being, or cause great harm to the oath-taker.

A general suggestion: Several verses are partially quoted here. It is a common practice by Midrash to quote only part of the verse, expecting the reader to know the rest. (This was the best that they could do as the rabbis had no easy reference system. The current chapter-and-verse system was still centuries away.) The part quoted is not necessarily the relevant part, or at least not all the relevant parts. Look up the full verses.

1. It seems to be a strange statement – anyone who trusts what prophets tell him is as one who takes a sword and stabs his guts. What approach to prophecy do we find here? Does this apply to all prophecy?

• Keep in mind that there are many prophecies of doom in Tanakh. Do they have to come true? What is their purpose?
  

2. This midrash fleshes out the state of mind that Saul was in over the last hours of his life. Does it seem consistent with the text? Is it consistent with life?

• Midrash is often set in a particular narrative, but its message is universal and human. If you can scrape off the story layer, you arrive at serious comments about human psyche and behavior. The midrash that might not be historically true (although some could be) could be humanly true.