Kommentar zu Schemuel I 7:21

They appointed. Designated.

From the time the Ark came to rest in Kiryas Yearim. And they saw the retribution which befell them because of the sin of Eili's family, and the mighty deed which the Holy One, Blessed is He, had visited upon the Philistines.

The house … was drawn after Adonoy. Through Shmuel who would travel from city to city, judging and reproving them.

וַיִנָּהוּ' is an expression of drawing; in Aramaic, 'תִּתְּנֵהוּ לְפוּלְחָנִי' [they were drawn after My worship]. And similarly 'וְלֹא נֹהַּ בָּהֶם' it is no use to attract them to good.¹ Yechezkeil 7:11. Menachem classifies 'וַיִנָּהוּ' as an expression of lamentation, as in 'נְהִי נִהְיָה' [a lament has come to be].²Michoh 2:4. And similarly 'וְלֹא נֹהַּ בָּהֶם' [is rendered as, 'and they will have no remorse']. And the meaning of 'וַיִנָּהוּ אַחֲרֵי ה' is, "they lamented their evil deeds, and returned after 'ה." Another explanation is that 'וַיִנָּהוּ' means 'and they gathered,' as in, "And all the nations will be gathered into it [Yerusholayim]"³Yirmiyohu 3:17. which the Targum renders, "And all nations will gather into it to worship." In this manner, the verse 'וְלֹא נֹהַּ בָּהֶם' may be rendered לֹא מֵהֶם "neither from them," וְלֹא מֵהֲמוֹנָם "nor from their multitude וְלֹא [מִ]נֹהַּ [שֶׁ]בָּהֶם meaning nor from their gathering.

They drew water and poured it out.⁴Perhaps as Dovid did in II Shmuel 23:16. Targum Yonoson renders, "and they poured out their hearts like water, in repentance, before '."⁵See Eichah 2:19.ה And according to its simple meaning, it is merely symbolic of humility, [i. e.,] we are before You like these poured out waters.⁶Water may also be referring to the Torah which is often compared to water. By filling their hearts with Torah, the Bnei Yisroel were able to recognize their sins, feel the need to change their ways and return to ‘ה.

Shmuel judged. Between two litigants regarding monetary matters between them,⁷People sought to cleanse themselves of sins that had been committed between their fellow man. They first had to rectify their misdeeds. They therefore went to Shmuel, for him to judge them and to determine who owed what to whom and what wrongs had to be corrected. or concerning sins which they had committed.

And offered it all as a burnt offering. The כְּתִיב is 'וַיַעֲלֶהָ' because it was a female.⁸Although the קְרִי is in the male form. From here our Rabbis deduced that a female animal is acceptable as a burnt offering on a private altar.⁹

Until below Beis Kor. Below Beis Sharon.

And Shein. The peak of the rock.¹⁰Or שֵׁן may denote the shape of the rock, i.e. it was shaped like a tooth; and it may be the same crag referred to below in 14:5.—Da’as Sofrim.