וְהִ֖יא מָ֣רַת נָ֑פֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל עַל־יְהוָ֖ה וּבָכֹ֥ה תִבְכֶּֽה׃
Dengan hati yang sangat pedih, Hana berdoa kepada Yang Mahakekal sambil menangis tersedu-sedu.
Seder Olam Rabbah
Eli led Israel for forty years, and the day Eli died, he forsook his tabernacle, as it is said, “He rejected the tent of Joseph” (Psalm 78:67), and “He gave His strength into captivity” (Psalm 78:61). And the Ark of the Lord was in the field of the Philistines for seven months. The Philistines called and said (1 Samuel 6:1-2). The men of Kiriath-Jearim came and took it, and it was from the day the Ark rested (1 Samuel 7:2). Subtract from these seven years the time David reigned in Hebron over Judah, which remained there for thirteen years, and subtract eleven years for Samuel himself and two years for Samuel and Saul. It was from the day the Ark rested (1 Samuel 7:2). At the beginning of these twenty years, the Tabernacle was brought to Nob. Although the Ark of the Lord was in Kiriath-Jearim, in Nob they offered sacrifices for thirteen years and for seven years in Gibeon. At the end of twenty years, David moved the Ark of the Lord from Kiriath-Jearim to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, and the Ark of the Lord stayed in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months (2 Samuel 6:11). From this, we learn that Obed-Edom was blessed only because of the Ark of God.
Saul was one year into his reign (1 Samuel 13:1). Samuel said to Saul at the time of his anointing, “You will go down before me to Gilgal” (1 Samuel 10:8). Saul went down in the first year and struck the Ammonite king, and the Israelites anointed him. In the second year, he went down and did not keep his promise. Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord” (1 Samuel 13:13). In that chapter, David was anointed, as it is said, “And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul?’” (1 Samuel 16:1). Then Samuel took the horn of oil (1 Samuel 16:13), and he was twenty-nine years old. And Saul was hostile towards David (1 Samuel 18:9), and it is said, “The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul” (1 Samuel 16:14). In that chapter, Nob was destroyed, and they came to Gibeon.
All the days of Samuel the Seer were only fifty-two years. It is also said, “Eli the priest sat on the seat” (1 Samuel 1:9), and she was bitter in soul (1 Samuel 1:10). In that chapter, he was appointed as a judge, and it is said, “And he judged Israel forty years” (1 Samuel 4:18). Thirteen years remained. Subtract one year for the intercalation, eleven years for Samuel, and one year for Saul. Thus, fifty-two years. Samuel died about four months before Saul's death, as it is said, “And the number of days that David stayed in the field of the Philistines was days and four months” (1 Samuel 27:7). And afterward, David inquired of the Lord, saying (1 Samuel 30:8). Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he began to reign (2 Samuel 2:10), and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. The kingdom of Israel was therefore nullified for five and a half years. All the elders of Israel came to King Hebron (2 Samuel 5:3). In that chapter, David was anointed again, being thirty years old at his anointing (2 Samuel 5:4), and he reigned for forty years.
Saul was one year into his reign (1 Samuel 13:1). Samuel said to Saul at the time of his anointing, “You will go down before me to Gilgal” (1 Samuel 10:8). Saul went down in the first year and struck the Ammonite king, and the Israelites anointed him. In the second year, he went down and did not keep his promise. Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord” (1 Samuel 13:13). In that chapter, David was anointed, as it is said, “And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul?’” (1 Samuel 16:1). Then Samuel took the horn of oil (1 Samuel 16:13), and he was twenty-nine years old. And Saul was hostile towards David (1 Samuel 18:9), and it is said, “The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul” (1 Samuel 16:14). In that chapter, Nob was destroyed, and they came to Gibeon.
All the days of Samuel the Seer were only fifty-two years. It is also said, “Eli the priest sat on the seat” (1 Samuel 1:9), and she was bitter in soul (1 Samuel 1:10). In that chapter, he was appointed as a judge, and it is said, “And he judged Israel forty years” (1 Samuel 4:18). Thirteen years remained. Subtract one year for the intercalation, eleven years for Samuel, and one year for Saul. Thus, fifty-two years. Samuel died about four months before Saul's death, as it is said, “And the number of days that David stayed in the field of the Philistines was days and four months” (1 Samuel 27:7). And afterward, David inquired of the Lord, saying (1 Samuel 30:8). Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he began to reign (2 Samuel 2:10), and he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. The kingdom of Israel was therefore nullified for five and a half years. All the elders of Israel came to King Hebron (2 Samuel 5:3). In that chapter, David was anointed again, being thirty years old at his anointing (2 Samuel 5:4), and he reigned for forty years.
Shemot Rabbah
“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: This is the statute of the paschal offering; no foreigner shall eat of it” (Exodus 12:43).
“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: This is the statute of the paschal offering” – that is what Scripture said: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul; and in its joy no stranger can meddle” (Proverbs 14:10). Why is it so? It is only that just as the heart senses the trouble that it experiences, so, too, when a person rejoices, the heart rejoices first, as it is stated: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul.” Likewise, David said: “My heart flutters, my strength fails me” (Psalms 38:11). In my joy, my heart rejoices first, as it is stated: “Therefore, my heart is glad and my glory rejoices” (Psalms 16:9), and so it says: “For my sighs are many and my heart is faint” (Lamentations 1:22). In the future, the Holy One blessed be He brings [relates to] all the limbs but first consoles only the heart, as it is stated: “I will speak to her heart” (Hosea 2:16).
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is Hannah, who suffered greatly, as it is stated: “She was bitter of soul” (I Samuel 1:10); she, by herself.1Hannah was barren but her husband had children by his other wife. When she was remembered,2When she bore a son. God remembered her by herself, as it is stated: “And in its joy no stranger can meddle” (Proverbs 14:10); and it is written: “My heart exults in the Lord…because I rejoice in Your salvation” (I Samuel 2:1); I exulted by myself but no other will exult with me.
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is the Shunamite woman. When? It was when her son died and she went to complain to Elisha. What is written? “Geḥazi came to push her away, but the man of God said: Release her, for her soul is bitter within her…” (II Kings 4:27). When he sent Geḥazi to revive her son and said to him: “Take my staff in your hand” (II Kings 4:29), the Shunamite said to him: ‘“By the life of the Lord and by your life” (II Kings 4:30), you abided in God’s mysteries. At first, you gave me a son; now, again abide in God’s mysteries, and revive him’ – that is: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul.”
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is David. When he went down to Akhish3The Philistine king of Gath. to assist him, he was there for three days, and the Amalekites came and took his [David’s] wives and his children captive and burned Tziklag, David began crying, as it is stated: “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him” (I Samuel 30:6). They did not do so, but rather they rescued their wives, their sons, and their daughters and came to the Land of Israel and took up the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place. What is written there? “Also David the king rejoiced with great joy” (I Chronicles 29:9).
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is Israel, who were subject to enslavement in Egypt. When they came to leave, and the Holy One blessed be He decreed for them to perform the paschal offering, the Egyptians came to eat with them. God said to them: Heaven forbid! “No foreigner shall eat of it;” that is: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul; and in its joy no stranger can meddle.”
“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: This is the statute of the paschal offering” – that is what Scripture said: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul; and in its joy no stranger can meddle” (Proverbs 14:10). Why is it so? It is only that just as the heart senses the trouble that it experiences, so, too, when a person rejoices, the heart rejoices first, as it is stated: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul.” Likewise, David said: “My heart flutters, my strength fails me” (Psalms 38:11). In my joy, my heart rejoices first, as it is stated: “Therefore, my heart is glad and my glory rejoices” (Psalms 16:9), and so it says: “For my sighs are many and my heart is faint” (Lamentations 1:22). In the future, the Holy One blessed be He brings [relates to] all the limbs but first consoles only the heart, as it is stated: “I will speak to her heart” (Hosea 2:16).
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is Hannah, who suffered greatly, as it is stated: “She was bitter of soul” (I Samuel 1:10); she, by herself.1Hannah was barren but her husband had children by his other wife. When she was remembered,2When she bore a son. God remembered her by herself, as it is stated: “And in its joy no stranger can meddle” (Proverbs 14:10); and it is written: “My heart exults in the Lord…because I rejoice in Your salvation” (I Samuel 2:1); I exulted by myself but no other will exult with me.
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is the Shunamite woman. When? It was when her son died and she went to complain to Elisha. What is written? “Geḥazi came to push her away, but the man of God said: Release her, for her soul is bitter within her…” (II Kings 4:27). When he sent Geḥazi to revive her son and said to him: “Take my staff in your hand” (II Kings 4:29), the Shunamite said to him: ‘“By the life of the Lord and by your life” (II Kings 4:30), you abided in God’s mysteries. At first, you gave me a son; now, again abide in God’s mysteries, and revive him’ – that is: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul.”
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is David. When he went down to Akhish3The Philistine king of Gath. to assist him, he was there for three days, and the Amalekites came and took his [David’s] wives and his children captive and burned Tziklag, David began crying, as it is stated: “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him” (I Samuel 30:6). They did not do so, but rather they rescued their wives, their sons, and their daughters and came to the Land of Israel and took up the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place. What is written there? “Also David the king rejoiced with great joy” (I Chronicles 29:9).
Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is Israel, who were subject to enslavement in Egypt. When they came to leave, and the Holy One blessed be He decreed for them to perform the paschal offering, the Egyptians came to eat with them. God said to them: Heaven forbid! “No foreigner shall eat of it;” that is: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul; and in its joy no stranger can meddle.”