사무엘상 15:5 해설: Rashi & Tze'enah Ure'enah

And he fought in the valley. [Meaning the same as] וַיִלָּחֵם בַּנַּחַל [=and he fought in the valley]. Our Rabbis said, concerning the valley, he argued and concluded, that if for the sake of one life, the Torah said to decapitate a calf in the valley,⁷See Devarim 21:4. how much more for the sake of all these lives.⁸Shaul rationalized that he will spare the animals to use as sacrifices to atone for the Amoleikites that were killed. For additional arguments presented by Shaul and their consequences, see Maseches Yoma 22b. If man has sinned, what have the animals sinned?

“He lay in wait in the valley” [15:5]. He fought with Amalek in the valley. Our sages say: Saul saw that it is written in the Torah that when an Israelite is found slain and they do not know who did it, they measured which city is closest to where he was killed. That city had to bring a calf to atone for the person who was killed the person.⁵Deuteronomy, 21:1–9. Now, Saul said: when the Torah so strongly commanded when one person is killed, how much more so can I kill so many people from Amalek? A heavenly voice went forth and said, “do not act too righteous” [Ecclesiastes, 7:16]. Do not be more righteous than what God commanded you. He allowed the city of Nob to be destroyed. They were all priests and Saul let them all be killed and did not have pity on them.⁶I Samuel, 22:9–19. A heavenly voice went forth that you should not be too much and too big of an evildoer.⁷B. Yoma, 22b.