Shaul-Shmuel

This year we have many oddities in the Jewish calendar. We had a Friday fast day on עשרה בטבת. We will have Erev Pesach on Shabbat. And we are about to experience a three day Purim, known as פורים משולש.

Because our Jerusalem Torah reading this Shabbat is for Purim, we will recite the identical Haftarah as the one we read last Shabbat.

There must be an important message regarding this particular Haftarah. Shmuel gave Shaul very specific orders to destroy Amalek. Shaul was weak and feared public opinion over following the words of the prophet.

What is extremely striking is the dialogue between Shmuel and Shaul. Shmuel appears to be expressing his great disappointment in Shaul. He truly loved him and had so much hope and faith in his potential. In exasperation Shmuel says, ולמה לא שמעת בקול ה׳, “And why didn’t you listen to the voice of Hashem?”

In other words, “You, Shaul, could have had it all. You only needed to fear G-d more than you feared man, and you would have achieved greatness. Your lack of faith and fear of man, will be your undoing.”

There is an obvious lesson in this tragedy. Greatness awaits us all if we will only trust in G-d.