14
Yes, he had a son Mephibosheth (Shmuel II 4:4).
14
Rashi to Shmuel Aleph 15:3 explains that the Amalekites were sorcerers and were capable of disguising themselves as animals - and for this reason Shaul was commanded to kill even the animals.
In his commentary to Devarim 25:19 he brings another explanation: The eradication of the memory of Amaleik had to be absolute, and even if animals remained alive they ...
13
There are not very many references to Saul in the liturgy. Here is one that portrays him somewhat negatively, in the context of his failure to destroy Amalek (from Yotser for Zachor):
זָכוֹר נָגִיד לְחָמְלוֹ הִסְכִּים. סָר מִמְּלוּכָה מִבֵּין נְסִיכִים. עוֹלֵל הַנּוֹתָר עָמַד לְשִׂכִּים:
Remember the noble who agreed to have mercy on him [Agag]. He left ...
11
This is a question asked by many commentators, so your wife is in good company :)
I'll bring four of the above-mentioned commentators here:
Rashi (Samuel 1, 17, 55) (partial)
וכי לא היה מכירו והלא כתיב (לעיל טז כא) ויאהבהו מאד ויהי לו נושא כליו אלא ראהו מתנהג בטכסיסי מלכות אמר שאול אם בא ממשפחת פרץ...
Saul indeed knew who David was, but since he ...
11
Yes, in Divrei Hayamim I 9:40 it says
וּבֶן־יְהוֹנָתָ֖ן מְרִ֣יב בָּ֑עַל וּמְרִי־בַ֖עַל הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־מִיכָֽה׃
And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begot Micah.
So he had a least one child named Merib-baal.
10
Tehillim 54
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד׃
For the leader; with instrumental music. A maskil of David,
בְּב֣וֹא הַ֭זִּיפִים וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לְשָׁא֑וּל הֲלֹ֥א דָ֝וִ֗ד מִסְתַּתֵּ֥ר עִמָּֽנוּ׃
when the Ziphites came and told Saul, “Know, David is in hiding among us.”
Tehillim 57 (Thanks, Dr. Shmuel)
לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ אַל־תַּ֭שְׁחֵת לְדָוִ֣ד ...
9
Shaul was great beyond the imagination of the people in his Generation (and how much more so ourselves) and cannot be Judged. Yalkut Shimoni Shmuel II 157:
שגיון לדוד אשר שר לה' על דברי כוש בן ימיני (Tehilim,9,1),
א"ל הקב"ה לדוד דוד שירה אתה אומר לפני על מפלת של שאול אלמלא אתה שאול והוא דוד אבדתי כמה דוד מפניו והיינו דכתיב שגיון לדוד אשר שר לה' על דברי ...
7
Radak says "Ain Somchin al hanes" Do not rely on miracles. He also compares it to Yaakov being afraid that Eisav was coming, David fleeing from Shaul and other incidents
In Pesachim 8b and Yoma 11a we are told that the protection during the mission is only if the danger is not imminent. In this case, Shmuel asked for natural means to protect himself ...
7
It is true that just from reading the words in the pasuk, it appears that Shaul was unclothed, but if you look at the different mefoshim, most seem to say that he just "Stripped" himself of his royal garments, but in fact, had more simpler clothing on. So he wasn't unclothed. Some meforshim (on that pasuk) that I am referring to are the Mitzudas ...
6
Like many other beliefs, Judaism doesn't have a clear opinion on the matter, but individual Jews do. Rashi, for example, believed in demons and gives that explanation of ruah raah in Eruvin 45b s.v. ruah ra'ah.
Accordingly, Saul's possession by the ruah raah (I Samuel 16:14) would be a demonic possession. However, like most other things, there is not a ...
6
As mentioned, according to the pure Tanach, he was one year old. The Mefarshim don't really think this is meant to be interpreted factually, and so they have a number of ways to explain this, see Shmuel and Sabbahillel's answers.
Edit: Never mind, they've been deleted. See Meafrshim here.
Being that no one else seems to be quoting this, I would like to ...
5
The Midrash Rabbah (Noach 34:13) says אך להביא את החונק עצמו, יכול כשאול, ת"ל אך--in other words, the prohibition of suicide does not apply in the case of King Saul. Although the Midrash does not explain why the prohibition does not apply to the case of Saul, the simplest explanation would be fear of torture. This is the view cited in the Otzar ha-Geonim ...
3
This is certainly apparent from the contents of Psalm 57.
3
Malbim to 19:24 (h/t Heshy) writes:
על כן יאמרו רצה לומר בזה התחזק שנית המשל שהושם בפי כולם על כל המתנבא בלא הכנה, לאמר עליו הגם שאול בנביאים
”Therefore they say” - that is to say, with this the parable which was placed in everyone’s mouth regarding anyone who prophesied without preparation was strengthened a second time, to say about him, “Is Sha’ul ...
3
I think your question is based on an inaccurate assumption.
You are assuming that these Amalekite children are being killed-punished- for the sins of their ancestors.
That's not 100% correct.
In Judaism, suffering can come for multiple reasons. These reasons can be categorized loosely into two categories: Past and Future.
For a great introduction and ...
2
I think that Shmuel really was afraid that Shaul would kill him (Shmuel I 16:2):
יֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי ס
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה עֶגְלַת בָּקָר תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ
לִזְבֹּחַ לַיהֹוָה בָּאתִי
And Samuel said, "How shall I go? For, if Saul hears, he will kill
me." And the Lord said, "You shall take a ...
2
The Mishbtzos Zahav posits that Shaul may have made the mistake that non Jews follow lineage maternially(see Kidushin 67b). If one looks closely at the passuk ,Shmuel says to Agag that he is going to make his mother childless just like he did. From this one can learn that Agag' s mother was still alive since she was not from Amalek. However, Shaul mistake ...
2
I don't have sources at the moment, but I seem to recall that some explain that Saul had specific license to kill himself because of he would have been captured, a tremendous chillul Hashem would have followed. (Remember Samson's torture at the hand of the Philistines; something like that happening to the king of Israel would have been very bad)
2
Rashi (to Judges 17:1) notes that the final two stories of the Book of Judges actually took place chronologically at the beginning of the Book. He notes that the Idol of Micah was said to be around the entire span of the Tabernacle at Shiloh (Judges 18:31), and likewise the concubine at Gibeah, the story which you reference, occurred before Jerusalem was ...
2
According to Merriam-Webster, “ecstasy” means, among other things:
1a: a state of being beyond reason and self-control
3: TRANCE
especially: a mystic or prophetic trance
Prophecy seems to fit the bill quite nicely, as when one is in a state of prophecy (Moshe Rabbeinu aside) he’s in a trance-like state. Consider Bereishis Rabbah 44:17, which ...
2
Note that in I Shmuel 10:1
וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת פַּךְ הַשֶּׁמֶן וַיִּצֹק עַל רֹאשׁוֹ
וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלוֹא כִּי מְשָׁחֲךָ יְהֹוָה עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ
לְנָגִיד:
And Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed
him. And he said, "Indeed, the Lord has anointed you to be a ruler
over His inheritance.
This implies ...
2
The prophet on his own cannot add or subtract from the torah. However, Hashem can tell the prophet to do a specific action for a problem that occurs at a specific time (הוראת שעה). Thus Shmuel was giving Shaul instructions that Hashem had said to pass on and do. This was the method that Hashem had said to use in order to destroy the memory of Amalek.
...
1
Some additions to Doniel's answer:
In Hebrew, the form of התפעל is commonly translated as "to act upon oneself" like להתלבש - dress oneself, so the verb להתנבא can be translated not as "prophesizing" but as "preparing oneself for prophecy" or "achieving a state close to prophecy", which can be interpreted as extasy.
Because G-d initiates a prophecy, or "G-...
1
There are number of sources that speak about Shaul Hamelech's righteousness.
To add to what has already been said, I will base the bulk of my answer from a Mishnas Rebbi Eliezer, but will also add other source that support the points.
In Mishnas Rebbi Eliezer 10 (starts at the bottom of the page) it notes Shaul's overarching humilty. At the time that Shmuel ...
1
But isn’t it written: “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children (nor shall sons be put to death because of fathers; each man shall be put to death for his own transgression.)"(Deuteronomy 24:16)? Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is better that one letter and one mitzva be uprooted from the Torah in this manner and thereby ...
1
Unlike some of the other commentators mentioned, Ralbag accepts Saul’s question at face value and provides a practical explanation:
רבים יתמהו איך יתכן שלא ידע שאול בן מי הוא וכבר סיפר במה שקדם שכבר שלח שאול מלאכים אל ישי שישב בנו דוד עמו וידמה כי המלך לרוב עסקיו ולרוב הבאים לפניו לא יוכל להכיר כל אחד מהם בפרט ויתבאר מתשובת דוד לו ששאילת שאול לא היתה כי אם ...
1
The 1st verse that you cited I Samuel 9:15 says that "Saul will save my people from the hand of the Philistines". That concept goes along with the beginning of the verse that says that Samuel is to appoint him as a "prince" over my people.
In the beginning, as in I Samuel 13 (kudos to @Menachem), he did defeat the Philistines and saved Israel from their ...
1
Based on the Malbim's explanation to this chapter.
Shaul and Shmuel were looking at this campaign from different angles.
Shmuel- based on Hashem's command - had in mind to destroy Amalek totally and wipe out all traces of them. This was a punishment for Amalek attacking the Jews while they were in the desert for no other reason than to prove that Gcd ...
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