The Context
TheHaftorahforthefirstdayofRoshHashanahisthenarrativeofChana’s prayer.Painedbyherchildlessness,ChanawenttotheMishkanandprayed fervently for a son. Eli, the Kohen Gadol, observed her:
“Channahwasspeakinginherheart,onlyherlipsweremoving,andher voicewasnotheard,andElithoughthertobeadrunkenwoman.Elisaidto her:‘Untilwhenwillyoubedrunk?Throwoffyourwinefromupon yourself.’Channahansweredandsaid:‘No,mylord,Iamawomanof sorrowfulspirit,andneithernewwinenoroldwinehaveIdrunk,andI poured out my soul before G-d.’” (Shmuel I1:12-15)
Eli apologized and blessed her.
The Question
HowcouldElihavemisjudgedChanasodrastically,accusingherof drunkenness when in reality she was “pouring out her soul”?
The Seed of the Explanation
ElididnotthinkChanawasliterallydrunk.Herprayerwassointensethat Elithoughtshewas“intoxicated”withherownneeds,whereasitwas inappropriatetodisplaythissentimentinthepresenceofG-d.Chana explainedthatshewasnotintoxicatedwithherownneeds;shewas “pouring out her soul,” a lofty form of attachment to G-d.
The Explanation
TheprayersofRoshHashanahpresentaparadox:RoshHashanahisthe daywhenwecoronateG-dasKing.Thisentailscompleteindifferenceto ourownneedsanddesires;allourattentionisplacedontheKingandHis needs.ButtheprayersofRoshHashanaharealsofullofrequestsforour personalneedssuchashealthandmaterialwealth.HowcanwecrownG-d as King while asking for our own needs?
Buttherequestforpersonalneedsisnotself-centered;itisanexpressionof oursubserviencetoG-d.InorderforG-dtoberevealedwithintheworld— forHiskingshiptoberecognizedbyall—weneedtouncovertheDivine realitythatisembeddedwithinCreation.Therefore,weneedmaterial possessionsandhealthybodiesandmindsinordertoenableusto transformourpieceoftheworldintoahomeforG-d.Weprayformaterial blessingsthesamewayasoldierrequestsfoodandshelter—heisnot concerned with himself, but rather, with the fulfillment of his mission.
Thisistrueevenforthosewhodonotconsciouslyfeelthattheirprayersare forthesakeoffulfillingtheirDivinemission.Thephysicaldesireandneed forsustenanceandsuccessisactuallypromptedbythesoul’sdesireto convertthematerialintothespiritual.Wemaynotbeawareofit,butour souliswhatdrivesustoprayevenforourseeminglyself-interested requests.
Thus,ElithoughtthatChana’spersonal,demonstrativeprayerswere self-centered.Hethereforeconsideredherprayerstobeinappropriatein theMishkan,whereonlyone’shumilitybeforeG-dshouldbeexpressed. Chanaexplainedthat,inreality,herprayersforchildrenwerenotselfish; theywereanoutpouringofhersoul’sdesiretotransformallhermaterial blessing into a home for G-d.
OnRoshHashanah,theinner“KohenGadol”mustdriveustoeraseall senseofselfishness,sothatwedonotbecome“intoxicated”beforeG-d.But westillmustaskforthefulfillmentofallourheart’sdesires,forwecannot crown G-d as King without them.
