THE ART OF LISTENING TO YOUR RABBI
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THE ART OF LISTENING TO YOUR RABBI
King Shaul was given a clear and absolute command from the prophet Shmuel, dictated by G-d: Go and utterly destroy Amalek. Do not spare them. Slay man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” (I Samuel 15:3) This was no ordinary war. The mission was not about political conquest or expansion but about fulfilling a divine decree: the eradication of Amalek, the nation that had attacked the Jews in the wilderness with no provocation, embodying the eternal force of evil. Since then, anyone who attacks Jews, just out of hatred, is considered from the root of Amalek.
Shaul fought and won the battle. However, instead of completing the task as commanded, he spared Agag, the king of Amalek, and preserved the finest sheep and cattle. Instead of listening to Shmuel, he followed the counsel of another great Sage and close friend, Doeg HaEdomi.
Why did Saul not kill Agag immediately?
Shaul had a moment of hesitation because, through prophetic vision, he foresaw that a righteous descendant would emerge from Agag’s lineage. Our Rabbis tell us that Haman, who was a descendant of Agag, had descendants who converted and became great Rabbis in Bnei Brak, like Rabbi Shmuel bar Shilat. Shmuel bar Shilat is mentioned in multiple places in the Talmud as a dedicated and beloved teacher. He was known for his incredible devotion to his students and to education, someone who would treat his students like his own children, ensuring that they were not only knowledgeable but also well-cared for and disciplined in their studies. This insight shook Shaul. If something good could come from Agag’s bloodline, perhaps it was not right to destroy him completely. However, this was a miscalculation, a classic example of human reasoning interfering with the direct command from Shmuel the Prophet in the Name of G-d. Shaul may have thought he was acting wisely, but in reality, he had disobeyed a direct order.
That night, G-d revealed to Shmuel: “I regret that I have made Shaul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My commands.”(I Samuel 15:11) Shmuel was devastated. He stayed up the entire night crying and praying for Shaul, but in the morning, he knew what had to be done. When Samuel confronted Shaul, the king greeted him confidently: “Blessed are you to G-d! I have fulfilled the word of G-d!” Shmuel replied with the piercing question: “What then is this sound of sheep and cattle I hear?” If Shaul had truly obeyed, how could there still be livestock alive? Shaul, realizing the confrontation, attempted to justify himself: “The people spared the best of the sheep and cattle to offer them as sacrifices to G-d.” Shmuel responded with the eternal lesson: Obedience is better than sacrifice. Listening is better than the fat of rams. G-d values obedience over human rationalizations. Then came the final verdict: “Because you have rejected the word of G-d, He has rejected you as king.”
Shaul begged for forgiveness, but the decree had already been issued. His reign was over. Meanwhile, Agag spent the night in captivity in a pit. Agag, realizing that he was doomed, prayed bitterly. He wept to G-d that night over the fact that he had no offspring, no legacy, it was going to be the end of Amalek. And in response to his tears, G-d allowed him a moment of salvation —just enough time to father a descendant. How? According to the Midrash, Amalek were skilled in sorcery. When they saw that Shaul was killing all of Amalek, they used magic to transform themselves into animals, blending among the sheep and cattle. That night, Agag was visited by a slave woman who had been magically disguised as an animal, and from that union, a child was conceived. This child’s lineage would eventually lead to Haman the Agagite, the villain of the Purim story, who nearly succeeded in annihilating the Jewish people centuries later.
At dawn, Shmuel himself took up a sword to complete the mission that Shaul had failed to finish. Agag was brought before him, and he walked delicately, “ma’adannot” (gently, in a pampered way). He felt a false sense of security. Why? Because he saw before him an elderly prophet, not a warrior. He even said: “Surely the bitterness of death has passed.” In other words: If I was going to be executed, it would have happened last night. If I am still alive, then maybe I have been spared. On a deeper level, he Agag was calm, as he knew, that the end of Amalek did not happen. He knew that his seed will live on.
Shmuel, however, delivered his final words: “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” Agag had used his sword to murder Jewish men. Now, justice would be served—measure for measure. Shmuel then executed Agag in a highly unusual manner. The text states: “And Samuel axed Agag to pieces before G-d in Gilgal.” He did not merely kill him; he dissected him completely. This was a rare, severe form of execution—one that signified finality, an end to Agag’s direct reign of terror. Yet, the damage had been done. Agag’s lineage had already survived.
Shaul’s hesitation had allowed Agag’s descendants to survive, leading to Haman the Agagite—the arch-enemy of the Jews in the Persian Empire. Haman would go on to orchestrate a genocidal plot to wipe out the Jewish people. The very mercy Shaul had shown to Agag nearly resulted in the total destruction of the nation he had been chosen to protect.
However, history came full circle.
Esther, a descendant of Shaul, ultimately corrected his mistake. She and Mordechai led the Jewish people to victory, bringing Haman’s downfall. On the 71st day of his reign, Haman was hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordechai.
When Agag said to Shmuel וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲגָ֔ג אָכֵ֖ן סָ֥ר מַר־הַמָּֽוֶת The word אכן numerical value is 71. This is why Agag was walking to Shmuel so calmly. Agag was telling Shmuel that the day will come, when Amalek will rise for 71 days, to destroy the Jews. To which Shmuel responded, וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁכְּלָ֤ה נָשִׁים֙ חַרְבֶּ֔ךָ כֵּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ל מִנָּשִׁ֖ים אִמֶּ֑ךָ, hidden in these words, is that a Jewish woman, Esther, will take down Haman.
There are so many lessons we can take from this story. 1. Shaul thought he was acting wisely by sparing Agag, but human reasoning cannot override ציווי השם Divine Command. 2. The Power of a Single Decision. One night of hesitation led to centuries of suffering. Haman’s near-destruction of the Jews could have been prevented if Agag had been executed immediately. 3. Evil must be eliminated completely. When we allow small remnants of negativity to remain—whether in our personal lives, in society, or in history—it has a way of growing back stronger. 4. Prayer can change reality, even for the Wicked. Agag’s heartfelt prayer in his final moments led to a descendant who nearly destroyed the Jewish people. 5. No mistake is beyond correction, even if it takes generations to fix. Although Shaul failed, Esther and Mordechai completed his mission centuries later.
