Parshas Tetzaveh (Zachor) 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Mar 7
- 2 min read
הלוא אם קטן אתה בעיניך ראש שבטי ישראל אתה ... (שמואל א' טו-יז)
The Haftorah of Parshas Zachor details Shaul HaMelech’s blunder in his war with Amalek and how he allowed a few cattle to live despite Shmuel HaNavi’s clear instructions from Hashem to wipe out the tyrannical nation entirely. After a brief discussion Shmuel said to Shaul, “You may look small to yourself, but you are the head of the nation of Israel... Why did you disobey Hashem?”
The question is what does one have to do with the other? Surely, even if Shaul had not seen himself as small, he would have no excuse not to heed the word of Hashem?
The Dinover Rav, R’ Tzvi Elimelech Shapira zt”l explains that while humility is a positive trait, it often makes a person doubt himself resulting in him seeking out council from someone seemingly higher than himself. Although Shaul HaMelech was a model of humility, he still possessed the capability to make clear decisions - as was the case with allowing the Amaleki sheep to be left alive. He determined on his own that while the Amaleki people were deserving of extermination, the animals probably did nothing wrong and could be left alive. As such, he did not heed the council of Shmuel HaNavi, and he did not listen to the word of Hashem.
This explains why Shmuel started by saying that although Shaul may possess humility and may be small in his own eyes, he must remember that he is the King of Israel, and he must adhere to Hashem’s word and not make unilateral decisions on whether to listen to the Almighty or not.