Chana's Pain
Chana lived in Ramataim Zofim of Har Ephraim with her husband, Elkanah, a pious and loving man. In accordance with the times, Elkanah had a second wife named Peninah. While Peninah was blessed with many children, Chana was unable to conceive.
Every year, the family made a pilgrimage to Shiloh during the Three Festival Seasons. These trips were painful for Chana. Peninah would frequently taunt and mock her barrenness, driving Chana to tears. Though Elkanah loved Chana and tried to comfort her and asking, "Am I not better to you than ten sons?" her grief remained.
The Revolution of Silent Prayer
During one specific pilgrimage to Shiloh, Chana was at breaking point. She slipped away into the sanctuary alone and poured her heart out to HaShem. Desperate for a child, she made a sacred vow to HaShem: if He granted her a son, she would dedicate his entire life to bring the word of HaShem into the world.
As she prayed, her lips moved, but no sound came out.
She poured her soul out directly from her heart. At the time, people traditionally prayed out loud. Seeing her lips move silently and her body shaking with emotion, Eli the Kohen Gadol assumed she was drunk and rebuked her. Chana did not get defensive. She respectfully corrected him, saying that she have poured out her soul before HaShem. "
Realizing his mistake, Eli was deeply moved by her sincerity. He blessed her, saying, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition." Comforted by his words, Chana’s despair lifted.
The Birth of a Navi
God remembered Chana’s tears. Within the year, she gave birth to a baby boy. She named him Shmuel, which means "borrowed from God."
Chana cherished her time with her young son. True to her word, once Samuel was weaned, she took him back to Shiloh. She presented him to Eli, alongside an offering of gratitude to HaShem,saying: "For this child I was davening and HaShem has granted me my petition."
Her Lasting Legacy
Leaving her young child in the care of Eli the Kohen Gadol to grow up pious. Instead of mourning, Chana sang a magnificent song of thanksgiving -Chana's Tefilah. Chana was full of joy, and while davening to HaShem, she said: "My heart rejoice in Go." The first words of Chana's famous prophecy, the words of a wonderful hymn: "There is none holy as HaShem, for there's none beside Him, neither is there any rock like our G‑d."
Her tefilah became the model for all of us. From Chana, we learn how to daven-not with noise or volume, but with sincerity, intention, and a heart that is truly present before Hashem.
Chana also prophesies about the great world war, when all the world will be in a state of self-extermination, and then the Moshiach will come and bring complete redemption to the Jewish people and there will be a world in which there will be no evil, no destruction, for all the world will be full of the wisdom of HaShem.
On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, we read the Haftorah of Shmuel, which includes Tefilas Chana