Recently, friends chose the name Hannah for their daughter after reading about the character of Hannah in the Rosh Hashanah Torah service.
They thought the name itself was lovely – perhaps the root comes from the word chen, meaning grace. But they were also moved by the biblical Hannah’s strength of character, as well as her faith and her presence.
The story highlights Hannah’s ability to stand up for herself. A woman whom many might dismiss as typical in a patriarchal world, Hannah suggests a model of independence and commitment that may have resonance today.
Hannah was the prophet Samuel’s mother. That’s how most of us know her, if we know her at all.
She wanted a baby but couldn’t conceive, a rather common biblical theme. We might discount her conventional desire for motherhood or acknowledge the Bible’s clear presentation of a woman with an independent will and a forceful voice.
As she was immersed in despondency, her husband tries to please her. He declares his love for her as being “more than ten sons.” This is a mighty declaration from a biblical patriarch, even given the fact he had another wife with sons.
But Hannah was not to be diverted. She went to God’s holy place and spoke her mind, and she entered our tradition beyond the mere story of motherhood or Samuel’s importance.
Hannah prayed to God. Out of the depths of misery, but immersed in faith, she called to God, and in that moment, she established the pattern of proper prayer for all Jews for all time.
What an accomplishment for a woman!
The priest, Eli, tries to stop her, thinking that she’s drunk. Incredibly, she doesn’t shrink back in apologies but respectfully stands her ground.
He then blesses her, accepting that he erred.
Hannah gives birth and dedicates her son’s life to God’s work. She also composes a song to God’s greatness that’s an eloquent part of the Sephardi holiday prayer book.
The Talmud tells us that, among other things, we learn to pray from Hannah. She stood silently with her lips moving. That becomes the authoritative format for the main prayer of every service, the Amidah. She also taught us to pray to God through our needs.
Three biblical women offer songs of praise and thankfulness to God: Miriam, Deborah and Hannah. Many other biblical luminaries offer inspiring prayers to God, but only Hannah becomes the model for prayer.
Hannah freely approaches the holy place of God and speaks to God on her own. A priest acknowledges her rightful place there, a beloved woman standing independently with her own sense of self. She’s a woman with strength of faith, self-reliance and determination.
What a wonderful combination of traits and what a wonderful model for today’s religious and non-religious world.
