The Magic of the Witch of Endor

(7) Then Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me a woman who consults ghosts, so that I can go to her and inquire through her.” And his courtiers told him that there was a woman in En-dor who consulted ghosts. (8) Saul disguised himself; he put on different clothes and set out with two men. They came to the woman by night, and he said, “Please divine for me by a ghost. Bring up for me the one I shall name to you.” (9) But the woman answered him, “You know what Saul has done, how he has banned [the use of] ghosts and familiar spirits in the land. So why are you laying a trap for me, to get me killed?” (10) Saul swore to her by the LORD: “As the LORD lives, you won’t get into trouble over this.” (11) At that, the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He answered, “Bring up Samuel for me.” (12) Then the woman recognized Samuel, and she shrieked loudly, and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!” (13) The king answered her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up from the earth.” (14) “What does he look like?” he asked her. “It is an old man coming up,” she said, “and he is wrapped in a robe.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel; and he bowed low in homage with his face to the ground.

(1) Having brought up the dead, Scripture now mentions charmers and wizards , since they purport to communicate with the dead (as it is written in Isaiah, “[seek guidance] of the dead on behalf of the living” [Isaiah 8:19]). charmers [Hebrew: ’ovot] as in “jugs” [Hebrew: ’ovot] [Job 32:19] — this being a major tool of their trade. (2) wizards [Hebrew: yidd‘onim], from “knowledge” [Hebrew: da‘at]. They seek knowledge of the future. Certain empty-headed people have asserted that Scripture would not have forbidden charmers as a form of witchcraft if they were not true. I declare the exact opposite of their words: Scripture has forbidden only that which is false, but has not forbidden the truth. This is borne out by the prohibitions against idols and graven images. Were it not for my unwillingness to enter into a digression, I could elucidate definitive proofs against this practice. (3) Do not turn to learn the art. (4) Do not seek to request their services (as Saul did [I Samuel 28:8]). (5) I am God your God You must seek out God alone. That is why Scripture uses the phrase defiled by them: anyone who turns to or who seeks out these forms of magic defiles his soul, because he detaches himself from God.

(16) All of these things are false and spurious, and it was with such that the ancient idolaters misled the peoples of many lands so that they be following them. And it is unbecoming to Israel who are exceedingly wise to be attracted by these absurdities, nor to even imagine that they are of any consequence, even as it is said: "For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel" (Num. 23.23); and it is again said: "For these nations that thou art to dispossess, hearken unto soothsayers and unto diviners, but as for thee the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do" (Deut. 18.14). Whosoever believes in these matters, and their like, and suppose that there is wisdom and truth in in them, save that the Torah disallowed them, such are none other save from among the foolish and ignorant and are to be included among women and children whose mind is not sound. But wise and sound-minded people know that all these matters which the Torah disallowed are not matters of wisdom but formless nonsense followed by senseless people for the sake of which they abandoned every path of truth. Even because thereof the Torah, in admonishing against all these vanities, commanded, saying: "Perfect shalt thou be with the Lord thy God" (Ibid. 18.13).¹⁹Shabbat, 67. G.

(1) She screamed loudly. For she saw him ascending not in the usual manner⁸Radak suggests that the moment the woman saw the manner in which Shmuel came up, she realized that the man who had come to her was Shaul, and that is why she screamed. of those who ascend [through the אוֹב medium], for when one conjures up [the dead], they ascend with their feet upward, while this one was ascending with his head upward, in honor of Shaul.⁹Vayikra Rabboh 26:7.

"The Woman Saw"

There are many commentaries on this.

Rav Shmuel ben Chofni says that anything that involves the magic of Ov is fake.

Ralbag says that usually the witch excites the imagination of the person to believe they saw something, meaning it is fake magic. This explains why she shrieks because it was usually fake except for this time.

The pasuk seems to be saying that the magic of Ov is real, how is this possible?

Rav Hai Gaon and Rav Saadiah say the woman didn't bring Samuel back to life, rather Hashem did it, so Samuel could speak the truth to Saul.

The Mahari says it was a demon that took the form of Samuel, but they called him Samuel because it looked like him, meaning this was real magic.

The Baal Akedat Yitzchak says Samuel woke himself, not through the magic, meaning the magic was fake.

Why are there so many commentaries trying to say its fake, when we know that there are existing stories of magic in the Tanach?

If a regular person tries to summon up the dead the feet would come first, however if a king comes to call the dead, the head comes first. This is how the witch of Endor knew it was Saul because the head of Samuel came first.

Malbim explains that the commentaries are having trouble understanding this and ultimately say its fake because they don't understand how the magic can work on the pure soul of a Navi.

Malbim further explains that everyone has 2 souls, a lower soul and a higher soul.

The higher soul is completely spiritual and can never be affected by anything like magic. The lower soul is more attached to the body so it can be called back with magic. Samuel's higher soul was not affected and stayed with G-d, but the lower soul was not as connected to G-d, so the witch called it back to life. The commentaries don't have to be concerned because there are 2 separate parts to a soul.