Near the end of Slihot every night, the evocative piyut “Mi She’Ana” (“He Who Answered”) is recited. It recounts Biblical personalities whom God answered and helped in their times of crisis or distress, and turns to God to answer us as well.
Shmuel called the people of Israel to gathered at Mizpa where they could further their teshuva process together and where Shmuel would pray for them.
The Ark had been returned to Israel after the catastrophic capture of the Ark and destruction of Shiloh by the Plishtim, and now the people were returning to God.
They fasted and prayed at Mizpa, but when the Plishtim heard that all of Israel was gathered at Mizpa, they mounted an attack.
The people cried to Shmuel to pray for them, and he offered a burnt offering to God. God protected Israel on that day and stopped the Plishtim, and Bnei Yisrael changed from the pursued into the pursuers, returning lost Israelite territory and preventing the Plishtim from invading for a long span of time.
Shmuel had been inspiring the people to reach greater spiritual heights, but they suddenly received a severe test: threat of imminent enemy attack. Would Shmuel’s efforts be for naught?
At times, troubles appear to arrive as a consequence of an act of goodness. People may conclude that “no good deed goes unpunished.” At these times, painful challenges can feel patently unjust.
But we can strive to respond to these challenges by using them as a catalyst for growth, for proactive good, and we can reach new spiritual heights by reaching toward God even when it seems that we are receiving a slap in the face.
God answered Shmuel and the people of Israel, and a disheartening crisis did not turn them away from God.