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• The Zohar (Zohar I, 181a) teaches that Samuel's anointing of Saul with oil was the transmission of the light of Malkhut — the sefirah of kingship — into a human vessel. The oil of anointing is not symbolic but operative: it creates a channel between the king and the upper worlds through which divine authority flows downward. The Sitra Achra cannot counterfeit this anointing, which is why it must corrupt the anointed from within.
• According to Zohar II (Zohar II, 205a), the signs Samuel gave Saul — meeting men carrying provisions, then a band of prophets — were waypoints on a spiritual GPS, confirming that Saul was moving along a trajectory ordained in the upper worlds. Each sign was a layer of spiritual armor being fitted to the new king. The Zohar teaches that divine confirmation through progressive signs is how the righteous know they are aligned with heaven rather than the Sitra Achra's counterfeits.
• The Zohar (Zohar III, 190a) explains that when the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he prophesied among the prophets, this was the full activation of the channel created by the anointing oil. "Is Saul also among the prophets?" was asked mockingly by those who could not perceive the spiritual transformation. The Sitra Achra uses social skepticism to undermine the confidence of newly anointed warriors, which is why Saul's later insecurity was so devastating.
• Tikkunei Zohar (Tikkun 18) interprets Saul hiding among the baggage when chosen by lot at Mizpah as a critical failure point — the moment the Sitra Achra's strategy against Saul became visible. A king who hides from his own coronation signals to the upper worlds that the vessel may not hold. Contrast this with David, who never hid from his destiny. The Klipot recognized in Saul's hesitation a crack they could later widen.
• The Zohar (Zohar I, 182a) notes that the "worthless men" who said "How can this man save us?" and despised Saul were agents of the Sitra Achra sowing division at the very moment of national unity. The Other Side attacks every new dispensation of holiness at its inception, when it is most vulnerable. Saul's silence in response ("he held his peace") could be read as restraint or as the first sign of a king who would not fight when fighting was required.
• Sanhedrin 20a discusses the public selection of Saul at Mizpah by lot, noting that the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin, then the clan of Matri, then Saul son of Kish. The Talmud records that the lot functioned like the Urim and Thummim, providing divine confirmation of the private anointing. The sages treat the double confirmation — private anointing plus public lot — as the standard for legitimate kingship.
• Berakhot 10a records that Saul prophesied among the prophets after his anointing, prompting the question "Is Saul also among the prophets?" The Talmud discusses whether Saul's prophetic experience was temporary (a sign of his anointing) or indicated genuine prophetic capacity. The sages conclude that the Spirit descended on Saul as a function of his office, not his personal merit — a distinction that would prove significant.
• Sanhedrin 19b notes that "worthless fellows" (b'nei beliyaal) challenged Saul's legitimacy and refused to bring tribute, and the Talmud records that Saul refrained from punishing them. The sages debate whether this restraint demonstrated admirable humility or dangerous weakness. The Talmud reads this moment as foreshadowing Saul's later inability to execute judgment decisively — the trait that would cost him the kingdom.
• Megillah 14a discusses the signs Samuel gave Saul to confirm his calling — meeting men carrying goats, bread, and wine near Rachel's tomb, then encountering prophets. The Talmud notes that each sign connected Saul to aspects of his future role: the goats to sacrifice, the bread to provision, the prophets to governance under divine guidance. The signs were a compressed curriculum for kingship.
• Kiddushin 38a records that Saul was anointed during the wheat harvest, and the Talmud connects the timing to the agricultural calendar that governed Israelite life. The sages teach that the coronation during harvest season signified that the king's primary obligation was to ensure material prosperity through spiritual faithfulness. The king is the mediator between heaven's blessing and earth's abundance.