On Shevat 7, 5759 (January 24, 1999), MK Yitzchak Mordechai quoted scriptures to tell us how bad a leader he thinks Benayamin Netanyahu is. One of these was about Samuel the Prophet telling King Saul that the kingdom had been torn from him that day. I totally reject his analogy, but rather his remark reminds me of the day Netanyahu became the prime minister of Israel and of the passage in I Samuel about the anointing of Saul.

I Samuel 9:16 says: "At this time tomorrow about this time I will send a man to you from the territory of Benyamin, and you shall anoint him ruler of My people Israel. He will deliver My people from the hands of the Philistines; for I have taken note of My people, their outcry has come to Me."

HE WILL DELIVER MY PEOPLE FROM THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES; FOR I HAVE TAKEN NOTE OF MY PEOPLE, THEIR OUTCRY HAS COME TO ME. - At the time of the elections in 1996, the people of Israel were crying out in pain over the terror attacks by the Palestinians-a people that has assumed upon themselves the legacy of the Philestines of old. By Adar (February - March) of that year, 5756 (1996), we were having a bombing a week, with horrifying numbers of injuries and deaths! On the Fast of Esther were special prayers at the Kotel. Never had I ever heard such an outcry to G-d for relief. In the midst of the prayers came the announcement that yet another bomb had exploded in Tel Aviv, wounding about 100 and killing 17-children in their Purim costumes included. I wonder if those who now rant about how bad the last two and a half years have been have forgotten just how miserable-to the point of being unbearable-life was under the Rabin-Peres government. Our security has most definitely improved, which was a large point on Benyamin Netanyahu's platform.

In the Hebrew text there is a vertical line between the first two words of the verse in I Samuel, which translate: "At this time" and "tomorrow". The rabbis tell us that, as well as the simple meaning of the verse, the line in this passage indicates that it would apply to two time periods-the time of Samuel and a time in the future, such as our own day. Considering the term "At this time" applicable to the time of Samuel, the next time period would begin with the word "tomorrow". Beginning with this word to count the simple gamatria of the verse, it comes the same number as the phrase: "Rosh mimshelah (Government head) 11 Sivan 5756", which was the date of the election for the head of Israel's government.

Years before, Benyamin Netanyahu had been told by the Lubavitch rebbe, Rabbi Schneerson, that he would one day be the prime minister of Israel. Then, during the run up to the elections, Rabbi Kaduri, the eminent, elderly Kabbalist of Jerusalem, laid hands on him and blessed him, saying he would be the next prime minister. Given the gamatria of the verse above, the parallel of the anointing of King Saul by the Prophet Samuel and the blessing of Benymin Netanyahu by Rabbi Kaduri is especially striking. Yes, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made the mistake of bending to pressure, just as King Saul did. However, like King Saul, I think he is the anointed leader of Israel for our time, which is not something any of modern Israel's past leaders, nor any of our current contenders for leadership can claim.