שמואל א, פרק א׳, פסוק י״ד

A silent, prolonged prayer in the Tabernacle leads to a severe misunderstanding. Eli the Priest observes Hannah's unusual behavior and steps forward to rebuke her, firmly believing she is under the influence of wine. His suspicion stems directly from her physical demeanor: her lips are moving, but no sound is coming out. Most worshippers, even when praying quietly, make at least a faint sound. Her extended, completely silent prayer gives her the appearance of someone who is intoxicated or acting foolishly [רד״ק].

Eli questions how long she intends to remain in this state, implying that she has been presenting herself this way for quite some time [מצודת דוד]. His rebuke actually addresses two different levels of intoxication. He first confronts the possibility that she is completely drunk, and then considers that she might at least be heavily under the influence of alcohol [אלשיך].

He demands that she sober up and rid herself of the alcohol's effects, perhaps by sleeping it off or taking similar actions [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The harshness of Eli's reaction is rooted in the severe disrespect of the situation. While drunkenness is generally inappropriate, it is entirely unacceptable in the House of God [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A person who is intoxicated is not allowed to pray and is forbidden from even remaining inside the holy sanctuary. Eli is therefore ordering her to leave, rid herself of the drunkenness, and only return to the holy grounds once she is completely sober [מלבי״ם].