In a moment of profound crisis and pain, a loving husband attempts to comfort his barren, heartbroken wife. Elkanah approaches Hannah with a blend of deep affection, practical logic, and spiritual encouragement, hoping to ease her sorrow over her childlessness. He addresses three distinct manifestations of her grief: her weeping, her refusal to eat, and her shattered spirit [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. His inquiry is not an attempt to discover the cause of her pain, which is painfully obvious, but rather a gentle challenge regarding its purpose. He wonders what benefit she hopes to gain from such consuming sorrow [אלשיך, מנחת שי].
Elkanah presents a series of rhetorical questions to help her gain perspective. First, he addresses her weeping, pointing out that such intense crying is typically reserved for mourning the dead, which is not their situation [אברבנאל]. Furthermore, from a purely physical standpoint, excessive weeping and fasting might actually hinder her chances of conceiving [חומת אנך]. Second, he questions her refusal to eat. They are in the midst of a festival, a time when there is a commandment to partake in the peace offerings. Beyond the religious obligation, he suggests that eating might help soothe her emotional distress and alleviate her anxiety [אברבנאל, אלשיך]. Finally, he addresses her broken heart, questioning why her spirit should be so completely crushed specifically during a holiday, a time designated for joy [אברבנאל, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד].
At the heart of his comfort is a powerful declaration of love, asking if he is not better to her than ten sons. The primary approach among commentators is that this expresses Elkanah's unwavering devotion, suggesting his love holds more value for her than the birth of ten children. An alternative perspective suggests Elkanah is declaring that his love for Hannah exceeds his love for the ten sons he already has from his second wife [רד״ק]. The mention of ten sons may specifically refer to the children born to her rival, Peninnah [רש״י, אהבת יהונתן], or it may simply serve as a general expression for a large family [רד״ק].
Beyond his declaration of affection, Elkanah offers both practical and spiritual reassurance. Practically, he reminds her that women do not carry the religious obligation to procreate. If her desire for children stems from a need for support in her old age, he promises to be her steadfast protector and provider, assuring her that even if he were to pass away first, he would leave her with ample wealth to rely upon [מלבי״ם, אלשיך]. Spiritually, he counters the cruel taunts of Peninnah, who would mock Hannah for having no sons to lead to the study hall. Elkanah reminds her that childless women still achieve great spiritual merit by supporting their husbands' Torah study. Because he engages in Torah study, she shares fully in his merit, which serves to protect her and fill her spiritual void [אהבת יהונתן, חומת אנך].
Despite Elkanah's multifaceted efforts to comfort her and speak to her heart, his words are met with silence. Consumed by grief, Hannah simply has no words to reply [אברבנאל]. Even after she eventually rises from the meal, she remains entirely brokenhearted, having neither eaten nor drunk [רלב״ג].