The Remarkable Story of Samson

1. Samson, from the tribe of Dan, was the 13th judge of Israel, and his life story is recorded in the Book of Judges.
2. His mother had been barren for many years, but she and her husband Manoah were told by an angel of Hashem about the upcoming birth.
3. Although Samson's mother's name is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, the Talmud (Baba Batra 91) reveals it to be "Hazelelponi."
4. The angel instructed Samson's mother not to drink wine during her pregnancy. Samson himself was a Nazirite from birth, forbidden from drinking wine or cutting his hair.
5. As long as his Nazirite vows were maintained, Samson possessed supernatural strength, which he used to fight the Philistines, who ruled over southern Israel during his leadership.
6. Samson's power was a source of great trouble for the Philistines, and despite several attempts, they were unable to capture him.
7. The only person who succeeded in learning Samson's secret was Delilah. After persistent coaxing, Samson finally revealed to her that his strength lay in his uncut hair, leading to his capture. Delilah cut his hair, and the Philistines blinded him and imprisoned him.
8. The Philistines celebrated his downfall and brought him to the Philistine temple of Dagon. Samson asked the young boy leading him to place him between the temple's pillars, prayed to Hashem for one last surge of strength, grasped the pillars, and declared, "Let me die with the Philistines." The building collapsed, killing everyone inside.
9. The Bible claims that Samson killed more Philistines in his death than he did during his life.

10. According to tradition, the graves of Samson and his father Manoah are located in the Zorah Forest, near Beit Shemesh.