Zera Shimshon
Zera Shimshon is a Jewish text[1][2] Zera means seed (of).[2]
Written by Shimshon Chaim Nachmani,[3] a kabbalist (Moreinu HaRav Shimshon Chaim ben Reb Nachman Michoel, died 1779)[4][5] who lived in Italy.[6]
As is common for Jewish texts, the name of the work is also used to identify the author.[7][8]
Source of merit[edit]
The only child of the 1706-born[9] author of this work died as a child. Zera Shimshon was written in memory of that child, and its author wrote that studying it would lead to heavenly blessings.[4][5]
Subjects[edit]
The Zera Shimshon contains approximately 774 essays arranged in 59 chapters. These chapters represent the 54 parashot of the Pentateuch, and the Five Megillot, viz: Song of Songs, Book of Ruth, Lamentations, Book of Esther, and Ecclesiastes.
Besides the full Hebrew/Aramaic editions of Zera Shimshon, a number of editions have been prepared of portions of the book, often with explanatory commentary, including:
Shir HaShirim.[11]
Zera Shimshon Hamevuar on Eishes Chayil[12]
Haggadah Zera Shimshon "Haggadah Zera Shimshon". Greenfield Judaica.
Besides the Zera Shimshon, the author also published a book entitled "Toldot Shimshon," which is a commentary on Pirkei Avot.
Biography[edit]
Born in Modena, his father, Nachman Michoel, arranged for him to initially study with the local rabbi, Ephraim Cohen Lipshitz, his maternal grandfather. He subsequently studied in Mantua with its rabbi, Abiad Sar-Shalom Bazilla, author of a work named "Emunat Chachamim." Later on he studied Kabbalah in Reggio with its rabbi, Benjamin Alexander HaKohen Vitali.
Ordained, he initially moved to Mantua, becoming a local teacher, subsequently returning to Modena to both teach and lead a congregation. His main work Zera Shimshon (commentary on Chumash and Five Megillot) was published in Mantua (1778); his Toldot Shimshon on Pirke Avot was published in Leghorn (1776).
References[edit]
- ^ Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser (January 24, 2020). "Hashem Has Other Plans". The Jewish Press.
The Zera Shimshon elucidates the matter in the following way:
- ^ a b "Parsha of the Week Archives". Jewish Link NJ.
"Zera Shimshon", means the Seed of Shimshon
- ^ Rabbi Nachman Seltzer (2018). Zera Shimshon 2. ISBN 978-1-4226-2226-1.
- ^ a b "Zera Shimshon". Iggud HaRabbonim.
passed away 6 Elul 5539 (1779)
- ^ a b "If You Must Compare". The Jewish Press. December 13, 2019.
- ^ "The Segulah Of The Zera Shimshon: The Inside Story". Yeshivaworld. November 13, 2017.
- ^ Israel Meir Kagan known as the Chofetz Chaim
- ^ Rashi: HaCohen-Kerner, Yaakov; Schweitzer, Nadav; Mughaz, Dror (2011). "Automatically Identifying Citations in Hebrew-Aramaic Documents". Cybernetics and Systems. 42 (3): 180–197. doi:10.1080/01969722.2011.567893. S2CID 40235689.
- ^ "This Month in Jewish History".
- ^ Naḥmani, Shimshon Ḥayim; Kirzner, Shmuel (2020). Zera Shimshon on Megilas Esther. ISBN 978-1-4226-2568-2.
- ^ Zera Shimshon Shir HaShirim.
- ^ "Mekor Judaica Zera Shimshon Eishes Chayil".
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "NAHMANI, SAMSON HAYYIM BEN NAHMAN". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
External links[edit]
- Zera Shimshon Organization (organizes study groups, publishes a weekly "Gilyon")
- Weekly (multi-lingual) Zera Shimshon Podcast
- English-language translations of selected essays from Zera Shimshon
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