1. The prophet Samuel was the last judge of Israel during the period of the Judges.
2. Samuel came from the tribe of Levi, and was a descendant of Korach.
3. His mother Chana was barren for many years, until she undertook to dedicate the child that would be born to her solely to G-d.
4. After she gave birth to him, Chana thanked G-d in a very moving song called “Chana’s Song.”
5. From Chana’s prayers to have a child, the Gemara in Brachot learns out many laws related to prayer.
6. Samuel was a nazirite from birth.
7. During his lifetime, the first king of Israel, Saul, was crowned. After Saul sinned by not killing all the seed of Amalek, at G-d’s command Samuel anointed David as king.
8. According to the Gemara in Bava Batra, Samuel wrote three books of the Bible: Samuel, Judges and the Book of Ruth.
9. Our sages greatly praised Samuel, comparing his spiritual greatness to that of Moses and Aaron as is expressed in the verse in Psalms: “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those calling on His Name.” (Psalms 99:6)
10. According to tradition, he died at the age of 52, and was buried in a place called “Ramah”. This place is identified with the site known as “Nebi Samuel” overlooking the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem.
