It began, as so many good things do, with a story.

It was the story of a great talmid chacham who, lo aleinu, lost his only son. And how he took that personal tragedy and turned it into a gift for future generations, by writing a Torah commentary in memory of his son — and including in his Introduction a promise: “… [those who learn my Torah] will see children, and children’s children … wise and discerning, and homes filled with everything good, and wealth and honor ….”

We’re talking, of course, about Rav Shimshon Chaim Nachmani, the Zera Shimshon, whose sefarim and the segulah connected with them have become household words.

But the story — and the many stories of people who were helped through this segulah — was just the beginning. Because when word of the recently rediscovered commentary came out, thousands flocked to learn it. They realized that the commentary, written in 18th-century Italy, was a hidden treasure of Torah thought. A treasure indeed, but one difficult to access, since the commentary is complex, with countless allusions to concepts and texts from all over the vastness of the Written and Oral Torah.

Again and again, we at ArtScroll heard the request: Give us an elucidated translation so that we, too, can truly understand this beautiful but difficult commentary!

And so began the Haas Family Edition Sefer Zera Shimshon — an elucidation of the Zera Shimshon on Torah, which has just celebrated the release of the final edition in the 10- volume project. (An additional three volumes cover Zera Shimshon on Megillas Esther, Rus, and Eichah. Koheles and Shir HaShirim are in advanced stages of preparation.)

It wasn’t easy. The style of the commentary often included complex reasoning and esoteric ideas, difficult to make understandable. “The very excellent staff was notfamiliar with the sefer — we all learned on the job!” says Rabbi Shmuel Kirzner, General Editor of the project. But the huge effort was successful: One who learns Zera Shimshon is immediately catapulted to the realms of Derush and Remez, usually in the framework of an exquisite tapestry of interwoven ideas. The combination of breadth and depth make the sefer truly unique — and ArtScroll’s elucidation makes it very understandable.

The story of Zera Shimshon’s author does not end. It lives on, in the eternal words of his Torah.

Order your copy today on artscroll.com