What is the meaning of "va'Yirdehu"?
Rashi: This word refers to removing something stuck, e.g. bread stuck to the wall of an oven (they used to stick dough to the walls of the oven to bake it), or honey stuck to cakes of wax in a hive (Shabbos 117b, 95a). Also Yonason translated so. 1
Radak: He translated 'v'Naschei', which is like "Beis Ge'im Yisach Hashem" (Mishlei 15:25) - breaking something off its place. Also "veha'Kohanim Yirdu Al Yedeihem" (they took bribes to tilt the verdict - Radak Yirmeyah 5:31).
Rashi implies that the honey was on the lion's body. It should be forbidden to eat, due to Kivush (absorptions from the carcass)!
Malbim, Shem Aryeh 22: Indeed, because he went to take [Tum'ah, i.e.] a Pelishti woman, he stumbled to eat Tamei honey 1 . This is like it says (Sotah 9b), he desired something Tamei [therefore he needed a Tamei matter to save his life]. 2
Rav Elyashiv (Sotah 9b): The Rosh cites R. Yonah, who permits Isur dissolved in honey. However, the Rosh disagrees.
It was a Safek if the honey absorbed enough from the carcass to give taste, and even if it did, perhaps the carcass had already decayed, so all absorbed taste was detrimental. Perhaps this is considered a Sefek-Sefeka, which is permitted. 3 (PF)
According to Lev Yitzchak (refer to 14:8:2:1*), we can say that the honey was in a hive, and did not touch the lion. (PF)
Why did his parents stumble in Isur?! Even according to the opinion that Mano'ach was an ignoramus, he and his wife merited to see the angel leave his physical garment (refer to 6:22:3:3 and the notes there). Hashem guards Tzadikim from eating Isur (Gitin 7a)! Really, it was a Safek (refer to 14:9:2:3); perhaps it truly was permitted. However, it was a Safek to Shimshon; he should have refrained. The verse implies that he ate immediately, before asking a Nochri chef to taste it. (PF)
And even if it is a single Safek, the Rambam (Hilchos Isurei Bi'ah 18:17) holds that the Torah permits all (most) Sefekos; Chachamim had not yet forbidden them. However, many argue with the Rambam. (PF)
