Why did she vow? This is proper for Resha'im, not for Tzadikim (Nedarim 9a)!
Malbim: It is permitted at a time of affliction (Bereishis Rabah 70:1).
Why did she say "Hashem Tzevakos"?
Rashi citing Agada of R. Yosi ha'Gelili (Pesikta Rabsi): She said, Hashem, You have two legions in this world - upper and lower. The upper (angels) do not reproduce or die. The lower reproduce and die. If I am from the lower, I should reproduce and die. 1 If I am from the upper, I should not die!
Rashi citing Brachos 31b: She was the first person to call Hashem Tzevakos 2 . She said, of all the legions You created in Your world, is it difficult for You to give to me one son?!
Why did she say "Ra'o Sir'eh"?
Radak citing Brachos 31b: If You will see [my anguish and grant my request], fine; if not, You will see that I will seclude myself with another man, and Elkanah will make me drink the Sotah water. You will not falsify Your Torah, which says, "v'Niksah v'Nizre'ah Zara" (if she is innocent, she will conceive)! 1
Brachos 31b: The Torah speaks the way people do (Radak - to join Makor (an infinitive) to a conjugated verb), like "Im Shamo'a Tishme'un"], to strengthen the matter). We need not expound it.
Pnei Yehoshua (31b): Surely, she did not really threaten to do so; it is forbidden to be secluded! Rather, she argued that she should not get less than a less scrupulous woman could "force" Hashem to give to her.
Why does it say "Amasecha" three times?
Rashi from Brachos 31b: This corresponds to three matters that [particularly] a woman is commanded about (Chalah, Nidah and Ner Shabbos). Radak - and I did not transgress one of them!
Radak: Verses sometimes repeat a name or noun to for a clear expression. We find that No'ach is mentioned three times in Bereishis 6:9, and Bnei Yisrael five times in Bamidbar 8:19.
Why did she say both "u'Zkartani" and "Lo Sishkach"?
Radak: This is to strengthen the matter.
Radak citing Midrash Shmuel 2:7 : "U'Zkartani" with Zecharim (males); "v'Lo Sishkach Es Amasecha", with females. Malbim - she should have a son now, and more than sons and daughters afterwards.
What is "Zera Anashim"?
Rav (Brachos 31b): It is one who is important among men.
Shmuel (Brachos 31b): It is one (snv) who will anoint two men [to be king,] Shaul and David.
Radak, citing R. Yochanan (Brachos 31b): It is one who is equated to two men -- "Moshe and Aharon b'Chohanav u'Shmuel b'Kor'ei Shemo."
Rabanan (Brachos 31b): It is one who will be "absorbed" among men. He will not [stand out, e.g.] be tall or short, thin or fat, pale or red, [exceedingly] wise 1 or foolish.
Rashi #1: It is Tzadikim, like "bi'Shnei Anashim Tzadikim" (Melachim 1 2:32).
Rashi #2: "Anashim" means important, like "Anashim Chachamim [u'Nevonim] vi'Ydu'im" (Devarim 1:13).
Radak #1: It is males. 2 A proof is "Mora (a razor) will not go on his head." One does not say so about females 3 !
Radak, citing Targum Yonasan: A man among men.
Radak citing a Midrash: His face should not resemble a monkey or a Seris 4 .
Radak #2: Chachamim, like "Anashim Chachamim u'Nevonim" (Devarim 1:13).
Radak #3: It is prophets, like it says [about Eldad and Meidad] "va'Yish'Aruch Shnei Anashim" (Bamidbar 11:26).
Malbim: It is someone proper to serve in front of Hashem, and not a Ba'al Mum
Torah ha'Temimah citing his father (Ba'al Aruch ha'Shulchan); Hashem accepted her prayer, yet Shmuel was a great Chacham! This shows that aptitude does not fix [the level of Chachmah that one will attain. Even though he was already a Chacham at two years old, when he was weaned (refer to 1:24:4:3), perhaps this was due to Chanah's awesome Mesiras Nefesh to raise him in Kedushah; refer to 2:19:1:1*. - PF]
Ralbag: Scientists know that Zera Anashim (the man's seed) will produce a male, if the woman's seed does not change it.
What is his proof? A woman can be a Nezirah! (Indeed, it is hard for a lifelong Nezirah to marry, due to the difficulty of covering her hair, and guarding against knots or Chatzitzos at the time of Tevilah. However, the latter stringency is mid'Rabanan; perhaps they had not yet decreed.) If he learns from Rosho (masculine), it is normal to use the masculine when the gender is not known, like she said before this "u'Nesativ"! (PF)
Torah ha'Temimah citing v'Zos li'Yehudah: Why did she concerned for this, and needed to pray about it? Midrash Shmuel 2:12 - initially, Chanah's face was like this. V'Lo Od Ela (52) - i.e. it was long and wrinkled.
What is the meaning of "I will give him to Hashem"?
Rashi (from Yalkut Shimoni 2:78): He should be proper to give him to Hashem.
Radak: He will be a Nazir, Kadosh to Hashem.
Radak citing Targum Yonasan: I will hand him over to serve in front of Hashem.
Targum Yonasan explained, I will hand him over to serve in front of Hashem. All the Leviyim are to serve in front of Hashem!
Radak, Malbim #2: Other Leviyim serve from the age of 25, and he, his entire life.
Malbim #1: Other Leviyim sometimes turn to other affairs. He will be solely to Hashem, with no worldly concerns.
Malbim #3: Morah will not be on his head. Whether this is Nezirus, or fear of people, this is not incumbent on other Leviyim.
What is the meaning of "Mora"?
Rashi citing Targum Yonasan, like R. Yosi Nazir 66a: Fear of people will not be on him. Radak - he explains as if Mora was written with an Alpeh. Malbim - he will constantly fear Hashem, so there will not be room in his heart to fear people (Chovos ha'Levavos (Ahavas Hashem, 6).
Radak citing R. Nehurai, Nazir 66a: It is a razor, just like regarding Shimshon. Shmuel was a Nazir. 1
Ralbag: We learn from here that acceptance not to shave suffices to accept Nezirus (Nazir 3b).
According to the opinion that she vowed that he will be a Nazir, how can her vow obligate him? Also, he was not yet in the world. How does her vow take effect? Also, a man can make his son a Nazir, but a woman cannot. This is a tradition from Sinai! If Elkanah heard and made him a Nazir, why does the Navi record the secondary vow, but not the primary vow? Why did the Midrash and Gemara not discuss this?
Torah ha'Temimah: Some say that since Elkanah heard and did not annul her vow, it is as if he affirmed it. The Chida disagreed; Kiyum helps only for a vow that a woman can make! Rather, Elkanah explicitly agreed [and made Shmuel a Nazir] - "Asi ha'Tov b'Einayich" (verse 23).
