A

eat any product of the grape vine, from seeds to skins. (Bamidbar

6:2-4)

Sinner or Holy Man?

Shmuel said: Anyone who perseveres in fasting is called a sinner. He

agreed with the Tanna who taught: R. Elazar HaKafar said in the name of

Rabbi: What do we learn from the verse and atone on his behalf for sinning

by the soul (Bamidbar 6) – against

whose soul did he sin? Rather, he grieved himself by abstaining from wine. From

this we can learn a kal va'homer argument: This one who only caused

himself grief by abstaining from wine is called a sinner – all the more so in

the case of someone who abstains from many things.

R. Eliezer says: He is called holy, for it is said, he shall be

sacred, and he shall allow the growth of the hair of his head to grow wild (ibid). This one who only caused himself grief

by abstaining from one thing is called holy – all the more so in the case of

one who abstains from many things.

(Ta'anit 11a)

Should one say that since envy and passion

and honor etc., are a bad path and they remove man from the world, "I will

renounce them completely, distancing myself from them as much as possible, to

the point of not eating meat or drinking wine or marrying, or dwelling in a

pleasant dwelling or wearing nice clothes but sackcloth and rough wool, etc, as

do the idolatrous priests?" – This too is a wrong way, and it is forbidden

to follow it. He who embarks upon this path is called a sinner, for the Torah,

in reference to the Nazirite, says and atone on his behalf for sinning by

the soul. – The Sages said: If a Nazirite, who only denied

himself wine, is need of expiation, all the more so one who has cut himself off

from everything! Therefore, the Sages decreed that one should abstain only from

those things banned by the Torah; he should not bind himself with vows and

oaths regarding permitted activities. So said the Sages: Is it not enough for you

that which the Torah forbade – you have to enjoin yourself from other things?

Those who constantly deny themselves are not on a good path, and the Sages

forbade one from tormenting oneself with fasts. Regarding all these and similar

things, Solomon decreed: Don't overdo goodness and don't act the wise man to

excess, or you many be dumbfounded.

(RaMBaM, Hilhot De'ot, 3:1)

Since it is referring to the case of a corpse that appeared by surprise

and the Nazirite is in no way guilty [for becoming ritually unclean through

contact with it], it is clear that the sin is that he abstained from wine. If

this circumstance did not befall him he would not have been called a sinner,

since it was proper for him to abstain from physical pleasures in order to

achieve the spiritual pleasure of clinging to God, however, since that

circumstance [of ritual defilement] was forced upon him it served as a sign

that he was unworthy [of being a Nazirite], and thus he had pointlessly caused

himself grief by abstaining from wine and sought something of which he was

unworthy.

(The NeTziV of Volozhin, Ha'Amek Davar Bamidbar 6:11)

A man or woman who

sets himself apart

Esti Melamed

Two surprising and

fascinating passages appear in our parasha, and their proximity to each other

begs for explanation; these are the terrible and difficult passage dealing with

the Sotah [woman accused of adultery], and the puzzling and wondrous passage

dealing with the Nazirite. Our Sages expounded upon their mutual proximity, and

stated: "Anyone who sees a Sotah in her disgrace will decide to abstain

from wine" (Sotah

2a, among others). I think that this well-known dictum possesses more

depth than would appear at first glance.

Any reading of the Sotah

passage arouses pain and shock. Betrayal of one's spouse is certainly a most

serious sin. It is not for nothing that the verse, Should any man's wife go

astray and deal treacherously with him (5:12), echoes the opening verse of the passage

dealing with the guilt-offering that comes before the Sotah passage: When a

God, and that person is [found] guilty (5:6). Breach of the covenant of marriage

is like doing injury to the God who caused His name to dwell in that covenant. We

must not forget, however, that no one but the Sotah herself (and her

accomplice, if she is indeed guilty) knows if she has sinned. If there had been

witnesses to the sin, no ceremony would be necessary. The sin – or to be more

precise, the fear of possible sin – exists for the meantime only in the

husband's jealous mind. He is afraid of the hidden, of the unknown, of the

thought that his wife experienced something without him, without his knowledge,

beyond his absolute control and ownership of her. Some have viewed this

jealousy – whether it be justified or not – as an expression of love. Natan

Alterman put it well in his poem Nigun Atik ("Old Melody”, from his

book, Ir HaYonah, City of the Dove; the poem was set to music by

Mordechai Ze'ira). In the first three stanzas, the narrator describes

his powerful, boundless love for the woman addressed by the poem. For her, he

will give up all his wealth, his life, and "his two eyes." The fourth

and final stanza reveals that this love comes with one condition: "But if

you once laugh/without me in a party of your friends/ my jealousy will come in

silence/and burn your house down upon you."

It is this terrible

jealousy that serves as the foundation for the Sotah ceremony. There is no way

to prettify its violence and humiliation. Throughout the ceremony the woman is

treated as an object, or, more precisely, as a demonic and threatening

creature. It is impossible to establish dialogue with her, and she is offered

no opportunity to defend herself. The husband and the priest perform all the

actions of the ceremony, leaving the woman entirely passive, save the utterance

of two words she must say in acquiescence to her fate: "Amen, amen." Furthermore,

she is to be disgraced and made repulsive in order to strip her of her dignity,

her humanity, and – of course – her beauty, which is the basis of the sin

(perhaps actual, but mostly potential). The Mishnah devotes an entire tractate

to the Sotah, and it describes in detail the processes through which she is

made ugly. The Torah, however, focuses on one detail: and [the priest] shall

expose the woman's head. The leper's head is also uncovered and he is not

allowed a haircut when he is sent out of the camp (Vayikra 13:46); the

mourner acts similarly (Vayikra 10:6). Incidentally, the tearing of the Sotah's garb,

which is mentioned in the Mishnah (Sotah 1:5), may have been derived via analogy

to the leper and the mourner, who tear their clothing. All three – the leper,

the mourner, and the Sotah – have come into contact with impurity, with the

dark and threatening elements of human existence. Their uncovered, unbounded

hair symbolizes their exit from the social domain, from the community. Leprosy,

a disease which certainly involves more than the simple bodily dimension,

arrives (as Scripture implies and as the Sages understood things) as a

punishment for improper interpersonal behavior. The social domain is always

unexpected, "eternally surprising": from the moment I step beyond my

personal boundaries to encounter another person, the possibilities – and risks

– are boundless. Human contact can invite mutual enrichment or be dragged down

to evil, envy, and cruelty. Leprosy reminds us of the boundaries that must be

respected in our social negotiations; one who is struck by leprosy suffers an

"educational punishment" – he is sentenced to complete social

isolation. The mourner has encountered death, the absolute loss, the foundation

of all the uncertainty and fragility

of human existence. As for the Sotah – she and her husband suffer the pains of

uncertainty and fear that lie in wait to attack the marriage covenant. The

covenant between man and wife must be founded upon trust and communications. If

they do not face towards each other even when they are not physically together,

the connection between them cannot last. At best this will result in apathy; at

worst it will bring antagonism and jealousy.

Hair grown wild and

uncovered is also typical of the Nazirite – he seems to want to escape to a

world of complete certainty. He separates himself from death, even (and

especially) the death of those closest to him. He abstains from wine, from joy,

and from their attending dangers. He avoids the threats of the slippery slope,

especially those related to breaches against modesty and holiness. He grows his

hair wild to announce his disavowal of the accepted social world – the

wreath of his God is upon his head. The Nazirite is worried – rightfully – by

the uncertainty, the lack of clarity, and the concerns associated with life in

this world. He wishes to exchange that life for a "sterile," clear,

and unambiguous existence. The Sotah represents the dark abyss to which

uncertainty and fear of uncertainty may lead. She is dragged there against her

will, even if her original deed was voluntary. The Nazirite freely chooses the

bright peak of abstention, closeness to God is good for him and he hopes

to reach complete certainty and to completely control every nook and cranny of

his life and character.

It would be

enlightening to read the story of the Nazirite from the South in this context. The

story appears in several places and variants; I quote the version from Nedarim

9b:

Shimon

HaTzaddik said: Only once in my life have I eaten of the trespass-offering

brought by a defiled Nazirite. On one occasion a Nazirite came from the South

country, and I saw that he had beautiful eyes, was of handsome appearance, and

with thick locks of hair symmetrically arranged. I said to him: "My son, what

"I was a shepherd for my father in my town. [Once] I went to draw water

from a well, gazed upon my reflection in the water, whereupon my evil desires

rushed upon me and sought to drive me from the world [through sin]. But I said

unto it [my lust]: 'Wretch! why do you vaunt yourself in a world that is not

yours, with one who is destined to become worms and dust? I swear that I will shave you off

kissed his head, saying: "My son, may there be many Nazirites such as you

in Israel!

Of you says the Holy Writ, A man or woman who sets himself apart by making a

nazirite vow to abstain for the sake of the Lord. (Based in Soncino translation)

This beautiful story has been interpreted

many times and by great scholars. It offers a precise description of the

"ideal type" of the Nazirite: the moment in which he looks at himself

is the moment he discovers the abyss opened at his feet, of beauty's great

seductiveness, which is here embodied in his long hair. The path to overcoming

the danger is clear to this Nazirite: he must cut his hair – precisely while

living under his oath of being a Nazirite. He does this entirely for the sake

of heaven, and, thereby, he completely subdues his evil inclination. For Shimon

HaTzaddik, this is the proper essence if being a Nazirite: a complete

renunciation of all potential human dangers and temptations, leading to true

closeness to God.

And what of us? We seem to enjoy neither the

Nazirite's calm nor the Sotah's misery, both of which are founded upon fear. Living

in a world whose fundamental experience is that of uncertainty, we have no

choice but to try to create, to the extent we can, lives of trust and beauty,

faith and courage, dialogue and ability to look one another straight in the eyes.

Life that is not steered by fear and uncertainty, but rather by the will and

aspiration to build human ties in the spirit of and you shall walk in His

ways: wishing the best for others, grace, and peace, as are found in the

priestly blessing that follows immediately upon the Nazirite passage. The

ability to find support and a source of strength in human ties – despite all

the fears and dangers – is itself perhaps the true wonder [peleh] of

which Scripture speaks: a man or a woman who sets himself apart [yafli].

If only it would be so.

Esti Melamed is a mother and editor

May the Lord bless you and keep you

May the Lord bless you This covers every blessing

appropriate to each person. As we wrote in Devarim 16:16 on the verse, and

blessing the Lord your God has granted you. The blessing will be according

to the blessing received up to now; one engaged in Torah [will be blessed] in

his studies, one engaged in business [will be blessed] in his commerce. In this

way this general blessing of may the Lord bless you includes a enhancement

of whatever it is a person has.

And keep you. Every blessing requires keeping [or

guarding] that it not become a temptation for him, God forbid. The Torah

scholar must be protected from pride, desecration of the Name, and the like,

and also literally, that he not forget [that which he has learned]. The wealthy

man needs to be protected from wealth that does him ill, as was the case with

Korah, Nevot HaYizraeli, and the like, and literally it means protection from

theft and loss. And so it is with everything requiring a blessing, that it

requires protection from becoming a source of sorrow.

(HaAmek Davar 6:24)

And place peace upon you: Peace in your entering, peace in

your exiting, peace with every person.

(Sifri Naso 42)

…It would seem that this passage (5:5-8;

the section dealing with the guilt-offering for theft) is intended to

remove from the camp an evil that could encourage fights and disagreements;

that is – that one must be careful not to unjustly damage the property of

others, or try to exploit the weakness of others who lack avengers.

…and so this section (pertaining to the

Sotah, 5:11-31) follows upon a passage intended to remove controversy

and conflict from Israel in general, for this [the Sotah] passage is meant to

remove conflict from the household, and household peace comes before the

nation's peace…

…and this section (regarding the Nazirite,

6:1-21) follows Sotah passage, whose purpose is to remove conflict and

loss from the household, because the point of this [the Nazirite] section is to

calm the individual's internal conflict and loss that is associated with

physical desire that can lead to sin…

…and after it recalled that which removes strife between a person and

himself, and that which removes conflict and disagreement and loss from the

household and from the entire nation, it brings up this passage, which is that

of the priestly blessing, thus making a wonderful comment about perfection and

genuine peace.

(RaLaBaG, as quoted by

Nehamah Leibowitz, z"l's Iyyunim le-Sefer Bamidbar, 45-6)

And when a person walks toward peace nothing injures or touches him,

since he steps towards peace. That is why one must pursue peace, for a person must

be drawn towards his completion, since everything in the world is drawn towards

its completion, for without completion it is half a thing and moves towards its

completion, like a baby in his mother's belly whose existence moves towards its

completion. And so all things in the world when incomplete move towards

completion. For the movement of the seed in the ground is towards completion,

and so too all the creatures move towards their completion, and therefore man

is required to pursue peace, for it is the completion of a thing even when it

is not with it. We have also clarified this elsewhere (Netivot, Netiv HaShalom, chapt.1). When he is

party to a dispute he becomes the opposite of this, for he is not drawn towards

completion and he has no peace, and the princes were the principle of peace in

Israel, for the prince would make peace between people in his tribe, and when

those twelve princes were linked and joined together, then there was complete

and appropriate peace. And I have heard a tradition from my rabbis that this is

why the passage about the princes appears next to the passage of May the

Lord bless you and keep you. It is in order to say that this peace granted

by the blessed Lord is established through the princes, when they are joined

together. That is why the passage about the princes appears and that they [the

two passages] are next to each other.

(MaHaRal MiPrague – Drasha

LeShabbat HaGadol)

The Erasure of God's Name and Domestic Peace

And the man shall be clean of sin: When the man is clean of sin,

the waters check his wife. If the man is not clean of sin, the waters do not

check his wife, and as a result the Name of Heaven will be erased for no

reason.

(Rashi Kiddushin 80b)

[If one only has enough

money to buy one of them and] the lamp of his home and the lamp of Hanukah are

set before him, or the lamp of his home and the [wine for the] Kiddush of the

day [are set before him], the lamp of his home takes precedence because of [the

importance of] domestic peace, since God's own Name is erased in order to make

peace between man and wife.

(RaMBaM Hilkhot

Megillah ve'Hanukah

4:14)

The Torah Deals

Strictly with Theft from Converts

And if there is no

man to redeem: This means that the claimant who put him to the oath

died and left no heirs… Our Rabbis asked: But can you find anyone in Israel who has

no kinsman whatsoever, neither a son nor a brother nor other relative near akin

to him from his father's family, going back as far as Jacob? But this person

referred to is a proselyte who died and has no heirs.

(Rashi on Bamidbar 5:8, Silbermann

translation)

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