A man or woman who sets himself apart by making a Nazirite vow to abstain for the sake of the Lord. He shall abstain from new wine and old wine... he shall not 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 man or woman commits any of the sins against man to act treacherously against 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 [reason] did you see to destroy this beautiful hair of yours?" He replied: "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 [his beautiful hair] for the sake of Heaven.'" l immediately arose and 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 do not see the face of the Lord empty handed, etc. in accordance with the 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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