In Memory of our beloved David Schwartz, who fell in battle sanctifying God’s name, on 27 Tevet, 5784 (8 January 2024).
“Le’David Barchi Nafshi” is a compilation of essays written on the weekly Torah reading by David Schwartz, of blessed memory. First published on the occasion of his marriage to Meital, David’s unique Torah thoughts that delve into the depths of the Torah are shared now to elevate his memory and sanctify his soul.
The source of the laws of nazir come from this week’s Torah reading. In Naso we read how a nazir may dedicate himself or herself to God. As it states, “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them if any man or woman makes a vow to separate himself or herself from God, he or she should not drink wine etc” (Num. 6:2). The word “nazir” here is translated as “separation.” The word was previously used in the Emor Torah reading with a similar meaning. As it states, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, and they should separate the sacred things of the children of Israel” (Lev. 22:2).
On the other hand the root of nazir also has another meaning in the Torah. In the Torah reading of Tzav it has the meaning of “to crown.” “And he set the headdress on his head; and on the headdress, in front, he put the gold frontlet, the holy crown (nazir)” (Lev. 8:9). Likewise in our Torah reading this week it states that “the nazir should not become impure because the NZR the “crown” for God is on his head.” Therefore the parsha of Nazir contains both meanings of the word, as it connotes “separation” and to “crown.”
There are three prohibitions of the nazir during his time of separation. First is the prohibition on consumption of wine and grapes. Second is the prohibition of cutting hair, and the third law of separation prohibits defilement through a dead body. In Rashi’s comments on the passage he emphasizes the first prohibition. He asks: “Why was the passage of nazir put adjacent to the passage of the sotah?” Rashi answers, “The reason is to inform you that anyone who sees a sotah in her state of disgrace should take upon himself to abstain from wine [by becoming a nazir]” In other words, one separates from wine in order to dedicate himself to God above. From Rashi’s commentary, it seems that the central action of the nazir concerns separation from wine, since wine may cause levity and negative activities. The separation is for the purpose of God to stay away from bad actions. .
From the verses in the Torah it seems that a Jew who strives to go up in holiness and purity in the service of God may dedicate himself to become a nazir. On the essence of the prohibition of cutting hair, the Abravanel explains: “And behold his hair is called a crown because just as a king is recognized as a king through the crown on his head, so a nazir is identified from the great amount of hair on his head in the image of a nazir.” In other words, the long hair of the nazir constitutes a barrier from the rest of the population and represents the separation of the nazir.
Regarding the prohibition of corpse defilement, it is possible to say that the prohibition of defilement expresses a separation for the impure, which brings one to holiness as it states that one is “holy to God.”
Thus the three prohibitions in one way or another express separation from the concerns of this world.
At the end of the parasha of nazir, we learn that the nazir is obligated to bring a sin offering to God at the completion of the nazir separation. From what we saw above, the question is, what relevance is there for a sin offering when one is dedicating himself in holiness as a nazir?
Basically, the nazir refers to a Jew who wants to take upon himself stringencies and additional behavior that could lead him to higher levels of holiness and purity “for the purpose of heaven,” as Rashi explains. The whole purpose of man is not designated except so that one may climb to these higher levels. If that’s the case, how is it that this initiative toward sanctification obligates one to bring a sin offering?
Therefore it seems to me that essentially the obligation of the sin offering at the completion of the nazir period of separation is meant to teach two principles in the service of God: 1. The separation and withdrawal from the congregation even when it is meant with good will, and even for the purpose of a mitzvah, constitutes in itself a sin. 2. God does not desire asceticism and separation from the world as a necessary means of service for drawing close to God. This yearning to elevate oneself in holiness is certainly a blessed thing in itself. The Torah comes to emphasize that this yearning for holiness should not come at the expense of participation in this world and in community life, with all that such implies.
Likewise God created His world for it to be used by us, so such a withdrawal from use of material things for the reason of elevating oneself in holiness would be a mistake. Yet the Torah recognizes this that these efforts at separation and asceticism are able to help in specific circumstances to merit one to reach higher levels, but specifically on account of this the Torah makes clear that by bringing a sin offering it one is not performing the ideal means of worship by separating oneself as a nazir.
A relevant discussion on this topic appears in the Talmud, Tractate Taanit 11a. There the sage Shmuel said, “One who makes a fast day for himself is called a sinner.” The Talmud explains that this follows the opinion of Rabbi Elazar HaKappar the Great, who said: ‘What is the meaning when the verse states, with regard to a nazirite: “And he will atone for him for that he sinned by the soul [nefesh]” (Numbers 6:11). But with what soul did this nazirite sin? Rather, the nazir sinned by the distress he caused himself when he abstained from wine, in accordance with the terms of his vow.’”
The Talmud continues that this is derived from logic. “As this one [the nazir] who caused himself pain by only abstaining only from wine, is called a sinner, then clearly one who abstains from each and every matter of food and drink when he fasts, all the more so should he be considered a sinner.”
From this passage in Tractate Taanit, we see that our sages see asceticism and self-denial in fasting and by the nazir as negative actions.
It is evident from the Torah that there are two principle ways to serve God. One way is through separation from desire in the world with the direct objective of drawing close to the Divine. The second is through bringing about the broadening of the soul specifically through the connection to material matters in the life of this world. It is clear that the will to draw close to the Creator is positive on its own. However, the Torah mentions and emphasizes through the obligatory sin sacrifice that God created the world so that it contains two opposing desires, the good inclination and the evil inclination. As opposed to angels, God created man with the intent that man live his material life in partnership with the spiritual life. Specifically in this status, man can express his greatness by connecting the two realms of desire.
The Netivot Shalom explains in a similar manner. “Such is that case that when man is confronted with the question of what path he should take to serve God, whether to absolve himself from worldly concerns is the simple path, but the higher path is to raise all the matters of this world to the Divine for this is the desired purpose.
I will conclude with the important Torah teachings of Rabbi Elimelech Biderman: “A Jew needs to make an effort. God says I will give you a blessing of a livelihood on Rosh Hashana at the beginning of the year on condition that you make an effort. I commanded it as a mitzvah so putting the effort in to fulfillment is a mitzvah. However realize that included in the mitzvah of striving to do the mitzvah is also the concept of “don’t add” additional precepts to the Torah more than God has already commanded.”
Translation by Akiva Herzfeld ([email protected])