NUM32 They [the men of the Great Assembly] said three things:… and make a fence for the Torah. Pirkei Avot, Perek I, mishnah 1. People wonder about the need for the many Talmudic laws that we are required to observe. Essentially they are a "fence," instituted to protect the biblical commandments against the danger of violation. This is a basic approach, found in the Bible itself. The nazir is a person who took upon himself a vow of abstinence which forbade him to drink any wine or other intoxicating liquors [this verse ff.] The Bible, however, imposes upon him further restrictions: he may not drink vinegar derived from wine, or eat dried grapes, raisins or anything else derived from the grape vine. These are fences designed to keep the individual distant and remote from the area where danger might lurk. Man is only human and can succumb to temptation. The least association with the forbidden can ignite a chain reaction which could shortly lead to the most flagrant transgressions. The Sages of the Talmud had a most realistic view of human nature and the power of the attraction of sin. If you have a small-voltage battery with water exuding, you can touch it without receiving a shock, because it is weak. But if you have a 110-volt battery, you must insulate it against the strength of the current by putting tape or some other material around it. When you are dealing with a powerful dynamo, certainly you need something even stronger by way of insulation. The Sages were well aware of the power of sin. Both in its moral and intellectual forms, sin appeals to the human being with a force and pull that is almost compulsive. Furthermore, sin is all-pervasive. Particularly in the lands of our dispersion, the very environment militates against Torah and its observance. Under such circumstances, the Sages were wise to insist upon heavy and continual insulation. "Make a fence around the Torah." Stay far away from sin.

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NUM33 Self-Denial. As familiar as some of us are with overindulgence, others know its opposite, which is self-denial. The Jewish tradition has been very consistent in raising as much opposition to asceticism as it does to self-indulgence. (Aesthetic voices can be found in the Jewish tradition. Pirkei Avot 6:4, for example, says "This is the way of the Torah: you shall eat bread with salt, drink a measurement of water, sleep on the ground, and live a life of pain." The main stream has developed a virtual consensus, however, and is not in favor.) Neither is seen to be a positive value or a spiritual practice. Hence we find there is no tradition of monasticism or celibacy in the Jewish world. The closest we come is the tradition of the nazir [this verse], which is the name given to people who take a temporary vow of abstinence from wine, haircutting, and contact with the dead (of whom Samson is the most famous example). But the abstinence of the nazir is more permitted then it is condoned, as we learn from the fact that the Torah demands a sacrifice of atonement for one who takes on Nazarite behavior: "And make atonement for him, for he sinned regarding the soul" (Numbers 6:11). The Talmudic sage Rabbi Elazar Ha'Kappar extends what we learn from this requirement for atonement: "If one who afflicted himself only with respect to wine is called a sinner, how much more so is the one who aesthetically refrains from everything considered a sinner!" (Nedarim 10a). Similarly, the law states that whoever fasts excessively is called a sinner (Ta'anit 11a), and the Jerusalem Talmud and asks: "Is it not sufficient what the Torah has forbidden you, that you seek to prohibit from yourself other things?" (Nedarim 9:1). Though not condoning asceticism, the Mussar teachers do speak of a kind of abstinence that is good and valuable. The ability to restrain ourselves is a necessary soul-trait and the very one that is often invoked to guide a person who seeks to counter the tendency to overindulge. (This is the trait of "abstinence," or p'rishut in Hebrew. See chapters 13-15 of The Path of the Just.) But this capacity to hold ourselves back is distinguished from asceticism. Abstinence can maintain or restore the middle way, whereas asceticism rejects it.

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NUM34 In both Scripture and Talmud we have an entire complex of laws dealing with the subject of "vows": whether and how a Jew may take on himself certain restrictions or extensions in addition to those which the Torah imposes, and which "oaths" give his intention the force of Torah law. In general, tradition did not look with favor on oaths and vows. Nor did it approve of people who abstained from things that the Torah permitted. In the words of the Talmud, "Whoever takes a vow, even if he fulfills it he has called a sinner" (T.B. Nedarim 77b); again, "If someone takes a vow, it is as if he built an authorized alter; and if he fulfills it, it is as though he had offered a sacrifice upon it" (T.B. Yebamoth 109b, Nedarim 22a, Gittin 46b). This attitude is confirmed by a law that applies to the nazir, a person who took an oath to abstain from drinking wine, cutting his hair and becoming ritually unclean: when he completed his period of abstinence, which usually lasted thirty days, the Torah required him to bring a hattath, a sin-offering. But whatever was his sin, that he should have to offer this sacrifice? For one, the nazir sins by denying himself some of the pleasures which are God's gift and blessing to humanity. Secondly, the nazir is, in effect, adding something to the Torah, as it were. Apparently he considers the manifold prohibitions of the Torah insufficient, and he comes to "improve" on them by adding new ones. This is possibly an act of devotion and worship, but it is misplaced religiosity.… As a rule, then, the nazir is not regarded with favor in Judaism. Nevertheless, there were those who chose to take the vow in the face of the disapproval, and for many being a nazir for a while was helpful. The vow of abstinence could strengthen and reinforce a person's resolve and efforts to control his passions and tumultuous impulses. In this sense Rabbi Akiba says, "Vows are a fence to self-restraint." ... [However] if a person becomes a nazir out of sheer braggadocio, to show that he is more pious than the next man, or if he acts impulsively, in a fit of irrational masochism or self-modification, he acts sinfully.

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NUM35 A nazir shall not eat grapes. See [[NUM38]] Numbers 6:5 hair CHINUCH 233-234

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NUM36 A nazir shall not drink wine or any intoxicating liquid. See [[NUM38]] Numbers 6:5 hair CHINUCH 233-234

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NUM37 Regarding the mitzvah of nazir, [One who becomes a Nazarite (see Bemidbar 6:1-21) must abstain from consuming any grape part or product, from defilement through contact with the dead, and from cutting his hair], we find that the primary concern of one's Nazaritism is lest he drink [wine] and forget the law, [I.e., the Torah and its mitzvos (Sha'arei Teshuvah Hamevo'ar)] or be led astray by a spirit of wantonness. As such, the Torah forbids him "from anything that is produced by the grapevine, [from the seeds to the skin]" (this verse) – – all of this, as a precautionary measure from the drinking of wine. Our Sages, z"l, commented similarly in the Midrash (Shemos Rabbah 16:2). Cf. Mesillas Yesharim, chapter 11.

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NUM38 A nazir shall let his hair [and beard] grow. Introduction: Were our minds not in a physical body that lusts and desires sin, there is no doubt that each of us would use his intelligence exclusively in the service of his Maker. Each human being would stand before the Holy One, always ready to fulfill His Will, like one of the angels. In truth, however, our minds reside in a mundane physical body. Hashem made each of us to be a partnership of mind and matter. Accordingly, so that each person can fittingly afford honor to his Maker, it is suiting and necessary that his mind shall have the ability to know the Creator and recognize Him. Still, since our minds must dwell in a physical body, they must sometimes divert their attention from service of the Creator and tend to the needs of the mind’s dwelling place--the body—for unless man concerns himself with the needs of his body he will not survive. Clearly, however, whenever possible, one should minimize the time that the mind spends on the need of its “house,” so that it is free to apply itself to serving Hashem. Such is the best way, as long as one does not completely ignore his body and let it go to ruin, which would be sinful, for the King of kings created man to be a soul and body--a partnership of mind and matter. This concept lies at the basis of the holiness and greatness of the nazir. He sets his body to the side and tries to break its lusts and desires, by means that will not bring complete ruined to the body. For example, he lets his hair grow and abstains from wine and other products of the grapevine. In this way he subdues his lust and evil inclination, without causing the body to crumble. He diverts his mind to almost total devotion to service of its Maker, and thereby, the Holy One’s sanctity comes to rest upon him. Also, to help him subdue his evil inclination, the Torah commands that when he completes his term as a nazir, he must shave off all the hair on his head. Not a trace of hair can remain, so that his evil inclination will not return to plague him as before. Without question, when a man lets his hair grow wild, and also when he shaves his entire head, he loses the appearance of a normal human being, so in both situations he is better able to subdue his evil inclination.

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NUM39 A nazir is forbidden to enter a tent or other structure that contains a corpse. Key concepts: We noted above (See [[NUM10]] Numbers 5:2 impure CHINUCH 227-8) why holy places must be kept free of spiritual impurity. Similarly, a nazir, having special holiness, must keep away from the spiritual impurity present in a structure that contains a corpse. As to why a corpse is spiritually impure, (See [[LEV867]] Leviticus 21:1 impurity CHINUCH 167-8).

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NUM40 A nazir shall not let himself become spiritually impure even in the event of the death of his closest relatives. The reason for this mitzvah: Although a Kohen (not a Kohen Gadol) is obligated to become spiritually impure when either of his parents die, such is forbidden to a nazir. The difference is that the Kohen’s sanctity is from birth, and it comes to him automatically, without his consent or expressed desire. Except for the fact that he is privileged to serve Hashem in the Beis HaMikdash, he is just like all other Jews. We find him at home rejoicing with his loved ones, including his relatives, whom he invites to all happy occasions. Therefore, when one of his relative dies, his heart is aggrieved. Accordingly, the Torah allows him to become spiritually impure in order to mourn his close relatives, for all the ways of the Torah are pleasant. By contrast, a person chooses to be a nazir, and having done so, he is holy to Hashem for the whole time. During his days as a nazir, he keeps himself above the mundane desires of the physical world. He does not participate in parties, friendly gatherings or family celebrations. By abstaining from wine he shows that his heart is set on afflicting himself, refining his soul and trying to attain deeper understanding of Hashem, all of which requires separation from the mundane aspects of everyday living. Having set his sights on the needs of his soul, and having resolved to set aside the desires of his body, he will not seek the company of his friends, family or relatives. He will find pleasure only in things spiritual, for his soul desirous holiness. Due to his high level of disassociation from his fellow man and his high level of sanctity, if one of his relatives dies--even his mother or father—the Torah does not allow him to become spiritually impure. [In this respect he is similar to the High Priest (Kohen Gadol)--see [[LEV876]] Leviticus 21:11 corpse CHINUCH 172]. After his time of being a nazir, is over, he again becomes like all other Jews and the danger arises that he might start chasing after his physical desires. On the other hand, having once been a nazir to Hashem, there is hope that he will sanctify himself and live out the rest of his days in purity.

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NUM41 See [[NUM47]] Numbers 6:14 offering AMEMEI 101

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