This article was written by Yael Stochel, summer inchworm 2019
GrowTorah Core Value: Stewarding the Earth
The laws of Nazir given in this parsha introduce the idea of Jewish asceticism. How far do the laws extend? What is the Rabbinic perspective on limiting consumption? How should their perspective inform our consumption habits?
Lesson Title: All in Moderation
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
Which of the nazir's prohibitions is most relevant to our garden?
- grapes
Why do you think specifically grapes are forbidden?
- extension from wine and alcohol taken to the extreme
על פירות הארץ וכו׳: פשיטא אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק לא נצרכה אלא לרבי יהודה דאמר חטה מין אילן היא דתניא אילן שאכל ממנו אדם הראשון רבי מאיר אומר גפן היה שאין לך דבר שמביא יללה על האדם אלא יין שנאמר וישת מן היין וישכר
We learned in the mishna: One who recited: Who creates fruit of the tree, over fruits of the earth, did not fulfill his obligation. The Gemara asks: That is obvious, as fruits of the earth do not fall under the rubric of trees. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: This ruling in the mishna is only necessary according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, who said in another context that wheat is a type of tree, as we learned in a baraita: The tree from which Adam, the first man, ate, Rabbi Meir says: It was a vine, as nothing brings wailing and trouble upon man even today other than wine, as it is stated with regard to Noah: “And he drank from the wine and became drunk” (Genesis 9:21).
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
What perspectives do we see in the Gemara with regard to the nature of wine?
- The Gemara contains both the obligation to rejoice, to drink some and caution against the pain that comes with overindulgence
With which perspective do the pesukim on Nazir seem to side?
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
How do we see the same conflict over wine in other pesukim in Tanach?
Living the Lesson
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
What are the benefits of acting in moderation?
How can we apply the lesson learned from the nazir in the garden?
How does the soil in our garden also thrive off moderation (crop rotation)?