Parashat HaShavua 5781: Naso

גמ׳ מכדי תנא מנזיר סליק מאי תנא דקא תנא סוטה כדרבי דתניא רבי אומר למה נסמכה פרשת נזיר לפרשת סוטה לומר לך שכל הרואה סוטה בקלקולה יזיר עצמו מן היין וליתני סוטה והדר ליתני נזיר איידי דתנא כתובות ותנא המדיר תנא נדרים ואיידי דתנא נדרים תנא נזיר דדמי לנדרים וקתני סוטה כדרבי

Sotah 2a:4-6

GEMARA: The Gemara questions the placement of this tractate [Sotah]. Now, the tanna arose from tractate Nazir, which is the tractate preceding Sotah in the order of the Mishna. What did he teach in Nazir that required that he teach tractate Sotah? This was done in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, as it is taught that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: Why is the portion of a nazirite (Numbers, chapter 6) placed adjacent to the portion of a sota (Numbers, chapter 5)? This was done to tell you that anyone who sees a sota in her disgrace should renounce wine. But if so, let him teach tractate Sotah first and then let him teach tractate Nazir. Since the tanna taught tractate Ketubot, and in that tractate he taught a chapter that begins: One who vows, he then taught tractate Nedarim, whose subject is the halakhot of vows. And since he taught tractate Nedarim, he then taught tractate Nazir, which is similar to tractate Nedarim in that one becomes a nazirite by taking a vow. And he then teaches tractate Sotah, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi.

במדבר ו׳:א׳-ח׳

(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַפְלִא֙ לִנְדֹּר֙ נֶ֣דֶר נָזִ֔יר לְהַזִּ֖יר לַֽיי׃ (ג) מִיַּ֤יִן וְשֵׁכָר֙ יַזִּ֔יר חֹ֥מֶץ יַ֛יִן וְחֹ֥מֶץ שֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א יִשְׁתֶּ֑ה וְכָל־מִשְׁרַ֤ת עֲנָבִים֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וַעֲנָבִ֛ים לַחִ֥ים וִיבֵשִׁ֖ים לֹ֥א יֹאכֵֽל׃ (ד) כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ מִכֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵעָשֶׂ֜ה מִגֶּ֣פֶן הַיַּ֗יִן מֵחַרְצַנִּ֛ים וְעַד־זָ֖ג לֹ֥א יֹאכֵֽל׃ (ה) כָּל־יְמֵי֙ נֶ֣דֶר נִזְר֔וֹ תַּ֖עַר לֹא־יַעֲבֹ֣ר עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ עַד־מְלֹ֨את הַיָּמִ֜ם אֲשֶׁר־יַזִּ֤יר לַיי קָדֹ֣שׁ יִהְיֶ֔ה גַּדֵּ֥ל פֶּ֖רַע שְׂעַ֥ר רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ (ו) כָּל־יְמֵ֥י הַזִּיר֖וֹ לַיי עַל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ מֵ֖ת לֹ֥א יָבֹֽא׃ (ז) לְאָבִ֣יו וּלְאִמּ֗וֹ לְאָחִיו֙ וּלְאַ֣חֹת֔וֹ לֹא־יִטַּמָּ֥א לָהֶ֖ם בְּמֹתָ֑ם כִּ֛י נֵ֥זֶר אֱלֹקָ֖יו עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ (ח) כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י נִזְר֑וֹ קָדֹ֥שׁ ה֖וּא לַֽיי׃

Numbers 6:1-8

(1) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If anyone, man or woman, explicitly utters a nazirite’s vow, to set himself apart for the LORD, (3) he shall abstain from wine and any other intoxicant; he shall not drink vinegar of wine or of any other intoxicant, neither shall he drink anything in which grapes have been steeped, nor eat grapes fresh or dried. (4) Throughout his term as nazirite, he may not eat anything that is obtained from the grapevine, even seeds or skin. (5) Throughout the term of his vow as nazirite, no razor shall touch his head; it shall remain consecrated until the completion of his term as nazirite of the LORD, the hair of his head being left to grow untrimmed. (6) Throughout the term that he has set apart for the LORD, he shall not go in where there is a dead person. (7) Even if his father or mother, or his brother or sister should die, he must not defile himself for them, since hair set apart for his God is upon his head: (8) throughout his term as nazirite he is consecrated to the LORD.

תרגום יונתן על במדבר ו׳:ב׳

מַלֵיל עִם בְּנֵי יִשְרָאֵל וְתֵימַר לְהוֹן גְבַר אוֹ אִתְּתָא אֲרוּם חַמְיַין סְטִיתָא בְּקִלְקוּלָהּ וְיַפְרִישׁ מִן חַמְרָא אוֹ עַל שׁוּם מִדַעַם יִדוֹר נֶדֶר נְזִירוּ לְמִפְרַשׁ לִשְׁמָא דַיְיָ

Targum Jonathan on Numbers 6:2

Speak with the children of Israel, and say to them: When a man or, woman, seeing her who had gone astray in her corruption, shall (resolve to) become abstinent from wine, or for any other cause shall make the vow of a Nazir in separating oneself unto the Name of the Lord,

מורה נבוכים, חלק ג' מ״ח:י״ד

וטעם ה'נזירות' מבואר מאד והוא הפרישות מן היין אשר הפסיד הראשונים והאחרונים 'רבים ועצומים כל הרוגיו' "וגם אלה ביין שגו וגו'. ובא מדין ה'נזירות' מה שתראה מאיסור "כל אשר יצא מגפן היין" - להרחקה יתרה עד שיספיק לאדם ממנו הדבר הצריך כי הנשמר ממנו נקרא 'קדוש' והושם במדרגת 'כהן גדול' ב'קדושה' - עד ש'לא יטמא' אפילו 'לאביו ולאימו' כמוהו זאת הגדולה - מפני שפרש מן היין:

Guide for the Perplexed, Part 3 48:14

The object of Nazaritism (Num. vi.) is obvious. It keeps away from wine that has ruined people in ardent and modern times. "Many strong men have been slain by it" (Prov. 27:26). "But they also have erred through wine. . . . the priest and the prophet" (Isa. 28:7). In the law about the Nazarite we notice even the prohibition, "he shall eat nothing that is made of the vine tree" (Num. 6:4), as an additional precaution, implying the lesson that man must take of wine only as much as is absolutely necessary. For he who abstains from drinking it is called "holy"; his sanctity is made equal to that of the high-priest, in not being allowed to defile himself even to his father, to his mother, and the like. This honour is given him because he abstains from wine.

רש"י על במדבר ו׳:ב׳:ב׳

נדר נזיר. אֵין נְזִירָה בְכָל מָקוֹם אֶלָּא פְּרִישָׁה, אַף כָּאן שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ מִן הַיַּיִן:

Rashi on Numbers 6:2:2

נדר נזיר — The term נזר wherever it occurs denotes “keeping aloof from something” (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 22:2). Here, too, it means that he keeps away from wine (Sifrei Bamidbar 22).

ויקרא כ״ב:ב׳

(ב) דַּבֵּ֨ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֜ן וְאֶל־בָּנָ֗יו וְיִנָּֽזְרוּ֙ מִקָּדְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלֹ֥א יְחַלְּל֖וּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֑י אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֵ֧ם מַקְדִּשִׁ֛ים לִ֖י אֲנִ֥י יי׃

Leviticus 22:2

(2) Instruct Aaron and his sons that they should withdraw from the holies that the Israelite people consecrate to Me, lest they profane My holy name, Mine the LORD’s.

יחזקאל י״ד:ו׳-ח׳

(ו) לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֣ר ׀ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אדושם יי שׁ֣וּבוּ וְהָשִׁ֔יבוּ מֵעַ֖ל גִּלּֽוּלֵיכֶ֑ם וּמֵעַ֥ל כָּל־תּוֹעֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם הָשִׁ֥יבוּ פְנֵיכֶֽם׃ (ז) כִּי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אִ֜ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וּמֵהַגֵּר֮ אֲשֶׁר־יָג֣וּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְיִנָּזֵ֣ר מֵֽאַחֲרַ֗י וְיַ֤עַל גִּלּוּלָיו֙ אֶל־לִבּ֔וֹ וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל עֲוֺנ֔וֹ יָשִׂ֖ים נֹ֣כַח פָּנָ֑יו וּבָ֤א אֶל־הַנָּבִיא֙ לִדְרָשׁ־ל֣וֹ בִ֔י אֲנִ֣י יי נַֽעֲנֶה־לּ֖וֹ בִּֽי׃ (ח) וְנָתַתִּ֨י פָנַ֜י בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֗וּא וַהֲשִֽׂמֹתִ֙יהוּ֙ לְא֣וֹת וְלִמְשָׁלִ֔ים וְהִכְרַתִּ֖יו מִתּ֣וֹךְ עַמִּ֑י וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יי׃ (ס)

Ezekiel 14:6-8

(6) Now say to the House of Israel: Thus said the Lord GOD: Repent, and turn back from your idols and turn your minds away from all your abominations. (7) For if any man of the House of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, breaks away from Me and turns his thoughts upon his idols and sets his mind upon the sins through which he stumbled, and then goes to the prophet to inquire of Me through him, I the LORD will respond to him directly. (8) I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a byword, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

ויקרא כ׳:א׳-ו׳

(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל תֹּאמַר֒ אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֩ מִבְּנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וּמִן־הַגֵּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִתֵּ֧ן מִזַּרְע֛וֹ לַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֑ת עַ֥ם הָאָ֖רֶץ יִרְגְּמֻ֥הוּ בָאָֽבֶן׃ (ג) וַאֲנִ֞י אֶתֵּ֤ן אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י מִזַּרְעוֹ֙ נָתַ֣ן לַמֹּ֔לֶךְ לְמַ֗עַן טַמֵּא֙ אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י וּלְחַלֵּ֖ל אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם קָדְשִֽׁי׃ (ד) וְאִ֡ם הַעְלֵ֣ם יַעְלִימֽוּ֩ עַ֨ם הָאָ֜רֶץ אֶת־עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ מִן־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַה֔וּא בְּתִתּ֥וֹ מִזַּרְע֖וֹ לַמֹּ֑לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י הָמִ֥ית אֹתֽוֹ׃ (ה) וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י אֲנִ֧י אֶת־פָּנַ֛י בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַה֖וּא וּבְמִשְׁפַּחְתּ֑וֹ וְהִכְרַתִּ֨י אֹת֜וֹ וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כָּל־הַזֹּנִ֣ים אַחֲרָ֗יו לִזְנ֛וֹת אַחֲרֵ֥י הַמֹּ֖לֶךְ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽם׃ (ו) וְהַנֶּ֗פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּפְנֶ֤ה אֶל־הָֽאֹבֹת֙ וְאֶל־הַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔ים לִזְנ֖וֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶת־פָּנַי֙ בַּנֶּ֣פֶשׁ הַהִ֔וא וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמּֽוֹ׃

Leviticus 20:1-6

(1) And the LORD spoke to Moses: (2) Say further to the Israelite people: Anyone among the Israelites, or among the strangers residing in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall be put to death; the people of the land shall pelt him with stones. (3) And I will set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he gave of his offspring to Molech and so defiled My sanctuary and profaned My holy name. (4) And if the people of the land should shut their eyes to that man when he gives of his offspring to Molech, and should not put him to death, (5) I Myself will set My face against that man and his kin, and will cut off from among their people both him and all who follow him in going astray after Molech. (6) And if any person turns to ghosts and familiar spirits and goes astray after them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.

ישעיהו א׳:ד׳

(ד) ה֣וֹי ׀ גּ֣וֹי חֹטֵ֗א עַ֚ם כֶּ֣בֶד עָוֺ֔ן זֶ֣רַע מְרֵעִ֔ים בָּנִ֖ים מַשְׁחִיתִ֑ים עָזְב֣וּ אֶת־יי נִֽאֲצ֛וּ אֶת־קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נָזֹ֥רוּ אָחֽוֹר׃

Isaiah 1:4

(4) Ah, sinful nation! People laden with iniquity! Brood of evildoers! Depraved children! They have forsaken the LORD, Spurned the Holy One of Israel, Turned their backs [on Him].

ספורנו על במדבר ו׳:ב׳

(א) כי יפליא יפריש עצמו מן הבלי ותענוגות כני האדם: (ב) לנדור נדר נזיר להיות נזור ופרוש מן התענוגים המורגלים: (ג) להזיר ליי להפריש עצמו מכל אלה למען יהיה כלו ליי להתעסק בתורתו וללכת בדרכיו ולדבקה בו:

Sforno on Numbers 6:2

(1) כי יפליא, he will separate himself from all the vanities and physical pleasures in life. (2) לנדור נדר נזיר, to become a Nazirite and the life of self denial which comes with this. (3) 'להזיר לה, to separate himself from all the pleasures in order to devote himself exclusively to the service of the Lord, to study His Torah and practice walking in His ways.

רש"י על במדבר ו׳:ג׳:א׳

מיין ושכר. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "מֵחֲמַר חֲדַת וְעַתִּיק", שֶׁהַיַּיִן מְשַׁכֵּר כְּשֶׁהוּא יָשָׁן:

Rashi on Numbers 6:3:1

מיין ושכר — Understand this as the Targum does: he shall abstain from new (יין) and old wine (שכר). The latter is called שכר, “intoxicating drink”, because wine makes one intoxicated when it is old.

ספורנו על במדבר ו׳:ג׳:א׳

מיין ושכר יזיד לא יסגף עצמו בצום שממעט כמלאכת שמים כדבריהם ז''ל ולא יצער גופו כמכות פרושים כמנהג צכועים וכומרים אבל יפריש עצמו מן היין שבזה הוא ממעט את התיפלה מאד ומכניע יצרו ולא יתיש כחו בזה כלל:

Sforno on Numbers 6:3:1

מיין ושכר יזיר, he is not to flagellate himself, or practice fasting, but only to abstain from wine and intoxicating liquids. The former methods of self-denial would result in a diminished ability to serve the Lord with all one’s faculties. Flagellation, a common practice among certain types of monks and “holy men,” is not allowed, but becoming a teetotaler does reduce the urge to let oneself go and engage in demeaning activities due to drunkenness

משנה נזיר ו׳:א׳

שְׁלשָׁה מִינִין אֲסוּרִין בַּנָּזִיר, הַטֻּמְאָה וְהַתִּגְלַחַת וְהַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַגָּפֶן. וְכָל הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַגֶּפֶן מִצְטָרְפִין זֶה עִם זֶה. וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיֹּאכַל מִן הָעֲנָבִים כַּזָּיִת. מִשְׁנָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁתֶּה רְבִיעִית יַיִן. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ שָׁרָה פִתּוֹ בְיַיִן וְיֶשׁ בָּהּ כְּדֵי לְצָרֵף כַּזַּיִת, חַיָּב:

Mishnah Nazir 6:1

Three types of actions are prohibited for a nazirite: The contraction of ritual impurity from a corpse, and the shaving of one’s hair, and eating or drinking any substances that emerge from the vine. The mishna adds: And all products that emerge from the vine combine with one another to the amount that renders a nazirite liable to receive lashes. And he is liable only if he eats an olive-bulk of the grapes. An initial version of the mishna says that a nazirite is liable to receive lashes only if he drinks a quarter-log of wine. Rabbi Akiva says: Even if he soaked his bread in wine and the two together contain enough to combine to the amount of an olive-bulk, he is liable.

אבן עזרא על במדבר ו׳:ד׳:א׳

מחרצנים. אין לו ריע וכן זג והמפרשים אמרו חרצנים חצונים וזג פנימי' ואחרים הפכו הפירוש ויהיה פירוש מחרצנים דבק עם מכל אשר יעשה כל מה שיעשה מאלה שניהם:

Ibn Ezra on Numbers 6:4:1

PRESSED GRAPES. The word chartzannim (pressed grapes) is not found anywhere else in Scripture. The same applies to the word zag (grape-stone). The commentaries tells us that chartzannim refers to the outer skin of the grape and zag to the pits. Others say the reverse. According to these interpretations, me-chartzannim (from the pressed grapes) is connected to nothing that is made of the grape-vine. The meaning of our verse is that the Nazirite shall eat nothing made from the grapevine, that is, from these two things.

ספורנו על במדבר ו׳:ה׳:א׳

תער לא יעבור על ראשו ובזה ישליך אחרי גוו כל מחשבת יופי ותיקון שער:

Sforno on Numbers 6:5:1

תער לא יעבור על ראשו, by not coiffing his hair through trimming it to certain shapes, he automatically abandons all manner of preening himself.

מדרש תנחומא, בשלח י״ב:ט׳

וְכֵן אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּמַה שֶּׁנִּתְגָּאָה, בּוֹ נִפְרַע מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּכְאַבְשָׁלוֹם לֹא הָיָה אִישׁ יָפֶה בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַלֵּל מְאֹד, מִכַּף רַגְלוֹ וְעַד קָדְקֳדוֹ לֹא הָיָה בוֹ מוּם, וּבְגַלְּחוֹ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ וְהָיָה מִקֵּץ יָמִים לַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר יְגַלֵּחַ (ש״‎ב יד, כה-כו). רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי אוֹמֵר: נָזִיר הָיָה וְהָיָה מְגַלֵּחַ אַחַת לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָיָה מִקֵּץ יָמִים לַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר יְגַלֵּחַ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: נְזִיר עוֹלָם הָיָה וְהָיָה מְגַלֵּחַ לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלְכָה נָּא וַאֲשַׁלֵּם אֶת נִדְרִי אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתִּי לַה' בְּחֶבְרוֹן, כִּי נֵדֶר נָדַר עַבְדְּךָ בְּשִׁבְתִּי בִגְשׁוּר בַּאֲרָם לֵאמֹר אִם יָשׁוֹב יְשִׁיבֵנִי ה' יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְעָבַדְתִּי אֶת ה' (ש״‎ב טו, ז-ח).

Midrash Tanchuma, Beshalach 12:9

Similarly, Absalom was punished by the very thing with which he prided himself, as it is said: Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the soul of his feet to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him … and when he polled his head … now it was every year’s end that he polled it (II Sam. 14:25–26). R. Nehorai stated: He was a Nazirite, yet he cut his hair every thirty days, as it is said: Now at the end of the days he polled it. R. Judah maintained that he was a Nazirite throughout his life, yet he cut his hair every twelve months, as it is said: And it came to pass at the end of forty years that Absalom said unto the king: “I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Aram, saying: If the Lord shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord” (II Sam. 15:7–8).