Nazir: Sinner or Saint?

(2) קדשים תהיו YE SHALL BE HOLY — This means, keep aloof from the forbidden sexual relations just mentioned and from sinful thoughts.

(2) Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If any men or women explicitly utter a nazirite’s vow, to set themselves apart for ה', (3) they shall abstain from wine and any other intoxicant; they shall not drink vinegar of wine or of any other intoxicant, neither shall they drink anything in which grapes have been steeped, nor eat grapes fresh or dried. (4) Throughout their term as nazirite, they may not eat anything that is obtained from the grapevine, even seeds or skin. (5) Throughout the term of their vow as nazirite, no razor shall touch their head; it shall remain consecrated until the completion of their term as nazirite of ה', the hair of their head being left to grow untrimmed. (6) Throughout the term that they have set apart for ה', they shall not go in where there is a dead person. (7) Even if their father or mother, or their brother or sister should die, they must not become defiled for any of them, since hair set apart for their God is upon their head:

The reason that the Nazir has to bring a sin offering is not explained (in the Torah) According to the simple explanation, this man sins against his soul when he completes his term as a Nazire; because now he holds back from his (elevated level of) holiness and service to Gd. It would be fitting for him to abstain forever and remain all his days at a Nazir holy to his Gd; like the ideal written in Amos 2:11 . I raised up prophets from among your sons and Nazirites from among your young men. Tenach equates the Nazir to a prophet; for it is written ) throughout their term as Nazir they are consecrated to Gd (Bamidbar 6:8) He only requires atonement when he returns to being contaminated by the desires of the world.

Perhaps someone will say, since envy, desire and seeking glory etc. remove people from the world, if one obsessively separates themself too much, they can reach an extreme position. Until they won’t eat meat, won’t drink wine, won’t marry, live in uncomfortable quarters, and not dress in proper clothes but wear sackcloth etc. as for example monks do. This is also an evil path, and it is forbidden to follow it. He who follows this way is called a sinner for it is said of a Nazir (Bamidbar 6:11)

(4) The straight path is the mean disposition found in each and every tendency of all the human tendencies. Such tendency is removed from both extremes an equal distance, and is not nearer to one than to the other. Therefore have the wise men of yore commanded that man should ever review his tendencies, estimate them, and direct them toward the middle-path so that he will be sound in body. How may one do it? He should not be an excitable person, easily angered; nor like the dead without feelings, but adopt a middle-course, not to become indignant, save only at something big which is worthy enough to be angry at, so that the like should not be done another time. Likewise shall he not crave for aught save the things which the body requires, and without which it is impossible to be, as the subject is spoken of: "The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul" (Pro. 13.25). Likewise shall he not continue to fatigue himself in his affairs, save to acquire what is necessary for him to live on for the time being as the subject is mentioned, saying: "A little that a righteous man hath is better" (Ps. 37.16). He should not be too close-fisted, nor yet squander his money, but give Z'dakah within the means of his hand, and lend accordingly to the needy. He should not be too optimistic and playful, nor too pessimistic and mournful, but spend all of his days in good cheer and with a pleasant countenance. So should he measure all the rest of his tendencies. And this path is the path of the wise men. Every man whose tendencies are mean tendencies of the middle-course, is called wise.

(14) If a man said: "I will be a nazirite if I will perform this or that," or "if I will not perform," or something of the sort, he is a sinful person; such naziriteship is of the sinful. If, however, one vows to God in a way of holiness, he does a good thing and deserves praise. Concerning such a man it is written: "His consecration to God is upon his head … he is consecrated to the Lord" (Numbers 6:7-8). Scripture considers him the equal of a prophet, as it is written: "I raised up some of your sons as prophets, and some of your young men as nazirites" (Amos 2:11).

(1) מאשר חטא על הנפש [AND THE PRIEST … MAKE EXPIATION FOR HIM] FOR THAT HE HATH SINNED BY THE DEAD — i.e., that he has not been on his guard against defilement by a corpse. — R. Eleazer ha-Kappar said, “his sin consists in that he has afflicted himself by abstaining from the enjoyment of wine (Sifrei Bamidbar 30; Nazir 19a).

This implies that there was a transgression in abstaining from wine. ….it is certainly a mitzva to take the Nazir vow against wine, but nonetheless it involves a minor transgression in causing oneself suffering by abstaining from wine.

If the Nazir, who distressed himself by abstaining only from wine, is called a sinner then one who pains themself by abstaining from other things; all the more so they should be considered a sinner.

Rabbi Dimi says in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak: Is it not enough what the Torah forbade you that you want to forbid other things for yourself? “To forbid a prohibition”.

(16) And Gd commanded the Human, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat;

Every person will have to justify himself for everything his eye saw and which he did not eat.

if one is studying while walking on the road and interrupts his study and says, “how fine is this tree!” [or] “how fine is this newly ploughed field!” scripture accounts it to him as if he was mortally guilty.