Illustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Commentary פַּרְשָׁנוּת
When someone decides to become a נָזִיר (nazir), they take on extra restrictions, beyond the usual rules of the Torah. They are not allowed to drink wine, or cut their hair, or become טָמֵא (tamei, impure) by coming in contact with a dead body.
You might wonder: Is it good to be a nazir? Is the Torah recommending this?
Two teachers in the Talmud–who both happened to be named Elazar!–discuss this question (Taanit 11a).
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַקַּפָּר בְּרַבִּי אוֹמֵר, מָה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (במדבר ו:יא), ״וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו מֵאֲשֶׁר חָטָא עַל הַנָּפֶשׁ״, וְכִי בְּאֵיזֶה נֶפֶשׁ חָטָא זֶה? אֶלָּא שֶׁצִּיעֵר עַצְמוֹ מִן הַיַּיִן.
וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחוֹמֶר: וּמָה זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא צִיעֵר עַצְמוֹ אֶלָּא מִן הַיַּיִן — נִקְרָא חוֹטֵא, הַמְצַעֵר עַצְמוֹ מִכָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
Rabbi Elazar HaKappar says: What does the verse mean (Bemidbar 6:11), “and the nazir will atone for sinning by the soul.” How does the soul of a nazir sin? By causing distress when avoiding wine.
We can conclude: If a nazir is called a sinner for causing self-distress simply by avoiding wine, someone who causes self-harm by avoiding other forms of joy unnecessarily should definitely be considered a sinner.
רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: נִקְרָא קָדוֹשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ו:ה), ״קָדוֹשׁ יִהְיֶה גַּדֵּל פֶּרַע שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ.״ וּמָה זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא צִיעֵר עַצְמוֹ אֶלָּא מִדָּבָר אֶחָד — נִקְרָא קָדוֹשׁ, הַמְצַעֵר עַצְמוֹ מִכָּל דָּבָר — עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
Rabbi Elazar (ben Pedat) says: If you accept a fast upon yourself, you are called kadosh (holy). This is what it says about a nazir (Bemidbar 6:5), “shall be kadosh, with the locks of the hair grown long.”
We can conclude: If a nazir, who cuts out one thing (wine), is called kadosh, then someone who cuts out even more things should definitely be considered kadosh.
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