Nezirus’ Inherent Contradiction

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

Parshas Nasso introduces us to the nazir. Hashem declares a Jew who accepts a vow of nezirus “holy.” Moreover, the hair that he lets grow is referred to as a “crown on his head” (Even Ezra 6:7).

Only, it’s not that simple. The sages (Nedarim 10b) note a verse that refers to the nazir as a “sinner” for having abstained from wine. Which is he? A holy man or a sinner?

This contradiction surfaces in the writings of the Rambam. In Morech Nevuchim (3:48), the Rambam refers to the nazir as a holy man. However, in Hilchos De’os (3:1), the Rambam rules that one who takes on too many forms of abstinence, such as avoiding meat or wine, is called a sinner!

So is nezirus good or bad?

My great uncle, Harav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, answers that indeed, Hashem does not want us to lead lives of abstinence. While the nazir is praised for choosing the direction of holiness and abstaining from material pleasures, this is appropriate only for a brief, delineated period of time. A person who sees that his desires are gaining control over him may have no choice other than to undergo a “cooling-off period.” Afterwards, however, he should come back to the ideal state in which a Jew enjoys this world in a kosher way, thereby sanctifying it.

A vow of nezirus is good, but within it is a negative element. Although the nazir’s abstinence is justified, it left him unable to sanctify some of the material world. This is the nazir’s “sin.”

The Beis Halevi (Parshas Yisro) finds the above idea in the laws of the Shavuos holiday: Among the three festivals, only Shavuos must be celebrated with a festive meal (Pesachim 68b). Among the sages were those who held that Pesach and Sukkos could be celebrated either by feasting or studying Torah alone (i.e., both were not required, according to this minority view). Only for Shavuos did all sages concur that a festive meal must be held.

At first, this seems counter-intuitive. Shouldn’t it be possible to celebrate the Giving of the Torah by studying Torah alone? Why should a meal be necessary?

The Beis Halevi bases his answer on what transpired when Moshe ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Torah (Shabbos 88b). The angels demanded to know why the Torah was being given to imperfect mortals. Let it remain in the heavenly spheres, they claimed.

Hashem commanded Moshe to respond to the angels.

Moshe said that the Torah forbids stealing. He asked the angels: “Do you have jealousy, or any desire to steal? Do you have a yetzer hara? The Torah prohibits certain foods. Do angels eat?”

We see from Moshe’s response that the purpose for having the Torah was to bring it into the material world. We were given Torah precisely because we have a body — which we must sanctify. Service of Hashem without a body is something the angels do much better than us, but for this they do not need the Torah. We, who are here to sanctify the body, must have the Torah. Therefore, Shavuos, the celebration of the Giving of the Torah, requires that we eat and drink as a way of fulfilling the mitzvos of the day.

This also explains why Jews have a custom of eating first dairy and then meat on Shavuos.

The Beis Halevi explains: When the angels came to Avraham, he served them milk and meat, and they ate without separating the two. On Shavuos, we show that we are not like the angels. We make a formal break in the meal, wash our hands and mouths of any residual dairy matter, and then eat meat. In short, we highlight our advantage over the angels. Every act we do—even our eating and drinking—has mitzvos attached to it that elevate us in ways that angels cannot fathom.

This is the Jew’s advantage not only over the angels, but also above most of mankind. For the most part, gentile society has no concept of sanctifying the material. They recognize the inherent evil in materiality, and some actually strive to separate from it, but none find a way to make the material world holy.

This is the underlying plan of the Torah. We are commanded to eat, drink, to marry and engage in building the world. In the process, each of these activities are channeled through mitzvos. What can we eat and when? Whom we are allowed to marry, and how marriage is conducted? Through fulfilling these mitzvos, we elevate the material world to a spiritual level.

Many among us live with a misconception that Hashem wants us to break our natural drives. Realizing that this is impossible, we assume that we are far from what Hashem wants from us. This is not the case! Hashem does not expect us to break our material drives, but rather to channel them into a life of Torah and mitzvos in which each bodily desire has its proper place. If it happens that we begin losing control, we are allowed to practice more strict abstinence for a limited period of time, similar to nezirus. As soon as possible, however, we should try to return to a life of sanctifying the material world.

A baal teshuva once related that after a few years of Torah study in yeshiva, he realized that it was time for him to marry. He was fearful of such a step. Approaching his mashgiach, he asked: “Years ago, I lived a life of indulgence in all sorts of pleasures. If I get married, what will stop me from reverting back to my old ways?”

“Tell me,” asked the mashgiach, “is there any difference between how you eat now and how you would eat before becoming observant?”

“For one, I no longer go wild over food. And also, I make a bracha before and after,” he answered.

“That is the difference,” explained the mashgiach. “Indeed, you are eating and partaking of material pleasures of the world. However, before you do this, you thank Hashem and recognize that He is the One who gave you this pleasure. This means that each time you enjoy this world, it is bringing you closer to Hashem.

“This is how all of your involvement with the material world should be. Make a bracha and remind yourself that you’re doing a mitzvah. This will keep you connected to Hashem at all times.”

May we be zocheh sanctify the material world!