In our Torah portion, which contains the classic words of the “priestly blesssing,” we also learn about the “nazir” and the vows made by a nazirite. The root “n-z-r” means to separate oneself. In this case, the person is separately himself from behaviors in order to consecrate himself to God.The nazir was forbidden to drink wine, ale, or products of the vine, to cut one’s hair, or to have any contact with a corpse. The nazir temporarily abstains from all these things in order to attain a consecrated starus in the eys of the Almighty. One can imagine the reason a person might choose to do this as repentance for past behavior, or as an active prayer for the future, or as an expression of gratitude for some divine beneficence.

When I study these texts, I think that the nazir attempted to enter the realm of the sacred through abstinence and self-denial. These were normative methods in the biblical world. But separating oneself from the community was not considered the best way to act. One should act “within” the world, not remove oneself from the community. Perhaps doing mitzvot was a better way to cleanse oneself, and find communion with the divine.

Join us for our Torah study this Shabbat morning, on the zoom channel.