By: Rabbi Rory Meyerson
Essence of the נזיר
The פרשה of נזיר is the occasion to discuss an important concept in spirituality – the notion of refraining from that which is permitted in hopes to attain higher levels of קדושה. The נזיר’s choice of abstinence from wine and from staying well-groomed are not merely dietary and trendy decisions.
The Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 374) writes that Mankind is the only creature that synthesizes both physical and spiritual. On one hand, Mankind has שכל – intellectual capacity commensurate to מלאכים, yet on the other hand, we have a mundane body that functions exactly like the animal kingdom.
This unique combination comes with a rule. Mankind must always maintain a symbiosis between the body and soul. The body has needs. It must be properly fed and nurtured. Too little sustenance and the soul begins to depart. Any restriction imposed on the physical body is felt by its spiritual counterpart, the soul. Too little food or sleep and our mind will not think. Skipping the coffee in the morning can weaken your davening, learning and workflow throughout the day. Our goal is not to defy our needs and to obtain abstinence. Rather, it is to define our needs correctly and find a balance.
In fact, we have a commandment to keep our body strong and healthy. The Gemara (Taanis 22b) says, a person is not allowed to afflict themselves by refraining from the physical – we have a חיוב to keep our body alive. The Seforno (Bamidbar 6:2) notes that this is an important distinction from other religions which promote abstinence. The Seforno emphasizes that piety at the expense of health is not the Torah's goal.
The verse in Mishlei (3:17) states,
דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי־נֹעַם וְכָל־נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם
which means “Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths are peaceful.”
Meaning when Hashem commands a change to our lifestyle it must yield a life that is pleasant and peaceful. There must be a positive correlation between “more Godliness in my life” and “a better life.”
On the opposite extreme, it hardly needs mention, but of course, too much attention to bodily needs is not good. If a person consistently eats junk food or over eats, their mind will become muddled, and they will not be able to think or concentrate properly. Or perhaps if taken too far, overindulgence can lead to obesity and disease – chas veshalom. Living with this unique composition, Mankind must always be recalibrating to find the correct balance to be able to straddle the two worlds of body and soul.
With this description of Mankind, we can now unpack the פרשה of נזיר. At a glance, the נזיר is attempting to achieve abstinence. By seeking to remove the ‘extras’ in life, such as wine products and freshly groomed haircuts, he hopes to attain קדושה. Some of the commentaries praise this move, explaining that removing these two things help a person conquer his יצר הרע. The Rebbeinu Bechaya (Bamidbar 6:2) explains that when a person is constantly concerned with their appearance, it brings about an unnecessary worry which takes a man away from other more important goals in their עבודת ה׳. Regarding wine, the רמב״ם in Moreh Nevuchim (3:8) details the negative effects of gatherings where the goal is communal inebriation, writing that there is no worse degradation of man. The נזיר refrains from these pleasures, he doesn’t drink wine and lets his hair grow long, so that he can open the door to higher levels of spiritual attainment. And the נזיר is even praised for his courage in subduing physical desire, so much so the אבן עזרא says he is called a נזיר, because the
נֵזֶר אֱלֹקָיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ
– the Crown of God rests on his head.
However, this is slightly contradictory. As mentioned above, as Jewish people, we do not make attempts at asceticism and celibacy. Composed of body and soul, we know we need to accommodate each of these parts. So, what is going on here by the נזיר?!
This is precisely why the פסוקים finish the פרשה of the נזיר by reporting that he must bring a קרבן חטאת, a sin offering. The Sefer HaChinuch explains that the extra piety and restriction is not wholly the will of Hashem. It is side stepping this important duality of body and soul. To be consumed by piety to the extent that it exacts a toll on the body is not the will of Hashem! And this is what the נזיר has done. We are meant to enjoy the permitted pleasures of this world. We need them! Imagine you have a car filled to the brim with rocks; it will not drive. A car is not meant to function that way – and neither is a person. Part of the failure of the נזיר is failing to recognize this.
So which נזיר are we meant to follow – the one praised with the crown of ה׳ for his spiritual discipline, or the one commanded to bring a sin offering for denying himself what Hashem expressly permitted?
The message to take home from the נזיר is that we must always be tallying up our lives, asking ourselves, “What is serving our betterment both spiritually and physically; what could we use a little less of, and what a little more of?” For some more discipline may not always be the answer. Being an extremist living on the fringes is neither maintainable nor advisable. Others need an awakening from their careless, undisciplined lifestyle. Ultimately, a better life is one that is designed with the proper balance. How does one achieve this? The answer is that every life decision we make, we must continuously ask ourselves, “Will this help me serve ה׳ better?” Sometimes we need more spiritual discipline and sometimes we need more permitted physicality. Let this mantra be your moral compass, “Is this what ה׳ wants from me right now?” Refine, refine, and refine that answer until you find your way.
Taken from the Kollel Avreichim Hollywood
