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A '''nazirite''' or '''nazarite''' ([[Hebrew]]: '''נזיר''', ''nazir'' "separated") was a [[Judaism|Jew]] set apart and especially consecrated to God through vows of abstinence. Both men and women could take the nazirite vow; married women could take the vow with the consent of their husbands. The duration of naziriteship was voluntary, and ranged from thirty days to a lifetime.<ref>[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=142&letter=N ''Nazarite''] [[Jewish Encyclopedia]] (1906)</ref> Despite the name "sparated", nazirites did not lead a monastic existence apart from the community but were active participants in all familiar and communal affairs. What set them apart was their meticulous observance of the vow, which gave them a holy status similar to that of the High Priest.<ref>'''Milgrom, Jacob''' ''The JPS Torah Commentary: Numbers'' Jewish Publication Society of America (1990) ISBN 0-8276-0329-0</ref>
A '''nazirite''' or '''nazarite''' ([[Hebrew]]: '''נזיר''', ''nazir'' "separated") was a [[Judaism|Jew]] set apart for, and especially consecrated to, God through vows of abstinence. Both men and women could take the nazirite vow; married women could take the vow with the consent of their husbands. The duration of naziriteship was voluntary, and ranged from thirty days to a lifetime.<ref>[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=142&letter=N ''Nazarite''] [[Jewish Encyclopedia]] (1906)</ref> Despite the name "sparated", nazirites did not lead a monastic existence apart from the community but were active participants in all familiar and communal affairs. What set them apart was their meticulous observance of the vow, which gave them a holy status similar to that of the High Priest.<ref>'''Milgrom, Jacob''' ''The JPS Torah Commentary: Numbers'' Jewish Publication Society of America (1990) ISBN 0-8276-0329-0</ref>
==The nazirite vow==
[[Numbers]] 6:2-21<ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/num6.html#2 Numbers 6:2-21]</ref> gives more detailed instructions, but simply stated, the vow imposed three restrictions upon the nazirite:
*the prohibition of wine, or anything made from grapes
*not to cut the hair of the head
*not to touch the dead, not even the body of their father or mother.
Many have observed that these restrictions are similar to those of the ''kohanim'' (priests) but, in fact, the nazirite's restrictions were even greater than the priest's. An ordinary priest is permitted contact with the dead of his immediate family. Only the High Priest shares the nazirite's absolute prohibition regarding contact with any dead. Furthermore, priests are prohibited from drinking intoxicants while "on duty," in the sanctuary, but they are not prohibited from doing so at other times, nor are they forbidden to consume nonalcoholic grape products. Finally, priests were not allowed to shave their heads but were required to trim their hair. So it appears that, for the period of the vow, the nazirite's sanctity surpassed even that of the High Priest.<ref>'''Nelson, David''', ''The Nazirite - A Sacred Volunteer'' Weekly Torah Commentaries: Parashat Naso at [http://www.myjewishlearning.com/texts/Weekly_Torah_Commentary/naso_clal.htm MyJewishLearning.com] accessed June 25, 2007</ref>
George A. Barton and Ludwig Blau, writing in the [[Jewish Encyclopedia]], explain further: "He is "holy unto the Lord" ([http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/num6.html8 Num. 6:8]), and the regulations which apply to him actually agree with those for the high priest and for the priests during worship ([http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/lev10.html8 Lev. 10:8 et seq.], [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/lev21.html 21]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/ezek44.html21 Ezek. 44:21]). In ancient times the priests were persons dedicated to God ([http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/ezek44.html20 Ezek. 44:20]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/1sam11.html11 1 Sam. 1:11]), and it follows from the juxtaposition of prophets and Nazarites ([http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/amos2.html11 Amos 2:11-12]) that the latter must have been regarded as in a sense priests. Young men especially, who found it difficult to abstain from wine on account of youthful desire for pleasure, took the vow. The most prominent outward mark of the Nazirite was long, flowing hair, which was cut at the expiration of the vow and offered as a sacrifice ([http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/num6.html18 Num. 6:18]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/jer7.html29 Jer.7:29]).<ref>[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=142&letter=N ''Nazarite''] [[Jewish Encyclopedia]] (1906)</ref>
==Notable nazirites==
==Notable nazirites==
*[[Absolom]] <ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/2sam14.html#26 2 Samuel 14:26]</ref>
*[[Absolom]] <ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/2sam14.html#26 2 Samuel 14:26]</ref>
*[[James the Just]] <ref>'''Eusebius of Cæsarea''' ''Historia Ecclesiastica'' [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.i.html?bcb=0 Christian Classics Ethereal Library]</ref>
*[[James the Just]] <ref>'''Eusebius of Cæsarea''' ''Historia Ecclesiastica'' [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.i.html?bcb=0 Christian Classics Ethereal Library] accessed June 25, 2007</ref>
*[[John the Baptist]] <ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/luke1.html#15 Luke 1:15]</ref>
*[[John the Baptist]] <ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/luke1.html#15 Luke 1:15]</ref>
*[[Paul]] <ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/acts18.html#18 Acts 18:18]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/acts21.html#23 Acts 21:23-26]</ref>
*[[Paul]] <ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/acts18.html#18 Acts 18:18]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/acts21.html#23 Acts 21:23-26]</ref>