Nazirite
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A nazirite or nazarite (Hebrew: נזיר, nazir "separated") was a 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.[1] Despite the name "separated", 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.[2]
Taking the vow
As with other vows in Judaism, a father has the ability to annul the nazirite vow of his unmarried daughter, and a husband has the ability to annul a vow by his wife, when they first hear about it.[3]
The nazirite vow
Numbers 6:2-21 gives more detailed instructions, but simply stated, the vow imposed three restrictions upon the nazirite:
- the prohibition of wine, or anything made from grapes[4]
- 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.[5]
George A. Barton and Ludwig Blau, writing in the Jewish Encyclopedia, explain further: "He is "holy unto the Lord" (Num. 6:8), and the regulations which apply to him actually agree with those for the high priest and for the priests during worship (Lev. 10:8 et seq., 21; Ezek. 44:21). In ancient times the priests were persons dedicated to God (Ezek. 44:20; 1 Sam. 1:11), and it follows from the juxtaposition of prophets and Nazarites (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." (Num. 6:18; Jer.7:29).[6]
After adhering to the vow for the designated period of time the nazirite would immerse themself in a Mikvah and make three offerings:
- a lamb as a burnt offering (olah)
- a ewe as a sin offering (hatat)
- a ram as a peace offering (shelamim)
After these sacrifices were offered by the priest, the Nazarite cut off his hair at the door and threw it into the fire under the peace-offering.[7]
References
- ↑ Nazarite Jewish Encyclopedia (1906)
- ↑ Milgrom, Jacob The JPS Torah Commentary: Numbers Jewish Publication Society of America (1990) ISBN 0-8276-0329-0
- ↑ Numbers 30
- ↑ The avoidance of all produce of the vine was such that a Jewish proverb relates "Let the Nazirite go around the vineyard, but let him not approach it."
- ↑ Nelson, David, The Nazirite - A Sacred Volunteer Weekly Torah Commentaries: Parashat Naso at MyJewishLearning.com accessed June 25, 2007
- ↑ Nazarite Jewish Encyclopedia (1906)
- ↑ "Nazarite" Bible Encyclopedia at ChristianAnswersNet accessed June 25, 2007
- ↑ 2 Samuel 14:26
- ↑ Eusebius of Cæsarea Historia Ecclesiastica Christian Classics Ethereal Library accessed June 25, 2007
- ↑ Luke 1:15
- ↑ Acts 18:18; Acts 21:23-26
- ↑ Judges 13:4
- ↑ 1 Samuel 1:9-11