ONE OF THE more mysterious details of this week’s Torah portion, Naso (Numbers 4:21–7:89), concerns the “nazirite” – someone who decides to swear off of wine and other grape products, haircuts, and engaging with the deceased.
Why would anyone do such a thing?
The Torah doesn’t explain, but Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz offers three traditional viewpoints:
1. Out of gratitude for a gift or blessing from G?d.
2. To fulfill a vow to G?d.
3. To draw nearer the Divine by achieving a measure of personal holiness.
That last point takes a bit of unpacking. For our ancestors, closeness to G?d could normally be achieved in only two ways – either through bringing a sacrifice to the Tabernacle or Temple, or by being born into one of the Levitical families who serve in it.
However, not everyone could afford a sacrifice. And while not everyone had the privilege of inheriting a sacred status, anyone could be as holy as someone who did. Being a nazirite took a dedication to principles, vigilance over one’s behavior, and a certain amount of self-sacrifice.
Though there’s no longer a Tabernacle or Temple, we call someone who holds and exemplifies those qualities a “mensch.”
Sounds a lot like holiness to me.