Seder 106: Samson---An Anomalous Nazirite

Usually a Nazirite undertook his or her vow voluntarily, for a specified period of time, and had to carefully avoid contracting ritual uncleanness through contact with a human corpse.  

But it was different in the case of Samson in Judges 13-16.  In what may have been the first recorded prenatal dietary counseling, the angel of the Lord announced to the wife of Manoah, 

"Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son.  No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines" (Jdg 13:3-5).

Samson's mother went on to explain to her husband that "the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death" (verse 7).  So Samson had no choice in the matter.  He would be a Nazirite, and not just for some short specified period, but for his entire life.  

We might also tend to think of a Nazirite as someone who would achieve some measure of self-control through abstinence from alcohol, and who would seek to develop a strong relationship with God.  But Samson ended up being a violent, passionate warrior who had difficulty curbing his desires and did not possess much spiritual awareness.  

During his time as a warrior he was in frequent contact with dead bodies, leading some to conclude that in his special case, he was exempt from the normal Nazirite requirement to avoid human corpses.  Otherwise he would have needed to cut his hair and restart his vow frequently (Num 6:9-12), which he does not seem to have done (Jdg 16:17).  Samson was not your typical Nazirite.

Seder 105 and 106: The Message of Numbers 5-6

 In the book of Numbers, narrative sections are interspersed with ritual and moral instruction.  For example, in Numbers 1-4, the camp of Israel is organized.  Then the narrative pauses in chapters 5-6 for instructions on ritual purity in the camp (5:1-4), reparation offerings (5;5-10), a case where a husband becomes jealous after his wife has been alone with another man (5:11-31), instructions for a Nazirite vow (6:1-21), and the priestly blessing (6:22-27).  On a first reading, the arrangement can seem rather random.

However, commentators have discerned an underlying structure in Numbers 5-6.  Michael Morales explains that Numbers 5-6 deals with the spiritual state of the Israelite camp:  

• 5:1-4----ritual purity of the camp.
• 5:5-10---purity in the realm of society.
• 5:11-31---purity in marriage and family.
• 6:1-21---purity of individuals before God.
• 6:22-27---purity in these realms leads to blessing from God going out through the camp.

Morales also sees in the juxtaposition of 5:11-31 and 6:1-21 a contrast between two possible paths for Israel, God's bride.  Israel can either stray from God, like the wife in 5:11-31; or Israel can grow in relationship with God, like the Nazirite in chapter 6.  

Moreover, Morales sees Israel functioning as a kind of Nazirite during its wilderness sojourn.  In the wilderness Israel does not have access to wine or grape products, but they are living with God in their midst and have an opportunity to draw closer to him.

Seder 106: Numbers 6:1-21---the Nazirite Vow

 Numbers 6:1-21 describes the Nazirite vow, a way in which one could separate oneself to God at a high level of holiness for a specified period of time.  During the time of the vow, a Nazirite was to partake of no wine or grape products, was not to have a haircut, and was to have no contact with a corpse.  

These requirements have some parallels with the requirements for an Israelite high priest, who also was to have no contact with a corpse.(Lev 21:11) and was not to drink alcoholic beverages while on duty (Lev 10:9).  Both high priests and Nazirites had a special head covering.

One might undertake such a vow to express devotion or gratitude to God.  One might also promise to become a Nazirite if a certain prayer was answered.  

Any Israelite, male or female, could become a Nazirite.  For example, Queen Helene of Adiabene promised to do a 7-year vow if her son Izates, who had gone to war, returned safely.  He did, and see carried out the vow (m. Nazir 3:6; b Nazir 19b ). 

 Another female Nazirite mentioned in the Mishna and Talmud was Miriam of Palmyra (m Nazir 6:11; b Nazir 47a)

A third was Herod the Great's great-granddaughter Berenice.

The completion of a Nazirite vow was commemorated with a series of offerings (Num 6:13-21).  There has been much discussion among Jewish commentators about why one of them was a purification offering (v 16). One suggestion is that the purification offering was for the fact that the vow was now ending.  Another is that the purification offering is for all the good things that the Nazirite could have been enjoying during the time of the vow.  A better suggestion, I think, is that this purification offering is like those accompanying a priestly ordination.  The Nazirite would carry out a priestly act in placing his hair on the altar (Num 6:18), and he or she was making a transition to a new level in his or her relationship with God.

Since the offerings were expensive, it was considered to be a mitzvah to help a Nazirite finance them.  Paul once acted in this capacity (Acts 21:17-26) and also carried out a vow of his own (Acts 18:18).  These are some of the data supporting the assertion that Paul remained Torah observant after he was called as an apostle.

Seder 106: Num 5:11-31---Suspicion of Adultery

 A major theme in Numbers 5 is the importance of purity, both ritual and moral, for the children of Israel as they prepared to depart from Mt. Sinai early in the second year of the Exodus.  Strong marriages would promote moral purity, and jealousy between marriage partners would threaten Israelite marriages.  

Numbers 5:11-31 describes a case where a husband becomes consumed with jealousy toward his wife, who denies any wrongdoing.  An impasse results.  If that impasse persists, a ceremony is to be carried out at the tabernacle in which the wife is made to drink a special mixture of holy water.  If she is innocent of adultery, there will be no negative consequences from her drinking the water.  If she is guilty, she will suffer physical consequences that will render her unable to bear children.  

One unusual thing about this case is the fact that God promises to intervene and reveal the truth.  Normally God would not intervene in this way in Israel's justice system, and there are provisions in the Torah for what to do in cases of unsolved crimes.  For example, if a man asked his neighbor to watch an animal while he was away and something happened to the animal while no one was looking, the owner would have to accept an oath from the neighbor that the neighbor had not harmed the animal (Ex 22:10-11).  

So one other possibility for this case of suspected adultery would be for the suspected party to take an oath before God that no adultery had taken place, with the provision that the jealous spouse would have to accept that oath.  An interesting question:  Why doesn't the Torah simply go with that possibility?    

The fact that God promises to intervene in such a case may say something about

• how important it is to God to save a marriage.
• the vulnerable position of women in that culture, and how God wanted to protect women.
• the dangerous, destructive power of human jealousy.

One lesson for us might be the importance of avoiding the snare of jealousy.  This case can also lead us to reflect upon the difference between destructive human jealousy and God's "jealousy" for his people, which stems from his love for them.  We might contrast the jealous husband with God, who is faithful to Israel despite their unfaithfulness to him (see e.g. Hosea 2:16-23).   

Questions are raised by Num 5:31, which begins, "The man shall be free from iniquity."  This may mean that if the wife turns out to be innocent, the man will not be prosecuted for making a false accusation.  On the other hand, a Jewish tradition says that it means the test will only be efficacious if the jealous spouse has not been unfaithful.  

We don't know how often this ceremony was ever carried out.  Jewish tradition says that Johanan ben Zakkai ruled in about 70 AD that the test would no longer be used from then on.  The efficacy of the test relied on the people involved fearing God and trusting the answer the test gave, and the rabbis were not sure that the people still had sufficient morality and fear of God for the test to be worthwhile.

A Christian legend recorded in the Infancy Gospel of James, chapter 16, has both Mary and Joseph undergoing the ceremony and being vindicated when Mary's pregnancy leads to accusations against them.  

Num 5:28 says that if the woman turns out to be innocent, then she will be able to have children.  Today's Western readers tend to observe that a wife was put through such an ordeal by her husband, she would likely no longer want to have children with him.  Other cultures can be different, however.  Rob Wilson, in a sermon at Church of the Messiah on June 18, 2022, noted that women in some cultures may be proud of how jealous their husbands are.  

Seder 106: Psalm 119:97-104---In Praise of God's Instruction

 This section of Psalm 119 is a hymn of praise to God's word.  The psalmist makes no petitions here.  

The psalmist's love of God's instruction reflects his love of God himself.  His focused meditation on that word, following the way of wisdom described in Psalm 1:2,  is a form of worship.  

The psalmist praises God as the greatest source of wisdom, greater than any human source.  He is not boasting, and it is not his intention to ignore his teachers or the elders.  It's just that God's Word is greater than any other teaching, and God greater than any other teacher.  

His study of God's instruction leads him to love God's instruction and seek to follow the way of wisdom.  God's Word enables him to discern the right way and to shun the way of evil.