Sotah 3 – Is jealousy good or bad?

Previously we learned that a man can warn his wife not to conceal herself with a particular fellow. Is that jealousy good or bad? Some say it is forbidden for a man to warn his wife this way. He should always try to maintain peace. A warning of this sort will lead to strife between the husband and wife or a conflict between her and her neighbors. Others say jealousy is caused by the spirit of purity and is good.

A long time ago, the spiritual level of men declined. Since men were not blameless themselves, the test of a suspected wife stopped working.

Even when circumstances warrant this, Rabbi Ishmael only permits a man to warn his wife, but Rabbi Akiva makes it an obligation. They have also disagreed similarly in another matter: a Kohen is not allowed to go to a cemetery and become ritually impure. However, he is allowed to do it for his relative. Here too, Rabbi Ishmael says that he is only allowed to do so, but Rabbi Akiva says he should insist and bury his relatives.

Art: Couple at the window by Georg Friedrich Kersting

Sotah 2 – Man deserves what he gets

If a husband becomes particularly jealous of his wife in regard to a certain fellow, he can warn her not to seclude herself with that fellow. If she does, she is suspected of adultery and needs to go to the Temple with her husband to be cleared of the suspicion. The Talmud will discuss the details of this warning, but first, it asks how the previous Tractate, Nazir, is connected to this one?

The answer is that a man who sees such strife between a husband and wife should abstain from wine because he too may become involved in similar affairs, and often through wine. However, this is not a good reason because, in that case, Sotah should come first, and then Nazir. Rather, the connection is more roundabout: in Ketubot (Dowry),  we mentioned one who vows in regard to his wife, from there, we went to discuss Vows (Nedarim) and then Nazir, which is a type of vow, and finally, we are back to Sotah, just as we said before, but in a different order.

In truth, man should blame himself for any marital trouble since the wife one deserves is in proportion to his own good qualities; in general, finding the right spouse is as hard in the eyes of God as splitting the Red Sea. But why should it be so hard? We know that the spouse is predestined for every person when he or she is born!? – When we say that it is hard, we mean the second marriage.

Art: Portrait of a Couple by French Unknown Masters

Nazir 66 – Is it better to bless or to be blessed?

About Samuel the prophet, it says that a razor ("morah") will not pass over his hair. This means that he was a nazir, just like Simeon, about whom the same is said. This is the opinion of Rabbi Nehorai.

However, Rabbi Yose translates the word “morah” as fear and says that fear of man would never be upon Samuel. To this, Rabbi Nehorai replies that Samuel was afraid once when he said, “What if the king hears and kills me?” The answer of Rabbi Nehorai is not given here.

The same Sages agree on something else, though. Rabbi Yose says that the one who responds with “Amen” (which signals his agreement to the blessing) is greater than the one who says the blessing. Rabbi Nehorai said, “By Heaven, so it is! Look at a battle: regular soldiers start, but champions seal the battle.” And yet, another Sage disagrees and says that one should rush to say the blessing first because he is then blessed from Heaven first – and afterward, the one who answers “Amen” receives the same reward (but not greater).

And talking about battles, Sages, through their Torah study, increase peace in the world since their war of arguments substitutes for the physical conflict.

Art: The Soldier's Return by Girolamo Induno

Nazir 62 – Willing slaves

A slave acquired by a Jew has to undergo circumcision and accept on himself the majority of the mitzvot: he will be obligated to keep all the "don't do” prohibitions but not all of the “do” commandments. Thus, his obligations are the same as a Jewish woman keeps.

What happens if a slave does not want to undergo circumcision or accept the commandments? – The master can keep him for a year to see if he changes his mind, but afterward, must sell him back.

Another uncommon feature of such slaves is that if the master accidentally or intentionally kicks out his tooth, eye, or finger, the slave goes to freedom. Once any slave acquires his freedom – he cannot be made a slave again. In fact, he becomes a full Jew, with the additional mitzvot of a Jewish man.

There is a difference between the laws of nazir for women and for slaves. For a woman, a husband can annul her vow, particularly of becoming a nazir (nazirah). The annulment is still active if they divorce or if the husband dies. However, with the slave, it is not so. While the master can force the slave to drink wine and go to a cemetery, this does not cancel the vow; when the slave goes free, he needs to complete his term of nazir.

Art: Slaves on the West Coast of Africa by Francois-Auguste Biard

Nazir 61 – Who can become a nazir?

A Jewish man can become a nazir, but a non-Jew cannot. Also, a Jewish woman can become a nazir (nazirah), and one can even force his slave to become a nazir.

All three rules above are not obvious. Why is it that a non-Jew cannot become a nazir? – Because the Torah said, "Speak to the sons of Israel," but not to other peoples. However, this cannot serve as proof because later, the Torah uses the term "man," which should mean "any man." In fact, a non-Jew can bring sacrifices in the Temple, so why can't he be a nazir?

Perhaps it is because a nazir is not allowed to bury even his father, and maybe for a non-Jew, it is different? – Can't be because inheritance laws apply to all people, including inheriting from the father. Or perhaps it is because a nazir should avoid impurity, and a non-Jew, since he does not go to the Temple and does not have the concept of impurity, cannot be a nazir? – No, that is not convincing either: perhaps he does have a concept of impurity, just that he gets no punishment for being impure!?

The Talmud tries a few more attempts but concludes that this rule is impossible to prove. Rabbi Yochanan summarized that God tells this law directly to Moses and not written anywhere in the Torah.

Art: Burial on The Plains by Richard Lorenz

Nazir 59 – Two nazirs, complicated further

Continuing the story of two nazirs, one who became ritually impure and had to bring sacrifices together, making conditional statements about whose sacrifice it was, let us suppose that one of them dies. Now the surviving one does not have a friend with whom to make those conditions. What is he to do?

He must find someone "in the street" willing to help. This volunteer has to put himself in a condition of doubt by saying, "I adopt to be a nazir, but conditionally. If the survivor was impure, I am a nazir immediately." After thirty days, they bring the same two sets of sacrifices, one required for a pure nazir and one for an impure one, and declare that if the survivor was impure, then the impure sacrifices are his, and the other ones are for the volunteer. But if the survivor was pure, the pure sacrifices are his, and the impure ones are offered as sacrifices in doubt (since such a category exists). Then the volunteer continues, "If the surviving nazir was pure, then my term of being a nazir starts after thirty days." Then they keep offering more sacrifices and making more conditions.

This was the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua. But Ben Zome asked, "Who will go out to this extent to extricate his friend out of his doubts?" Rather, the survivor should bring the minimal sacrifice that would allow him to conclude his being a nazir, even though they involve bird sacrifices, which is not standard - but it will enable him to achieve his purpose. Even though Rabbi Yehoshua argued that this was not the preferred way, the Sages agreed to Ben Zoma as more practical.

A question to Rabbi Yehoshua: "What is really wrong with Ben Zoma's solution?" - Actually, nothing; Rabbi Yehoshua just wanted to sharpen the minds of his students with a more complicated one.

Art: David Street in Jerusalem by Gustave Bauernfeind

Nazir 57 – One out of two nazirs

If two nazirs (correctly, nazirim) were walking together on the road, and somebody saw that one of them became ritually impure, they have a problem on their hands. The impure one must shave and bring sacrifices to purify himself, and the pure one simply continues being a nazir. But they don't know who is who.

Here is their way out. They both continue being nazir until the end of their term. Then they both shave because it would be required for both pure and impure nazir. Then they take two sets of sacrifices, one for a nazir who is pure, and another, a different set, for one who is impure, and bring them together to the Temple.

Each of them now says: "If I am really pure, and my friend is impure, then the sacrifices of purity are mine, and the other set is his." Then they bring both sets. But this works only for a pure nazir. Now they continue for yet another thirty days, and at the end, they bring just one set of sacrifices – for the nazir who is pure. Each one says: "If I was the pure one – then this sacrifice is my friend's, and previously my sacrifice was already brought. But if I was the impure one, then this sacrifice is now mine."

The Talmud then asks: why is there any doubt at all? We know how to resolve all such doubts based on the laws of the doubts of a suspected wife (next Tractate). That is, if the suspected people hid, the doubt is confirmed. And if they were in a public place, there is no doubt at all. Here they did not hide from the one who saw them!? – He was far, so it is as if they were hiding.

Art: Portrait of a Clean-Shaven Young Man by Lucas The Elder Cranach

Nazir 55 – Nazir outside of Israel?

The Sages decreed that anyone who left Israel would immediately become ritually impure to discourage people from leaving the Land of Israel. Ostensibly, this is because people who live outside of Israel are not as careful marking off graves (ground-based impurity), and one can pass over an unknown grave. However, the Sages may have declared the airspace outside Israel impure (air-based impurity).

The laws of nazir may shed some light on this. A nazir who went outside of Israel becomes ritually impure and will have to continue his days after he purifies himself. We also saw that he purifies himself with the ashes of Red Heifer. Now, the ashes are only needed for the impurity of the dead. This proves that the out-of-Israel impurity was because of the unmarked graves, and it is a ground-based impurity, does it not? – Actually, no. It could be that this is sheer air-based impurity, and the ashes of the Red Heifer are mentioned only regarding a plowed-over cemetery but not anything else.

Art: Graveyard under Snow by Caspar David Friedrich

Nazir 54 – Not to shave!

There are cases when the ritual impurity does not really exist, but it was “decreed by the Sages.” Take, for example, a field where a grave was previously located, then the location of it was lost, and then the field was plowed over. Since anyone who is walking through the field can potentially touch a bone and become impure, the Sages said that such a field should be treated as ritually impure, and anyone who went through it without precautions will have to purify himself.

However, from the Torah point of view, accidentally touching a bone is unlikely because a plow does not usually reach that deep, and the person is really pure. A nazir who becomes impure should cut his hair and bring sacrifices, but a nazir who is pure is not allowed to touch even one hair. What is a nazir to do if he passes through a “field full of fragments," as it is called?

Here is what he should do: purify himself with the ashes of the red heifer on days three and seven, and then continue being a nazir. The seven days of his impurity are removed from his count, but otherwise, he continues to count as before. And he does not shave his hair or bring sacrifices because, in truth, he is pure. Other similar cases, such as being under the same branch as a corpse (but not a real roof that transmits impurity) are treated the same way.

If, in addition to being a nazir, he became a metzora (spiritual leper), he purifies himself from that but continues being a nazir since metzora, even though it requires purification, is not the same as the impurity of the dead. Thus, he does not lose all the previous days, as he would if we were to go to a cemetery.

Art: Plowing ox By Rudolf Koller

Nazir 52 – Skull and spine

If a nazir comes in touch with a dead body, he loses his previous days, has to shave, must bring sacrifices, and then restart. How much of a dead body? One example is a skull and spine – just bones, even if they have no meat.

This rule had two versions; one read "skull and spine," but the other read "skull or spine." According to the second one, a skull or a spine is enough for a nazir to lose his days and shave. Which one is right?

The Talmud tries to resolve this in many ways. For example, since there are six questions related to nazir where Rabbi Akiva initially held a more stringent position but eventually conceded to the Sages, if his position was more stringent here, too, and read "skull or spine," - then the total count would be seven, not six. However, Rabbi Shimon says there was another rule about a "quarter-measurement of blood from two different deads," which Rabbi Akiva never conceded. This changes the count and ruins our proof.

Incidentally, Rabbi Shimon emphasized his points: "While Rabbi Akiva was alive, he never changed his mind on this question, and whether he retracted after death - I don't know about that." Unfortunately, there were more refined ways of putting it. Rabbi Shimon felt remorse and fasted to atone for it until his teeth darkened.

Art: An old man, holding a skull by Jan Lievens

Nazir 47 – Who is more important, nazir or High Priest?

The High Priest and nazir have this in common: they are not allowed to become ritually impure by touching a dead body. And yet, if any of them finds an unattended corpse so that the obligation to bury the body devolves on him, he should attend to it, even though he will become ritually impure.

What if a High Priest and a nazir find this corpse together – who is obligated to bury this dead and thus preserve the other one from becoming impure? This should be the High Priest because to purify himself, he only needs to wait for seven days and get himself sprinkled with the ashes of the Red Heifer. By contrast, a nazir would need to bring special sacrifices before he can restart being a nazir. This is the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer. The Sages say just the opposite. Nazir should bury because his limitations are temporary, whereas the High Priest should always be pure.

In this argument, the positions are clearly stated. But now the Talmud compares other gradations, such as the Priest Anointed for War and a Deputy High Priest; who is more important? This is resolved as follows: to preserve the life of the Priest Anointed for War, he is more critical because he serves the needs of many people. But concerning purity, the Deputy is more important concerning purity because he can be called to serve in the Temple any time the chief High Priest becomes impure.

Art: Burying the Dead by Michael Sweerts

Nazir 43 - How to get multiple punishments

If a nazir is warned not to drink wine, and then he drinks all day, he is liable only for the first drink. However, if they warn him again before every sip, he is liable (to lashes) for each separate act.

Similarly, if they tell him not to become ritually impure by coming in contact with a dead body, and he does it, he is liable only once. Still, he is liable multiple times if they keep warning him before each act.

But how can one be liable for ritual impurity more than once? Once he is impure - that's it, and he cannot become any more impure than this!? - He can achieve it by coming into a house where there is a dead body (for this is a separate prohibition) and then actually becoming impure.

However, this is not possible. If his nose comes in first, he is already impure but has not entirely come into the house. And if he leans back, so his nose is in line with his body, his toe comes in first!

We can invent a solution: he should come in while in a big box, since big boxes protect from impurity. And then somebody must remove the roof of his box. For this, he really does get punished twice - provided that he assists in removing the roof, for otherwise, it is not he but the one who removed the roof would be to blame. Thus, we found an answer.

Art: Peasants Drinking In A Tavern by Jan Miense  Molenaer

Nazir 40 – Real shaving is done with a razor

The Torah said about a nazir that a "razor shall not pass over his head." However, the words "razor" or really "no razor" is already sufficient for us to know the law. Then why are the words "will not pass over his head" written at all? – to include any other way of hair removal, such as pincers or depilatory, and to make it prohibited for nazir to remove his hair in any way.

But now the word "razor" becomes extra: if, in the end, the Torah is going to prohibit all kinds of hair removal, then why mention "razor?" Now, this teaches an additional law: that when the nazir concludes his term and shaves his head, that shaving must be done only with a razor. If he uses any other instrument, the shaving does not count; he has to re-do the last thirty days of a nazir and shave again, this time correctly.

There are, in general, three categories of people who must shave all their hair: a nazir, a metzora (spiritual leper), and all Levites on the day of their first inauguration for Temple service. The Talmud tries to derive the laws of one of these categories from the others.

Art: Portrait of a Clean-shaven Man by Lucas The Elder Cranach