*Laws # 217-226 ~ BOOK SIX: THE BOOK OF OATHS (Laws of the Nazir)

Also called a Nazarite, refers to one who voluntarily took a vow.  The Hebrew word “Nazir” means consecrated or separated.  The vow requires them to abstain from wine, wine vinegar, grapes, raisins, intoxicating liquors, vinegar distilled from such substances, and eating or drinking any substance that contains any trace of grapes.  It also required them to refrain from cutting their hair and not become ritually impure by having contact with a corpse or grace of a family member.  After following these requirements for a specified period of time, they would immerse in a mikveh (ritual bath) and make three offerings; a lamb (burnt), a ewe (sin) and a ram (peace).  Their heads were shaved in the outer court of the Temple in Jerusalem and add their hair to the ram peace offering. 

Is the Nazir applicable today?  No.  Because no Temple is in place to complete the vow process.  For this reason, *** asterisks have been placed by them.  Although the Israelites are scattered and the Jerusalem Temple is no longer, the purpose of the Nazir was to consecrate themselves in an outstanding or unusual manner for the Most High.  It was a personal decision.  The rules they followed during this time period resembled those followed by the Priest.  Their sanctity actually was to exceed that of the High Priest.  Priests were prohibited from drinking alcohol only before going on duty in the tabernacle (Lev. 10:9) but Nazarites were forbidden to consume any produce of the vine at any time.  Their devotion very much symbolized the holy calling of the nation (Jer. 7:29).  They were the epitome of sanctity. The Commandments regarding the Nazir are found below.

***Law #217 The Nazir must let his hair grow

Num. 6:5 “All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separates himself unto the Most High, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Commandment is for the Nazir to let his hair grow.

Letting the hair grow signified an increase of virtue or grace, as with Samson’s strength, which increased when his hair was not cut.  While Israelites were not obligated to grow long hair regularly, they may decide to as a symbol of grace, strength and virtue.

*Law #218 He must not cut his hair

Num. 6:5 “All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separates himself unto the Most High, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Commandment is for the Nazir not to cut his hair.  This is a repeat of Law #217, as letting the hair grow obviously requires them to not cut it.  It was extracted from the same verse.  Therefore, it must be omitted. 

***Law #219 He must not drink wine, wine mixtures, or wine vinegar

Num. 6:3 “He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Law is for the Nazir not to drink wine, wine mixtures or wine vinegar.

***Law #220 He must not eat fresh grapes

Num 6:3 “He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Law is for the Nazir not to eat fresh grapes.

***Law #221 He must not eat raisins

Num. 6:3 “He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Law is for the Nazir to not eat raisins

***Law #222 He must not eat grape seeds

Num. 6:4 “All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Law is for the Nazir not to eat grape seeds.  

***Law #223 He must not eat grape skins

Num. 6:4 “All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Law is for the Nazir not to eat grape skins. 

***Law #224 He must not be under the same roof as a corpse

Num. 6:6 “All the days that he separates himself unto the Most High he shall come at no dead body.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Command is for the Nazir not to be under the same roof as a corpse. 

***Law #225 He must not come into contact with the dead

Num. 6:7 “He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of the Most High is upon his head.”

According to Maimonides, the Command again, is for the Nazir to not come into contact with the dead. This is a repeat of Law #224 according to Num. 6:6.  Verse 7 only further explains the reason behind the Commandment; to not make himself unclean.  This Law should be omitted, as it repeats Law #224.  It is the 49^th of its kind.

***/**Law #226 He must shave after bringing sacrifices upon completion of his Nazarite period

Num. 6:9 “And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

The Command is for the Nazir to shave their heads after bringing sacrifices upon completion of his Nazirite period.  However, this command is not found in verse 9 but in verse 18.  The scriptural reference must be changed for accuracy.

*Law # 214-216 ~ BOOK SIX: THE BOOKS OF OATHS (Laws of Vows)

Law #214 To fulfill what was uttered and to do what was avowed

Deut. 23:23 “That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Most High, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.”

We’re commanded to keep the promises we make to others.  Our reliability is our credibility.  Vows are often uttered in times of crisis (Gen. 28:20-22, Num. 21:2, Judges 11:30-31) but once the crisis passes, the vow is forgotten.  This Law applies to both man and woman.  (Num. 30:3,7)

*Law #215 Num. 30:3 “If a woman also vow a vow unto the Most High, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father’s house in her youth; 7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.”

We’re commanded not to break oaths or vows.  This Commandments is a repeat of Law #214 found in Deut. 23:23, to not break a vow.  It did not need to be repeated and should be omitted.  It is the 46^th of its kind.

Law #216 For oaths and vows annulled, there are the laws of annulling vows explicit in the Torah
We see the procedures for annulling the vows of a woman in the following passage.

We see the procedures for annulling the vows of a woman in the following passage.  According to this Law a woman’s vow can be invalidated by the father (if a single daughter) or husband (if married).  This Law promotes the submission of a wife to her husband.  Likewise, when a wife makes a promise or vow and her husband does not object, he confirms it (vs. 14).

Num. 30:3-16 “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge ⁴ and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁵ But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her. ⁶ “If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself ⁷ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁸ But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her. ⁹ “Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her. ¹⁰ “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath ¹¹ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ¹² But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her. ¹³ Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself.^{[b] 14} But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. ¹⁵ If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”

¹⁶ These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at home.

*Law # 209-213 ~ BOOK SIX: THE BOOKS OF OATHS (Laws of Oaths)

Law #209 Not to swear falsely in the Most High’s name

Lev. 19:12 “Do not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God.  I am the Most High.”

The command is not to make false claims and then swear by the credibility of the Most High’s name.  Such acts profane His name.  Verse 11 says, “Do not steal.  Do not lie.  Do not deceive one another.”  The assumption is that in defending such acts, we tend to back them up on the Most High’s credibility.  He’s just as concerned with His name being attached to falsehoods as He is concerned with the falsehoods themselves.  He says, “I am the Most High.”  If you choose to take part in lies, do not involve the Most High’s name in it.  He is to remain sanctified from sin. 

Law #210 Not to take the Most High’s name in vain

Ex. 20:7 “Thou shalt not take the name of the Most High in vain; for the Most High will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.”

The 3^rd of the 10 Commandments is the command not to use the Most High’s name in vain.  He’s dealing with His character and position as sovereign ruler.  His name, as most in the bible, reveals His character and when His name is misused, the perception of His character becomes tainted.  Misuse includes using His name in a way that denies the true meaning behind His character.  The word vain means without value or worthless or false.  When He says He will not hold any one guiltless, that means He intends to hold those accountable who misuse His name.

Law #211 Not to deny possession of something entrusted to you

Lev. 19:11 “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.”

We’re commanded not to deny possession or take what is not our own.  We’re also commanded not to lie or deceive.  If we be reflections of His holiness, lying and being deceitful is a misrepresentation of His character.  We are to be a reflection of His virtue.

Law #212 Not to swear in denial of a monetary claim

Lev. 19:11 “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.”

The command is not to deny wages.  It is better found in vs. 13 which reads, “Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.” 

Law #213 To swear in the Most High’s name to confirm the truth when deemed necessary by court

Deut. 10:20 “Thou shalt fear the Most High; Him shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave, and swear by His name.”

The Commandment found here is to swear by the Most High’s name. [The Commandments to fear, serve and cleave to the Most High are found in Law #5 and #12]

*Laws # 204-208 ~ BOOK FIVE: THE BOOK OF HOLINESS (Laws of Slaughtering)

Law #204 To ritually slaughter an animal before eating it

Deut. 12:21 “If the place which the Most High has chosen to put His name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the Most High has given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusts after.”

This Law allows for the slaughter of animals for food within your own gates.  This command pertains to animal slaughter.  If the place of slaughter was too far for the Israelites to travel, they were commanded or allowed to kill and eat flesh for common food within their gates.  They could kill of thy herd and of thy flock; of thy oxen and sheep, creatures used in sacrifice, but this was not bar to the use of them for common food also.

Law #205 Not to slaughter an animal and its offspring on the same day

Lev. 22:28 “And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.”

The command is not to slaughter an animal and its offspring on the same day in the act of hunting.  This Law is still applicable for Israelites who partake in such activity today.  The reason for this Law seems to be to encourage mercy and pity, and to discourage cruelty.

Law #206 To cover the blood (of a slaughtered beast/fowl) with earth

Lev. 17:13 “Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth.” 

The command is to cover the blood of hunted animals with earth.  This Law is still applicable to Israelites who partake in the activity of hunting.

Law #207 Not to take the mother bird from her children

Deut. 22:6 “If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young…

Law #208 To release the mother bird if she was taken from the nest

Deut. 22:7 “…You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.”

The two commands found here are not to take the mother bird from her children.  This Law was made to preserve the species of birds and prevent the decrease of them.  The intention of this Law is to teach humanity and compassion and to forbid cruelty.  The second command is to release the mother bird if she has been taken from the nest.