The mitzvot of Naso

The commandment to send the impure out of the camp of the Divine Presence

Positive · Numbers 5:2

The sages knew that impurity weakens the power of the intellect, confuses it and separates it from the higher intellect until the person becomes pure again. Therefore it is not fitting for someone soiled with impurity to be in the holy and pure place where the spirit of God dwells. It is like a king's palace, from which anyone whose body or clothing is repulsive is kept away.

That an impure person not enter the entire Temple

Negative · Numbers 5:3

The sages knew that impurity confuses the intellect and distances it from the higher intellect until the person becomes pure. Therefore it is not fitting for one who is impure to enter the Temple, the holy and pure place where the spirit of God dwells, just as anyone whose clothes are soiled is kept away from a king's palace.

The commandment of confession of sin

Positive · Numbers 5:6

When a person confesses his sin aloud, it becomes clear that he truly believes all his deeds are revealed and known before God, and does not act as though the seeing eye does not see. And by naming the sin explicitly and regretting it, he guards himself against it another time, for once he has said aloud, I did this and that and stumbled, he is fenced off from doing it again. In this way he finds favour before his Creator, who desires the good of His creatures.

The commandment of the suspected adulteress for the husband to bring her to the priest and that he do to her according to the statute that is written

Positive · Numbers 5:12

The root of this mitzvah is plain to all - it is a great distinction of the people of Israel that they have a way to remove suspicion from a husband's heart and to know truly whether his wife has been faithful to him. Nothing like it exists among any other nation, and through it love and peace grow between husband and wife. And since it was a miracle, the sages said that it ceased when sins multiplied in the generation.

That we not put oil on the sotah sacrifice

Negative · Numbers 5:15

The sages said that oil is called light, and so it is not fitting to adorn with it the offering of a woman suspected of a deed done in secret. The Chinuch adds that oil floats above all liquids and is a thing of honour, with which kings and high priests are anointed, and it has no place in such an offering. The intention is to correct the thinking of those who see, so that they know that one who corrupts his ways comes to shame, while God does good to the good.

Not to place frankincense on the sotah sacrifice

Negative · Numbers 5:15

As with the oil, frankincense is the adornment of an offering and its sweet fragrance, and it is not fitting to adorn the offering of a woman suspected of sin. The sages further said that the worthy and modest matriarchs are called frankincense, and one who has come under such suspicion has strayed from their ways.

That the nazirite not drink wine or all types of spirits

Negative · Numbers 6:3

A person is made of intellect and matter, and the intellect must dwell in the body and tend to its needs too, but whenever a person can reduce the demands of the physical and turn to the service of his Creator it is good for him, provided he does not ruin his body. This is the virtue of the nazir - he breaks his desires by an abstention that does not destroy the body, such as refraining from wine. In this way the inclination is subdued, the service of the intellect grows stronger, and the glory of God rests upon him.

That the nazirite not eat damp grapes

Negative · Numbers 6:3

Keeping the nazir away from everything that comes from the vine springs from the same root as the whole of nazirhood. The nazir takes upon himself to break his desires in a measure that does not harm the body, so that the intellect prevails over the physical and turns to the service of his Creator. Therefore the Torah kept him away not only from wine but also from the grapes themselves.

That the nazirite not eat raisins

Negative · Numbers 6:3

Raisins too, though their name has changed, are fruit of the vine, and the nazir keeps away from everything that comes from it. The root of nazirhood is that a person reduces the desires of the body in a way that does not harm him, so that his intellect grows strong in the service of his Creator and the glory of God rests upon him.

That the nazirite not eat the seeds of the grapes

Negative · Numbers 6:4

The nazirite keeps away from wine and from everything that comes from the vine in order to subdue his inclination. The human soul dwells in a body full of desires, and a person may lessen his service of the body and devote his strength to serving his Creator, as long as he does not ruin his body. That is why even the seeds of the grapes are forbidden to him, so that his distance from wine is complete.

That the nazirite not eat the peel of the grapes

Negative · Numbers 6:4

The Torah multiplied warnings about keeping away from wine and from everything that comes from the vine, because all the fruit of the vine has great power to strengthen the inclination. The nazirite has taken upon himself to break his desires and sanctify himself to God, so even the peel of the grape is forbidden to him, that he may be entirely distant from whatever arouses desire.

That the nazirite not shave his hair

Negative · Numbers 6:5

The hair that grows wild on the nazirite's head lessens his outward beauty and humbles the pride of the inclination. The sages tell of a young shepherd who saw his reflection in the water and grew proud of his curls, and at once vowed to become a nazirite so as to shave them off for the sake of Heaven. Therefore, all the days of his vow no razor passes over his head, so that his inclination does not grow proud of his beauty.

The commandment of growing the hair of the nazirite

Positive · Numbers 6:5

The human soul dwells in a body full of desires, so at times it must turn from serving its Creator to the needs of the body. Whenever a person can lessen his service of the body and direct his aim to the service of God, it is good for him, provided he does not ruin his body, for it is also forbidden to afflict oneself too much. This is the holiness of the nazirite - he breaks his desires in ways that do not harm the body, such as abstaining from wine and letting his hair grow, and so his inclination is humbled and the service of his mind grows strong.

That the nazirite not enter the tent of a dead body

Negative · Numbers 6:6

Impurity weakens the power of the intellect and separates it from holiness, so it must be kept away from every holy place, and likewise from a person who has sanctified himself to God. And the nazirite is holy to God all the days of his vow. The impurity of the dead is the most severe of all, for when the intelligent soul departs from the body only matter remains, so it is fitting for him to keep away from it and not enter the tent where it lies.

That the nazirite not become impure through a dead body or through other impurities

Negative · Numbers 6:7

The holiness of a kohen comes to him from birth and not by his own choice, and he lives among his relatives like any other person, his heart bound to them, so he was permitted to become impure for them. The nazirite, by contrast, chose of his own will to sanctify himself to God, separated himself from wine and from the feasts of friends and gave his whole heart to perfecting his soul, so, like the High Priest, he is forbidden to become impure even for his father and mother. And though his vow is for a set time, one who has once dedicated himself to God has hope of continuing to rise, and one who comes to purify himself is helped from Heaven.

The commandment of shaving the nazirite and bringing his sacrifices

Positive · Numbers 6:13

At the end of the days of his vow too the aim is to subdue the inclination - the nazirite shaves off all his hair rather than merely trimming it, so that pride in his beauty does not return to him. The offering he brings for atonement atones for him in case he went further in afflicting himself than his body and soul could bear. According to the Ramban, he needs atonement because he returns to the desires of the world after having already sanctified himself to God.

The commandment of the priestly blessing every day

Positive · Numbers 6:23

God in His goodness wished to bless His people through the kohanim, who serve constantly in His House and whose thoughts cling to His service, and by their merit the blessing rests upon Israel. And if you ask why He does not simply command the blessing Himself, blessing comes upon us according to the fitness of our deeds, for His hand is open to whoever is ready to receive the good. So He commanded us to ask Him for the blessing through His pure servants, and this too is a merit for our souls by which we come to receive His goodness.

The commandment of carrying the Ark on the shoulder

Positive · Numbers 7:9

The essence of Israel's honour is the Torah, through which they were set apart from the other nations and became God's portion. Therefore it is fitting that the Ark of the Torah be carried on the shoulders of the most honoured and sanctified men of the people, and not on a wagon or on the back of an animal.