I was interested in knowing why a person takes the vow of becoming a Nazarite. Does become a Nazarite not break the law of vowing? Why is this practice not followed today? Is a Nazarite not obligated to bless wine over kiddush?
It’s an exception – it is allowed (but discouraged) Biblically – it was done when a person experienced or saw something that was so troubling it made him or her feel a sharp decline in holiness…becoming a Nazir is a way to put oneself back in balance. It may be for a month or longer. I’m actually not well versed in the details of the vow, because there is an entire tractate of the Talmud that deals with it with which I am not an expert.
Now, your hunch is good about the inherent violation in the vow. Vowing itself is not forbidden, merely discouraged because violating a vow is a big problem. However, at the end of his Naziritude, he has to bring a sin offering – why? Because he foreswore wine. We are put into this world to enjoy its kosher pleasures – thus, even though one is allowed to take Nazarite vows, there is a shade of sin in it for the avoidance of wine (because when one makes a vow not to eat a certain food, that food becomes traif (non-kosher) to that person).
It’s not followed today because we don’t have a Temple to bring the korban to end the vow.
Rabbi Seinfeld
www.rabbiseinfeld.blogspot.com
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