(If one said:) "I shall be a Nazirite from chartzanim" (kernels of grapes)l "from zagim" (husks of grapes), "from shaving," or "from uncleanliness," he becomes a Nazirite and all the details of Naziritism apply to him. [If he mentions any one of these, he becomes a Nazirite, as if he had said: "I shall be a Nazirite," unqualified. And because it is taught at the end of the Mishnah that not all the details of Naziritism apply to a perpetual Nazirite (Nazir olam) and a Shimshon Nazirite, it is taught here that all the details of Naziritism apply to him.] (If one said:) "I shall be like Shimshon," like the son of Manoach," "like the husband of Delilah," "like the one who uprooted the doors of Azzah," "like the one whose eyes were gouged out by the Philistines," he becomes a Shimshon Nazirite. What is the difference between a perpetual Nazirite and a Shimshon Nazirite? [Our Mishnah is "lacking," and this is what is meant: "And if he vowed to become a perpetual Nazirite, he becomes a perpetual Nazirite. And what is the difference between a perpetual Nazirite and a Shimshon Nazirite?"] A perpetual Nazirite — if his hair grows heavy, he can lighten it with a razor [every twelve months. This is derived from (the instance of) Avshalom, who was a perpetual Nazirite, and concerning whom it is written (II Samuel 14;26)): "And it was at the end of yamim, to the yamim that he would shave; for it became heavy upon him and he would shave it," and it is written elsewhere (Leviticus 25:29): "yamim" (in context: "a year of days") shall be its redemption."] and he brings three beasts (on the day that he shaves it). And if he becomes unclean, he brings an offering (to atone) for his uncleanliness. A Shimshon Nazirite — if his hair grows heavy, he may not lighten it, and if he becomes unclean, he does not bring an offering for is uncleanliness. [And he may become unclean even ab initio, for Shimshon would become unclean by (contact with dead bodies), this serving as the source (for the halachah). As to our learning: "if he becomes unclean," which implies "after the fact," but not ab initio — Because it was taught in the first part of the Mishnah in respect to a perpetual Nazirite: "and if he becomes unclean," it is also taught at the end, in respect to a Shimshon Nazirite: "and if he becomes unclean."]
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
הריני נזיר מן החרצנים ומן הזגים – if he mentioned one of all of these, he is a Nazirite as if he said, “I have become a Nazirite,” unspecified. But because the it was necessary to teach at the end [of the Mishnah] that of an eternal/life-long Nazirite and a Nazirite [like]/in the status of Samson, all of the details of Naziriteship are not upon them, it teaches here that all of the details of Naziriteship are upon him.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
Introduction This first section of this mishnah teaches that if one accepts some of the prohibitions for which a nazirite is liable, he is obligated for all of the regulations. The second section deals with becoming a nazirite like Samson. The third section deals with the distinction between a nazirite like Samson and one who is a regular life-long nazirite.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
מה בין נזיר עולם וכו' – Our Mishnah is deficient and should be read as follows: and if he took a vow to become an eternal Nazirite, behold, he is an eternal Nazirite. And what is the difference between an eternal/ life-long Nazirite and a Nazirite [like/ in the status of Samson? A life-long Nazirite, if his hair became too heavy, he lightens it with a razor from one twelve-month period to another that we derive from Absalom, who was a life-long Nazirite, as it is written concerning him (II Samuel 14:26): “When he cut his hair – he had to have it cut every year, for tit grew too heavy for him,” and it is written there (Leviticus 25:29): “the redemption period shall be a year.”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
[If one says,] “Behold I am a nazir [to abstain] from grape seeds, or from grape skins, or from shaving, or from [contracting] ritual defilement,” he is a nazirite and all the regulations of naziriteship apply to him. There are three nazirite prohibitions: eating things that come from grapes, shaving/cutting hair, and contracting impurity. If one takes a vow of naziriteship but tries to limit his prohibitions to one of these things, the nazirite vow if valid and all of the prohibitions apply, not just those that he mentioned. The mishnah uses the example of grape seeds and skins since they are mentioned in Numbers 6:4.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
ואם נטמא טינו מביא קרבן טומאה – and even ab initio it is permissible to be defiled, for Samson would defile himself with the dead, and it is a well-known maxim, as it is taught, it he became ritually defiled, which implies indeed de-facto, but not ab initio, because the first clause [of the Mishnah] teaches concerning a life-long Nazirite – and if he became ritually defiled, the last clause [of the Mishnah] also [teaches] concerning a Nazirite in the status of Samson, “and if he became ritually defiled.”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
[If one says,] “Behold, I shall be like Samson”, “like the son of Manoah”, “like the husband of Delilah, or “like the one who uprooted the doors of Gaza,” or “like the one whose eyes the Philistines put out,” he is a nazirite like Samson. Samson, son of Manoah, husband of Delilah, who uprooted the doors of Gaza, and whose eyes were put out by the Philistines, was perhaps the most famous nazirite ever (see Judges 13). One who uses one of these aspects of Samson’s life to vow a nazirite vow is a nazirite like Samson.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
What difference is there between a nazirite like Samson and a life-nazirite? A life-nazirite if his hair becomes burdensome, he may thin it with a razor and then offer three animal sacrifices. If he should be ritually defiled, he must offer the sacrifice [prescribed] for defilement. The nazirite like Samson if his hair becomes burdensome, he may not thin it. And if he becomes ritually defiled, he does not offer the sacrifice [prescribed] for defilement. This section explains the differences between a nazirite like Samson and a regular life-nazirite. A person can become a life long nazirite if he says, “Behold I am a life-nazirite” or “ “Behold, I am a nazirite all my life.” According to the Talmud, Absalom, son of David, was a life-long Nazirite. This assumption is made because of Absalom’s long hair (II Samuel 14:26) which was also his eventual undoing (II Samuel 18:9). As we shall see in tomorrow’s mishnah, if a person vows a nazirite vow but does not stipulate for how long his naziriteship is to last, he is a nazirite for only thirty days. There are two differences between Samson-nazirites and life-nazirites. If a life-long Nazirite wishes to lighten his heavy hair he may do so. This is derived from Absalom who, once a year when his hair became too heavy, cut it (II Samuel 14:26). However, if he chooses to cut his hair, he must bring three sacrificial animals: one for a sin offering, one for a burnt offering and one for an offering of well-being (Numbers 6:14). If a life-long nazirite becomes impure, he must bring an offering made as a result of impurity, as is mandated in Numbers 6:10-12. In contrast, a Samson-nazirite may never cut his hair, because Samson never cut his hair. However, if he becomes impure he does not bring a sacrifice, just as Samson did not bring a sacrifice when he became impure (Judges 14:19).
