Nazir

Embark on a journey of Jewish learning and discovery, exploring the depth of our Nazir resources, where tagged items including audio, programs, and podcast episodes await your exploration.

Non-Jews and Nezeeroot (Nazir 61)

Rabbi Jay Kelman

    “And G-d said to Abram; go from your land, your birthplace and from the home of your father” (Breisheet 12:1). Rashi notes that Abram left well before his father passed away in Charan but the Torah did not want to…
Article
Oct 23, 2015

You Go First (Nazir 47)

Rabbi Jay Kelman

  Jewish law rules that when one must “desecrate” the Shabbat in order to save a life it is the greatest scholar present who should be the one to do so. It is the rabbi who, if need be, gets in the car and the task should not be…
Article
Oct 19, 2015

Rav Meir's Legacy (Nazir 49)

Rabbi Jay Kelman

  While it was Rav Yehuda Hanassi who edited the Mishna it is the teachings of Rav Meir, who lived in the generation prior, that form the basis of much of the Mishna; stam Mishna k'Rav Meir, an anonymous Mishna follows the opinion of…
Article
Oct 13, 2015

Nazir 23: Time to Sin

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“For there is no righteous person in the land who does [only] good and does not sin” (Kohelet 7:20). Sinning is part and parcel of being human. Sinning allows us to grow as people as the greater we fall the greater we can rise. Our…
Article
Sep 20, 2015

Nazir 23: Paving the Road of Good Intentions

Rabbi Jay Kelman

One of the long standing debates in ethical theory is whether it is actions or intentions that determines the ethical probity of our actions. There is little doubt that in our bottom line oriented society it is actions that count. We reward success…
Article
Sep 17, 2015

Nazir 19: A Nazir in the Land

Rabbi Jay Kelman

When one thinks of the mitzvoth dependent on the land of Israel we think of the agricultural laws of the Torah; terumah, maaser, shmittaand the like. One surely does not think of the nazir, a law that seemingly applies both in Israel and out and…
Article
Sep 9, 2015

Some Opening Thoughts on Masechet Nazir

Rabbi Jay Kelman

  After discussing the general topic of nedarim, vows, the Mishna moves to a most specific form of a vow, that of a nazir. The nazirite who takes a vow forbidding the consumption of grape produce, the taking of haircuts and contact…
Article
Aug 31, 2015