Derasha 17 on Naso 6:02

Parashas Naso · Passuk 6:02

The Complete Passuk

דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אִ֣ישׁ אֽוֹ־אִשָּׁ֗ה כִּ֤י יַפְלִא֙ לִנְדֹּר֙ נֶ֣דֶר נָזִ֔יר לְהַזִּ֖יר לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃

Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If any man or woman explicitlyaexplicitly See note at Lev. 22.21. utters a nazirite’s vow, to set themselves apart for GOD,

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

Source Citation

Source: Nazir 2a.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text — Nazir 2a
דבר וגו׳ — תניא, רבי אומר: למה נסמכה פרשת נזיר לפרשת סוטה? לומר לך שכל הרואה סוטה בקלקולה יזיר עצמו מן היין.

English: “Speak\ldots” — it was taught: Rebbi says: Why was the section of the nazir placed next to the section of the sotah? To tell you that whoever sees a sotah in her disgrace should separate himself from wine.

In context: The juxtaposition is pedagogical: the spectacle of the sotah’s downfall should motivate abstinence from the intoxicant that leads to such ruin.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Chazal teach that witnessing the sotah’s ordeal should lead a person to take a nazirite vow against wine.