AND THE PRIEST SHALL PREPARE ONE FOR A SIN-OFFERING. The reason why a Nazirite must bring a sin-offering when the days of his Naziritehood are fulfilled¹⁰⁵ has not been explained.¹⁰⁶ In accordance with the plain meaning of Scripture, [it is because] this man sins against his soul on the day of completion of his Naziritehood; for until now he was separated in sanctity and the service of G-d, and he should therefore have remained separated forever, continuing all his life consecrated and sanctified to his G-d, as it is said, And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazirites,¹⁰⁷ where Scripture compares the Nazirite to a prophet, and as it is written, All the days of his Naziritehood he is holy unto the Eternal.¹⁰⁸ Thus [when he completes his Naziritehood and returns to his normal life] he requires atonement, since he goes back to be defiled by [material] desires of the world.

footnotes: ¹⁰⁵ Verse 13. ¹⁰⁶ Generally a sin-offering is brought for atonement of a sin committed in error. But here the Nazirite has kept his days of consecration in complete fulfillment of his vow. So the question arises: Why did Scripture oblige him to bring a sin-offering? ¹⁰⁷ Amos 2:11. ¹⁰⁸ Verse 8.

THIS IS THE LAW OF THE NAZIRITE WHO VOWETH HIS OFFERING UNTO THE ETERNAL FOR HIS NAZIRITEHOOD, BESIDES THAT WHICH HIS MEANS SUFFICE. The correct meaning of the verse is as if it had said: “This is the law of the Nazirite who voweth a vow of the Nazirite;¹⁰⁹ his offering unto the Eternal for his Naziritehood shall be besides that which his means suffice.” Or it may mean: “This is the law of the Nazirite, and this is the law of his offering unto the Eternal for his Naziritehood.” It is possible that He is saying: “This is the law of the Nazirite, that he vow his offering unto the Eternal for his Naziritehood,” meaning to say that he should not specify a particular animal as an offering, but should vow: “I shall bring an offering for my Naziritehood,” or he should simply say: “I am a Nazirite,” for as soon as he vowed to be a Nazirite, it is [already] binding upon him as a vow [to bring] the offering mentioned [in the Torah]. He reverts and states, besides that which his means suffice, [meaning to say] that if he is rich he may [voluntarily] increase his offerings [i.e., the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, as will be explained, but not the sin-offering]; and according to his vow which he voweth concerning these offerings, whether [he is] rich or poor, so he must do after the law of his Naziriteship — so that he may bring more, but not less [than what Scripture prescribes for him to bring]. He mentioned this in order to teach us that if the Nazirite was rich and wants to bring several offerings, or if he vowed at the beginning: “I am a Nazirite and I shall bring a thousand burnt-offerings and peace-offerings,” then he must bring them all on the day of completion [of his time as a Nazirite], and he may not drink wine until he has offered them all up, for they all constitute the law of his Naziriteship. It is possible that [the latter half of the verse means]: “besides that for which his means suffice so must he do according to his vow which he voweth.” This He mentioned because it is usually the rich who vow in this way.¹¹⁰ as referring to the rich, and according to his vow which he voweth as applying to the poor, as explained above. Now Ramban interprets both expressions as applying to the rich, for it is usually they who vow to bring several burnt-offerings or peace-offerings. The reason why Ramban gives this interpretation may be because it is unnecessary for Scripture to state specifically that a poor Nazirite must bring the minimum number of offerings, as was explained in the first interpretation, since this is self-understood.

footnotes: ¹⁰⁹ The verse cannot be understood literally, for “the law of the Nazirite” does not consist of a vow to bring a sin-offering; rather, “the law of the Nazirite” is that he must not eat grapes or drink wine, nor defile himself by contact with the dead, and the offering is brought on fulfillment of the Nazirite vow. Hence Ramban explains that the meaning of the verse is: “this is the law of the Nazirite who vows a vow of Naziritehood, etc.” ¹¹⁰ At first Ramban explained the expression besides that which his means suffice

SPEAK UNTO AARON AND UNTO HIS SONS, SAYING: THUS YE SHALL BLESS. I have already mentioned in Seder Vayehi Bayom Ha’shemini¹¹¹, 22. that He commanded Aaron to lift up his hands towards the people and bless them on that day [i.e., the eighth day of the initiation of the priests, which was the day of the final erection of the Tabernacle], and here He commanded Aaron and his sons to do so throughout the generations, and He explained what the blessing was with which they are to bless them. He mentioned this blessing in connection with the setting up of the Tabernacle [discussed in the next chapter], for there the Eternal commanded the blessing, even life forever,¹¹² just as our Rabbis have said:¹¹³ “In the Sanctuary [the priests pronounced the blessing] using the Divine Name [i.e., the Tetragrammaton],¹¹⁴ but in the provinces by a substitute Name. In the Sanctuary they pronounced it as a single blessing, but in the provinces [it was pronounced] as three blessings” [the people responding “Amen” to each of the three verses which comprise the priestly blessing], for the blessing in the Sanctuary was singled out by being pronounced with the Proper Name of G-d [i.e., the Tetragrammaton].

footnotes: ¹¹¹ Leviticus 9:1. The verse referred to is ibid. ¹¹² Psalms 133:3. ¹¹³ Sotah 38 a-b. ¹¹⁴ See in Vol. II, p. 18, Note 84.

THE ETERNAL BLESS THEE, AND KEEP THEE. By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], the meaning thereof is because “the blessing” comes from on High [downward], and the meaning of shmirah [“keeping” — and He ‘keep’ thee] is that you should “keep” it, like Remember [the Sabbath-day],¹¹⁵ and ‘Shamor’ (Keep) the Sabbath-day.¹¹⁶ Furthermore, the Great Name will make His countenance that watches over you shine [upon you].¹¹⁷ And so did the Rabbis say in the Sifre:¹¹⁸ 41. “Rabbi Nathan says: [The Eternal make His countenance shine upon thee.] This is a reference to the light of the Divine Presence.” And He be gracious unto thee, that you may find favor in His sight, similar to that which the Rabbis have said [that when G-d completed the creation of the world He said]: “My world! My world! Would that you will find favor in My sight all the time [as at this moment]!”¹¹⁹ Furthermore, the Eternal lift up His countenance to the heavens above and give thee peace¹²⁰ — all in your house. And so the Rabbis said in the Sifre:¹²¹ 42. “[And He give thee peace.] Rabbi Nathan said: This is a reference to the peace of the kingdom of David.” So shall they put My Great Name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them,¹²² for it is I that speaketh, behold, here I am,¹²³ and peace.¹²⁴

footnotes: ¹¹⁵ Exodus 20:8. See Ramban there. ¹¹⁶ Deuteronomy 5:12. ¹¹⁷ Verse 25. ¹¹⁸ Sifre Naso ¹¹⁹ Bereshith Rabbah 9:4. “That is to say: ‘I wish that man would not spoil the celestial spheres through which his blessings descend after I endowed him with freedom of action’” (Beiur Ha’lvush to Ricanti, quoting the language of Ramban). ¹²⁰ Verse 26. ¹²¹ Sifre Naso ¹²² Verse 27. ¹²³ Isaiah 52:6. ¹²⁴ Ricanti in quoting the language of Ramban does not mention “and peace.” In the commentary of Ma’or V’shamesh, however, it is explained as meaning: “with the consent of peace.”