신명기 14:23의 유대 사상

(3) The Nazir legislation addresses itself to the often debilitating effect of wine or strong alcoholic drink. The repeated references to various grape products correspond to the various ways in which drunkenness affects man. Most instances in the Torah in which drinking is discussed, refer also to the undesirable after effects of drinking wine. (Genesis 9,21, 43,34, the story of Lot and his daughters) We have numerous other examples in the books of the prophets. 1) The first effect of drunkenness usually is a loosening of inhibitions. A person's behaviour becomes unrestrained, lawless. 2) A second effect is that when the lawmaker is drunk, he may legislate unfair laws while under the influence of strong drink. The misunderstanding of the teachings ascribed to Tzaddok and Bayssus are examples of heresy that may have been due to their having studied Torah while under the influence of wine. (Avot de Rabbi Natan chapter 5) Judges must not sit in Court after having drunk wine. This is alluded to in the words mishrat anavim a liquid in which grapes had been soaking. The Talmud illustrated this by the example of a Nazir who soaked his bread in wine. The Torah criticises the elders who, while having a vision of G'd, ate and drank at the same time. (Exodus 24,11) They are described as like people who while having an audience with the king, bite into their bread. (Exodus Rabbah 15) The fourth and worst result of drunkenness is the loss of one's religious faith. The allusion in our text is the reference to "either fresh or dried grapes." (6,3) This refers to the harbouring of as yet unripe thoughts. The former are the contemplating of sinful conduct, already at the surface of consciousness, awaiting only execution, whereas the "dried grapes" refer to those ideas that will need to incubate somewhat longer before being translated into deeds. Generally, these problems occur with advancing age, and the Torah lists them in corresponding order. Young people react negatively to any kind of restrictions imposed on them. Once they have become a little older, they realise the need for an ordered lifestyle, but they tend to draw their inspiration only from their own personal experiences. Still later in life, they get around to study other people's wisdom and experience, and they even study some of the proper sources, but not necessarily with a clear head. Finally, when facing death, and an accounting for the way they have lived their lives, they have to confront what is true faith and what is not. In order to distinguish between these different periods of their lives, the Torah each time commences with the words "all the days," to indicate that successive portions of one's life account for changing attitudes. The Torah tells the Nazir that the discipline imposed on his lifestyle by not touching grape products, does not by itself guarantee progress towards his objective, but that he must not use a razor or shears to remove his hair. The lesson is that no individual is free to decide arbitrarily by himself what disciplines to impose upon himself. If the Nazir is to avoid ritual impurity during the currency of his vow of abstinence, this is to enable him to receive the full benefit of Torah study during that period. If his mind is to concentrate on matters spiritual, success can be guaranteed only when his body remains in a state of purity. Man's crowning achievement is the attainment of serenity based on his complete and unshakable faith in the goodness of his Creator, and his acceptance of whatever fate seems to have in store for him. Many great men, though guilty of individual acts of sinful behaviour, were saved from being entrapped by sin due to their all embracing faith in G'd and His Torah. A splendid example is Samson, whose dealings with Delilah, though sinful, did not turn him into a heretic or otherwise undisciplined person. Until Samson revealed that his strength lay in the hair of his head, at Delilah's fourth attempt, and that it represented spiritual powers and faith, he had been able to cope with all of Satan's (read Delilah's) efforts to drag him down. Once he desecrated the focus of his purity, he fell victim to the machinations inspired by Satan. (The Talmud suggests that the very name DELILAH means "weakening," watering down his strength) Shimon the Just, who is reported to have eaten only one Nazirite offering in his long career as High Priest, tells of an incident which he describes as a legitimate reason for adoption of the Nazarite's vows. (Nedarim 9) From his description it is clear that the reason he did not eat from other such sacrifices is not that none were at hand, but that he considered any other person in his lifetime who had taken upon himself Nazirite vows as having been frivolous.

There is a higher principle, as stated in Deuteronomy 10:13, "To keep all the commandments of the Lord," which includes positive and negative commandments. The phrase in Leviticus 23, "And you shall serve the Lord your God," encompasses all positive commandments that involve one's heart, mouth, and actions, which are fundamental or explicitly mentioned. The phrase in Deuteronomy 14:23, "To fear the Lord," includes all negative commandments, and it is derived from the positive commandment, and the reason for it is that one should guard themselves from immorality out of their fear of God, just as a servant fears his master and refrains from doing evil while being constantly aware of his presence. Others may be drawn to their desires and not fear the king, thinking that he may not know their actions or out of disrespect, shame, and disgrace. The phrase in Deuteronomy 13:5, "After the Lord your God, you shall walk," includes acts of kindness, righteousness, and loving peace. The prophet Micah said, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness?" (Micah 6:8). This encompasses honoring one's father, not committing murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, or coveting. It also includes refraining from speaking falsehood, not showing favoritism to the powerful, not accepting bribes, not oppressing one's neighbor, and maintaining just weights and measures. It includes not delaying payment or taking revenge, and providing for the poor and the stranger. If lending money to my people, do not charge interest. Deal kindly with widows and orphans, do not afflict them. There are many more commandments that they have passed, and what is the need to mention them all in six hundred? Examples include the gathering of the hyssop, not leaving the manna overnight, the construction and transportation of the Tabernacle, the waving of the banners, the sending away of the impure, the hand and the peg in the camp, going out to war against the enemy, the blessings and curses, the altar on Mount Ebal, writing the Torah, the cities of refuge, the war against Amalek, and many others.

There is a commandment that is essential, and it has limitations, such as the Nazirite who abstains from wine and any grape product throughout the duration of their vow. Wine increases desire and clouds the mind. We see this in the example of Daniel, who abstained from wine during Passover, even though it is only a rabbinic prohibition. Similarly, the Nazirite is prohibited from consuming vinegar, grape products, raisins, and grape seeds. They must not shave their hair, allowing themselves to appear attractive to women. The reason for this is that if one takes a vow to abstain from wine alone, they will not be fully dedicated and holy to the name of God unless they observe all the mentioned commandments. Our ancestors acted similarly on Yom Kippur, where eating is forbidden. This is the essence because any form of self-affliction that connects with the soul in the entire scripture is considered a fast. It is so because the soul's desire resides in the liver (Deuteronomy 12:20), as it is stated, "The desire of your soul." (Job 33:20) "His soul longs for food." Leviticus 7:18 states, "The soul that eats." The witnesses confirm this, as it is written in Isaiah 58:3, "Why have we fasted, and you do not see it? Why have we afflicted our souls, and you take no notice?" The reason is twofold. Similarly, in Isaiah 58:5, it says, "Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day pleasing to the Lord?" Furthermore, in Isaiah 58:5, it states, "You will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." I have already explained the concept in Psalm 35:13, "But as for me, when they were ill, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer returned to my own lap." Why does the word "Nefesh" (soul) begin with a Bet in the context of fasting? It is because it is also forbidden to drink during fasting. This is found in Deuteronomy 14:23, "And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose to make his name dwell, the tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil." In the case of Daniel, in Daniel 10:12, it says, "I did not eat any choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips." This teaches us to comprehend and engage in fasting. There is no mention of bathing during fasting, and they said that one may wash if they have a seminal emission. How eager were the ancient sages! As it is said in Pirkei Avot 2:1, "Be as careful with a minor commandment as with a major one." Additionally, in Pirkei Avot 4:2, it states, "The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah."