Daily Mitzvah (Rambam)

The 205th prohibition is that a Nazirite is forbidden from eating grape pits.

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "He may not eat [anything coming from the grape,] from its pits to its skin."2

If he eats a kezayis of them, his punishment is lashes.

Footnotes

1.

Num. 6:4.

2.

The final words of the verse, "to its skin," actually constitute a separate mitzvah, N206. See below.

The 206th prohibition is that a Nazirite is forbidden from eating grape skins.

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "He may not eat [anything coming from the grape, from its pits to] its skin."

If he eats a kezayis of them, his punishment is lashes.

The proof that these five prohibitions — wine, grapes, raisins, pits, and skins — count as separate mitzvos is because there is a separate punishment of lashes for each one individually. In the words of the Mishneh:2 "There are separate punishments for the wine, the grapes, the skins and the pits." Tractate Nazir3 explains that one who ate [a kezayis each of] grapes, raisins, skins and pits, and squeezed a cluster of grapes and drank [a revi'is of the juice] receives five sets of lashes.

[Therefore, although the Mishneh just mentions grapes, raisins are counted as a separate prohibition.

From this same Gemara we can prove that wine vinegar is not counted separately, but is included under the prohibition of wine:]

The Gemara then tries to prove that the Mishneh omitted a case of lashes in addition to these five — [an inclusive prohibition just] because he is a Nazirite.4 The Gemara responds, "It also omitted mention of the prohibition5 of not breaking one's word," rather than giving a [more obvious] response, "It omitted the prohibition of vinegar."

The reason it could not [give that response] is because there are not separate lashes given for the prohibition on wine and on vinegar. This is because the whole prohibition of vinegar is because it is primarily wine, as we explained above.6 It is as if the verse says that the prohibition [on wine] does not disappear when it becomes spoiled [i.e., turns to vinegar].

One must keep in mind that these [five grape] products which are prohibited to a Nazirite can all be combined to make up one kezayis, and one receives lashes for eating one kezayis made up of all of them.

Footnotes

1.

Num. ibid.

2.

Nazir 32b.

3.

Ibid. 38b.

4.

Derived from the verse, "He may not eat anything coming from the grape" (Num. 6:4). See Rashi, ibid.

5.

Num. 30:3. N157.

6.

N202.

The 208th prohibition is that the Nazirite is forbidden from becoming tameh by entering a tent in which there is a dead body.

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "He may not come to a [place where there is a] dead person."

The Gemara2 says clearly, "The verse already says, 'He may not become tameh.' When it says, 'He may not come,' this comes to make separate prohibitions for both becoming tameh [through touching or carrying the dead body] and entering [a tent in which there is a dead body].

There it is explained that if one enters the tent after becoming tameh, he receives only one set of lashes. If, however, he simultaneously entered the tent and becomes tameh, he receives two sets of lashes.

If, for example, he entered a tent in which there is a person who is about to die, and waited there until the person died, his becoming tameh and his entering the tent in which there is a dead body came simultaneously. If, however, he entered a tent which previously contained a dead body, the tumah preceded the entering,3 as explained [in Nazir] based on the principles given in tractate Ohalos.

Footnotes

1.

Num. 6:6.

2.

Nazir 42b.

3.

One becomes tameh as soon as the tip of his nose enters the tent. He is not considered to have "entered" the tent, however, until he enters completely. Therefore, the two prohibitions do not come simultaneously, and he receives only one set of lashes.

The 207th prohibition is that the Nazirite is forbidden from becoming tameh by means of [contact with or carrying of] a dead body.

The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "He may not become tameh even should his father or mother die."

Whenever he becomes tameh from a dead body, he is punished by lashes — regardless of whether or not this type of impurity necessitates cutting his hair [and beginning his Nazirite period again].2

Footnotes

1.

Num. 6:7.

2.

See Mishnayos Nazir, Ch.7, regarding these two categories.