Community Blog

Shabbat Shalom! This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Nasso. In the Reform tradition in particular, we are reading the second half of Nasso, in which we read about the rules for the Nazirite, one who takes an oath to separate themselves from worldly experiences for a time, focusing on spiritual experiences instead. The Nazirite vow is intended to be a temporary experience, but of course this week’s Haftarah tells us of the most famous Nazirite who committed for life to never cut his own hair or to drink wine. Samson is often regarded as the strongest man in the Tanakh, due to his lifelong Nazirite status granting him a special relationship with the Divine.

In Pirkei Avot, the most famous section of the Mishnah which is filled with pithy sayings of ethics, not dissimilar to the Book of Proverbs, Ben Zoma taught, “Who is strong? He who subdues his [evil] inclination” (4:1), referencing a verse from Proverbs: “Slowness to anger is better than a mighty person” (16:32). While the Nazirite vows are no longer practiced, we may still adhere to this concept and embody the spiritual strength of Samson. Perhaps by doing a detox of sorts - abstaining from alcohol, or maybe even from refined sugars or caffeine. Or perhaps by taking a break from social media or other time-sucks. Maybe we want to control our impulse toward judging others, or otherwise practice some form of social patience and kindness. We can make efforts toward nurturing our spiritual and emotional wellness, turning away from destructive desires. As with the Nazirite rules given in the Torah portion, these need not be longterm commitments. No one else needs to be Samson, exactly. But dedicated time to focus on what really matters can help recalibrate our whole lives. 

In preparation for both this week’s d’var Torah as well as today’s intro to Messianism class, I came across a claim that apparently some people believe that the prophecy regarding Samson in this week’s Haftarah reading also applies to a Messiah from Nazareth. However, the Hebrew words for Nazirite and Nazareth are not at all related or even really sound as similar as they do in English, and Judaism holds no such belief about the place of origin for the Messiah (other than from the Tribe of Judah) or for where one must be to take a Nazirite vow. For more on the Messiah and absolutely no further information about the Nazirite because they have no connection in Jewish tradition, be sure to attend Adult Ed today and the next two Sundays at 1!

This week’s Torah portion also contains the Priestly Blessing, so I conclude with the threefold benediction of our ancestors: May God bless you and keep you; may God’s countenance shine on you and be gracious to you; may God lift God’s face towards you and give you peace. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.