â (Bamidbar 6:3). The Gemara explains that this is a warning to a nazirite to avoid situations that might lead to temptation, just as one should avoid a vineyard if they are trying to stay away from wine.
Rav Yosef Engel asks: if the Torah already instructs the nazir to abstain from wine, why is it necessary to add an extra layer of caution to stay away from vineyards? He answers that the Torah is teaching us a valuable lesson in human psychology. Even if a person is committed to a certain level of self-discipline, it is important to recognize that they may still be vulnerable to temptation in certain situations. By avoiding those situations altogether, one can ensure that they do not fall into temptation.
This adage can be applied more broadly to all areas of life. It is important to take proactive steps to protect oneself from potential pitfalls, even if one believes they are strong enough to resist. By recognizing one’s vulnerabilities and taking steps to avoid them, one can prevent unnecessary challenges and maintain a higher level of self-control.
By supporting and encouraging others in their efforts to avoid temptation and maintain self-discipline, we can create a community that values accountability and personal growth. Even if there are inconsistencies in our own behavior, it is important to continue striving towards self-improvement and supporting others in their own journeys.
Reaching for Spiritual Growth
Bava Metzia 93
Our Gemara on amud aleph discusses the importance of ethical behavior in business dealings. It teaches that one who conducts business honestly and fairly will merit to sit in the Heavenly Yeshiva and learn Torah from the angels.
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik explains that the pursuit of ethical behavior in business is not just about following the letter of the law, but rather about striving for a higher level of spiritual growth. By conducting oneself with honesty and fairness in all interactions, one can elevate their own soul and connect more deeply with their spiritual essence.
This concept can be applied to all areas of life. By prioritizing ethical behavior and striving for spiritual growth in all aspects of our lives, we can cultivate a deeper connection to our spiritual selves and to the Divine. Through our actions and intentions, we can create a more harmonious and spiritually fulfilling existence.
As we navigate the complexities of daily life, let us remember the importance of ethical behavior, self-discipline, and spiritual growth. By supporting one another in these endeavors, we can create a more compassionate and spiritually enlightened world.
Text Copyright © 2023 by Rabbi Simcha Feuerman and Jewish Press
Regenerate It is prohibited for a nazirite to eat any of the products of the vine. To keep a nazirite away from temptation, the Sages attempt to deter him from accepting work in a vineyard.
One of the most famous nazirs was Shimshon. The Malbim used this Gemara to explain an incident from Shimshon’s life (Judges, chapter 14):
“So Samson and his father and mother went down to Timnah. When he came to the vineyards of Timnah [for the first time], a full-grown lion came roaring at him. The spirit of G-d gripped him, and he tore him asunder with his bare hands as one might tear a kid asunder; but he did not tell his father and mother what he had done.”
Various commentaries ask: If Shimshon was traveling with his parents, how could they not have seen this event? It’s hard not to notice a lion attacking someone and then being torn apart. What does the verse mean when it says, “He did not tell his father and mother what he had done”? The Malbim answers that since the verse tells us that they were passing the vineyards of Timnah, Shimshon parted company with his parents. They walked through the vineyard, and Shimshon took the long route to circumvent temptation. It was then that the lion attacked, and so his parents did not see any of the miracles transpire.
I must ask: Why did his parents not accompany Shimshon on that route? It is dangerous to let someone travel alone, especially when we have a teaching that a lion does not pounce on two people (Shabbos 151a). I suppose the answer is that his parents were elderly and could not easily follow his path.
A more creative answer occurs to me as well. Where was Shimshon’s family going and why? The verses tell us that he had requested to marry a Philistine woman, to the dismay of his parents (ibid. 2-3): “On his return, he told his father and mother, ‘I noticed one of the Philistine women in Timnah; please get her for me as a wife. His father and mother said to him, ‘Is there no one among the daughters of your own kindred and among all our people, that you must go and take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines? But Samson answered his father, ‘Get me that one, for she is the one that pleases me.’”
But as the verse (ibid. 4) also tells us: “His father and mother did not realize that his request was from G-d, who was seeking a pretext against the Philistines, for the Philistines were ruling over Israel at that time.”
Can you imagine the scene? Shimshon is demanding to intermarry, but all of the sudden he’s too frum to walk in the vineyard because he might be tempted? It is possible that his parents found his motives and behavior so inconsistent that they did not feel compelled to accompany him on a fool’s quest. As it says in Avos (2:5): “A brute is not sin-fearing, nor is an ignorant person pious.”
If so, this is an important lesson. Sometimes our loved one’s quest to perform a mitzvah or enact piety may seem incongruent or hypocritical. We should be careful to not judge quickly and consider supporting the efforts within reason, despite apparent inconsistencies.