intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

Lishkat HaNezirim - Chamber of Nazirites
"The (chamber) to the southeast (corner of the Ezrat Nashim, the Court of the Women - the outer court of the Mikdash complex) was the Lishkat HaNezirim, for there, the Nezirim (Nazirites) cooked their Shelamim (peace- offerings), cut off their hair and threw (the shavings) under the pot… (Midot 2:5; note Bamidbar 6:17,18). But what is a Nazirite? A Nazir (f. Nezira) was one who made a vow of abstinence to observe certain stringencies for a particular length of time. This period of sworn abstinence could last varying periods of time - typically a month or two, a year, seven years, or even a lifetime (Nazir 5a). The Nazir was required to abstain from wine or eating any grape products. He was forbidden to cut his hair or shave. He was not permitted to become ritually impure by coming into contact with a dead body (Tum'at Meit) and therefore he could not attend funerals (Bamidbar 6:1-7). The Nazir did not have to separate himself from society nor did he have to renounce normal family life. Similar to the Kohein Gadol, the Nazir was considered "holy unto the Lord". Why did people take upon themselves these extra obligations? Some- times the vow to become a Nazir was taken for the fulfillment of a prayer, such as the birth of a child (Nazir 2:9,10). A Gemara says, "Why does the section of the Nazir follow immediately that of the Sotah, the suspected unfaithful wife? To teach you that anyone who sees the Sotah in her evil ways should completely abstain from wine" (Berachot 63a). Another Gemara says, "The righteous in ancient times used to take such a vow so they might have the opportunity to make a sin offering" (Nedarim 10a). This last favorable view was far from being universally accepted. A sin offering could not be brought voluntarily, it was brought in atonement for a specific sin committed under specific circumstances - becoming a Nazir solely for this reason could be seen as a way of "getting around" the prohibition. A married woman could take the vow of Nezirut only with the consent of her husband (Nazir 4:1-4).

If a Nazir became ritually impure, whether intentionally or by accident, he had to undergo ritual purification and count seven pure days. Like the T'mei Meit, he was sprinkled with Mei Chatat, spring water mixed with the ashes of the Para Aduma (red heifer) on the third and on the seventh day. He also had to cut his hair on the seventh day. "On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young doves to the Kohein… The Kohein shall make one as a Chatat, a sin offering and one as an Olah, a burnt offering, and he shall provide him with atonement for having sinned… He shall dedicate to G-d the days of his abstinence, and he shall bring a sheep in its first year for an Asham, a guilt offering…" (Bamidbar 6:9-12). Once he had fulfilled these obligations, he was required to start his period of Nezirut anew (ibid.). The meat of the Chatat and the Asham was eaten by the Kohanim within the Azara (Zevachim 5:3,5). The eating of the sacrificial meat by the Kohanim was part of the atonement process. "The Kohanim eat and the owners (i.e. in this case the ritually contaminated Nezirim) obtain atonement" (Pesachim 59b). The Olah was burnt completely on the Mizbei'ach (Zevachim 5:4).

When the Nazir's term of Nezirut was fulfilled, he had to bring three Korbanot; a Chatat (a female lamb), an Olah (a male lamb) and a Shelamim (a peace offering, a ram). The meat of the Chatat was eaten by the Kohanim in the Azara and the Olah was totally burnt upon the Mizbei'ach except for the skin which was given to the Kohanim. The Shelamim was unique among Korbanot in that part was burnt on the Mizbei'ach, part was given to the Kohanim, and part eaten by the Ba'al HaKorban, the person bringing the Korban, the Nazir. The Nazir also brought "A basket of unleavened bread; loaves of fine flour mixed with oil and unleavened wafers smeared with oil; and their meal offerings and their libations" (Bamidbar 6:15). These accompa- nying offerings - Nesachim - were brought together with the Nazir's Olah and Shelamim. There were ten of each kind of unleavened bread, loaves and wafers. The number ten, which is not specifically mentioned in the Torah, was derived from analyzing the p'sukim, which ordained the number of loaves, both leavened and unleavened (the Lachmei Toda), which accompanied the Korban Toda, the thanksgiving offering (Vayikra 7:11-14). A Chatat did not require Nesachim. Vayikra 2 describes how these loaves and wafers were prepared and smeared with oil.

The expenses of the offerings of impecunious (poor) Nezirim were frequently paid for by the wealthy and it was considered of great religious merit to do so. Josephus reports that King Agrippas supplied the sacrificial offerings for many Nezirim (Antiquities XIX 6:1). A Yerushalmi reads, "In the days of Shimon ben Shetach, 300 Nezirim (who had completed the period of their vow) came to Jerusalem. They were poor and could not afford the costs of their required sacrificial animals." The great Sage, because of his brilliance, was able to find valid Halachic reasons for releasing one hundred and fifty of them from the necessity of bringing the sacrifices. But still one hundred and fifty remained. "He went to his brother-in-law, King Yannai and said, 'There are 300 Nezirim who finished today their period of Nezirut.

They need nine hundred sacrificial animals - three animals for each Nazir and they are poor. You provide one half and I will provide the other half." So the King sent four hundred and fifty animals. But informers later told the King that Shimon ben Shetach never actually paid for the four hundred and fifty animals. The King got angry and the Sage had to flee the country. Later at the intercession of "great and important guests from Persia", he was returned to favor and then the King asked him why he had deceived him.

The Sage explained that he did not deceive him at all. The King had met the religious obligations of half of the Nezirim by furnishing them with sacrificial animals. He, Shimon ben Shetach, on the other hand, achieved the same result for the other half by his wisdom in Torah. He simply had succeeded in finding ways for them to be relieved of the financial burden that the bringing of these sacrifices would have entailed (Yerushalmi Berachot 11b). But there were Chachamim, such R'Eleazar HaKapar, whose attitude towards the whole concept of Nezirut was at best ambivalent, he considered the Nazir a "sinner" (Nazir 19a, but note 3a). Simon the Just said; "In the whole of my life, I ate of the Asham, of a defiled Nazir only once. This man who came to me from the South, had beautiful eyes and handsome features with his locks heaped into curls. I asked him; "My son, why did you decide to destroy such beautiful hair? He replied, "In my home town, I tended my father's flocks and once upon going to the fountain to draw water, I gazed at my reflection. Then my evil inclination attacked me and sought to 'banish me from the world.' I said, 'Evil one, why are you prideful in a world that is not yours… you who are destined to be consumed by worms. By the Temple service, I will cut off these locks for the sake of Heaven.' Then I (Simon the Just) rose and kissed him and said, "May there be many Nezirim like you in Israel." (Nedarim 9b) <to be continued>

Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service

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