Mitzvah —
224
He must not be under the same roof as a corpse
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כׇּל־יְמֵ֥י הַזִּיר֖וֹ לַיהֹוָ֑ה עַל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ מֵ֖ת לֹ֥א יָבֹֽא׃ - פָּרָשַׁת נָשׂא
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Numbers 6:6 - "All the days that he abstains for The Lord, he shall not come into contact with the dead."
This Mitzvah's Summary
מִצְוָה עֲשֵׂה - Positive Commandment
מִצְוָה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה - Negative Commandment
Purity – טָהֳרָה
A Nazir may not enter a building or enclosed area that contains a dead body.
This mitzvah prohibits a Nazir from being under the same roof (ohel) as a corpse. While ordinary Jews may become impure through contact with the dead (except Kohanim, who have stricter rules), the Nazir is held to the same standard as the Kohen Gadol.
Even for close relatives, the Nazir may not defile himself, for his separation to Hashem elevates him to a level of sanctity that requires total distance from corpse impurity. The “crown of his G-d” upon his head represents his consecrated status.
Commentary & Classical Explanation:
- Rambam (Hilchot Nezirut 7:1): The Nazir is forbidden to enter an ohel hamet (enclosure with a corpse).
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 372): The root is that the Nazir must live on a higher spiritual plane, avoiding the impurity of death which symbolizes the opposite of holiness.
- Talmud (Nazir 42b): Compares the Nazir’s laws of impurity to those of the Kohen Gadol, who may not defile himself even for close relatives.
- Rashi (Numbers 6:7): Emphasizes that the Nazir’s crown of holiness requires him to remain pure from death at all times.
Commentaries
(Source: Chabad.org)
Applying this Mitzvah Today
Notes on this Mitzvah's Fundamentals
Faith – אֱמוּנָה
- Rambam (Hilchot Nezirut 7:1) teaches that the Nazir is forbidden to enter an ohel hamet (enclosure containing a corpse). Faith is shown by obeying even in moments where compassion for family might seem to override the law, trusting Hashem’s wisdom in setting boundaries of holiness.
Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם
- Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 372) explains that refraining from corpse impurity demonstrates awe of Heaven. Death symbolizes the opposite of holiness, and avoiding it trains the Nazir to live in reverence before Hashem.
Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה
- Talmud (Nazir 42b) compares the Nazir to the Kohen Gadol, who may not defile himself even for close relatives. The Nazir’s holiness is described as a “crown of his G-d,” requiring total separation from death’s impurity.
Nazir – נָזִיר
- Rambam highlights that abstaining from corpse impurity is one of the Nazir’s defining laws, marking him as set apart like the High Priest. His consecration is visible through strict observance.
Purity – טָהֳרָה
- Torah law associates death with the highest form of impurity (tum’at met). By avoiding even being under the same roof as a corpse, the Nazir preserves his state of taharah (ritual purity).
Impurity from the Dead – טֻמְאַת מֵת
- Numbers 6:6–7 explicitly forbids the Nazir from contact or enclosure with the dead. This places him under the same restrictions as a Kohen Gadol, underscoring the severity of corpse impurity.
Speech – דָּבָר
- The Nazir’s vow of consecration creates these restrictions. His words bind him to a sanctity so complete that he must avoid corpse impurity even more than ordinary Israelites.
Vows / Oaths – נְדָרִים / שְׁבוּעוֹת
- Sefer HaChinuch emphasizes that the Nazir’s vow carries the weight of Torah law, transforming his daily environment — even where he can and cannot enter — into an expression of his oath.
Community – קְהִלָּה
- Rashi (Numbers 6:7) points out that the Nazir may not defile himself even for parents or siblings. This separation makes his consecration visible to the community, setting him apart as wholly devoted.
Bein Adam L’Makom (between a person and G-d)
- This mitzvah is entirely about the Nazir’s relationship with Hashem. By avoiding corpse impurity, he upholds the sanctity of his vow, maintaining the “crown of his G-d” upon him.
