He must not drink wine, wine mixtures, or wine vinegar

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Rambam (Hilchot Nezirut 5:1) emphasizes that abstaining from wine is not for health or discipline alone, but because Hashem commanded it. The Nazir’s faith is expressed in surrendering even permitted pleasures.

Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 368) teaches that avoiding wine cultivates fear of Heaven, since the Nazir must constantly resist indulgence and remain mindful of his consecration.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Talmud (Nazir 2b–3a) calls the Nazir “holy,” linking his abstinence from wine to a higher state of sanctity. The restraint transforms his lifestyle into a visible mark of holiness.

Nazir – נָזִיר

• Rambam (Hilchot Nezirut 2:1) explains that abstinence from wine is one of the three defining prohibitions of a Nazir, together with avoiding impurity and not cutting hair.

Kashrut – כַּשְׁרוּת

• While wine is normally permissible, for the Nazir it becomes forbidden like a non-kosher food. This highlights that sanctity can redefine dietary law in special circumstances.

Speech – דָּבָר

• The Nazir’s abstinence begins with his words of vow. His speech creates a prohibition that transforms something otherwise permitted into something forbidden.

Vows / Oaths – נְדָרִים / שְׁבוּעוֹת

• Sefer HaChinuch stresses that this law emerges from the vow system. Through his declaration, the Nazir binds himself, demonstrating the Torah’s power to elevate speech into sacred law.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• Rashi (Numbers 6:3) notes that wine represents social celebration. By abstaining, the Nazir separates even from communal joys, underscoring his unique public consecration.

Bein Adam L’Makom (between a person and G-d)

• This mitzvah is primarily about devotion to Hashem. By abstaining from wine, the Nazir distances himself from worldly distractions to focus his spirit entirely on G-d.