He must not eat grape skins

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Rambam (Hilchot Nezirut 5:2) rules that grape skins, like seeds, are explicitly prohibited. Faith is shown by observing even the smallest details of Hashem’s command, trusting Divine wisdom over personal reasoning.

Reverence – יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 371) explains that abstaining from both grape seeds and skins builds a strong protective fence. Reverence for Heaven means avoiding not only what is clearly indulgent but even what seems trivial.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Talmud (Nazir 34b) teaches that “from the seeds to the skins” covers the Nazir’s total abstinence, reflecting complete kedushah. Holiness here is comprehensive, sanctifying every aspect of his diet.

Nazir – נָזִיר

• Rambam includes grape skins in the Nazir’s defining restrictions. By prohibiting both the inner and outer parts of the grape, the Torah shows the Nazir’s abstinence is absolute.

Kashrut – כַּשְׁרוּת

• Although grape skins are naturally kosher, the Nazir’s vow makes them forbidden. This illustrates how holiness reshapes dietary law in the framework of vows and consecration.

Speech – דָּבָר

• The Nazir’s vow creates a binding halachic reality where even grape skins are forbidden. This reflects the Torah’s principle that words of commitment can transform ordinary food into a sacred boundary.

Vows / Oaths – נְדָרִים / שְׁבוּעוֹת

• Sefer HaChinuch notes that this mitzvah highlights the seriousness of vows. By binding himself, the Nazir brings the Torah’s prohibition down to the smallest details, such as grape skins.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• Rashi (Numbers 6:4) stresses that even grape skins were written in the Torah to prevent dismissing them as unimportant. This reinforces a communal awareness of the Nazir’s unique status and visible restraint.

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

• This mitzvah is directly between the Nazir and Hashem. By avoiding grape skins, the Nazir honors his consecration with full loyalty, showing that no detail of Divine service is too small.