"Let the hair grow" - "And let them shave"

126. Come and see what I have learned from the book of Rav Hamnuna Saba (the elder). It is written: "And shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow" (Bemidbar 6:5). He must allow the hair on his head and beard to grow, and abstain from wine, strong drink and grapes, since they all pertain to the left side, but the hairs do not originate IN THEM. Wine is supernal Ima, while strong drink is of the left, to which the Levites are connected and stem from the uppermost wine, MEANING FROM SUPERNAL IMA and the hairs have no involvement WITH THEM. Therefore, when the Levites ascend to this place, TO THE LEFT, they must shave all their hair, as is said; "And let them shave all their flesh" (Bemidbar 8:7).

127. Grapes pertain to the lower mother, MALCHUT, who gathers wine and strong drink to her. Therefore, THE NAZIRITE isolates himself from the entire left, FROM WINE AND STRONG DRINK AND GRAPES, so that none of its consequences are manifest in him. There are no hair and beard coming out of the grapes THAT ARE MALCHUT, since the female, WHICH IS MALCHUT, needs to cut her hair, THAT IS, BODY HAIR when she comes to have intercourse with the male, ZEIR ANPIN. And she has no beard. Therefore, THE NAZIRITE THAT IS FROM THE RIGHT WHERE THE ROOTS OF HAIR IS, IS OPPOSITE. The hair of the head and beard hang down, AND IT IS FORBIDDEN TO SHAVE THEM. The secret of this is that he is called "a Nazirite to Elohim" (Shoftim 13:7). HE IS ISOLATED FROM THE NAME ELOHIM THAT IS THE LEFT, and it is not 'Nazirite to Hashem,' WHICH IS THE RIGHT, SINCE HE is isolated entirely from Judgment. "NAZIRITE" MEANS ONE WHO SEPARATES HIMSELF.

128. Come and see, about this is written: "And make atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead (lit. 'Nefesh')..." It is not written: 'his Nefesh,' but simply "the Nefesh." What is that? These are grapes, MEANING MALCHUT, that are referred to as Nefesh. Hence a sin is mentioned, MEANING HE SINNED AGAINST MALCHUT, the aspect of which is that of wine and strong drink, AS MALCHUT IS BUILT MAINLY FROM THE LEFT. AND THE NAZIRITE took the place of Judgment, THAT IS, THE ILLUMINATION FROM THE LEFT, from it. HE ASKS, Why IS THIS CONSIDERED a sin? HE REPLIES: It is because HE SINNED BY depriving the Judgment from the Nefesh, MEANING THE ILLUMINATION OF ITS CHOCHMAH THAT IS DRAWN TOGETHER WITH THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LEFT.

129. HE ASKS: If so, THAT A NAZIRITE ADHERES SO MUCH TO THE RIGHT, why IS IT WRITTEN FOLLOWING THAT: "And make atonement for him?" HE ANSWERS: Because he comes forth now, AFTER COMPLETING HIS ABSTENTION PERIOD, to adhere with them, WITH THE THREE ASPECTS OF THE LEFT COLUMN, AND TO BE ALLOWED WINE, STRONG DRINK AND GRAPES. These places do not accept him until he takes counsel with the priest who will atone for him, since originally he expelled them, BY ABSTAINING, and now that he returns to them he needs to adhere to Correction (formation) by atonement, so they will accept him. That is the mystical explanation of this.

130. If you wonder about Samson, who was a Nazirite to Elohim, why was he punished? HE REPLIES: It was proper for him, MEANING HE DESERVED THE PUNISHMENT because he joined in marriage with a gentile woman, MEANING DELILAH. He should have joined with his own kind, with what was appropriate for him, but he, who was holy, mingled that holiness with a daughter of a foreign El and abandoned his appropriate state of holiness. Therefore, he was punished.

131. Some say that he has no part in that world. Why is that? It is because he said, "Let my Nefesh die with the Philistines" (Shoftim 16:30) and he passed his lot with the lot of the Philistines, so that his Nefesh will die with them in that world. This is the way they used to proclaim to the Nazirite: 'Go all around - that you may not come near the vineyard.' The friends have already explained it.