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10 [1] A person cannot perform one shaving [that will fulfill the requirements for] his nazirite vow and [for the emergence from the state of ritual impurity associated with] *tzara'at*.
When it is questionable whether a person was afflicted with *tzara'at* [and thus became a *metzora*], the shaving [associated with emerging from] *tzara'at* does not supercede his nazirite vow. Therefore [the following rules apply] if a person took a nazirite vow for a year and throughout this year, there was a question whether he had been afflicted with *tzara'at* and a question whether he had contracted ritual impurity through contact with a human corpse or there was a question whether he had been afflicted with *tzara'at* and at the end of the year, a question arose whether he had contracted ritual impurity. He should count seven days, have [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled [upon him] on the third and seventh days, but he should not shave [his hair] on the seventh day. He may not drink wine or become impure due to contact with a human corpse until four years have passed. He may partake of consecrated food after two years have passed. [The rationale is] that he is required [because of the doubts concerning his status,] to shave [his head] four times: a) the shaving [required when he completes his nazirite vow in a state of] purity, b) the shaving [required for a nazirite to emerge from a state of] impurity, [for which he is obligated because of the doubt], and the two shavings required of a *metzora*, for there is a doubt whether he is a *metzora*. [2] The first shaving should be performed after the conclusion of the first year. He shaves his head, his beard, and his eyebrows and undergoes the purification process involving a cedar tree, a hyssop, and two wild birds like other *metzoraim*. If he was not impure due to contact with a corpse, nor a *metzora*, this is the shaving performed upon completion of his nazirite vow in purity. If he was indeed a *metzora* during the first year, this is the first shaving required of the *metzora*.
He then waits another year as is the span of his nazirite vow, and then performs the second shaving required of *metzora*. He may not shave after seven days like other *metzoraim*, for perhaps he was not a *metzora*, but instead had been impure because of contact with a corpse. [In that instance,] during this second year, he was a nazirite, who was forbidden to shave. [Nevertheless,] after he performed these two shavings, he has completed the purification process required after *tzara'at* and he is permitted to partake of consecrated foods.
He then waits another year and afterwards, performs a third shaving, lest he had been definitely a *metzora* during the first year and not impure because of contact with a corpse. [The observance] of the first year was not of consequence for him because these were days when his status [as a *metzora*] was defined. [The observance] of the second year was not of consequence for him because these were the days when he was counting [as part of the purification process of a] *metzora* between the first shaving and the second shaving. Therefore he must wait a third year, [observing his] nazirite vow. [Afterwards,] he performs a third shaving for his nazirite vow. This shaving [is required to emerge from] purity. [Nevertheless,] perhaps he was definitely impure because of contact with a corpse and he was also definitely a *metzora* and one shaving cannot serve the purpose of his nazirite vow and [purification from] *tzara'at*. Thus the first and second shavings were [for purification] from *tzara'at*. The third shaving was [for the sake of purification from] ritual impurity. None of these three years count because the third shaving was to purify him from ritual impurity. Therefore he must wait a fourth year, [observing] his nazirite vow and perform a fourth shaving. After each of the times that he shaves because of the doubt, it is forbidden to benefit from his hair because of the doubt involved, because it is permitted to benefit from the hair of a nazirite who became afflicted with *tzara'at*. [3] Similar [rules apply if a person] took a nazirite vow for ten years and, in the midst, there arose a question whether he was a *metzora* and there also arose a question whether he contracted ritual impurity [through contact with a corpse] at the conclusion of this period. He may not drink wine for forty years and must perform four shavings, one at the conclusion of each decade. The first shaving comes because of the doubt concerning the days he must observe because of *tzara'at*. The second shaving [comes] because of the days a *metzora* [must count between his two shavings]. The third shaving is because of the doubt concerning his ritual impurity. And the fourth shaving is [the one required when completing a nazirite vow in] purity. [4] How should such a person bring the sacrifices required of him? If he was rich, he should sign over all of his property to another person. [The rationale is that] a wealthy *metzora* who brought a sacrifice befitting a poor one does not fulfill his obligation. Afterwards, he brings a fowl as a sin offering and an animal as a burnt offering for the first, second, and third shavings. No one should partake of any of the fowl brought as sin offerings, because of the doubt involved. For the fourth shaving, he brings the sacrifices required of a nazirite [who completes his vow in] purity, as we explained. [5] He brings three fowl as sin offerings for the following reasons: the first is because of the doubt whether he is ritually impure, the second because of the doubt whether he is afflicted by *tzara'at*, for a *metzora* brings a sacrifice only after his second shaving, the third because of the possibility that he was ritually impure. [The rationale is that] one shaving cannot fulfill the obligation for both one's nazirite vow and [purification from] *tzara'at* and perhaps he was definitely both a *metzora* and impure because of contact with a corpse. [In that instance,] the first and second shavings were to become purified from *tzara'at*, as explained. The third shaving is the shaving [required to emerge from] ritual impurity. Therefore he must bring the sacrifices [required when emerging from] impurity at that time. [6] [The following principles apply with regard to] the three animals[brought] as burnt offerings that accompany [the sin offerings]. He brings them conditionally. [When bringing] the first, he stipulates: "If I was pure, this is for my obligation." If I was impure, this is a freewill offering." He should make a similar stipulation for the second and third [shaving] as well. [7] For the fourth shaving, he brings the sacrifices [required when completing a nazirite vow in] purity and stipulates: "If I was impure, the first burnt offering was a freewill offering and this is my obligatory offering.
"If I was definitely [afflicted with *tzara'at*], the first [burnt offering] was the one that I was obligated to bring as a *metzora*. This is the one that I was obligated to bring for my nazirite vow. And the two [brought] in between are freewill offerings.
"If I was pure with regard to contact with a corpse, but I had been afflicted with *tzara'at*, the first and second [burnt offerings] were obligatory, the one for the obligation of a *metzora* and the one for the obligation of a nazirite. The third and the fourth are freewill offerings. The remainder [of the sacrifices] are the sacrifices [required when completing a nazirite vow in] purity.
"If I was impure and afflicted with *tzara'at* the first burnt offering was the obligation of a *metzora*. The second and the third are freewill offerings and this is the sacrifice [required when] shaving [after completing a nazirite vow in] purity." [8] The guilt offering and the burnt offering are not absolute requirements, neither for the shaving [required for a nazirite to emerge from] ritual impurity, nor for [the purification afflicted with] *tzara'at*. Thus if he had definitely been a *metzora*, but had not become impure because of contact with a corpse, he became pure when bringing the wild birds. The fowl brought as a sin offering serves as his sin offering. It should not be eaten because it was brought because of a doubt. And the [lamb] brought with it as a burnt offering is part of the requirement for shaving [after completing a nazirite vow in] purity, so that the shaving will be associated [with the sacrifice of] an animal. If he was ritually impure because of contact with a corpse, the [lamb] brought as a burnt offering is a freewill offering.
If he had not been afflicted by *tzara'at*, but had been impure due to contact with a corpse, the fowl brought as a sin offering is the offering [required of] a nazirite who became impure and the [lamb] brought as an animal is a freewill offering. And ultimately, he will bring the sacrifices [required when a nazirite vow is completed in] purity.
If he was neither impure due to contact with a corpse nor a *metzora*, the [lamb] brought as a burnt offering for the first shaving is that required when shaving. The fowl brought as a sin offering is brought because of the doubt and it is not eaten. [9] When do the above statements that a nazirite performs four shavings apply? When speaking of a minor or a woman. An adult male should not perform a shaving because of a doubt, neither a shaving because of ritual impurity or one because of *tzara'at* lest he have been ritually pure and thus he will be cutting off the corners of his hair when there is no mitzvah involved. Therefore, [in such a situation,] an adult male should perform only the shaving [required when completing the nazirite vow in] purity. For these four shavings are not absolute requirements, they are only [the more complete way of performing] the mitzvah. [10] How should a nazirite conduct himself if he is certain that he contracted *tzara'at* and is uncertain whether he contracted ritual impurity. After he is purified from his *tzara'at*, he should have [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled upon him on the third and seventh days. He performs the shaving [required when emerging from] ritual impurity and then begins to count the days of his nazirite vow in their entirety. For, due to the doubt that he became ritually impure, [the observance of] the first days is nullified. [After completing that vow,] he brings the sacrifices [required when completing a nazirite vow in] purity and [is permitted to] drink wine. After he brings the sacrifices [required after being purified from] *tzara'at*, he may partake of sacrificial food. [11] [The following rules apply if] it is certain that he became impure [from contact with a corpse] and there is a question whether he was a *metzora*. After he is healed from his questionable status as a *metzora*, he should count the full amount of the days of his nazirite vow and afterwards perform the shaving [required for *tzara'at*]. [The rationale is that] shaving [because of *tzara'at*] that is questionable does not supercede his nazirite vow. Afterwards, he counts the seven days between the first shaving of a *metzora* and the second and performs that shaving. He should bring his sacrifices and may partake of sacrificial foods if he had [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled upon him on the third and seventh days. Afterwards, he counts seven more days [because of] the impurity associated with a corpse and performs the shaving [required to emerge from] ritual impurity. Afterwards, he counts the full term of his nazirite vow. [12] Similarly, [the following rules apply if] he was certainly both ritually impure and a *metzora*. After he becomes healed from his *tzara'at*, he performs the first shaving [required to be purified from] *tzara'at*, has [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled upon him on the third and seventh [days], and has his head and beard shaved on the seventh day. This is the second shaving [required to be purified from] *tzara'at*. He brings the sacrifices [associated with that purification] on the eighth day and may partake of sacrificial foods. He then counts seven days and performs the shaving [required to emerge from] ritual impurity. Afterwards, he counts the full term of his nazirite vow. He then brings the sacrifices [required when completing a nazirite vow in] ritual purity and [may then] drink wine. [13] Why is it necessary for him to count seven [days before bringing the sacrifices required after emerging from ritual impurity]? [Because] the seven days of ritual impurity [associated with contact with a human corpse] are not counted during the seven days between the two shavings of a *metzora*. [14] When a person says: "I will be a nazirite if I do this and this" or "...if I do not do [this or this]," he is a wicked man and a nazirite vow of this type is one of the nazirite vows taken by the wicked. If, however, a person takes a nazirite vow to God in a holy manner, this is delightful and praiseworthy and concerning this, [Numbers 6:7-8] states: "The diadem of his God is upon his head... He is holy unto God." And Scripture equates him with a prophet, as [Amos 2:11] states: "And from your sons, I will raise [some] as prophets, and from your youths, [some] as nazirites."
Version: Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001020101/NLI
License: CC-BY-NC