Parshas נשא discusses the דינים of the נזיר. The פסוק says:
כי נזר אלוקיו על ראשו
The Crown of Hashem is upon him.
Harav Avigdor Miller asks: To be a נזיר can mean taking upon oneself נזירות for just 1 month. Yet for the duration of that month the תורה states that he is wearing the crown of Hashem. What is so unique about the נזיר that he merits so lofty a title?
This can be explained with a משל. A man purchases a large plot of empty land in midtown Manhattan. He proceeds to utilize the space by setting-up a newspaper stand on the empty lot. A friend hears about this, and admonishes him. ” You own a plot of prime real estate! It can be used to build a skyscraper, which will make you a millionaire. Don’t waste it with just a newspaper stand!”
Each person owns a plot of prime “real estate”- his own mind, the most precious gift bestowed to us by the רבש”ע.
We can utilize our mind by filling it with unimportant thoughts, such as sports, politics, or other wordly matters. Or, we can fill our minds with a ” skyscraper”- thoughts of spiritual growth, of connecting and coming closer to Hashem.
An example of such thoughts would be the 6 מצוות תמידיות, all of which are fulfilled in the mind, through our thinking:
Believing in Hashem
Rejecting the possibility of another God
Believing in Hashem’s Oneness
To fear Him
To Love Him
Not to stray after forbidden thoughts and desires.
When a person is able to, even to a small degree, busy himself with thoughts of רוחניות, he is utilizing his mind, his prime real estate in the proper way.
We can now understand why the נזיר is considered as wearing the crown of Hashem. Here is someone who decided on his own to uplift himself and take on extra limitations, all for the sake of Hashem. Such a person is indeed using his mind for what is what meant to do- becoming a better person. And that is certainly a crown of glory, which the רבש”ע appreciates and values.
Have a Good Shabbos
Weekly Parsha Shiur 