It is not common for someone to take a Nazirite vow in modern times. The most notable exception was Rabbi David Cohen who, like Samson, became a Nazirite for life. And both of these Nazirites have a role in redemption.
Every week, the reading of the Torah portion in the synagogue is accompanied by a Haftorah, a reading from a thematically relevant section from the Prophets. The portion of Naso (Numbers 4:21ā7:89), which discusses the laws of the Nazirite among other ideas, is accompanied by a reading from Judges 13:2-25.
The connection to the Torah portion quickly becomes apparent as it relates the story of a woman whose son becomes a Nazirite. The Talmud identifies the woman as Zealphonis, the wife of Manoah of the tribe of Dan. An angel came to her in a vision and told her that, though she had been barren, she was going to have a child. The angel then warns her that she should abstain from drinking wine as her son was to be a Nazirite. The condition of nazirite as described in the Torah was the result of a vow taken by an adult male, requiring him to refrain from drinking wine, cutting his hair, or becoming defiled by proximity to the dead. The vow specified a length of time that the person would remain a Nazirite. But the angelās instruction described a different type of nazirite; a Nazirite from the womb. This is a fetus who did not take on the vow of his own volition and remains a Nazirite until his death.
The angel also makes a startling promise; the child will save the Jews. The woman was incredulous, but when the vision was repeated a second time she realized it was from God.
Zealphonis was careful to follow the angel’s instructions. When Samson grew up, he became a judge of Israel and fought the Philistines. Rashi (Gen 49:16) explains that this was predicted in Jacobās blessing to Dan. In this regard, Samson was similar to King David.
David was, of course, the salvation of Israel in his day, and the Messiah is prophesied to come from him. Interestingly, Davidās father, Jesse, had another name, Nachash (Targum Ruth 4:22). Nachash (× ×ש) means āsnakeā in Hebrew, and this is the title that Jacobās prophecy attributes to the tribe of Dan. Nachash has a numerical value of 358, which is equivalent to the numerical value of the Hebrew word for Messiah, Mashiach (×ש××).
Samson, a descendant of the tribe of Dan, had messianic connections and could possibly have brought the final salvation of the Jewish people. In fact, his very name hints at this. Samsonās Hebrew name, Shimshon (ש×ש××), contains the Hebrew word for sun, shemesh (ש×ש). Shemesh is another reference to his connection to Messiah since the prophet Malachi refers to salvation coming from the sun:
The Midrash Rabbah identifies this passage as referring to the ultimate Messiah:
Moses asked: āshall they remain in pledge forever?ā G-d replied: āNo, only until the sun appearsā, that is, till the coming of the Messiah; for it says, But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. Exodus Rabbah 31:10
Samson, a Nazirite, was Messiah-like in that he saved the Jews from the oppression of the Philistines. And, according to the Sages, was a candidate for the Messiah.
The Israel Bible relates a remarkable story that illustrates another connection between a Nazirite and the salvation of Israel:
Though typically people do not take nazirite vows nowadays, a famous exception was Rabbi David Cohen (1887-1972). Known as āThe Nazirā (The nazirite), he was a close student of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, and was a nazirite for most of his life. Following his move to the Land of Israel, Rabbi Cohen also refused to leave Jerusalem. Along with Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, he was brought by his students serving in the Israeli Army to the Western Wall shortly after its liberation during the Six-Day War. When secular Israeli soldiers saw Rabbis Cohen and Kook at the Kotel (Western Wall) in the midst of the war, they gasped and pointed, assuming the two saintly rabbis were none other than the Messiah and the Prophet Elijah. The Nazir of Jerusalem was a reminder of the holiness that special people can achieve, even today.
