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Nazir 6:2-3

Nazir 6:2

If a nazir ate multiple grape products, he is liable for wine separately, for grapes separately, for chartzanim separately and for zagim separately. (Chartzanim and zagim will be explained momentarily.) Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says that one is not liable for chartzanim and zagim until he eats two chartzanim with their zagim. So what are chartzanim and zagim? According to Rabbi Yehuda, chartzanim are the grape skins and zagim are the grape seeds. Rabbi Yosi says the opposite: chartzanim are the seeds and zagim are the skins. He gave a mnemonic to keep people from mixing them up: the word zagim sounds like zug – a cow bell. So zug is the outside of a bell, as opposed to the clapper.

Nazir 6:3

If one does not specify the terms of his nezirus, the default is 30 days. If one shaved or was forcibly shaved by others, he loses 30 days. If he shaved with scissors or a razor, or even if he plucked a single hair, he is liable to the penalty of lashes. A nazir may rub and scratch his head (even though some hair may inadvertently come out) but he may not comb his hair (because hair removal is inevitable). Rabbi Yishmael says that a nazir may not rub his hair with earth (which was used as a cleanser) because doing so pulls hair out.

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz