That the nazirite not become impure through a dead body or through other impurities: That the nazirite not become impure through a dead body, as it is stated (Numbers 6:7), “For his father or for his mother, etc. he shall not become impure, etc.” Even though I have already written in the first commandment of this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 362) the reason for the distancing of impurity from that which is holy, I will still say that which comes to my spirit about the reason of the great stringency with the nazirite; as he is commanded not to become impure even for his father and his mother and — there is no need to say — other relatives, and [yet] a regular priest who is also holy, may become impure for [his close relatives]. And the matter is apparently because the holiness of the priest rests upon him automatically. He did not agree to it and it was not from his consent, but rather he was sanctified from birth and from the womb, by force of his tribe which is totally holy. And [so] his behavior towards his relatives is like all other people, since there is no difference between the priestly man and the rest of the people, except that sometimes he will do the service for his God. However, sometimes he will also dwell in his domicile and regale with his friends — he calls to his companions for joy and parties. Hence his heart will be warm towards them and theirs towards him. And because of this, the Torah permitted [him] to become impure for them — “all the ways of the Torah are pleasant and all of its paths are peace.”
However the man that is a nazirite to God is holy to God all the days of his nazirite vows and — as the verse attests to him (Numbers 6:7) — “as the crown of his God is upon him,” he will not become impurified with worldly desires, and he will not be found at parties and the banquets of his companions. As his separation from wine shows about him that he has given his heart to prepare himself and to afflict himself before God, to improve the ways of his soul and to leave the pleasures of the benighted body. And since he has placed all of his heart and all of his thoughts towards his dear soul and he has abandoned all of his own needs and those of his flesh, what would be his desire for the drawing close of his companions and his friends — besides for the commandment, without a doubt. As with the raising of the soul, the pleasures of the body and all of its matters become very light in its eyes. All the more so will it not seek the company of other bodies, whether they be relatives or [others], and it will not find delight in any of their things, besides the holy service to which it is connected and to which its eyes are always directed. And hence from his great holiness and separation from his brothers, the Torah prevents him from becoming impure for them. And [it is] like the matter of the high priest — as since his matters are very elevated and he is separated from the company of his friends, and his pursuits and thoughts are only about the service of his God, may He be blessed, the Torah prevents him from becoming impure for anyone of his relatives. And the stated explanation for his distancing from impurity is also stated about the nazirite; except that with the priest, it mentions oil, since he is anointed with it, but with the nazirite, it does not mention oil. As with the priest, it states (Leviticus 21:22), “as the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him.” But with the nazirite, it [only] states, “as the crown of his God is upon him.” And maybe you will think to respond to me, that when a temporary nazirite finishes his time, he will return to his obliviousness and chase after his desires; and, if so, why should he be more stringent than a regular priest? The answer is that after a person takes on being a nazirite one time, there is hope for him to sanctify himself and to add to his goodness each day. And he will be agreed to from the Heavens and like the matter that they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 104a), “One who comes to purify himself, is assisted.” And since he has taken on being a nazirite even one day, he is assisted and will finish all of his days in purity.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nazir 49b) that there is a [type of] impurity of a dead body that if the nazirite is made impure by it, he shaves and it interrupts his earlier [tally of] days, and begins to count the days of his naziriteness afterwards [from the beginning]; and there is [another type of] impurity of a dead body for which he does not shave and it does not interrupt his earlier days. [And the latter is such,] even though it is an impurity [that makes impure for] seven [days] (characteristic of impurity generated by a dead body); because it is not said about it, “and if he becomes impure for a soul,” but rather (Numbers 6:9), “And if a dead body dies upon him” — which implies [only] when he becomes impure with impurities which are from the essence of the dead body. And these are the impurities for which the nazirite must shave: for a stillborn embryo, even if its limbs have not become attached to its tendons; for a kazayit from a dead body; for a kazayit of the discarded (netsel); for the bones that make up the numerical majority of the bones, even if they do not constitute one quarter of a kav; for half a kav of bones, even if they do not constitute the majority of its structure or their numerical majority, so long as all of the bones are from one dead body and not from two dead bodies; for a backbone coming from a dead body; for the skull of one dead body; for the [detached] limb of a living person that has [enough] flesh to grow back on a living person; for half a log of blood from one dead body; and for a fistful of rotted remains of a dead body. And what is netsel? It is flesh of a dead body that is dissolved and has become rotten liquid. And the rotten remains (rakav) of a dead person only render impure if he is buried naked in a marble coffin and he is all complete. If one limb was lacking from him or if he was buried with his cloak or in a coffin of boneware or metal, [his remains] are not [considered] rakav. And they only spoke about rakav regarding a dead body alone, which excludes someone killed, as behold, he is missing his blood. If they buried two dead bodies together or they cut his hair or his fingernails and buried them with him, or if a pregnant woman died and she was buried [with] the embryo in her innards and so [too,] if [someone] ground the dead body until it became rakav, their rakav does not render impure until [the body itself] rots on its own. And so [too,] if he became impure from a quarter [of a kav] of bones that come from the backbone or from the skull in their tent, behold it is a doubt whether he is impure.
[Regarding] all of these twelve [types of] impurity that we have enumerated — if the nazirite touched one of them or if he carried it, or if the nazirite hovered over it or the impurity hovered over the nazirite or the nazirite and one of the impurities were [together] in a tent (under anything over them) — behold he must shave the shaving of (caused by) impurity, and he brings a sacrifice for impurity and it interrupts all [of the days of his tally]. [This is true of all of the impurities] except for rakav, which does not render impure with touch, as it is impossible for him to touch it all, as behold, it is not one body. But if he carries it or becomes impure in its tent, he must shave. And so [too,] a nazirite who touches a bone of a dead body — even a bone that is [the size] of a barley grain — or he carries it, behold, this one must shave for it and bring a sacrifice for impurity, and interrupt the previous [days]. But one [single] bone does not render impure in a tent.
But if he became impure from a clod of the land of the [other] peoples or of a field in which a grave was plowed — which render impure through touch and carrying; or if one of the twelve impurities mentioned was hovered over by shoots coming out of trees or protrusions coming out of a fence or a bed or a camel and that which is similar to it and he becomes impure in their hovering; or from a quarter [of a kav] of bones that do not constitute the majority of its structure or their numerical majority; or he became impure from a quarter [of a log] of blood — even though it renders impure through touch and carrying and in a tent; or he became impure from a grave-covering or [its] frame — which renders impure through touch and carrying; or he became impure from a limb from a living person or from a limb from a dead person, which does not have flesh that is fit, according to the matter that we described — behold this does not interrupt, even though he is impure from an impurity [that makes impure for] seven [days] and he sprinkles on the third and on the seventh, [nonetheless] he does not shave the shaving of impurity and he does not bring sacrifices and he does not interrupt the first ones. However, all of the days of impurity do not count for him in the tally of the days of being a nazirite.
And so [too,] from the matter of the commandment is that which they said (Nazir 44a), that one who causes a nazirite to become impure — if the nazirite was volitional — [the nazirite] is given lashes, and the one who rendered him impure transgresses on account of “in front of a blind man, etc.” (Leviticus 19:14). But if the nazirite is indavertent, [even] if the one who makes him impure is volitional, neither one of them is lashed. And why is the one who makes him impure not lashed? Because it is stated (Numbers 6:9), “and he makes impure the head of his naziriteness” — meaning to say that the liability for lashes is only when he becomes impure with his consent. [These] and the rest of its details are in Tractate Nazir.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and makes himself impure volitionally according to the guidelines we have elucidated is lashed. And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote (the seemingly correct textual variant reads, Rambam, as the source is Mishneh Torah, Laws of Naziriteship 5:20-21) that a nazirite who makes himself impure volitionally is liable for four [different sets of] lashes: on account of “he shall not become impure”; on account of “he shall not profane his word”; on account of “he shall not delay to repay it”; and on account of “he shall not enter” — and that is when the entering and the impurity come together.
שֶׁלֹּא יִטַּמָּא הַנָּזִיר בְּמֵת וּבִשְׁאָר טֻמְאוֹת – שֶׁלֹּא יִטַּמָּא הַנָּזִיר בְּמֵת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ו ז) לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ וכו' לֹא יִטַּמָּא וְגוֹ'. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי בְּמִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁבְּסֵדֶר זֶה (מצוה שסב) טַעַם בְּהַרְחָקַת הַטֻּמְאָה מִן הַקֹּדֶשׁ, עוֹד אַגִּיד הָעֹלֶה עַל רוּחִי בְּטַעַם הַחֹמֶר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבַּנָּזִיר, שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה שֶׁלֹּא יִטַּמָּא גַּם לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר בִּשְׁאָר קְרוֹבִים, וַהֲרֵי הַכֹּהֵן הֶדְיוֹט שֶׁגַּם הוּא קָדוֹשׁ מִטַּמֵּא בָּהֶן. וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא לְפִי הַדּוֹמֶה, כִּי קְדֻשַּׁת הַכֹּהֵן חָלָה עָלָיו מִמֵּילָא לֹא הִסְכִּים הוּא עָלֶיהָ וּמִדַּעְתּוֹ לֹא נִהְיְתָה, כִּי אִם מִלֵּדָה וּמִבֶּטֶן נִתְקַדֵּשׁ בְּכֹחַ שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ קֹדֶשׁ, וְהַנְהָגָתוֹ עִם קְרוֹבָיו כְּכָל שְׁאָר בְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם, כִּי אֵין חִלּוּק בֵּין הָאִישׁ הַכֹּהֵן לִשְׁאָר הָעָם, זוּלָתִי כִּי לְעִתִּים יַעֲבֹד בֵּית אֱלֹהָיו. וְאָמְנָם לְעִתִּים גַּם כֵּן יִשְׁכֹּן בְּהֵיכָלוֹ וְיָגֵל עִם אוֹהֲבָיו לְשִׂמְחָה וּלְמִשְׁתֶּה יִקְרָא רֵעָיו וּקְרוֹבָיו, עַל כֵּן יֵחַם לְבָבוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם וְגַם הֵם עָלָיו, וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה הֻרְשָׁה לְהִטַּמֵּא לָהֶם, כָּל דַּרְכֵי הַתּוֹרָה נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם.
That the nazirite not become impure through a dead body or through other impurities: That the nazirite not become impure through a dead body, as it is stated (Numbers 6:7), “For his father or for his mother, etc. he shall not become impure, etc.” Even though I have already written in the first commandment of this Order (Sefer HaChinukh 362) the reason for the distancing of impurity from that which is holy, I will still say that which comes to my spirit about the reason of the great stringency with the nazirite; as he is commanded not to become impure even for his father and his mother and — there is no need to say — other relatives, and [yet] a regular priest who is also holy, may become impure for [his close relatives]. And the matter is apparently because the holiness of the priest rests upon him automatically. He did not agree to it and it was not from his consent, but rather he was sanctified from birth and from the womb, by force of his tribe which is totally holy. And [so] his behavior towards his relatives is like all other people, since there is no difference between the priestly man and the rest of the people, except that sometimes he will do the service for his God. However, sometimes he will also dwell in his domicile and regale with his friends — he calls to his companions for joy and parties. Hence his heart will be warm towards them and theirs towards him. And because of this, the Torah permitted [him] to become impure for them — “all the ways of the Torah are pleasant and all of its paths are peace.”
אָכֵן הָאִישׁ הַנָּזִיר לַשֵּׁם כָּל יְמֵי נֶדֶר נִזְרוֹ קָדוֹשׁ הוּא לַשֵּׁם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהֵעִיד עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כִּי נֵזֶר אֱלֹהָיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ לֹא יִטַּמָּא בְּתַאֲווֹת הָעוֹלָם, וְלֹא יִמָּצֵא בֵּית מִשְׁתָּאוֹת וּבִסְעוּדַת רֵעִים, כִּי הַפְרָשָׁתוֹ מִן הַיַּיִן מוֹכַחַת עָלָיו שֶׁנָּתַן לִבּוֹ לְהָבִין וּלְהִתְעַנּוֹת לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם, וּלְתַקֵּן דַּרְכֵי נַפְשׁוֹ, וּלְהַנִּיחַ תַּעֲנוּגֵי הַגּוּף הֶחָשׁוּךְ, וְאַחֲרֵי שׂוּמוֹ כָּל לִבּוֹ וְכָל מַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו אַחַר נַפְשׁוֹ הַיְּקָרָה, וְצָרְכֵי עַצְמוֹ וּבְשָׂרוֹ נָטַשׁ, מָה חֶפְצוֹ בְּהַקְרָבַת רֵעָיו וְאוֹהֲבָיו עוֹד זוּלָתִי לְמִצְוָה אֵין סָפֵק, כִּי בְּהִתְעַלּוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, יֵקַל מְאֹד בְּעֵינֶיהָ הֲנָאַת הַגּוּף וְכָל עִנְיָנוֹ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא תִּפְנֶה אַחַר חֶבְרַת גּוּפִים אֲחֵרִים וְאִם קְרוֹבִים הֵמָּה אוֹ רְחוֹקִים, וְלֹא תִּמְצָא תַּעֲנוּג בְּכָל דָּבָר מֵהַדְּבָרִים, זוּלָתִי בַּעֲבוֹדָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה אֲשֶׁר נִתְקַשְּׁרָה בָּהּ, וְעֵינֶיהָ אֵלֶיהָ תָּמִיד. וְעַל כֵּן לְרֹב קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ וּמַעֲלָתוֹ וּפְרִישׁוּתוֹ מֵאֶחָיו תִּמְנָעֶנּוּ הַתּוֹרָה מֵהִטַּמֵּא לָהֶם, וּכְעִנְיָן הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל, כִּי מֵהֱיוֹתוֹ מְעֻלֶּה מְאֹד בְּעִנְיָנוֹ, וְנִפְרַשׁ מֵחֶבְרַת הָאוֹהֲבִים, וְאֵין כָּל עֲסָקָיו וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו זוּלָתִי בַּעֲבוֹדַת אֱלֹהָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ תִּמְנָעֶנּוּ הַתּוֹרָה גַּם כֵּן מֵהִטַּמֵּא לְאֶחָד מִכָּל קְרוֹבָיו, וְטַעַם הַנֶּאֱמָר עָלָיו בַּכָּתוּב בְּהַרְחָקַת הַטֻּמְאָה נֶאֱמַר גַּם עַל הַנָּזִיר, זוּלָתִי שֶׁבַּכֹּהֵן הִזְכִּיר שֶׁמֶן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מָשׁוּחַ בּוֹ, וּבַנָּזִיר לֹא הִזְכִּיר שֶׁמֶן, שֶׁבַּכֹּהֵן נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא כא כב) כִּי נֵזֶר שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת אֱלֹהָיו עָלָיו. וּבְנָזִיר נֶאֱמַר כִּי נֵזֶר אֱלֹהָיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ. וְאוּלַי תַּחְשֹׁב לְהָשִׁיב עָלַי, כִּי הַנָּזִיר לִזְמַן, בְּהַשְׁלִים זְמַנּוֹ יָשׁוּב לִימֵי עֲלוּמָיו וְיִרְדֹּף תַּאֲווֹתָיו, וְאִם כֵּן לָמָּה יִהְיֶה חָמוּר יוֹתֵר מִכֹּהֵן הֶדְיוֹט? הַתְּשׁוּבָה כִּי הָאָדָם אַחַר הַזִּירוֹ לַשֵּׁם פַּעַם אַחַת תִּקְוָה יֵשׁ בּוֹ לְקַדֵּשׁ עַצְמוֹ וּלְהוֹסִיף יוֹם יוֹם בְּטוּבוֹ, וּמִן הַשָּׁמַיִם מַסְכִּימִין עַל יָדוֹ, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קד, א) בָּא לִטָּהֵר מְסַיְּעִין אוֹתוֹ, וְאַחַר שֶׁהִזִּיר אֲפִלּוּ יוֹם אֶחָד יִסְתַּיֵּעַ וְיַשְׁלִים כָּל יָמָיו בְּטָהֳרָה.
However the man that is a nazirite to God is holy to God all the days of his nazirite vows and — as the verse attests to him (Numbers 6:7) — “as the crown of his God is upon him,” he will not become impurified with worldly desires, and he will not be found at parties and the banquets of his companions. As his separation from wine shows about him that he has given his heart to prepare himself and to afflict himself before God, to improve the ways of his soul and to leave the pleasures of the benighted body. And since he has placed all of his heart and all of his thoughts towards his dear soul and he has abandoned all of his own needs and those of his flesh, what would be his desire for the drawing close of his companions and his friends — besides for the commandment, without a doubt. As with the raising of the soul, the pleasures of the body and all of its matters become very light in its eyes. All the more so will it not seek the company of other bodies, whether they be relatives or [others], and it will not find delight in any of their things, besides the holy service to which it is connected and to which its eyes are always directed. And hence from his great holiness and separation from his brothers, the Torah prevents him from becoming impure for them. And [it is] like the matter of the high priest — as since his matters are very elevated and he is separated from the company of his friends, and his pursuits and thoughts are only about the service of his God, may He be blessed, the Torah prevents him from becoming impure for anyone of his relatives. And the stated explanation for his distancing from impurity is also stated about the nazirite; except that with the priest, it mentions oil, since he is anointed with it, but with the nazirite, it does not mention oil. As with the priest, it states (Leviticus 21:22), “as the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him.” But with the nazirite, it [only] states, “as the crown of his God is upon him.” And maybe you will think to respond to me, that when a temporary nazirite finishes his time, he will return to his obliviousness and chase after his desires; and, if so, why should he be more stringent than a regular priest? The answer is that after a person takes on being a nazirite one time, there is hope for him to sanctify himself and to add to his goodness each day. And he will be agreed to from the Heavens and like the matter that they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 104a), “One who comes to purify himself, is assisted.” And since he has taken on being a nazirite even one day, he is assisted and will finish all of his days in purity.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (נזיר מט ב). שֶׁיֵּשׁ טֻמְאַת מֵת שֶׁאִם נִטְמָא הַנָּזִיר בָּהּ מְגַלֵּחַ וְסוֹתֵר הַיָּמִים הַקּוֹדְמִים, וּמַתְחִיל לִמְנוֹת יְמֵי נְזִירוּתוֹ אַחַר כֵּן, וְיֵשׁ טֻמְאַת מֵת שֶׁאֵין מְגַלֵּחַ בַּעֲבוּרָהּ וְלֹא סוֹתֵר הַיָּמִים הַקּוֹדְמִים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא טֻמְאַת שִׁבְעָה, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְכִי יִטְמָא לְנֶפֶשׁ, אֶלָּא וְכִי יָמוּת מֵת עָלָיו, דְּמַשְׁמַע, עַד שֶׁיִּטְמָא בְּטֻמְאוֹת שֶׁהֵן בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁל מֵת. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַטֻּמְאוֹת שֶׁהַנָּזִיר מְגַלֵּחַ עֲלֵיהֶן עַל הַנֵּפֶל, וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא נִתְקַשְּׁרוּ אֵבָרָיו בַּגִּידִין, וְעַל כַּזַּיִת מִן הַמֵּת, וְעַל כַּזַּיִת נֶצֶל, וְעַל הָעֲצָמוֹת שֶׁהֵן רֹב מִנְיַן הָעֲצָמוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן רֹבַע הַקַּב, וְעַל עֲצָמוֹת שֶׁהֵן בִּנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל מֵת, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן רֹבַע הַקַּב, וְעַל חֲצִי קַב עֲצָמוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן רֹב בִּנְיָנוֹ וְלֹא רֹב מִנְיָנוֹ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁכָּל הָעֲצָמוֹת יִהְיוּ מִשֶּׁל מֵת אֶחָד וְלֹא מִשְּׁנֵי מֵתִים, וְעַל שִׁדְרָה הַבָּאָה מִן הַמֵּת, וְעַל הַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת שֶׁל מֵת אֶחָד, וְעַל אֵבֶר מִן הַמֵּת, וְעַל אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי מֵאָדָם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם בָּשָׂר שֶׁרָאוּי לַעֲלוֹת בּוֹ אֲרוּכָה בַּחַי, וְעַל חֲצִי לֹג דָּם שֶׁבָּא מִמֵּת אֶחָד, וְעַל מְלֹא חָפְנַיִם רְקַב הַמֵּת. וְאֵיזֶהוּ נֶצֶל? זֶה בְּשַׂר הַמֵּת שֶׁנִּמּוֹחַ וְנַעֲשָׂה לֵחָה סְרוּחָה, וְאֵין רְקַב הַמֵּת מְטַמֵּא, עַד שֶׁיִּקָּבֵר עָרֹם בְּאָרוֹן שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ וְיִהְיֶה כֻּלּוֹ שָׁלֵם. חָסֵר מִמֶּנּוּ אֵבֶר אֶחָד, אוֹ שֶׁנִּקְבַּר בִּכְסוּתוֹ, אוֹ בְּאָרוֹן שֶׁל עֲצָמוֹת אוֹ שֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת אֵין לוֹ רָקָב, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ רָקָב, אֶלָּא לְמֵת בִּלְבַד לְהוֹצִיא הָרוּג, שֶׁהֲרֵי חָסֵר דָּמוֹ. קָבְרוּ שְׁנֵי מֵתִים כְּאַחַת, אוֹ שֶׁגָּזְזוּ שְׂעָרוֹ אוֹ צִפָּרְנָיו וּקְבָרוּם עִמּוֹ, אוֹ אִשָּׁה עֻבָּרָה שֶׁמֵּתָה וְנִקְבְּרָה וְעֻבָּרָהּ בְּמֵעֶיהָ אֵין הָרָקָב שֶׁלָּהֶן מְטַמֵּא, וְכֵן אִם טָחַן הַמֵּת עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רָקָב אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא, עַד שֶׁיִּרְקַב מֵאֵלָיו. וְכֵן אִם נִטְמָא בְּרֹבַע הָעֲצָמוֹת הַבָּאִים מִשִּׁדְרָה אוֹ מִן הַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת [בְּאָהֳלָן] הֲרֵי זֶה סְפֵק טָמֵא.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nazir 49b) that there is a [type of] impurity of a dead body that if the nazirite is made impure by it, he shaves and it interrupts his earlier [tally of] days, and begins to count the days of his naziriteness afterwards [from the beginning]; and there is [another type of] impurity of a dead body for which he does not shave and it does not interrupt his earlier days. [And the latter is such,] even though it is an impurity [that makes impure for] seven [days] (characteristic of impurity generated by a dead body); because it is not said about it, “and if he becomes impure for a soul,” but rather (Numbers 6:9), “And if a dead body dies upon him” — which implies [only] when he becomes impure with impurities which are from the essence of the dead body. And these are the impurities for which the nazirite must shave: for a stillborn embryo, even if its limbs have not become attached to its tendons; for a kazayit from a dead body; for a kazayit of the discarded (netsel); for the bones that make up the numerical majority of the bones, even if they do not constitute one quarter of a kav; for half a kav of bones, even if they do not constitute the majority of its structure or their numerical majority, so long as all of the bones are from one dead body and not from two dead bodies; for a backbone coming from a dead body; for the skull of one dead body; for the [detached] limb of a living person that has [enough] flesh to grow back on a living person; for half a log of blood from one dead body; and for a fistful of rotted remains of a dead body. And what is netsel? It is flesh of a dead body that is dissolved and has become rotten liquid. And the rotten remains (rakav) of a dead person only render impure if he is buried naked in a marble coffin and he is all complete. If one limb was lacking from him or if he was buried with his cloak or in a coffin of boneware or metal, [his remains] are not [considered] rakav. And they only spoke about rakav regarding a dead body alone, which excludes someone killed, as behold, he is missing his blood. If they buried two dead bodies together or they cut his hair or his fingernails and buried them with him, or if a pregnant woman died and she was buried [with] the embryo in her innards and so [too,] if [someone] ground the dead body until it became rakav, their rakav does not render impure until [the body itself] rots on its own. And so [too,] if he became impure from a quarter [of a kav] of bones that come from the backbone or from the skull in their tent, behold it is a doubt whether he is impure.
כָּל אֵלּוּ שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה טֻמְאוֹת שֶׁמָּנִינוּ, אִם נָגַע נָזִיר בְּאַחַת מֵהֶן, אוֹ אִם נְשָׂאָהּ, אוֹ הֶאֱהִיל הַנָּזִיר עָלֶיהָ, אוֹ הֶאֱהִילָה הַטֻּמְאָה עַל הַנָּזִיר, אוֹ הָיָה הַנָּזִיר וְאַחַת מִטֻּמְאוֹת אֵלּוּ בְּאֹהֶל הֲרֵי זֶה מְגַלֵּחַ תִּגְלַחַת טֻמְאָה, וּמֵבִיא קָרְבַּן טֻמְאָה, וְסוֹתֵר אֶת הַכֹּל, חוּץ מִן הָרָקָב שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא בְּמַגָּע, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּגַּע בְּכֻלּוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינוֹ גּוּף אֶחָד, אֲבָל אִם נְשָׂאוֹ אוֹ נִטְמָא בְּאָהֳלוֹ מְגַלֵּחַ. וְכֵן נָזִיר שֶׁנָּגַע בְּעֶצֶם הַמֵּת אֲפִלּוּ בְּעֶצֶם כַּשְּׂעוֹרָה, אוֹ נְשָׂאוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מְגַלֵּחַ עָלָיו, וּמֵבִיא קָרְבַּן טֻמְאָה, וְסוֹתֵר אֶת הַקּוֹדְמִין, וְאֵין עֶצֶם אֶחָד מְטַמֵּא אָהֳלוֹ.
[Regarding] all of these twelve [types of] impurity that we have enumerated — if the nazirite touched one of them or if he carried it, or if the nazirite hovered over it or the impurity hovered over the nazirite or the nazirite and one of the impurities were [together] in a tent (under anything over them) — behold he must shave the shaving of (caused by) impurity, and he brings a sacrifice for impurity and it interrupts all [of the days of his tally]. [This is true of all of the impurities] except for rakav, which does not render impure with touch, as it is impossible for him to touch it all, as behold, it is not one body. But if he carries it or becomes impure in its tent, he must shave. And so [too,] a nazirite who touches a bone of a dead body — even a bone that is [the size] of a barley grain — or he carries it, behold, this one must shave for it and bring a sacrifice for impurity, and interrupt the previous [days]. But one [single] bone does not render impure in a tent.
אֲבָל אִם נִטְמָא בְּגוּשׁ אֶרֶץ הָעַמִּים אוֹ בְּשָׂדֶה שֶׁנֶּחְרַשׁ קֶבֶר בְּתוֹכָהּ שֶׁהֵן מְטַמְּאִין בְּמַגָּע וּבְמַשָּׂא, אוֹ שֶׁהֶאֱהִילוּ עָלָיו וְעַל אַחַת מִן הַשְּׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה טֻמְאוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרוֹת, וְשָׂרִיגִים הַיּוֹצְאִים מִן הָאִילָנוֹת, אוֹ הַפְּרָעוֹת הַיּוֹצְאוֹת מִן הַגָּדֵר, אוֹ מִטָּה, אוֹ גָּמָל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ, וְנִטְמָא בְּאָהֳלָן אוֹ בְּרֹבַע הָעֲצָמוֹת שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן לֹא רֹב מִנְיָן וְלֹא רֹב בִּנְיָן, אוֹ שֶׁנִּטְמָא בִּרְבִיעִית דָּם, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מְטַמֵּא בְּמַגָּע וּבְמַשָּׂא וּבְאֹהֶל, אוֹ שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּגוֹלֵל אוֹ בְּדֹפֶק שֶׁהֵן מְטַמְּאִין בְּמַגָּע וּבְמַשָּׂא, אוֹ שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּאֵבֶר מִן הַחַי אוֹ בְּאֵבֶר מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁאֵין עֲלֵיהֶם בָּשָׂר כָּרָאוּי, לְפִי הָעִנְיָן שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ הֲרֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ סוֹתֵר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבְּכָל אֵלּוּ הוּא טָמֵא טֻמְאַת שִׁבְעָה, וּמַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי, אֵינוֹ מְגַלֵּחַ תִּגְלַחַת טֻמְאָה, וְלֹא מֵבִיא קָרְבָּנוֹת וְלֹא סוֹתֵר אֶת הַקּוֹדְמִין, אֲבָל כָּל יְמֵי הַטֻּמְאָה אֵין עוֹלִין לוֹ לְמִנְיַן יְמֵי נְזִירוּתוֹ.
But if he became impure from a clod of the land of the [other] peoples or of a field in which a grave was plowed — which render impure through touch and carrying; or if one of the twelve impurities mentioned was hovered over by shoots coming out of trees or protrusions coming out of a fence or a bed or a camel and that which is similar to it and he becomes impure in their hovering; or from a quarter [of a kav] of bones that do not constitute the majority of its structure or their numerical majority; or he became impure from a quarter [of a log] of blood — even though it renders impure through touch and carrying and in a tent; or he became impure from a grave-covering or [its] frame — which renders impure through touch and carrying; or he became impure from a limb from a living person or from a limb from a dead person, which does not have flesh that is fit, according to the matter that we described — behold this does not interrupt, even though he is impure from an impurity [that makes impure for] seven [days] and he sprinkles on the third and on the seventh, [nonetheless] he does not shave the shaving of impurity and he does not bring sacrifices and he does not interrupt the first ones. However, all of the days of impurity do not count for him in the tally of the days of being a nazirite.
וְכֵן מֵעִנְיַן הַמִּצְוָה מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (נזיר מד א), שֶׁהַמְּטַמֵּא הַנָּזִיר אִם הָיָה הַנָּזִיר מֵזִיד לוֹקֶה, וְזֶה שֶׁטִּמְּאוֹ עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם (ויקרא יט יד) וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר וְגוֹ', וְאִם הַנָּזִיר שׁוֹגֵג וְזֶה שֶׁטִּמְּאוֹ מֵזִיד אֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶן לוֹקֶה, וְלָמָּה אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה הַמְטַמֵּא הַנָּזִיר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּנָּזִיר (במדבר ו ט) וְטִמֵּא רֹאשׁ נִזְרוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין חִיּוּב מַלְקוּת אֶלָּא בּוֹ כְּשֶׁהוּא מִטַּמֵּא מִדַּעְתּוֹ. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ בְּמַסֶּכֶת נָזִיר [שס].
And so [too,] from the matter of the commandment is that which they said (Nazir 44a), that one who causes a nazirite to become impure — if the nazirite was volitional — [the nazirite] is given lashes, and the one who rendered him impure transgresses on account of “in front of a blind man, etc.” (Leviticus 19:14). But if the nazirite is indavertent, [even] if the one who makes him impure is volitional, neither one of them is lashed. And why is the one who makes him impure not lashed? Because it is stated (Numbers 6:9), “and he makes impure the head of his naziriteness” — meaning to say that the liability for lashes is only when he becomes impure with his consent. [These] and the rest of its details are in Tractate Nazir.
וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְטִמֵּא עַצְמוֹ בְּמֵזִיד בַּצְּדָדִין שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ לוֹקֶה. וְכָתַב הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה (נזירות ה, כ כא) שֶׁהַנָּזִיר שֶׁטִּמֵּא עַצְמוֹ בְּמֵזִיד יִתְחַיֵּב אַרְבַּע מַלְקוּיוֹת, מִשּׁוּם לֹא יִטַּמָּא, וּמִשּׁוּם לֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ, וּמִשּׁוּם לֹא תְאַחֵר לְשַׁלְּמוֹ וּמִשּׁוּם לֹא יָבֹא, אִם הָיְתָה בִּיאָה וְטֻמְאָה בָּאִין כְּאַחַת.
And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and makes himself impure volitionally according to the guidelines we have elucidated is lashed. And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote (the seemingly correct textual variant reads, Rambam, as the source is Mishneh Torah, Laws of Naziriteship 5:20-21) that a nazirite who makes himself impure volitionally is liable for four [different sets of] lashes: on account of “he shall not become impure”; on account of “he shall not profane his word”; on account of “he shall not delay to repay it”; and on account of “he shall not enter” — and that is when the entering and the impurity come together.