Observe then the words: When a man shall separate himself by uttering a vow, the vow of a Nazirite, etc., referring to him who makes haste whilst in this world, to consecrate himself to his Master. He shall abstain from wine and strong drink… nor eat fresh grapes, etc. The question here arises, why should the Nazirite, in addition to wine, be forbidden also grapes, seeing that the priest, who is also enjoined to “drink no wine nor strong drink” (Lev. 10, 9), is yet permitted to eat grapes.
There is, however, a recondite idea involved in this. It is a known thing that the tree of Adam’s transgression was a vine, the fruits of which, wine, strong drink and grapes, belong together to the side of the left. Hence the Nazirite has to keep altogether away from them.
תָּא חֲזֵי אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִיא לִנְדּוֹר נֶדֶר, נָזִיר דְּאַקְדִּים בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא בִּקְדוּשָׁה דְּמָארֵיהּ (במדבר ו׳:ג׳) מִיַּיִן וְשֵׁכָר יַזִּיר חוֹמֶץ יַיִן וְגוֹ'. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאָסִיר לֵיהּ חַמְרָא, עֲנָבִים לָמָּה. דְּהָא בְּכַהֲנֵי כְּתִיב יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ וְגוֹ', יָכוֹל עֲנָבִים נָמֵי לָא, בַּעֲנָבִים שָׁרֵי. הָכָא לַנָּזִיר, מַאי טַעְמָא אָסַר לֵיהּ עֲנָבִים.
Observe then the words: When a man shall separate himself by uttering a vow, the vow of a Nazirite, etc., referring to him who makes haste whilst in this world, to consecrate himself to his Master. He shall abstain from wine and strong drink… nor eat fresh grapes, etc. The question here arises, why should the Nazirite, in addition to wine, be forbidden also grapes, seeing that the priest, who is also enjoined to “drink no wine nor strong drink” (Lev. 10, 9), is yet permitted to eat grapes.
אֶלָּא, עוֹבָדָא דָּא, וּמִלָּה דָּא, רָזָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִן דִּינָא בְּכֹלָּא. וְהָא יְדִיעָא הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחָב בֵּיהּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה, עֲנָבִים הֲווֹ. וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דְּהָא יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר וַעֲנָבִים, בְּסִטְרָא חַד אִתְאֲחָדוּ. יַיִן לְעֵילָּא וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. שֵׁכָר לִשְׂמָאלָא, דְּהָא שֵׁכָר מִיַיִן נָפְקָא. עֲנָבִים דְּכָנִישׁ כֻּלְּהוּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, וְדָא הוּא אִילָנָא דְּחָב בֵּיהּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה. בְּגִין כָּךְ כֹּלָּא בְּחַד סִטְרָא אִתְאֲחָד. וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּהַאי נָזִיר שָׁבִיק מְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה. (ס"א כלום) לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי בֵּיהּ עוֹבָדָא מִסְּטַר שְׂמָאלָא כְּלוּם.
There is, however, a recondite idea involved in this. It is a known thing that the tree of Adam’s transgression was a vine, the fruits of which, wine, strong drink and grapes, belong together to the side of the left. Hence the Nazirite has to keep altogether away from them.