Learn the Lesson

The case of the vow of becoming a Nazir follows the Sotah case. This refers to an individual who takes upon himself this status for a minimum of thirty days.

He refrains from drinking wine or anything from grapes. He does not shave or cut his hair. And he will not allow himself to be defiled by coming in contact with the dead. This also applies if one of his close relatives passes away.

Rashi asks why the Nazir case, follows the Sotah case. He answers that if one would have seen the Sotah in her humiliation, he should refrain from drinking wine. It was most likely the wine that caused her to sin, as wine causes a person to lose his inhibitions.

Rashi is making a very strong point here. Don’t be foolish when you see the results of a person who acted without thinking. If you see the devastation that came to the Sotah, learn a lesson from this. Distance yourself so that this situation will never happen to you.

As Jews, we must learn the lessons of history. It is a fact that עשו שונא את יעקב, that Eisav hates Yakov. There will always be Jew hatred until Mashiach comes. Learn from history that our welcome in other countries is only temporary.

History has taught us that every place Jews ever lived alway ended in assimilation, expulsion, or annihilation.

The comment of Rashi is really quite profound. We must wake up and not be in denial of reality. If we see someone who suffers for their indiscretion, we must distance ourselves and learn the lesson, so that we do not make the same mistake.