The Nazir - A particular pathway

Rabbi Natan says: With regard to one who vows, it is as if he built a personal altar. And one who fulfills that vow, it is as if he sacrificed an offering on this [personal altar].

(3) As soon as the Temple was built in Jerusalem, it was prohibited to build a sanctuary for the Lord or to offer a sacrifice in any other place. Only the Temple in Jerusalem, on Mount Moriah, was intended for all generations.— —

The same word that means "explicitly utters" also means "to do something" wondrous," for most of the world simply follow its appetites.

They must keep themselves apart from what their appetites urge and set themselves apart for the service of the Eternal. Wine most certainly destroy's one's reason and makes it impossible to serve God properly...

Having vowed to consecrate themselves as a nazarite, they must abstain from alcohol.

Some say that "nazir" is related to "nezer / headdress, and since our phrase literally says "the nezer of God is upon their head," that is not at all implausible. Know that all human beings are slaves to worldly appetites. But the true king, who wears the kingly crown of nezer upon their head is one who is free of appetite.

(2) נדר נזיר — The term נזר wherever it occurs denotes “keeping aloof from something” (cf. Rashi on Leviticus 22:2). Here, too, it means that they keep away from wine (Sifrei Bamidbar 22). (3) להזיר לה׳ means, TO KEEP THEMSELF ALOOF from wine FOR THE SAKE OF HEAVEN (God).

(1) כל ימי נזרו קדש הוא ALL THE DAYS OF HIS NAZARITESHIP HE IS HOLY — [Like their hair], their body too is consecrated. They must not permit themself to become ritually impure through contact with a corpse.

R. Eleazer ha-Kappar said, “their sin consists in that they have afflicted themself by abstaining from the enjoyment of wine (Sifrei Bamidbar 30; Nazir 19a).

(1) כי יפליא, "Distance themselves" from the vain pleasures of ordinary people.

(2) לנדור נדר נזיר, to become a Nazirite and the life of self denial which comes with this.

(3) 'להזיר לה, to separate himself from all the pleasures in order to devote himself exclusively to the service of the Eternal, to study God's Torah and practice walking in God's ways.

(1) מיין ושכר יזיר, they are not to flagellate themselves, or practice fasting, but only to abstain from wine and intoxicating liquids. The former methods of self-denial would result in a diminished ability to serve the Eternal with all one’s faculties. Flagellation, a common practice among certain types of monks and “holy men,” is not allowed, but becoming a teetotaler does reduce the urge to let oneself go and engage in demeaning activities due to drunkenness.