Nazariteship Chapter 7

יֵשׁ טֻמְאוֹת מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁאֵין הַנָּזִיר מְגַלֵּחַ עֲלֵיהֶן וְלֹא סוֹתֵר אֶת הַקּוֹדְמִין וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּטְמָא בָּהֶן טֻמְאַת שִׁבְעָה. לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וְכִי יִטַּמָּא לְנֶפֶשׁ אֶלָּא (במדבר ו ט) "וְכִי יָמוּת מֵת עָלָיו" עַד שֶׁיִּטָּמֵא מִטֻּמְאוֹת שֶׁהֵן מֵעַצְמוֹ שֶׁל מֵת וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָבִיא קָרְבְּנוֹת טֻמְאָה וִיגַלֵּחַ תִּגְלַחַת טֻמְאָה וְיִפְּלוּ כָּל הַיָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים:

There are types of impurity resulting from [contact with] a corpse that do not require a nazirite to perform a shaving and do not invalidate the days previously observed even though he became impure in a manner that requires him to observe impurity for [at least] seven days. [The rationale is that] it is not stated concerning such situations: "When one will become impure due [to contact with] a corpse...", but rather [Numbers 6:9], "When a person will die upon him." [This implies that] he must become impure with those impurities that involve the actual substance of the corpse. Afterwards, he must bring the sacrifices [required] and perform the shaving required [when emerging from] impurity. All of the days [he observed] initially are invalidated.

וְאֵלּוּ טֻמְאוֹת מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁהַנָּזִיר מְגַלֵּחַ עֲלֵיהֶן. עַל הַנֵּפֶל וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא נִתְקַשְּׁרוּ אֵיבָרָיו בְּגִידִין. וְעַל כְּזַיִת מִבְּשַׂר הַמֵּת. וְעַל כְּזַיִת נֶצֶל. וְעַל עֲצָמוֹת שֶׁהֵן רֹב מִנְיַן הָעֲצָמוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן רֹבַע הַקַּב. וְעַל עֲצָמוֹת שֶׁהֵן רֹב בִּנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל מֵת וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן רֹבַע הַקַּב. וְעַל חֲצִי קַב עֲצָמוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן לֹא רֹב בִּנְיָנוֹ וְלֹא רֹב מִנְיָנוֹ. וְכָל הָעֲצָמוֹת יִהְיוּ מִשֶּׁל מֵת אֶחָד וְלֹא מִשְּׁנֵי מֵתִים. וְעַל הַשִּׁדְרָה הַבָּאָה מִמֵּת אֶחָד. וְעַל הַגֻּלְגּלֶת שֶׁל מֵת אֶחָד. וְעַל אֵיבָר מִן הַמֵּת הַבָּא מִמֵּת אֶחָד. וְעַל אֵיבָר מִן הַחַי מֵאָדָם אֶחָד. שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶן בָּשָׂר שֶׁרָאוּי לַעֲלוֹת בּוֹ אֲרוּכָה בְּחַי. וְעַל חֲצִי לוֹג דָּם הַבָּא מִמֵּת אֶחָד. וְעַל מְלֹא חָפְנַיִם רֶקֶב הַמֵּת. אֵי זֶהוּ נֶצֶל זֶה בְּשַׂר הַמֵּת שֶׁנִּמּוֹחַ וְנַעֲשָׂה לֵחָה סְרוּחָה:

These are the types of impurity stemming from contact with a corpse that a nazirite must shave because of [contact with] them: a) a stillborn fetus, even if the sinews connecting its limbs have not formed, b) an olive-sized portion of the flesh of a corpse, c) an olive-sized portion of a decomposed corpse, d) bones from a corpse which represent the majority of the number of the bones of a corpse even though their volume is not a fourth of a kav, e) bones which represent the majority of the structure of the bones of a corpse even though their volume is not a fourth of a kav, f) a half of a kav of bones even though they do not represent the majority of the number or the structure of the bones of the corpse - all the bones must, however, be from one corpse, not from two, g) the backbone that comes from one corpse, h) the skull that comes from one corpse, i) a [complete] limb that comes from one corpse, j) a limb taken from a living person that has flesh that could cause it to regenerate in a living person, k) half a log of blood from one corpse, and l) a handful of the decomposed mass of a corpse. What is meant by the term netzel? Flesh from a corpse that decomposed and became putrid liquid.

וְאֵין רֶקֶב הַמֵּת מְטַמֵּא עַד שֶׁיִּקָּבֵר עֵרוֹם בְּאָרוֹן שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ וְיִהְיֶה כֻּלּוֹ שָׁלֵם. חָסֵר מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיבָר אוֹ שֶׁנִּקְבַּר בִּכְסוּתוֹ אוֹ בְּאָרוֹן שֶׁל עֵץ אוֹ בְּשֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת אֵין לוֹ רֶקֶב. וְלֹא אָמְרוּ רֶקֶב אֶלָּא לְמֵת בִּלְבַד לְהוֹצִיא הָרוּג שֶׁהֲרֵי חָסֵר דָּמוֹ:

The decomposed mass (rekev) of a corpse does not convey ritual impurity unless it was buried naked in a marble coffin and was entirely intact. If one limb was lacking or it was buried in garments or in a wooden or metal coffin, there is no concept of rekev. The concept of rekev applies with regard to a corpse alone. This excludes a person who was slain, for his blood is lacking.

קָבְרוּ שְׁנֵי מֵתִים כְּאֶחָד. אוֹ שֶׁגָּזְזוּ שְׂעָרוֹ אוֹ צִפָּרְנָיו וּקְבָרוּם עִמּוֹ. אוֹ אִשָּׁה עֻבָּרָה שֶׁמֵּתָה וְנִקְבְּרָה וְעֻבָּרָהּ בְּמֵעֶיהָ אֵין הָרֶקֶב שֶׁלָּהֶם מְטַמֵּא. וְכֵן אִם טָחַן הַמֵּת עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רֶקֶב אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא עַד שֶׁיַּרְקִיב מֵאֵלָיו. טָחַן אֶת הַמֵּת וְהִנִּיחַ עֲפָרוֹ עַד שֶׁהִרְקִיב כֻּלּוֹ. אוֹ [שֶׁהִרְקִיב] מִקְצָתוֹ כְּשֶׁהוּא חַי וּמֵת וְהִרְקִיב הַכּל הֲרֵי זֶה סָפֵק וְאִם נִטְמָא לְרֶקֶב זֶה הֲרֵי זֶה סְפֵק טָמֵא. וְכֵן אִם נִטְמָא בְּרֹבַע עֲצָמוֹת הַבָּאִין מֵהַשִּׁדְרָה אוֹ מִן הַגֻּלְגּלֶת בְּאָהֳלָן הֲרֵי זֶה סְפֵק טָמֵא:

When two corpses are buried together, the hair and the nails of a corpse were cut off and buried together with it, or a woman was buried together with a fetus in her womb, the rekev does not convey ritual impurity. Similarly, if one ground up a corpse until it became a decomposed mass, [these laws do not apply]. It must decompose naturally. If one ground the corpse and then left its remains until they decomposed naturally or a portion of the body decomposed while the person was alive, he died, and then the entire body decomposed, there is an unresolved doubt [concerning the ruling]. Hence, if [a nazirite] becomes impure because of this rekev, there is an unresolved doubt whether he is impure. Similarly, there is an unresolved doubt whether [a nazirite] is impure if he contacts impurity from a fourth of a kav of bones coming from the backbone or the skull when he is under the same shelter as they are.

כָּל אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה טֻמְאוֹת שֶׁמָּנִינוּ אִם נָגַע נָזִיר בְּאַחַת מֵהֶן אוֹ נְשָׂאָהּ אוֹ הֶאֱהִיל הַנָּזִיר עָלֶיהָ אוֹ הֶאֱהִיל הַטֻּמְאָה עַל הַנָּזִיר אוֹ הָיָה הַנָּזִיר וְאַחַת מִטֻּמְאוֹת אֵלּוּ בְּאֹהֶל אֶחָד הֲרֵי זֶה מְגַלֵּחַ תִּגְלַחַת טֻמְאָה וּמֵבִיא קָרְבַּן טֻמְאָה וְסוֹתֵר אֶת הַכּל. חוּץ מִן הָרֶקֶב שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא בְּמַגָּע שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּגַּע בְּכֻלּוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינוֹ גּוּף אֶחָד. אֲבָל אִם נְשָׂאוֹ אוֹ נִטְמָא בְּאָהֳלוֹ מְגַלֵּחַ:

[With regard to] all of these twelve [sources] of impurity that we listed: If a nazirite touches one of these sources, carries it, covers it from above with [a portion of his body], [the source of] impurity covers [a portion of] the nazirite's [body], or the nazirite and [the source of] impurity were located under the same shelter, [the nazirite becomes impure]. He must perform the shaving [required because of] impurity and bring the sacrifices [required because of] impurity. All [of the days he observed] are invalidated. The only exception is a rekev. It does not convey impurity when one touches it, for it is impossible to touch it entirely [at the same time], for it is not a single mass. If, however, one carried it or became impure because one was under the same shelter, he must perform the shaving.

וְכֵן נָזִיר שֶׁנָּגַע בְּעֶצֶם הַמֵּת אֲפִלּוּ עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה אוֹ נְשָׂאוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה מְגַלֵּחַ עָלָיו וּמֵבִיא קָרְבְּנוֹת טֻמְאָה וְסוֹתֵר אֶת הַקּוֹדְמִים. וְאֵין עֶצֶם כִּשְׂעוֹרָה מְטַמֵּא בְּאֹהֶל. אֲבָל נִטְמָא בְּאַחַת מִשְּׁנֵים עָשָׂר דְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ. בְּגוּשׁ אֶרֶץ הָעַכּוּ"ם אוֹ בְּשָׂדֶה שֶׁנֶּחְרַשׁ קֶבֶר בְּתוֹכָהּ שֶׁהֵן מְטַמְּאִין בְּמַגָּע וּבְמַשָּׂא. אוֹ שֶׁהֶאֱהִיל עָלָיו וְעַל הַשָּׂרִיגִים הַיּוֹצְאִים מִן הָאִילָנוֹת אוֹ הַפְּרָעוֹת הַיּוֹצְאוֹת מִן הַגָּדֵר אוֹ מִטָּה אוֹ גָּמָל וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ. אוֹ שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּאֹהֶל רֹבַע עֲצָמוֹת שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן לֹא רֹב בִּנְיָן וְלֹא רֹב מִנְיָן. אוֹ שֶׁנִּטְמָא בִּרְבִיעִית דָּם מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁהִיא מְטַמֵּא בְּמַגָּע וּבְמַשָּׂא וּבְאֹהֶל. אוֹ שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּגוֹלֵל אוֹ בְּדוֹפֵק שֶׁהֵן מְטַמְּאִין בְּמַגָּע וּבְאֹהֶל. אוֹ שֶׁנִּטְמָא בְּאֵיבָר מִן הַחַי אוֹ בְּאֵיבָר מִן הַמֵּת שֶׁאֵין עֲלֵיהֶן בָּשָׂר כָּרָאוּי. הֲרֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ סוֹתֵר:

Similarly, if a nazirite touches or carries a bone from a corpse - even if it is merely the size of a barley-corn - he must perform a shaving because of it and bring the sacrifices [required because of] impurity. All [of the days he observed] are invalidated. A bone the size of a barley corn does not, however, convey impurity if one was under the same shelter. If, by contrast, [a nazirite] becomes impure because of contact with one of the following twelve matters, [the days he observed] are not invalidated: a) a clod of earth from the Diaspora; b) [earth from] a field in which a grave had been plowed; both of these convey impurity through touch or if they were carried; c) branches which emerge from trees, protrusions that emerge from fences, from a bed, a camel, or the like, cover him and one of the twelve sources of impurity [mentioned in the Halachah 2]; d) he becomes impure by being under the same shelter as a quarter of a kav of bones that do not constitute the majority of the number of the corpse's bones, nor the greater portion of his structure; e) he became impure because of a revi'it of blood from a corpse which conveys ritual impurity whether one touches it, carries it, or is found under the same shelter; f) he became impure because he touched or was under the same shelter as a gravestone or a stone at the side of a grave; for they convey impurity in either of these two ways; g) he became impure because of contact with a limb cut from a living person or a corpse which does not have sufficient flesh upon it.

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 מִמִּנְיַן יְמֵי נְזִירוּתוֹ:

Even though in all the above situations, [the nazirite] is impure for seven days and he must have [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled [upon him] on the third and seventh days, he should not perform the shaving [required when emerging from] impurity, nor bring the sacrifices [required at that time], nor are his initial days invalidated. Nevertheless, the days when he is impure are not counted as part of his nazirite vow.

נָגַע בְּאֹהֶל הַמֵּת אוֹ בְּכֵלִים הַנּוֹגְעִים בְּמֵת אֵינוֹ מַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי. וְיֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁדִּין זֶה מְיֻחָד בְּנָזִיר. אֲבָל כָּל אָדָם שֶׁנִּטְמָא בִּכְלִי טֻמְאַת שִׁבְעָה יַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּהִלְכוֹת טֻמְאַת מֵת. וְכֵן יֵרָאֶה לִי שֶׁזֶּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַזֶּה בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי אִם נָגַע בְּכֵלִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲלוּ לוֹ יְמֵי טֻמְאָתוֹ בְּכֵלִים מִמִּנְיַן יְמֵי נְזִירוּתוֹ:

When [a nazirite] touches a shelter in which a corpse is found or utensils that are touching a corpse, he should not have [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled [upon him] on the third and seventh days. It appears to me that this law is unique to a nazirite. Any other person who contracts impurity that persists for seven days from utensils must have [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled [upon him] on the third and seventh days, as will be explained in Hilchot Tuma'at Meit. Similarly, it appears to me that the reason [a nazirite] does not have [the ashes of the Red Heifer] sprinkled [upon him] on the third and seventh days if he touched utensils [that convey such ritual impurity] is so that the days on which he is impure because [of contact with] the utensil will be counted as part of the days of his nazirite vow.

נָזִיר שֶׁנִּצְטָרֵעַ וְהֻחְלַט כָּל יְמֵי חִלּוּטוֹ וְשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי סְפִירוֹ שֶׁסּוֹפֵר אַחַר שֶׁיִּטְהַר לְצָרַעְתּוֹ בֵּין תִּגְלַחַת רִאשׁוֹנָה לִשְׁנִיָּה אֵין עוֹלִין לוֹ מִימֵי נְזִירוּתוֹ. אֲבָל יְמֵי הֶסְגֵּר עוֹלִין לוֹ. וְכֵן אִם זָב בְּשָׂרוֹ בֵּין אִישׁ בֵּין אִשָּׁה כָּל יְמֵי זִיבָתָן עוֹלִין לָהֶן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן טְמֵאִין. וְדָבָר זֶה הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינַי הוּא:

When a nazirite contracts tzara'at and has his status [as a metzora] defined, all of the days during which he is set apart [as a metzora] and the seven days that he counts after purifying himself from his tzara'at between the first shaving and the second shaving do not count as days of his nazirite vow. The days when he is quarantined, by contrast, are counted [as part of his nazirite vow]. Similarly, if either a male or a female has a zav emission from their flesh, all of the days of the emission are counted as part of their [nazirite vow] although they are impure. This matter is a halachah transmitted to Moses at Sinai.

אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁאִם נִטְמָא הַנָּזִיר בִּשְׁאָר טֻמְאוֹת שֶׁיְּמֵי טֻמְאָתוֹ עוֹלִין לוֹ וְאֵינוֹ סוֹתֵר כְּלוּם. נִטְמָא בְּמֵת בְּתוֹךְ יְמֵי צָרַעְתּוֹ סוֹתֵר אֶת כָּל הַקּוֹדְמִין שֶׁהֲרֵי בִּנְזִירוּתוֹ עוֹמֵד וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא טָמֵא:

Needless to say, if [a nazirite] becomes impure as a result of other sources of impurity that the days during which he is impure are counted [as part of his nazirite vow] and no days are invalidated. If he becomes impure due to contact with a corpse during the time he is afflicted with tzara'at, all of the previous days are invalidated. [The rationale is that] he is still a nazirite, even though he is ritually impure.

הַנָּזִיר מֻתָּר בְּטֻמְאַת מֵת מִצְוָה וּבְתִגְלַחַת מִצְוָה. וְאָסוּר בְּיֵין הַמִּצְוָה כְּיֵין הָרְשׁוּת. כֵּיצַד. מִי שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע שֶׁיִּשְׁתֶּה הַיּוֹם יַיִן שֶׁהֲרֵי מִצְוָה עָלָיו לִשְׁתּוֹת וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָדַר בְּנָזִיר חָלָה נְזִירוּת עַל הַשְּׁבוּעָה וְאָסוּר בְּיַיִן. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בְּיֵין קִדּוּשׁ וְהַבְדָּלָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים:

A nazirite is permitted to become impure due to contact with a corpse when doing so is a mitzvah and may shave when doing so is a mitzvah. He is, however, forbidden to partake of [all] wine, whether in connection with a mitzvah or with regard to matters left to one's own choice. What is implied? A person took an oath that he will drink wine on this day. Thus it is a mitzvah for him to drink. Afterwards, he took a nazirite vow. The nazirite vow takes effect and [supercedes] the oath he took. Hence he is forbidden to drink wine. Needless to say, [a nazirite] is forbidden [to partake of] the wine [over which] Kiddush and Havdalah are recited. For [associating these blessings with wine] is merely a Rabbinic ordinance.

וְכֵיצַד הוּא מֻתָּר בְּטֻמְאַת מֵת מִצְוָה. הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּפָגַע בְּמֵת שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מִי שֶׁיִּקְבְּרֶנּוּ הֲרֵי זֶה מִטַּמֵּא לוֹ וְקוֹבְרוֹ. וּדְבָרִים אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי קַבָּלָה הֵן:

What is meant by the statement that he is permitted to become impure due to contact with a corpse when it is a mitzvah? If he was walking on the road and encountered a corpse and there was no one else to bury it, he should become impure through contact with it and bury it. These matters were communicated by the Oral Tradition.

נָזִיר וְכֹהֵן שֶׁפָּגְעוּ בְּמֵת מִצְוָה יִטַּמֵּא נָזִיר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא סוֹתֵר הַיָּמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וּמֵבִיא קָרְבַּן טֻמְאָה. וְאַל יִטַּמֵּא כֹּהֵן. שֶׁזֶּה קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ קְדֻשַּׁת שָׁעָה וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיָה נְזִיר עוֹלָם. וְהַכֹּהֵן קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ קְדֻשַּׁת עוֹלָם:

When a nazirite and a priest encounter a corpse that it is a mitzvah [to bury] the nazirite should [bury it and] become impure even though he invalidates the days [he observed] previously and must bring a sacrifice [because of his] impurity. The priest should not become impure. [The rationale is that the nazirite's] holiness is within the context of time - even if he took an everlasting nazirite vow - while the priest's holiness is beyond the context of time.

פָּגְעוּ בּוֹ שְׁנֵי נְזִירִים אֶחָד נָזִיר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם וְאֶחָד נָזִיר מֵאָה יוֹם יִטַּמֵּא נְזִיר שְׁלֹשִׁים. הָיָה אֶחָד נָזִיר לִזְמַן קָצוּב וְהַשֵּׁנִי נְזִיר עוֹלָם יִטַּמֵּא הַנָּזִיר לִזְמַן קָצוּב. שֶׁנְּזִירוּת עוֹלָם קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ חֲמוּרָה מִזֶּה:

If two nazirites - one whose nazirite vow was for 30 days and one whose nazirite vow was for 100 days encounter [such a corpse] - the one whose nazirite vow was for 30 days should become impure. If one was a nazirite for a limited amount of time and the other was a nazirite forever, the nazirite for a limited amount of time should become impure. For the nazirite for all time has a higher degree of holiness.

וְכֵיצַד הוּא מֻתָּר בְּתִגְלַחַת מִצְוָה. נָזִיר שֶׁנִּצְטָרֵעַ וְנִרְפָּא מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ בְּתוֹךְ יְמֵי נְזִירוּת הֲרֵי זֶה מְגַלֵּחַ כָּל שְׂעָרוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי תִּגְלַחְתּוֹ מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּמְצֹרָע (ויקרא יד ח) "וְגִלַּח אֶת כָּל שְׂעָרוֹ" וְגוֹ'. וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה וְלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה אִם יָכוֹל אַתָּה לְקַיֵּם אֶת שְׁנֵיהֶם מוּטָב וְאִם לָאו יָבוֹא עֲשֵׂה וְיִדְחֶה אֶת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה. וַהֲלֹא נָזִיר שֶׁגִּלֵּחַ בִּימֵי נִזְרוֹ עָבַר עַל לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה וַעֲשֵׂה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ו ה) "קָדשׁ יִהְיֶה גַּדֵּל פֶּרַע שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ" וּבְכָל מָקוֹם אֵין עֲשֵׂה דּוֹחָה לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה וַעֲשֵׂה וְלָמָּה דּוֹחֶה עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תִּגְלַחַת הַנֶּגַע לִנְזִירוּת. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּבָר נִטְמָא הַנָּזִיר בְּצָרַעַת וִימֵי חִלּוּטוֹ אֵין עוֹלִין לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ. וַהֲרֵי אֵינוֹ קָדוֹשׁ בָּהֶן. וּבָטַל הָעֲשֵׂה מֵאֵלָיו וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר אֶלָּא לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהוּא (במדבר ו ה) "תַּעַר לֹא יַעֲבֹר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ". וּלְפִיכָךְ בָּא עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל תִּגְלַחַת הַצָּרַעַת וְדָחָה אוֹתוֹ:

What is meant by the statement that he is permitted to shave when doing so is a mitzvah? When a nazirite contracts tzara'at and becomes healed in the midst of the days of his nazirite vow, he should shave all of his hair. [The rationale is that] by shaving, he fulfills a positive commandment, for concerning a metzora, [Leviticus 14:8] states: "And he shall shave all of his hair." Whenever there is [a conflict between] a positive commandment and a negative commandment, if it is possible to observe both of them, that is desirable. If not, the positive commandment supercedes the negative commandment. Nevertheless, when a nazirite shaves his hair during the midst of his nazirite vow, he violates both a negative commandment and a positive commandment, as [Numbers 6:5] states: "[His hair] is holy. He shall let the mane of the hair of his head grow." And [the observance of] a positive commandment does not supercede a negative commandment that [is reinforced by] a positive commandment. Why then does the positive commandment of shaving the blemish supercede his nazirite vow? Because the nazirite has already become impure because of the tzara'at and the days when he is defined as impure are not counted [towards the fulfillment of his vow], as we explained. [Hence,] his [hair] is not holy during these days. Thus the positive commandment [mentioned above] is withdrawn and only the negative commandment [Leviticus, loc. cit.]: "A razor shall not pass over his head" alone remains incumbent upon him. Therefore the positive commandment of shaving [because of the tzara'at] can come and supercede it.