Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah

Sforno on Numbers 6:13/ספורנו על במדבר ו׳:י״ג

איָבִיא אוֹתוֹ. כְּבָר בֵּאֲרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה הוּא יָבִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וְזֶה כִּי אָמְנָם כָּל הַקָּרֵב אֶל מִי שֶׁיְּחַדֵּשׁ דָּבָר מֵעַצְמוֹ נֶאֱמַר שֶׁהוּא מוּבָא אֶל הַמְחַדֵּשׁ בּוֹ עַל יְדֵי נִכְבָּד מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּזֶה שֶׁאֵין חָבוּשׁ מַתִּיר עַצְמוֹ. וְלָזֶה נִכְתַּב בִּמְצֹרָע בְּטֻמְאָתוֹ וּבְטָהֳרָתוֹ ״וְהוּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן״ (ויקרא יד:ב), וּבְסוֹטָה ״וְהֵבִיא הָאִישׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן״ (במדבר ה:טו), וְכֵן בְּעֶבֶד ״וְהִגִּישׁוֹ אֲדֹנָיו אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים״ (שמות כא:ו). אָמְנָם בְּנָזִיר אֲשֶׁר יְחֻדַּשׁ בּוֹ גִּלּוּחַ וּבוֹ יֵהָפֵךְ לְאִישׁ אַחֵר, אֵין נִכְבָּד מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיְּבִיאֵהוּ, אֲבָל הוּא יָבִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ.
1יביא אותו, our sages in B’rachot 8 have already explained this to mean that the Nazirite is to bring himself, as it were. Normally, when someone is being prepared for a higher status than that he had attained in the past, such a person is being “brought” to his new assignment by someone superior to himself. This is why the person afflicted with tzoraat is brought to the Temple. Here. the Nazir presents himself in the Temple instead of being brought, i.e. presented by someone superior. Compare Leviticus 14,2 concerning the צרוע, and concerning the Sotah where the Torah had also written in Numbers 5,15 that the husband was to bring his wife to the priest. Similarly, a Jewish servant, asking to extend his term of service beyond the original 6 years, is brought to the door post to have his ear pierced by his master. (Exodus 21,6). Contrary to all this, the Nazirite at the end of his term who will once more begin to shave the hairs of his face and head, thus becoming “a new man,” brings himself. The reason is simple. There is no one on a higher spiritual niveau who could act as the one “bringing” him, i.e. presenting him.