Naso 5773

In his discussion of the Haftorah for Naso (Shoftim/Judges 13: 2-25), Rav Yissocher Frand writes about Rav Shimon Schwab’s “novel interpretation” of the Haftorah’s account of an angel appearing to Manoach and his barren wife to announce that they would have a special child, a lifetime Nazirite who would fight against the Philistine oppressors.

The angel appears first to Manoach’s wife. When she tells Manoach, he prays to G-d for the angel to reappear and tell him how to raise the child. The angel has already given the future mother the necessary instructions on how to raise a Nazirite – as her Nazirite son would, she should abstain from wine and grapes from before conception forward. Rav Schwab asks, what more did Manoach need to know?   

The angel returns and tells Manoach: "From everything that I warned your wife, guard (tishamer). Do not consume that which comes from the grape of the vine…" Asks Rav Schwab, so what in fact is new in the angel's answer? He just seems to be repeating what he already told Manoach's wife.

Rav Schwab explains that Manoach does not have a question regarding the laws of being a Nazirite. He asks a question regarding chinuch, the laws of raising children. Manoach asks, “Can I raise a Nazirite, if I myself am not a Nazirite?" Could he raise a child to do things that he does not do himself?

Writes Rav Frand: “According to Rav Schwab, the angel responded, ‘Yes, in fact, you must also observe these laws yourself.’ This is an elementary principle in child rearing, but it is a tremendously novel interpretation of the verse in our Haftorah. In Hebrew grammar, the verb tishamer, which appears in the angel's instructions to Manoach, can be interpreted in one of two ways. The standard interpretation is ‘she should guard herself’ (third person, referring to Manoach's wife). Rav Schwab interprets the word in accordance with the second possible translation: ‘You should guard yourself’ (second person, referring to Manoach).”

The angel delivers a basic parenting principle: the only way for parents to teach is by our own example. If we want to raise decent and honest Jewish people then we, ourselves, must be decent and honest Jewish people.

http://torah.org/learning/ravfrand/5762/naso.html