Parshas Noso
“He must keep himself away from wine or any wine-based alcoholic beverage… and he may not eat fresh or dried grapes… he may not eat from the skin until the seeds!” (Bamidbar 6:3-4)
It is a negative commandment that the Nazirite may not drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage whose main ingredient is grape-wine. About this the verse says “He must keep himself away from wine or any wine-based alcoholic beverage… and any mixture of grapes he may not drink!”. This includes eating any mixture containing grapes. The Torah extends this prohibition to say that even if the wine or other grape-derivative have oxidised and become vinegar, it is still forbidden to drink, and about this the verse says “He may not eat wine-vinegar or wine-based-vinegar!”.
The Torah increases the prohibition to include eating fresh grapes, raisins, grape-seeds and peels, as wine and all grape-derivatives have the power to empower the base desires of the man.
This commandment applies to men and women in all places and at all times, so that anyone who vows to become a Nazirite is obligated to keep himself away from wine, grape-based-alcohol, grape-based-vinegar and any grape-based-mixture.
