Like the high priests, a Nazirite must avoid contact with the dead and cannot handle the bodies of close relatives, such as parents or siblings, out of concern for ritual impurity. If someone dies in his presence unintentionally, this act invokes the loss of his Nazirite status, requiring him to shave his head, and his earlier days of the vow will not be counted. Once the vow concludes, a Nazirite must offer a threefold sacrifice and burn his hair on the altar (Num. 6). These stipulations apply to temporary Nazirites. The Mosaic Law does not specify regulations for lifelong Nazirites, like the son of Manoah and later John the Baptist. The requirements for lifelong Nazirites were not strictly enforced, as illustrated by the life of Samson, who was tasked with battling the Philistines. His engagement with the dead bodies of his slain adversaries did not constitute defilement in his eyes; therefore, he did not shave his hair or renew his vow post-contact with the deceased. The Lord Himself acknowledged Samson's perspective towards his Nazirite commitment. Blessed Theodoret observes that God provided Samson water from the jawbone of a donkey, which, according to the law, was threefold impure due to the donkey's inherent uncleanness as a living being, along with its state of being dead, and the fact that the jawbone was a weapon of destruction. God tailored Samson's needs, satisfying his thirst through this means (On the Book of Judges, question 22).
Given that Samson was consecrated as a Nazirite from conception, his mother was instructed by the angel to refrain from all that was forbidden to Nazirites, making it easier for her son to observe his sacred duties, as children often inherit their mother's tendencies and habits. The command states, "Thou shalt not eat any unclean thing." The term "unclean" refers not only to foods prohibited to all Israelites but also to those items specifically disallowed for Nazirites, even if permitted to the general Israelite populace. Foods like grape cakes may be considered clean for the latter group, yet they remain unclean for the Nazirites.
What is the significance of hair growth in relation to Nazirite status? It may be perceived that, alongside abstaining from wine and vinegar, abstaining from luxury represents self-denial, particularly in a hot climate, where someone like Samson, engaged in strenuous exploits, needed to endure the heat. It was through this self-denial that the Lord endowed Samson with remarkable physical strength, which eventually departed when he permitted his hair to be cut—a symbolic act reflecting the departure of God's grace as punishment for his succumbing to temptation and neglecting his Nazirite vows for the sake of a woman. By allowing himself to lose the defining symbol of his dedication, he manifested a lack of inner commitment to the Lord, resulting in a diluted purity of spirit and diminished resolve against worldly passions.
THEOSIS