Was Samuel a Nazirite and Why Iron Could Frighten Him

Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 78:11

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"And I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head" (I Samuel 1:11). There we have learned: Samuel was a Nazirite, according to the words of Rabbi Nehorai. But has it not already been said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me" (I Samuel 16:2)? Already the fear of a creature of flesh and blood was upon him. Rabbi Levi said: "Fear shall not come there, the fear of briers and thorns" (compare Isaiah 7:25). Just as this brier fears nothing except iron, so too this hair fears nothing except iron. [That is: only the iron razor, not ordinary fear, would have power over Samuel's untouched Nazirite hair.]

Themes

ProphecyWisdomFaith

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