Q&A: Who Counts as His Relatives Regarding Objection to the Nazirite Status the Father Accepted for His Son
Who Counts as His Relatives Regarding Objection to the Nazirite Status the Father Accepted for His Son
Question
I was studying the Book of Hafla’ah in Maimonides, and he writes there as follows:
( Nazirite Vows 2:15)
“If the son did not want it and objected to this matter, or his relatives rejoiced over it, or he shaved his head, or his relatives shaved him for an act has been done that reveals his view, or that of his relatives, that neither he nor they wanted this naziriteship then he is not a nazirite.”
So who exactly counts as “his relatives” for this purpose?
(I tried looking into the Mishnah, Talmud, and commentators, but I couldn’t find an answer. I hope the Rabbi knows / will be able to find one for me.)
Answer
I don’t think you’ll find a clear definition. “His relatives” means those close to him people close to him. Friends or family members. It’s also hard to define how many such people would need to object.