I feel like I can claim nazir status more than most this time of year. Yes, so many of us had been growing our hair out, walking around with roll-out-of-bed hair thanks to Sefira. But just like a nazir, I haven’t had a sip of wine in years!
It was eleven years ago on the first day of Pesach, and I was begging my wife to call Hatzalah. My head felt like someone was sadistically taking a drill to it, and I could barely open my eyes without blinding pain. If there’s an award for migraines, I would have been crowned champion. Did I have too much at the seder? I had four cups like everyone else…and no, they weren’t that big! I discovered then that I was violently allergic to sulfites, and so I had to cut wine off completely.
But while my allergies and mop-top may have me feeling like a nazir, the fact is I’m far from it. Without Sefira and migraines, I’d be asking for a pair of scissors and a corkscrew! We know that true Torah observance means more than fulfilling habitual tasks year after year. It doesn’t happen because someone told me to do something or to abstain from something. True Jewish connection comes from intention, understanding, and thoughtful commitment. While I have no plans to visit Napa any time soon and will be adhering to the customs of Sefira, my hope is that I embrace a more thoughtful and deliberate practice of my faith, bedhead and all.
