The Torah in Parashat Naso (Bamidbar 6:7) commands that a Nazir – a person who took the Nazirite vow – may not expose himself to Tum’at Met, the impurity resulting from contact with a human corpse. Even if an immediately family member passes away, a Nazir is not permitted to tend to the body or attend the burial. Interestingly enough, a Nazir resembles in this regard a Kohen Gadol, who may not expose himself to Tum’at Met even in the case of a deceased family member. Ordinary Kohanim are prohibited from coming in contact with a human corpse, but are allowed to come in contact with the remains of immediate family members (father, mother, brother, sister who has yet to marry, spouse, son and daughter). A Kohen Gadol, however, is forbidden from exposing himself to Tum’at Met even in the case of a deceased family member. Surprisingly, the Torah imposes upon the Nazir the same level of restriction as that which applies to a Kohen Gadol, forbidding exposure to Tum’at Met even upon the death of an immediate family member. The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that a Kohen did not choose his special stature; he attained it naturally, simply by being born into the tribe of Kohanim. And, a Kohen generally lives a normal life, not that much different from the life of other members of the nation. A Kohen serves one week a year in the Bet Ha’mikdash, but otherwise, he lives with his family and his community like everybody else. Therefore, since a Kohen lives a normal family life, the passing of a family member affects the Kohen deeply, and so the Torah suspended the prohibition against exposure to Tum’at Met so that he can tend to his loved one’s burial and grieve. A Nazir, by contrast, made the conscious decision to live a more sacred life, subjecting himself to a degree of deprivation, withdrawing from wine, which means he cannot feast and celebrate with his family as most people do. As a Nazir has chosen to withdraw from the normal manner of living and strive for special closeness with Hashem, he resembles the Kohen Gadol, who essentially lives in the Bet Ha’mikdash, withdrawn from ordinary life. Therefore, like with regard to a Kohen Gadol, the special laws that apply to a Nazir are not suspended in the case of a deceased family member. Because of the Nazir’s decision to withdraw from worldly engagement and focus more intensely on his relationship with G-d, the loss of a family member has less of an emotional impact, and thus the Torah does not allow him to expose himself to Tum’at Met even in such a situation. The Sefer Ha’hinuch then raises the question of how a Nazir can be held to a stricter standard than an ordinary Kohen, given that his special status is only temporary. Unless otherwise specified, a Nazir is bound to his Nazirite vow for only thirty days. How can this thirty-day period confer upon him a status that is treated more stringently than the status of Kohen, which lasts throughout a Kohen’s life? The Sefer Ha’hinuch answers that in truth, the effects of the observance of a period of Nezirut will remain with the Nazir for the rest of his life. After experiencing this exalted mode of living, withdrawing from worldly affairs and clinging to G-d, the Nazir is likely to either renew his vow afterward, or, at least, live at a higher level of spiritual focus and intensity henceforth. In this sense, a Nazir indeed resembles a Kohen, who lives on a higher spiritual plane throughout his life. If a Kohen comes in contact with a human corpse, then the period of Nezirut that he had observed is rendered invalid, and he must “reset” and begin his term of Nezirut anew. The Sefer Ha’hinuch lists the various cases to which this Halacha applies. He writes that a Nazir must begin his term of Nezirut anew if he comes in contact with any of the following: a Nefel (stillborn infant); a Ke’zayit of flesh from a human corpse, even if the flesh had already begun decaying (“Nesel”); the majority of a corpse’s limbs; the majority of the body’s frame, even