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themselves; but for a specified number of days not to drink wine, not to shave the head. Such were those about whom the divine James said to the inspired Paul: "there are some who have a vow upon them; take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses"; that is, provide the sacrifices offered for them according to the law, so that you may dispel the suspicion. About these the law here prescribes, and commands those who promise this vow to abstain from vinegar, and grapes and pressed grapes, for all the days of the vow; and it calls the promise a vow; and not to shave the head, until the days for which he made a vow to the Lord are fulfilled. And he calls the one who lets his hair grow holy, as having consecrated his hair to God. For it said this: "he shall be holy, letting the locks of hair on his head grow, for all the days of his vow to the Lord," instead of, what you have consecrated to God, do not cut until you bring the promise to an end. And it commands him not to approach a deceased father, nor a brother, nor any other person. For if it happens, it says, that he is present when someone dies suddenly, it is necessary to remove all the hair; and not only on the first day but also on the seventh; so that the hairs that escaped the razor, having grown in seven days, may be removed; then on the eighth day to offer two turtledoves; the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and one lamb for a guilt offering. From this we learn more precisely that it calls the guilt offering for involuntary sins; for what happened to this one was also involuntary; for he suffered defilement when someone died suddenly. And it commands him to count the number of the promised days from the beginning; "for the former days," it says, "shall be void, because the head of his vow was defiled." 199 It also taught what sacrifices it is fitting for the one who has fulfilled the vow of purification to offer: a lamb for a burnt offering, and a ewe lamb for a sin offering; for the victims for sin are female, since sin is committed when the rational faculty is weakened. And indeed it also prescribed to offer an unblemished ram for a salvation offering, and a basket of unleavened bread; then when the sacrifice is being performed, to place the hair on the sacrifice of the salvation offering. And the boiled shoulder, which is placed on the hands of the one who made the vow, and is taken by the priest, signifies that the promised deed has been completed; for the boiled shoulder is indicative of a deed having been done. And he did not legislate these things in vain, but teaching to practice precision, and neither to make a vow casually, nor having promised, fail to fulfill what was promised. And through these things he also instructs us to keep sanctification undefiled; for he who receives a stain needs purification from above and the removal of the defilements through repentance. For the blessed Paul also said this when writing to the Galatians: "My little children, for whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you." After this it teaches how the priests should bless, and how the divine name grants a blessing to those who approach. "For they shall put," it says, "my name upon the sons of Israel, and I the Lord will bless them." And it also speaks the very words of the blessing: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be merciful to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace." And through these things we are taught that it is necessary first to ask for the divine gifts for those who are blessed; for this is what "bless you" means; then that the things given be kept; for it added, "and keep you." And the second blessing prophesies the epiphany of our God and Savior: "make his face shine," it says, "upon you, and 200 be merciful to you"; for the economy in the flesh of our God and Savior is full of mercy. Wherefore he also granted us reconciliations with God; for the following blessing teaches this: "The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace." Concerning this peace the blessed Paul also said, "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down the dividing wall of

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δὲ ἑαυτούς· οἱ δὲ ῥητῶν ἡμερῶν ἀριθμὸν μὴ πιεῖν οἶνον, μὴ κεί ρασθαι τὴν κεφαλήν. τοιοῦτοι ἦσαν, περὶ ὧν ὁ θεῖος εἶπεν Ἰάκωβος τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Παύλῳ· " εἰσί τινες εὐχὴν ἔχοντες ἐφ' ἑαυ τοῖς· τούτους παραλαβὼν ἁγνίσθητι σὺν αὐ τοῖς, καὶ δαπάνησον ἐπ' αὐτούς "· τουτέστι, τὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προσφερομένας κατὰ νόμον θυσίας οὐ πάρασχε, ἵνα λύσῃς τὴν ὑποψίαν. περὶ τούτων ἐνταῦθα ὁ νόμος διαγορεύει, καὶ κελεύει, τοὺς ταύτην ὑπισχνουμένους τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν καὶ ὄξους ἀπέχεσθαι, καὶ στα φυλῆς καὶ στεμφύλων, πάσας τῆς εὐχῆς τὰς ἡμέρας· εὐχὴν δὲ καλεῖ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν· καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν μὴ κείρασθαι, ἕως ἂν πληρωθῶσιν αἱ ἡμέραι ὅσας ηὔξατο τῷ Κυρίῳ. ἅγιον δὲ καλεῖ τὸν τρέφοντα κόμην, ὡς τῷ Θεῷ τὴν κόμην ἀφιερώσαντα. τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπεν· " ἅγιος ἔσται τρέ φων κόμην τρίχα κεφαλῆς, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς εὐχῆς αὐτοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ", ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἃς ἀφιέρωσας τῷ Θεῷ, μὴ κείρῃς ἕως ἂν δῷς τῇ ὑποσχέσει τὸ πέρας. κελεύει δὲ αὐτὸν μὴ πατρὶ τετελευτηκότι πελάζειν, μὴ ἀδελφῷ, μὴ ἑτέρῳ τινί. κἂν γὰρ ἐξαπίνης, φησί, τελευτήσαντός τινος παρεῖναι τοῦτον συμβῇ, ἀνάγκη πᾶσαν ἀφελεῖν τὴν τρίχα· καὶ οὐ τῇ πρώτῃ μόνον ἡμέρᾳ ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ ἑβ δόμῃ· ἵνα καὶ αἱ διαφυγοῦσαι τὸν ξυρὸν τρίχες, ἐν ταῖς ἑπτὰ αὐξηθεῖσαι ἡμέραις περιαιρεθῶσιν· ἔπειτα τῇ ὀγδόῃ δύο τρυγόνας προσενεγκεῖν· τὴν μὲν περὶ ἁμαρτίας, τὴν δὲ εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν· καὶ ἀμνὸν ἕνα περὶ πλημ μελείας. ἐντεῦθεν δὲ μανθάνομεν ἀκριβέστερον, ὡς περὶ πλημμελείας τὴν τῶν ἀκουσίων ἁμαρτημάτων καλεῖ· ἀκούσιον γὰρ καὶ τὸ τούτῳ συμβάν· ἐξαπίνης γάρ τινος τελευτήσαντος ὑπέμεινε μολυσμόν. ἄνωθεν δὲ αὐτὸν ἀριθμῆσαι κελεύει τὸν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἡμέρων ἀριθμόν· " ἀλόγισ τοι, γάρ φησιν, ἔσονται αὐτῶν αἱ πρότεραι ἡμέ ραι, ὅτι ἐμιάνθη ἡ κεφαλὴ τῆς εὐχῆς αὐτοῦ ". 199 ἐδίδαξε δὲ καὶ τίνας προσήκει θυσίας προσενεγκεῖν τὸν τοῦ ἁγνισμοῦ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν πεπληρωκότα· ἀμνὸν μὲν εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν, ἀμνάδα δὲ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας· θήλεα γὰρ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας ἱερεῖα, ἐπειδὴ χαυνουμένου τοῦ λογικοῦ ἡ ἁμαρτία τολμᾶται. καὶ μέντοι καὶ κριὸν ἄμωμον εἰς σωτη ρίαν, καὶ κανοῦν ἀζύμων προσενεγκεῖν διηγόρευσεν· εἶτα τῆς θυσίας ἐπι τελουμένης, τὰς τρίχας ἐπιθεῖναι τῇ θυσίᾳ τοῦ σωτηρίου. ὁ δὲ βραχίων ὁ ἑφθός, ὁ ἐπιτιθέμενος ταῖς τοῦ εὐξαμένου χερσί, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ ἱερέως λαμβανόμενος, δηλοῖ τελεσθεῖσαν τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην πρᾶξιν· πράξεως γὰρ γεγενημένης ὁ ἑφθὸς βραχίων δηλωτικός. ταῦτα δὲ οὐ μάτην νενομο θέτηκεν, ἀλλ' ἀκριβείας ἐπιμελεῖσθαι διδάσκων, καὶ μήτε ὡς ἔτυχεν ἐπαγ γέλλεσθαι, καὶ ὑπισχνουμένους τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα πληροῦν. παιδεύει δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ τούτων καὶ τὸν ἁγιασμὸν φυλάττειν ἀμόλυντον· ὁ γὰρ κη λίδα δεχόμενος τῆς ἄνωθεν δεῖται καθάρσεως καὶ τῆς διὰ μετανοίας τῶν μολυσμῶν ἀφαιρέσεως. τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ γαλάταις ἐπιστέλλων ὁ μακάριος ἔλεγε Παῦλος· " τεκνία μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω, ἄχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ". μετὰ ταῦτα διδάσκει πῶς εὐλογεῖν προσήκει τοὺς ἱερέας, καὶ ὡς τὸ θεῖον ὄνομα χορηγεῖ τοῖς προσιοῦσιν εὐλογίαν. " ἐπιθήσουσι, γάρ φησι, τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἐγὼ Κύριος εὐλο γήσω αὐτούς ". λέγει δὲ καὶ αὐτὰ τῆς εὐλογίας τὰ ῥήματα· " εὐλογήσαι σε Κύριος, καὶ φυλάξαι σε, ἐπι φάναι Κύριος τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ ἐλεήσαι σε· ἐπάραι Κύριος τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σοί, καὶ δῴη σοι εἰρήνην ". διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τούτων, ὡς χρὴ πρότερον τοῖς εὐλογημένοις τὰς θείας αἰτεῖν δωρεάς· τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ, " εὐλογήσαι σε "· εἶτα τὰ διδόμενα φυλαχθῆναι· ἐπήγαγε γάρ, " καὶ φυλάξαι σε ". ἡ δὲ δευτέρα εὐλογία τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιφάνειαν προθεσπίζει " ἐπι φάναι, γάρ φησιν, τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ 200 ἐλεήσαι σε"· ἐλέου γὰρ μεστὴ ἡ κατὰ σάρκα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν οἰκονομία. διὸ καὶ τὰς πρὸς Θεὸν ἡμῖν καταλλαγὰς ἐδωρήσατο· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ ἑξῆς εὐλογία διδάσκει· " ἐπάραι Κύριος τὸ πρόσω πον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ σοί, καὶ δώῃ σοι εἰρήνην ". περὶ ταύτης τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Παῦλος " αὐτὸς γάρ ἐσ τιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν