Mishnayos Nazir Perek 9 Mishnah 5

The tractate concludes with an aggadic statement about nazirites. Samuel the prophet was a nazirite, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Nehorai, as it was stated that when Hannah, his mother, prayed for a son, she vowed: “And no mora shall come upon his head” (I Samuel 1:11). How is it derived that mora is an expression of naziriteship? It is stated with regard to Samson: “And no razor [mora] shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a nazirite to God” (Judges 13:5), and it is stated: “And no mora,” with regard to Samuel. Just as the term “mora” that is stated with regard to Samson means that he was a nazirite, so too the term “mora” that is stated with regard to Samuel indicates that he was a nazirite. Rabbi Yosei said: But doesn’t the word “mora” mean nothing other than the fear of flesh and blood? The word should be read as though it were written with an alef, and not a heh, so that it means fear. Rabbi Nehorai said to him: But isn’t it already stated: “And Samuel said: How can I go; if Saul hears it he will kill me” (I Samuel 16:2). This verse indicates that there was fear of flesh and blood upon Samuel. Consequently, the term mora must be understood in accordance with its plain meaning of a razor. If so, Samuel was indeed a nazirite.

נָזִיר הָיָה שְׁמוּאֵל, כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א א) וּמוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, נֶאֱמַר בְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן (שופטים יג) וּמוֹרָה, וְנֶאֱמַר בִּשְׁמוּאֵל וּמוֹרָה, מַה מּוֹרָה הָאֲמוּרָה בְשִׁמְשׁוֹן, נָזִיר, אַף מוֹרָה הָאֲמוּרָה בִשְׁמוּאֵל, נָזִיר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וַהֲלֹא אֵין מוֹרָה אֶלָּא שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי, וַהֲלֹא כְבָר נֶאֱמַר (שמואל א טז) וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי, שֶׁכְּבָר הָיָה עָלָיו מוֹרָה שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם: