The Talmud debates whether the Nazirite is holy or sinful, noting that a sin-offering is required at the conclusion of the vow. Rabbi Elazar HaKappar argues the Nazirite is called a 'sinner' for denying himself wine, yet others praise his ascetic sanctity.
דְּתַנְיָא, אָמַר (רַבִּי) שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק: מִיָּמַי לֹא אָכַלְתִּי אֲשַׁם נָזִיר טָמֵא אֶלָּא אֶחָד. פַּעַם אַחַת בָּא אָדָם אֶחָד נָזִיר מִן הַדָּרוֹם, וּרְאִיתִיו שֶׁהוּא יְפֵה עֵינַיִם וְטוֹב רוֹאִי וּקְווּצּוֹתָיו סְדוּרוֹת לוֹ תַּלְתַּלִּים. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: בְּנִי, מָה רָאִיתָ לְהַשְׁחִית אֶת שְׂעָרְךָ זֶה הַנָּאֶה? אָמַר לִי: רוֹעֶה הָיִיתִי לְאַבָּא בְּעִירִי, הָלַכְתִּי לְמַלּאוֹת מַיִם מִן הַמַּעְיָין וְנִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי בַּבָּבוּאָה שֶׁלִּי, וּפָחַז עָלַי יִצְרִי וּבִקֵּשׁ לְטוֹרְדֵנִי מִן הָעוֹלָם. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: רָשָׁע! לָמָה אַתָּה מִתְגָּאֶה בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ, בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה? הָעֲבוֹדָה, שֶׁאֲגַלֵּחֲךָ לַשָּׁמַיִם! מִיָּד עָמַדְתִּי וּנְשַׁקְתִּיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: בְּנִי, כָּמוֹךָ יִרְבּוּ נוֹזְרֵי נְזִירוּת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. עָלֶיךָ הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר ״אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא לִנְדֹּר נֶדֶר נָזִיר לְהַזִּיר לַה׳״.
As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon HaTzaddik said: In all my days as a priest, I never ate the guilt-offering of a ritually impure nazirite except for one occasion. One time, a particular man who was a nazirite came from the South and I saw that he had beautiful eyes and was good looking, and the fringes of his hair were arranged in curls. I said to him: My son, what did you see that made you decide to destroy this beautiful hair of yours by becoming a nazirite? A nazirite must shave off his hair at the completion of his term. If he becomes impure before the completion of his term, he shaves off his hair and starts his term of naziriteship again. He said to me: I was a shepherd for my father in my city, and I went to draw water from the spring, and I looked at my reflection [babavua] in the water and my evil inclination quickly overcame me and sought to expel me from the world. I said to myself: Wicked one! Why do you pride yourself in a world that is not yours? Why are you proud of someone who will eventually be food in the grave for worms and maggots, i.e., your body? I swear by the Temple service that I shall shave you for the sake of Heaven. Shimon HaTzaddik continues the narrative: I immediately arose and kissed him on his head. I said to him: My son, may there be more who take vows of naziriteship like you among the Jewish people. About you the verse states: “When either a man or a woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a nazirite, to consecrate himself to the Lord” (Numbers 6:2). This is an example of voluntary acceptance of naziriteship, i.e., becoming a nazirite with entirely pure intentions rather than as a rash statement, e.g., while in a fit of anger.