A new mishnah: Can a husband still revoke his wife's vow of nezirut at the time that she's bringing the final sacrifices at the conclusion of her nezirut? In contrast to earlier discussions, it seems that he cannot do so, this late in the game. The Gemara then probes the opinions of R. Akiva and R. Eliezer. Plus, a discussion of wigs, potentially being distasteful to a husband, in contrast to the comparable products today. Also, another mishnah: a father can make a vow to establish nezirut for h...
Feb 20, 2023•12 min•Season 17Ep. 28
R. Nachman's position on a designated animal that ends up being blemished - already consecrated for the nazir's offerings. Is it to be treated like an unallocated animal or an allocated one? R. Hamnuna questions whether the blemished animal could be treated like unspecified funds. Plus, Rava's objection to R. Nachman - via a son and father needing to bring their own respective sin-offerings, as per a verse.
Feb 19, 2023•18 min•Season 17Ep. 27
Unspecified funds - including the sin-offering funds - can be rededicated for voluntary offerings, with the nazir as an exception to the usual sin-offering rules. Can these bird offerings be redirected? Plus, the role of the Dead Sea. Also, a talmudic revision of a passage that makes more sense.
Feb 18, 2023•16 min•Season 17Ep. 26
More on specified (and unspecified) funds that have been set aside by one undertaking nezirut. The funds that were going to the sin-offering cannot be accessed for anything else, including voluntary offerings. How do we know this detail with regard to the nazir? There's a dispute whether it's derived from a verse or if there's no need for that kind of explication. And then the question comes back the usability of the funds. Also, more on the process of swapping funds for the animal.
Feb 17, 2023•19 min•Season 17Ep. 25
A woman's vow of nezirut can be revoked by her husband up until the time that she brings the post-nezirut sacrifices. But what happens if she's consecrated them, and not yet sacrificed them, and then he revoked the vow? What happens to those animals? Plus, what would it mean that she has her own property? Also, the 4 occasions where the nazir's sacrifices are not accompanied by bread.
Feb 16, 2023•19 min•Season 17Ep. 24
Can a person intentionally commit a sin but still perform a good dead? The Gemara explores how intentionality impacts the meaning of our good and bad deeds, with an eye to Lot, Tamar, Yael, Lavan, Balaam and more. (With sexual transgressions providing the extreme examples)
Feb 15, 2023•27 min•Season 17Ep. 23
More on a woman who vows to be a nezirah, and another woman says she'll follow in her footsteps - what happens to the vow of the second woman if the husband of the first woman dissolves her vow? Also, the case of the man who undoes his wife's vow of nezirut, but he upholds his own vow. Plus, the difference between a question and a statement - boiling down to inflection and tone, beyond the words themselves, no less.
Feb 14, 2023•13 min•Season 17Ep. 22
More on friends who join on to another person's vow of being a nazir. Does "And I" refer to the statement by the first person or that of the second person? Are these statements all linked together or not? With implications for whether the vows are binding on all of them in the same way. Plus, a comment on talmudic methodology and the lengths the Talmud goes to in attempting to answer its questions. Also, a woman who vows to become a nezirah, and her husband says, And I! - Is there any way for hi...
Feb 13, 2023•16 min•Season 17Ep. 21
A new mishnah: when witnesses come to court to testify about another person's vow of nezirut. Plus contradictory witnesses. With a dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai on how to square the contradictions. Also, moving on to the new chapter, 4: another new mishnah: where one person takes a vow as a nazir, and subsequent people say that they each are too, then they're all nezirim... except that if the first person is released from nezirut, then those who said "and I!" are no longer bound e...
Feb 12, 2023•18 min•Season 17Ep. 20
When nezirut is prevented or interrupted by impurity, when does the count begin? Of the 4 opinions, whom do we follow? Plus, an immediate new case of a woman who takes a vow of nezirut, and then becomes impure, and her husband revokes her vow of nezirut. Now what does she need to do? Also, a religious, philosophical take on what it means to take the vow of a nazir. Also, Rava and Abaye on the start time/impurity issue. Plus, a new mishnah - someone who took on many stints of nezirut while outsid...
Feb 11, 2023•27 min•Season 17Ep. 19
The complications of different impurities affecting a nazir, and how he only needs to bring one korban to purify from all the impurity. Also, the dispute between R. Yosi and R. Yehudah -- on the question of sanctification of the nazir on the day that the count resumes - either the 7th or the 8th day. With elegant reads of the verses to delineate each side of the dispute.
Feb 10, 2023•13 min•Season 17Ep. 18
The ongoing dispute between R Yochanan and Resh Lakish, over the declaration of nezirut in the cemetery - when the vow takes effect. Also, more on the person who takes on nezirut in a cemetery - when is he required to shave? And what happens between when he takes the oath and when the nezirut kicks in, if indeed he first must leave and purify before he can even begin the count?
Feb 09, 2023•21 min•Season 17Ep. 17
A new chapter! And 2 new mishnayot. Opening with the case of one who takes a vow of becoming a nazir, but without specifying the number of days - as compared to one who does articulate "30 days," and what happens when each person shaves his head on the 30th day. What about a vow that sets up two periods of nezirut, to be consecutive. When does shaving become acceptable? Plus, what are the implications with regard to his becoming impure? Also, the case of one who takes the vow to be a nazir while...
Feb 08, 2023•19 min•Season 17Ep. 16
A new mishnah: on a compound vow of becoming a nazir when a son is born to him, and also for 100 days. How do those two elements of the vow work together, overlap, preempt, or delay each other? Also, how Rav expresses his contradiction of the mishnah. How does the timing line up with haircutting and mourning, in that event. Plus, the comparison to the count of Hilkhot Niddah, the laws of family purity, which also has a count and a requirement of being able to become pure.
Feb 07, 2023•18 min•Season 17Ep. 15
Someone who vows consecutive periods of nezirut, as well as a vow for when his son is born... The Gemara figures out how to play out those consecutive or overlapping terms of nezirut. Complicated by one who has a case of tzara'at as well. Also, the lashes a nazir who violates his vow is subject to.
Feb 06, 2023•17 min•Season 17Ep. 14
A new mishnah - one who takes a vow to become a nazir once he has a son. The he has a son. He's a nazir. But other progeny would not make him a nazir. What happens if the woman miscarries? Plus, the possibility of confusion between two different children. Also, conditions for consecutive or overlapping terms of nezirut.
Feb 05, 2023•15 min•Season 17Ep. 14
Introducing a parallel to conditions in nezirut vows to the betrothal of a woman via a shaliach/emissary. Plus, a parallel to the birds to be designated for sacrifice. And the uncertainties that can creep into such cases. Plus, a new mishnah: when someone commits to "shave half a nazir" - paying half of the cost of korbanot that a nazir must offer.
Feb 04, 2023•17 min•Season 17Ep. 12
Can a person vow a nedrei if nezirut for only one of the nezirut prohibitions? Was the language of becoming a Nazir part of colloquial speech?
Feb 03, 2023•17 min
When a vow for nezirut is conditioned upon an external event, such as the positioning of a cow or a door, and whether the vow will be upheld. Plus, the dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai continues. Also, Rava's understanding of the role of the cow in this kind of case, plus his revision, as it were, to include the possibility of both the cow and the door.
Feb 02, 2023•13 min•Season 17Ep. 10
Chapter 2: One who uses unusual expressions in taking on nezirut (for example, including refraining from dried figs in the vow), and whether that has impact on the assumption of nezirut. A machloket between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai. Also, specific definitions of the korbanot mitigate against just deciding whatever sacrifice one wanted to offer, for example. Misspeaking for such a thing is allowable to some extent, but the vow for nezirut is expected to comply with the definition, as people k...
Feb 01, 2023•16 min•Season 17Ep. 9
A new mishnah: One who takes on being a nazir using euphemistic language - may indeed take on nezirut for his whole life, with some question as to how often he might be eligible to cut his hair/shave his head - depending on the phrasing used to undertake the nezirut. Likewise, one can undertake longer periods of nezirut, depending on phrasing. Also, one who undertakes nezirut "forever" can also delimit the time, depending. With the possibility of one long nezirut or multiple repetitions of 30-da...
Jan 31, 2023•12 min•Season 17Ep. 8
3 mishnayot on vowing to become a nazir. First, how to specify the term of nezirut, and how the default remains 30 days. Plus, measuring distance between places based on how long it takes to travel there. Also, the language used itself can make the difference, including when not to default to 30 days, but that doesn't mean adding on an hour or a day in your vow necessarily works.
Jan 30, 2023•15 min•Season 17Ep. 7
More on the machloket between R. Matanah and Bar Peda. The practical difference between their views is one who becomes impure on the 30th day, because if it's only 29 days, the impurity shouldn't negate the entirety of the nezirut. [Talmudic concept: miktzat ha-yom ke-kulo] Plus, the Gemara lines up this dispute with another one, by tannaim. Also, the impact of growing one's hair long, which takes a minimum of 30 days. Which also raises the question of whether the word, "until" is inclusive of t...
Jan 29, 2023•13 min•Season 17Ep. 6
On Avshalom, son of King David, and nazir. He cut his hair once a year, which is derived from a verse. Or was that every week?? Plus, a new mishnah: the default nezirut is 39 days long -- which leads the Gemara to probe how we know 30 days (and not 29, for that matter - which is a machloket between R. Matanah and Bar Peda.
Jan 28, 2023•15 min•Season 17Ep. 5
2 mishnayot - beginning with taking a vow like the nezirut of Shimshon (Samson), with different phrasings that all refer to him. But why use all the details?! Also, what's the difference between this kind of nazir and a regular nazir? Beginning with sacrifices, and hair-trimming, and the issues of becoming impure from contact with the dead. Plus, of course, the way one becomes a nazir. Also, the story of Shimon HaTzadik and the beautiful nazir.
Jan 27, 2023•16 min•Season 17Ep. 4
A note on Rivan, the son-in-law of Rashi, who takes his place, as it were, in Nazir. || Wording the vow to become a nazir - with a plan to become "beautiful." Is that enough to count as a nazir's vow? Is that physical beauty or the beauty of mitzvot? Plus, the beauty if long curly locks. Also, a new mishnah: mentioning part of nezirut counts as a vow to be a full nazir. And the Gemara explaining the views represented in the mishnah (R. Shimon vs. Rabbanan). Plus, how can the vow of the nazir con...
Jan 26, 2023•18 min•Season 17Ep. 3
An introduction to Nazir, including its placement in Seder Nashim, and following Nedarim. An introduction to chapter 1, including the biblical source for nezirut. And the opening of the masekhet, with discussion of how one takes on nezirut with an articulated statement, and the ambivalence about this optional asceticism, which will be discussed at greater length going forward.
Jan 25, 2023•15 min
The case of a woman who says to and about her husband that he divorced her - is she to be believed? Also, narrative preceding halakhah with regard to the behavior that follows potentially misspoken words, especially as pertaining to the marital bed and its aftermath.
Jan 24, 2023•14 min•Season 16Ep. 91
The Gemara presents Rav Pappi’s version of the machloket between Rabbi Natan and the Chachamim. Plus the last Mishnah of our Masechet!
Jan 23, 2023•17 min
3 mishnayot, addressing how the father can revoke a daughter's vows, with what terms and what exception, what to pay attention to, etc. Plus, the 9 women whose vows are upheld and can't be revoked. Also, conditional vows that complicate the lives of everyone, and whether they can be revoked or nullified.
Jan 22, 2023•21 min•Season 16Ep. 89
