Nazir 20a

נזיר כ׳ ע״א

Learn Nazir 20a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nazir 20a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The penalty for a נזיר coming from outside ארץ ישראל, רבי יהודה's view on הילני המלכה, and witnesses who disagree about how many terms of נזירות were vowed.

Overview

The גמרא first finishes a suggestion that בית שמאי and בית הלל argue about whether the decree on land outside ארץ ישראל covers its earth or its air. It rejects that suggestion: everyone agrees the decree is about the earth, and they argue only about how big the penalty is. Next it asks whether רבי יהודה's count of fourteen years for הילני המלכה assumes she became impure, following בית שמאי, or that she did not, following בית הלל. The exact number fourteen in the משנה, and a ברייתא from רבי יהודה in the name of רבי אליעזר, both show that he follows בית הלל. A new משנה then brings two sets of witnesses, one saying a man vowed two terms of נזירות and the other saying five. בית שמאי say the testimony is split, and בית הלל say two is included in five. A ברייתא moves this argument to a single set where the two witnesses disagree. Finally רב teaches that everyone agrees the testimony is split in a case of 'counting', where each witness heard different numbers counted out.

Opening lines

The steps (11)

1. QuestionSuggestion: בית הלל think the decree was about the air
2. RejectionEveryone agrees it is about the earth; they argue about the penalty
3. QuestionWhich case was רבי יהודה describing for הילני המלכה?
4. ProofProof from the משנה: the number fourteen fits only בית הלל
5. ProofA ברייתא backs this up: impurity at the end means only a thirty-day נזירות
6. StatementNew משנה: two sets of witnesses say two terms or five terms
7. StatementA ברייתא says the argument is really about one set of witnesses
8. Statementרב: everyone agrees in a case of counting
9. Questionרב חמא asks what רב meant
10. RejectionIt cannot mean witnesses who openly deny each other
11. ResponseCounting means each witness heard different numbers counted out