Nazir 23a

נזיר כ״ג ע״א

Learn Nazir 23a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Intention and sin: a woman whose vow was secretly cancelled still needs כפרה, and the same act can be righteous or sinful depending on intention (לוט and his daughters)

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier discussion. The earlier משנה is about a husband who asked his wife, 'I am a נזיר, and what about you?', so he can cancel her vow while his own stays. A new משנה follows. A woman who broke her נזירות gets forty lashes. If her husband had secretly cancelled the vow, she gets no Torah lashes, though רבי יהודה gives her מכת מרדות. A ברייתא teaches from 'אישה הפרם וה׳ יסלח לה' that she still needs כפרה, and רבי עקיבא would cry over this with a קל וחומר: if meaning to sin needs forgiveness, a real sin needs it even more. The same lesson is drawn from the פסוק of אשם תלוי, with a single doubtful piece of fat and with איסי בן יהודה's two pieces, and the גמרא explains why all three cases are needed. Then רבי יוחנן explains 'כי ישרים דרכי ה׳': one act can be righteous or sinful depending on intention. After rejecting two examples, the גמרא settles on לוט and his daughters. It proves that לוט meant to sin and was not simply forced. The amud ends as רבא begins another teaching about לוט, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. ResolutionThe earlier משנה is about a husband who asked his wife a question
2. StatementA woman who broke her nazirite vow, and one whose vow was secretly cancelled
3. Statementרבי יהודה: she still gets rabbinic lashes
4. StatementThe verse teaches that she needs atonement
5. Statementרבי עקיבא cries over the verse
6. StatementThe same reasoning applied to the אשם תלוי verse
7. Statementאיסי בן יהודה gives the same reasoning with a two-piece case
8. ConclusionThis is a reason to feel pain over sin
9. QuestionWhy do we need all three cases?
10. ResponseThe woman's case alone would not teach the uncertain piece
11. ResponseThe uncertain piece alone would not teach the woman's case
12. ResponseWhy the case of two pieces is also needed
13. StatementSame act, different intention: the two people eating the פסח
14. Challengeריש לקיש objects to calling the overeater wicked
15. Statementריש לקיש's example: two men, each with a wife and a sister
16. ChallengeObjection: those are two different paths
17. ResolutionThe right example: לוט and his two daughters
18. ChallengeMaybe לוט also meant well?
19. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: the verse about לוט speaks of sin
20. ProofProving the verse's words point to sin
21. ProofThe rest of the פסוק also points to desire
22. ChallengeBut לוט was forced
23. ResolutionThe dot shows לוט knew afterward
24. ChallengeWhat could he do after it happened?
25. ResolutionHe should not have drunk again the next night
26. Statementרבא begins a teaching on a פסוק about לוט