Gemara Clarity

Nazir 30a

נזיר ל׳ ע״א

Learn Nazir 30a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nazir 30a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

A son's backup vow when his father makes him a נזיר, and the rule that a son, but not a daughter, may use his father's נזירות money

Overview

The amud opens in the middle of a discussion about a father who vows that his young son will be a נזיר. The גמרא rejects an earlier explanation of the son's backup vow. It replaces it with a double-sided wording: 'I'll be a נזיר because of my father, or I'll be a נזיר because of myself.' It then asks what happens if the son grows שתי שערות in the middle of the term. According to רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה this causes no problem, and the son simply finishes his father's term. According to רבי, the only fix is for the son to keep two terms: his own and his father's. A new משנה then teaches that a son may use the money his late father set aside for his נזירות offerings, but a daughter may not. רבי יוסי limits this to a son who was already a נזיר while his father was alive. The גמרא says the rule is a הלכה about נזיר and asks why it is needed. It answers that the rule matters when the father left only a daughter, and that explanation continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הָא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ דַּאֲבוּהּ קָאֵים!

But he still remains under his father's authority!

אֶלָּא דְּאָמַר: אֱהֵא בִּשְׁבִיל אַבָּא,

Rather, it means that he said: I will be a נזיר because of my father,

אֱהֵא בִּשְׁבִיל עַצְמִי.

I will be a נזיר because of myself.

אִי אַיְיתִי שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת מֵעִיקָּרָא —

If he grew two hairs from the start —

The steps (12)

  1. RejectionThe earlier suggestion fails because the son is still under his father's authority
  2. ResolutionA better wording: 'because of my father, or because of myself'
  3. ChallengeWhat if he matures in the middle of the term?
  4. ResponseNo problem according to רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה
  5. ChallengeBut according to רבי, what can be said?
  6. ResolutionAccording to רבי, he must keep both terms
  7. StatementA son may use his father's נזירות money, but a daughter may not
  8. Statementרבי יוסי limits the rule to a son who was already a נזיר
  9. QuestionThe גמרא asks for the reason
  10. Responseרבי יוחנן: It is a הלכה about a נזיר
  11. ChallengeIsn't it obvious that a son inherits and a daughter does not?
  12. ResolutionThe rule is needed when the father left only a daughter