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Nazir 39b

נזיר ל״ט ע״ב

Learn Nazir 39b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Hair grows from the root, the נזיר shaved by bandits (רבי אליעזר's seven-day rule), and which methods of removing hair make a נזיר liable

Overview

The גמרא finishes a proof that hair grows from the root: people who dye their hair get undyed roots. It then challenges this with a ברייתא. A נזיר shaved by bandits who still has enough hair to bend its tip to its root does not lose his days. The גמרא answers that the ברייתא is talking about a shaving after his term was finished, and it follows רבי אליעזר, who says that anything after the term costs only seven days. רבי אליעזר learns this by comparing the end-of-term shaving to the shaving after טומאה. Since hair grows a bend-to-root length in seven days, the hair left on him already covers what is needed. Next the גמרא turns to the משנה's rule that a נזיר is liable for removing hair in any way. רבי יאשיה learns this from 'קדוש יהיה גדל פרע'. רבי יונתן says only a razor brings punishment, and he reads that phrase as adding an עשה to razor shaving. Another ברייתא learns the wide rule from 'לא יעבור על ראשו' and explains that the word 'razor' teaches that the final shaving must be done with a razor. Its explanation of why this cannot be learned from a מצורע continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

עִיקְבֵי נִימְהוֹן,

at the roots of their hair (the new hair is undyed).

שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ מִלְּתַחַת רָבֵי.

Learn from it that hair grows from the bottom.

שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

Indeed, learn from it.

וְאֶלָּא הָא דְּתַנְיָא:

But what about this that is taught in a ברייתא:

The steps (14)

  1. ProofProof finished: hair grows from the root
  2. ChallengeChallenge from the נזיר shaved by bandits
  3. ResolutionThe shaving happened after the term was finished, following רבי אליעזר
  4. QuestionWhy does רבי אליעזר say seven days?
  5. ResponseLearning the shaving of purity from the shaving of impurity
  6. ResolutionHair grows a bend-to-root length in seven days
  7. StatementThe משנה: any way of removing hair makes the נזיר liable
  8. Statementרבי יאשיה learns the other methods from 'He shall be holy'
  9. Statementרבי יונתן: only a razor makes him liable
  10. ChallengeChallenge: what about 'He shall be holy'?
  11. ResolutionA razor breaks both a positive מצוה and a prohibition
  12. StatementAnother ברייתא learns all methods from 'shall not pass over his head'
  13. QuestionIf everything is included, why say 'razor'?
  14. Response'Razor' teaches that the final shaving must use a razor