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Nazir 42a

נזיר מ״ב ע״א

Learn Nazir 42a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A נזיר's hair: full shaving, רובו ככולו, washing and combing, and repeated sins

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier proof: ציצית written next to כלאים teaches that a positive מצוה can override a prohibition. Then the גמרא returns to the rule that a נזיר, מצורע or לוי who shaves without a razor, or leaves two hairs, has done nothing. From this רב אחא בריה דרב איקא learns that רובו ככולו is Torah law, since the Torah had to spell out a full shave for a נזיר. The scholars of ארץ ישראל defend this proof against רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא's objection. אביי and רבא then ask about leftover hairs that are shaved later or fall out, and רבינא rules that shaving a single last hair is no מצוה of shaving. A new משנה lets a נזיר wash and separate his hair but not comb it, and רבה explains that the whole משנה follows רבי שמעון because combing is done on purpose to remove loose hairs. רבי ישמעאל forbids washing with earth, and the גמרא's question about his exact wording ends in תיקו. The amud closes with a משנה teaching that a נזיר who keeps sinning is punished once, unless he was warned each time.

Opening lines

הָא ״גְּדִילִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ״ מֵהֶם.

This teaches that 'You shall make for yourself fringes' can be from them.

אָמַר מָר:

The Master said:

וְכוּלָּם שֶׁגִּילְּחוּ שֶׁלֹּא בְּתַעַר,

And all of them who shaved not with a razor,

אוֹ שֶׁשִּׁיְּירוּ שְׁתֵּי שְׂעָרוֹת —

or who left two hairs —

The steps (25)

  1. ConclusionFringes may be made from wool and linen
  2. StatementShaving without a razor or leaving two hairs does not count
  3. Statementרב אחא: 'most counts like all' is Torah law
  4. QuestionHow do we know this?
  5. ResponseThe Torah spelled out a full shave only for a נזיר
  6. Challengeרבי יוסי: that verse is about an impure נזיר
  7. RejectionThe West laughs: pure and impure נזיר learn from each other
  8. Questionאביי asks about shaving the two leftover hairs after the head grew back
  9. Questionרבא asks about one hair shaved and one hair falling out
  10. Challengeרב אחא challenges the wording of רבא's question
  11. ResolutionReversing the order: one hair fell out, then he shaved the other
  12. Responseרבינא rules: no shaving here, no hair here
  13. ChallengeIf there is no hair, then the head is shaved
  14. ResolutionThe head is bare, but the מצוה of shaving was not done
  15. Statementמשנה: a נזיר may wash and separate his hair but not comb it
  16. QuestionWho is the author of the washing rule?
  17. ResponseFirst half follows רבי שמעון, second half seems to follow the רבנן
  18. ChallengeCan one משנה follow two different opinions?
  19. Resolutionרבה: the whole משנה follows רבי שמעון
  20. Statementרבי ישמעאל: no washing hair with earth
  21. QuestionWhat is the exact wording of רבי ישמעאל's reason?
  22. QuestionWhat difference does the wording make?
  23. ResponseThe practical difference: earth that does not remove hair
  24. ConclusionThe question stays unresolved
  25. StatementNew משנה: one set of lashes or many for a נזיר who keeps sinning