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Nazir 44a

נזיר מ״ד ע״א

Learn Nazir 44a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A כהן and an incomplete body (מת חסר), and the משנה comparing the three prohibitions of a נזיר, tested by a series of קל וחומר arguments

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a ברייתא that seems to go against רב, who said a כהן does not become טמא for a relative whose body is incomplete. The ברייתא lets a כהן become טמא even for a spine, a skull, or most of the bones. The גמרא answers that this ברייתא follows רבי יהודה. רב follows a different תנא, who tells how the חכמים ruled that 'לאביו' applies only when the father's body is whole. Then a new משנה lists the three things forbidden to a נזיר: טומאה, shaving, and grape products. It explains that each one is stricter than the others in a different way: what cancels days, what has exceptions, and what needs a קרבן. The גמרא then tests every comparison with a קל וחומר. Each time, a פסוק or a practical reason blocks it. For example, shaving cancels days only because the נזיר's hair must grow back, so wine, which leaves the hair in place, cancels nothing.

Opening lines

יָכוֹל לֹא יִטַּמֵּא

One might think he may not become impure

לַשִּׁדְרָה וְלַגּוּלְגּוֹלֶת

for a spine or for a skull

וּלְרוֹב בִּנְיָינוֹ וּלְרוֹב מִנְיָינוֹ

or for most of the skeleton or most of the number of bones

שֶׁל אֲחֵרִים.

of other relatives.

The steps (26)

  1. ChallengeA ברייתא says a כהן becomes impure even for partial remains of any close relative
  2. ResolutionThat ברייתא also follows רבי יהודה
  3. Proofרב follows a תנא who tells the story of רבי יצחק's father
  4. Conclusion'For his father' only when the body is whole
  5. StatementNew משנה: three things forbidden to a נזיר
  6. StatementImpurity and shaving are stricter than grape products
  7. StatementGrape products are stricter: they have no exceptions
  8. StatementImpurity is stricter than shaving
  9. ChallengeA קל וחומר says impurity should have no exception
  10. ResolutionThe verse allows impurity for a מת מצוה
  11. ChallengeWhy not allow wine for a מצוה too?
  12. Resolutionמצוה wine is forbidden like ordinary wine
  13. ChallengeWhy not let wine cancel all the days?
  14. ResolutionOnly טומאה cancels the days
  15. ChallengeWhy shouldn't shaving cancel all the days?
  16. ResolutionA verse shows only impurity cancels all the days
  17. ChallengeShould someone who makes a נזיר impure be treated like the נזיר
  18. ResolutionA verse limits impurity to the נזיר himself
  19. ChallengeMaybe shaving should not have this rule either
  20. ResolutionThe verse forbids another person from shaving a נזיר too
  21. ChallengeWhy should shaving ever be permitted, when wine never is?
  22. ResolutionThe verse says 'his head' and 'his beard'
  23. ChallengeThen shaving should not cancel any days at all
  24. ResolutionShaving cancels days because the hair must grow back
  25. ChallengeThen wine should cancel thirty days
  26. ResolutionWith wine, the hair is still there