Nazir 4b

נזיר ד׳ ע״ב

Learn Nazir 4b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

נזיר שמשון and נזיר עולם: whose view the משנה follows, the sources for each, and the meaning of ״לַה׳״

Overview

The משנה ends by saying that a נזיר שמשון who becomes טמא does not bring a קרבן טומאה. The גמרא infers that the נזירות itself still takes effect, and asks whose view this is. רבי יהודה lets a נזיר שמשון become טמא even לכתחילה, and רבי שמעון says such a vow does nothing at all. The גמרא answers that the משנה follows רבי יהודה. The words 'אם נטמא' were only copied from the line about נזיר עולם. Next it asks whether רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון argue like רבי יעקב and רבי יוסי about 'הרי עלי כבכור'. It rejects that link and explains how each side reads the word ״לַה׳״. It then shows that ״לַה׳״ by נזיר means 'for the sake of Heaven', through the story of שמעון הצדיק and the young shepherd. It explains that שמשון's נזירות came from a מלאך, and that we know he became טמא from the dead only through tradition. Finally, רבי teaches that אבשלום was a נזיר עולם who cut his hair once a year.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. StatementThe משנה's last ruling: no impurity offering
2. StatementInference: only the offering is skipped, but the נזירות still applies
3. QuestionWhose view is the משנה? Neither רבי יהודה nor רבי שמעון
4. ProofThe ברייתא: רבי יהודה and רבי שמעון on נזיר שמשון
5. ChallengeWhy the משנה fits neither תנא
6. ResolutionThe משנה follows רבי יהודה; the wording just copies the נזיר עולם line
7. QuestionSuggesting the argument matches the case of 'like a firstborn'
8. ProofMatching each side to רבי יעקב and רבי יוסי
9. RejectionEveryone requires a vowed item; a בכור is a special case
10. Resolutionרבי יוסי uses the word ״לַה׳״ for something else
11. QuestionWhy include sin- and guilt-offerings rather than a firstborn?
12. ResponseSin- and guilt-offerings become holy by a person's act, a firstborn does not
13. Challengeרבי יעקב: a firstborn is also made holy by a person
14. Rejectionרבי יוסי: a firstborn is holy even without being consecrated
15. ChallengeThe word ״לַה׳״ also appears by נזיר
16. ResolutionThe word is needed for a teaching of שמעון הצדיק
17. ResponseThe young man explains why he became a נזיר
18. Conclusionשמעון הצדיק applies ״לַה׳״ to this נזיר
19. ChallengeWasn't שמשון called a נזיר in the פסוק?
20. ResolutionAn angel said it, not a person
21. QuestionWhere do we see שמשון became impure from the dead?
22. RejectionMaybe he threw the jawbone without touching them
23. ProofA second proof: he took the clothes of thirty men
24. ChallengeMaybe he took the clothes first
25. ResolutionThe פסוק's order: first struck, then took
26. RejectionMaybe they were dying but still alive
27. ConclusionWe know it from a tradition
28. QuestionWhere is a permanent נזיר written?
29. Responseאבשלום was a permanent נזיר
30. Proofאבשלום cut his hair once a year