Nazir 54a

נזיר נ״ד ע״א

Learn Nazir 54a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How a corpse's limb, bone and grave make a person טמא; when a טמא נזיר starts counting again; and the kinds of טומאה for which a נזיר does not shave

Overview

The amud opens with a known rule: טומאה inside a sealed grave bursts straight up and straight down. רב יהודה then quotes a ברייתא that explains, word by word, the פסוק in במדבר 19:18 about touching a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave. ריש לקיש explains that 'grave' means an old grave from before the Torah was given. The גמרא tries to use the word 'מת' (a limb from a corpse) as a proof for ריש לקיש. רבי יוחנן pushes the proof away by saying that word teaches טומאה through carrying. Next, the גמרא asks what the משנה means by 'until he becomes pure': sunset on day seven (רבי אליעזר) or bringing the קרבנות on day eight (רבנן). It proves from the next משנה's wording that it means after the קרבנות, as רבנן hold. Finally, a new משנה lists doubtful and other kinds of טומאה for which a נזיר does not shave, though in the cases from a dead body he is still sprinkled on the third and seventh days.

Opening lines

The steps (11)

1. ProofImpurity bursts up and down from a sealed grave
2. StatementA ברייתא explains bone, slain, and dead in the פסוק
3. Statementריש לקיש explains which grave the פסוק means
4. ProofA limb from a corpse must mean one without a barley-grain bone
5. Rejectionרבי יוחנן: the word teaches טומאה through carrying
6. StatementReturning to the משנה about sprinkling and losing the counted days
7. QuestionWhat does 'until he becomes pure' mean?
8. ResponseThe next משנה proves it means after the קרבנות
9. StatementNew משנה: doubtful kinds of טומאה
10. StatementThe rest of the list, and the rule that the נזיר does not shave
11. StatementHe is still sprinkled on the third and seventh days