Nazir 57b

נזיר נ״ז ע״ב

Learn Nazir 57b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The prohibition of הקפה: doubtful shavings, שמואל's 'a woman or a קטן,' and the argument between רב הונא and רב אדא about shaving a child's head.

Overview

The גמרא finishes a proof from the משנה's words 'I do not know which one of you.' It then asks how both נזירים in that doubtful case may shave, since the pure one would be breaking the prohibition of הקפה. שמואל answers that the משנה is talking about a woman or a קטן. Because he did not simply say that shaving the whole head is not הקפה, the גמרא concludes that he holds it is. מר זוטרא places the same answer of שמואל on a later משנה, about a doubtful נזיר and doubtful מצורע who shaves four times. Next, רב הונא rules that an adult who rounds a קטן's head is liable, and רב אדא בר אהבה argues with him. The story ends with a curse on רב הונא's children. The גמרא explains the dispute: רב הונא ties הקפה to destroying the beard, so women are exempt, while רב אדא ties the one who shaves to the one being shaved, so shaving a קטן is not punishable. Finally, the גמרא begins asking whether the whole-head question is an argument among תנאים, quoting a ברייתא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (16)

1. ProofProof from the words 'I do not know which one of you'
2. ChallengeWhy may both shave if one may be pure?
3. Resolutionשמואל: the case is a woman or a minor
4. ChallengeWhy not say it is an adult and the whole head is not rounding?
5. Conclusionשמואל holds that shaving the whole head is rounding
6. Statementמר זוטרא places שמואל's answer on a different משנה
7. ChallengeBut he is rounding his head
8. Resolutionשמואל again: a woman or a minor
9. StatementAn adult who rounds a child's head is liable
10. ChallengeWho shaves your own sons?
11. ResolutionMy wife חובה shaves them
12. StatementThe curse and what followed
13. QuestionWhat exactly do they argue about?
14. Responseרב הונא: rounding is tied to destroying the beard
15. Responseרב אדא: the one who rounds is tied to the one who is rounded
16. QuestionIs shaving the whole head an argument among תנאים?