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Nazir 58b

נזיר נ״ח ע״ב

Learn Nazir 58b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How the מצורע's shaving overrides the prohibitions of a נזיר and a כהן, and the rules for removing body hair with a razor

Overview

The גמרא looks at the verse about a מצורע shaving "ראשו" (his head) and "זקנו" (his beard), and asks what each word teaches. First it challenges the view that an עשה does not override a לא תעשה ועשה: why not learn from a כהן מצורע, who must shave? The answer is that we cannot learn from a כהן, because his prohibition does not apply to everyone. For the other view, a ברייתא shows that "זקנו" teaches that a כהן מצורע must shave his beard with a razor. Another ברייתא proves that the beard prohibition covers only a razor. Then the גמרא explains that both words are needed, one for the נזיר and one for the כהן, because neither case can be learned from the other, and neither can serve as a source for other laws. Finally the topic turns to removing body hair. רב permits it with something like a razor, a ברייתא gives lashes for removing armpit or pubic hair with a real razor, and the גמרא concludes those lashes are only מדרבנן.

Opening lines

דְּלָא אָתֵי עֲשֵׂה

that a positive מצוה does not come

וְדָחֵי אֶת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה וַעֲשֵׂה,

and override a prohibition and a positive מצוה,

לֵילַף מִכֹּהֵן, דְּדָחֵי!

let him learn from a priest, that it does override!

אֶלָּא, מִכֹּהֵן לָא יָלְפִינַן:

Rather, we do not learn from a priest:

The steps (18)

  1. ChallengeWhy not learn from the leprous priest?
  2. ResolutionA priest's prohibition is not for everyone
  3. ChallengeThen why does the verse say "his beard"?
  4. Resolution"His beard" teaches about a leprous priest
  5. QuestionHow do we know the מצורע shaves with a razor?
  6. ResponseA ברייתא proves the beard prohibition is only with a razor
  7. ChallengeWhy does the פסוק need both "ראשו" and "זקנו"?
  8. ResolutionEach word could be read either way, so both are written
  9. ResolutionWhy the נזיר and the כהן can't be learned from each other
  10. ConclusionThese two cases can't serve as a general source
  11. Statementרב allows removing body hair with a razor
  12. ChallengeA ברייתא says removing armpit or pubic hair gets lashes
  13. ResolutionRazor versus scissors
  14. ChallengeBut רב said 'with a razor'
  15. Resolutionרב meant 'like a razor'
  16. Statementרבי יוחנן says removing armpit or pubic hair gets lashes
  17. ChallengeRemoving hair is only a rabbinic prohibition
  18. ResolutionHe means rabbinic lashes