Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 18a

נדרים י״ח ע״א

Learn Nedarim 18a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Does a second נזירות or שבועה take effect on top of an existing one? The defense of רב הונא, and רבא's rule that a second שבועה takes effect once the first is released.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a challenge to רב הונא, who holds that saying 'הריני נזיר היום' twice does not create a second נזירות. The גמרא defends him: the earlier source can be read as 'today, tomorrow' or as two נזירות taken on at once. רב המנונא then brings a ברייתא that learns from 'נזיר להזיר' that נזירות takes effect on נזירות. The גמרא argues that this must be about 'today, today', but answers that it too is about two נזירות accepted together. Next the גמרא asks why a שבועה counts as stricter than a נדר, and concludes it is because the תורה says 'לֹא יְנַקֶּה' about a שבועה. Then it turns to the משנה: two identical שבועות not to eat bring only one liability. רבא rules that if the first שבועה is released, the second takes effect, and the גמרא gives two versions of how this comes from the משנה's wording. A case of two נזירות seems to support רבא, but the גמרא pushes the proof away, since there both were accepted at once.

Opening lines

וּתְיוּבְתָּא דְרַב הוּנָא!

And this is a refutation of Rav Huna!

לָא, לְעוֹלָם

No, actually

״הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר הַיּוֹם, הֲרֵינִי לְמָחָר״,

the case is 'I am hereby a nazirite today, I am hereby a nazirite tomorrow,'

וּמַאי ״עָלְתָה לוֹ״ —

and what does 'it is counted for him' mean?

The steps (16)

  1. ChallengeThe earlier challenge ends: a refutation of רב הונא
  2. ResolutionTwo ways to defend רב הונא
  3. Challengeרב המנונא brings a ברייתא: נזירות takes effect on נזירות
  4. ChallengeThe ברייתא must be about saying 'today' twice
  5. ResolutionThe ברייתא is about two נזירות taken in one statement
  6. QuestionWhy is a שבועה stricter than a נדר?
  7. RejectionRejecting the idea that a שבועה is stricter because it works on things with no substance
  8. ResponseA שבועה is stricter because of 'לֹא יְנַקֶּה'
  9. StatementThe משנה: two identical שבועות give only one liability
  10. Statementרבא: if the first שבועה is released, the second takes effect
  11. ProofProof from the משנה's wording: 'liable for only one', not 'only one'
  12. ProofAnother version: no liability, but the שבועה still exists
  13. QuestionWhat difference does the second שבועה make?
  14. ResponseThe difference is רבא's rule: the second replaces the first
  15. ProofA case of two נזירות seems to support רבא
  16. RejectionThe proof is pushed away: both נזירות were accepted at once