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Nedarim 20a

נדרים כ׳ ע״א

Learn Nedarim 20a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nedarim 20a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Vows with a harmless second meaning, how a careless vower is treated, and teachings on habits, modesty and בושה that lead toward or away from sin.

Overview

The משנה lists four cases where a person makes what sounds like a real נדר and then says he meant a harmless second meaning of his words. רבי מאיר says such a person needs no התרה, but if he asks for one, we punish him and are strict with him. The חכמים say we release him through some other פתח and teach him not to take vows lightly. The גמרא asks how רבי מאיר can say both things. רב יהודה answers that a תלמיד חכם needs no התרה, while an עם הארץ who asks is treated strictly. A ברייתא about a נזיר who broke his נזירות shows what the 'punishment' is: he must keep the vow for a while before a חכם will release it. רב יוסף and רב אחא בר יעקב then judge a בית דין that releases him too early. Next, a ברייתא warns against habits that lead to sin, and the גמרא brings teachings on modesty, on how בושה leads to יראת חטא, and four things the מלאכי השרת told רבי יוחנן בן דהבאי. The amud ends as the גמרא starts a contradiction from a question put to אימא שלום, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳

MISHNA

נָדַר בְּחֵרֶם,

One vowed with the word 'cherem,'

וְאָמַר: לֹא נָדַרְתִּי אֶלָּא

and then said: I only vowed

בְּחֶרְמוֹ שֶׁל יָם.

with the 'cherem' of the sea, a fishing net.

The steps (20)

  1. StatementCases of חרם and קרבן with a harmless second meaning
  2. StatementCases of 'my self' as a bone and 'my wife' as a divorced wife
  3. Statementרבי מאיר: no need to ask, and if they ask, be strict
  4. Statementחכמים: release them another way and teach them
  5. ChallengeThe משנה seems to contradict itself
  6. Resolutionרב יהודה: the ruling depends on who the person is
  7. QuestionWhat does 'punishing' him mean?
  8. ResponseThe ברייתא: keep the rules before being released
  9. Statementרבי יוסי limits the rule for a long נזירות
  10. StatementA court that helps him too early is acting wrongly
  11. StatementA stricter view: the court is put in נידוי
  12. StatementDon't get used to making vows
  13. StatementMore bad habits that lead to sin
  14. StatementStaring at women leads to sin
  15. StatementThis includes even his own wife when she is a נדה
  16. StatementWhat 'heel' really means
  17. Statementבושה leads to fear of sin
  18. StatementWithout בושה, a sign his ancestors were not at סיני
  19. StatementFour things the angels told רבי יוחנן בן דהבאי
  20. ChallengeSetting up a contradiction from אימא שלום