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Nedarim 25b

נדרים כ״ה ע״ב

Learn Nedarim 25b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

נדרי שגגות (vows made by mistake), mistaken שבועות, רבי עקיבא's rule that a partly permitted vow is fully permitted, and רבה's explanation of the figs dispute.

Overview

The משנה lists cases of נדרי שגגות, vows built on a mistaken fact, which are not binding. In one case he ties a קונם to something he thinks he never did. In another he sets off his own condition by forgetting. In a third he makes a vow because of a false accusation. The משנה then brings a man who forbids his figs to a group that turns out to include his father and brother, and records a מחלוקת: בית שמאי permit only the relatives, while בית הלל permit everyone. The גמרא adds a ברייתא that mistaken שבועות are also not binding, with the example of רב כהנא and רב אסי, who each honestly swore to a different version of רב's teaching. Turning to the figs case, the גמרא quotes a משנה about opening vows using שבתות and ימים טובים, which ends with רבי עקיבא's rule that a vow partly permitted is fully permitted. Finally רבה explains the figs dispute by wording. If the man would have said 'all of you except father,' everyone agrees the others stay forbidden. בית שמאי and בית הלל argue only if he would have named each person and permitted his father separately.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳ נִדְרֵי שְׁגָגוֹת —

MISHNAH: Vows made by mistake:

״אִם אָכַלְתִּי וְאִם שָׁתִיתִי״,

'[This is forbidden to me] if I ate or if I drank,'

וְנִזְכַּר שֶׁאָכַל וְשָׁתָה.

and then he remembered that he had eaten and drunk.

״שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹכֵל וְשֶׁאֲנִי שׁוֹתֶה״,

'[This is forbidden to me] if I eat or if I drink,'

The steps (9)

  1. StatementExamples of vows made by mistake
  2. StatementThe figs case: father and brother among the eaters
  3. StatementMistaken oaths are also not binding
  4. QuestionWhat does a mistaken oath look like?
  5. ResponseTwo sages each swear about what רב said
  6. StatementBack to the figs case: quoting another משנה
  7. Statementרבי עקיבא: partly permitted means fully permitted
  8. Statementרבה: The case where everyone agrees
  9. Statementרבה: The case where they argue