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Nedarim 32a

נדרים ל״ב ע״א

Learn Nedarim 32a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The greatness of מילה, wholehearted trust in ה׳, and teachings about אברהם

Overview

This עמוד finishes the story of משה at the lodging place, where he was punished for dealing with the lodging before circumcising his son. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל says the danger was really aimed at the baby. רבי יהודה בר ביזנא describes how the angels אף and חימה swallowed משה until צפורה did the מילה. The גמרא then discusses whether משה later killed חימה. Next comes a ברייתא praising מילה: it made אברהם 'תמים', it equals all the מצוות, and it holds up heaven and earth. רבי אליעזר says that last praise belongs to תורה. Teachings follow about אברהם's fear and reassurance, 'אין מזל לישראל', the reward for being תמים, and the harm of chasing omens. The גמרא then gives three opinions on why אברהם's children were enslaved in מצרים. It ends with number-value teachings about אליעזר and about אברהם recognizing his Creator at age three, and begins a statement of רמי בר אבא that continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בַּמָּלוֹן תְּחִלָּה,

Because he busied himself with the lodging first,

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיְהִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ בַּמָּלוֹן״.

as it says: "And it was on the way, at the lodging place."

רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר:

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says:

לֹא לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ בִּקֵּשׁ שָׂטָן לַהֲרוֹג,

It was not Moshe our teacher that the Satan wanted to kill,

The steps (28)

  1. Responseמשה was punished for dealing with the lodging first
  2. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: the danger was aimed at the baby
  3. StatementThe angels אף and חימה swallowed משה until the מילה was done
  4. Statementמשה wanted to kill the angels
  5. StatementSome say משה actually killed חימה
  6. ChallengeChallenge: משה later says he feared חימה
  7. ResolutionAnswer: there were two angels named חימה
  8. ResolutionSecond answer: the army of חימה remained
  9. StatementCircumcision made אברהם complete
  10. StatementCircumcision equals all the מצוות
  11. StatementHeaven and earth exist because of circumcision
  12. Statementרבי אליעזר reads the same verse as being about Torah
  13. Statementאברהם trembles and is then reassured
  14. Statementאברהם told to leave his stargazing: Israel is above the stars
  15. StatementWhoever is wholehearted with God is treated wholeheartedly
  16. StatementWhoever is wholehearted has time on his side
  17. StatementWhoever looks for omens is hurt by omens
  18. ChallengeBut the word in the verse is spelled 'no', not 'to him'
  19. ResolutionThe real reason is measure for measure
  20. StatementSomeone who avoids omens is brought closer than the angels
  21. Statementאברהם was punished for drafting Torah scholars
  22. Statementשמואל: אברהם questioned ה׳'s promise
  23. Statementרבי יוחנן: אברהם kept people from coming close to ה׳
  24. StatementWhat does the word ויריק mean?
  25. Statementאליעזר was worth all 318 men
  26. StatementThe 318 was really just אליעזר
  27. Statementאברהם recognized ה׳ at age three
  28. StatementOpening a teaching of רמי בר אבא