Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 35b

נדרים ל״ה ע״ב

Learn Nedarim 35b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nedarim 35b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whether כהנים are 'our agents' or 'agents of Heaven', tested through a מודר הנאה, and רבי יוחנן's rule that the offerings of מחוסרי כפרה need no consent.

Overview

The משנה lists more things a person may do for someone who is forbidden by נדר to benefit from him. He may separate his תרומה and מעשרות, offer certain קרבנות for him, and teach him מדרש, הלכות and אגדות, but not מקרא. The גמרא asks whether כהנים act as our agents (שלוחי דידן) or as agents of Heaven (שלוחי דשמיא), which matters for a מודר הנאה. It tries to prove from the משנה that they are Heaven's agents. It rejects the proof: the משנה lists only offerings of מחוסרי כפרה, and as רבי יוחנן teaches, those need no consent, since a father brings them even for his young children ('זאת תורת הזב'). The גמרא then challenges רבי יוחנן: does 'זאת תורת היולדת' include a young girl, who cannot safely give birth? It answers that this פסוק includes a שוטה, whose husband brings her קרבן. That matches רבי יהודה, who says a husband brings all his wife's קרבנות because of what he promised in her כתובה.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳

MISHNA:

וְתוֹרֵם אֶת תְּרוּמָתוֹ וּמַעְשְׂרוֹתָיו לְדַעְתּוֹ,

And he separates his terumah and his tithes with his consent,

וּמַקְרִיב עָלָיו קִינֵּי זָבִין,

and he offers for him the bird-pairs of zavin,

קִינֵּי זָבוֹת, קִינֵּי יוֹלְדוֹת,

the bird-pairs of zavot, the bird-pairs of women after childbirth,

The steps (10)

  1. Statementמשנה: Separating tithes and offering sacrifices for the forbidden person
  2. Statementמשנה: What he may and may not teach him
  3. QuestionAre כהנים our agents or Heaven's agents?
  4. ProofAttempted proof from the משנה
  5. RejectionWhy does the משנה list only specific offerings?
  6. ResolutionOfferings of those lacking atonement are different
  7. ChallengeDoes 'the law of a woman after childbirth' include a young girl?
  8. ResolutionThe verse includes a woman who is a שוטה, not a minor
  9. ProofSource: רבי יהודה says a husband brings his wife's offerings
  10. ProofThe reason: the husband takes on her obligations in the כתובה