Nedarim 53a

נדרים נ״ג ע״א

Learn Nedarim 53a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

What a נדר on a food includes: products made from the fruit, and how plain food words are read by normal usage, place and time.

Overview

The amud has two משניות about how far a נדר on a food reaches. In the first, the תנא קמא says a vow on dates or late grapes does not forbid date honey or late-grape vinegar. רבי יהודה בן בתירא says a product called by the fruit's name is forbidden too, and חכמים permit it. The גמרא asks how חכמים differ from the תנא קמא. It answers with a ברייתא of רבי שמעון בן אלעזר: if both the fruit and its product are normally eaten, a vow on one forbids both. If only the product is eaten, the vow forbids only the product. The second משנה teaches that a plain word like wine, oil, honey or vegetables covers only the standard kind, not kinds called by a name with an extra describing word. A ברייתא adds that what 'oil' means depends on the place, and a doubt makes both oils forbidden because ספק איסורא לחומרא. It also teaches that 'vegetables' means garden vegetables in regular years and field vegetables in שביעית. The amud ends as רבי אבהו begins a teaching in the name of רבי חנינא בן גמליאל, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (12)

1. StatementA vow on dates or late grapes does not forbid their products
2. StatementA product named after the fruit is included in the vow
3. QuestionAren't חכמים the same as the תנא קמא?
4. ResponseThe difference is the rule of רבי שמעון בן אלעזר: when both fruit and product are eaten
5. ResponseWhen only the product is eaten, the vow covers only the product
6. StatementNew משנה: wine, oil, and honey vows do not include the less common kinds
7. Statementמשנה continues: vinegar, leeks, and vegetables, and the reason behind the rule
8. Statementברייתא: what 'oil' means depends on the place
9. ChallengeIsn't the last ruling obvious?
10. ResolutionNeeded even where most people use one kind: a doubt about something forbidden is treated strictly
11. StatementA vow on vegetables depends on the year
12. StatementOpening a statement of רבי אבהו