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Nedarim 55a

נדרים נ״ה ע״א

Learn Nedarim 55a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Vows against דגן and תבואה, and the story of רבא and רב יוסף about humility in תורה

Overview

The משנה records a dispute about someone who makes a נדר against דגן. רבי מאיר says it also covers produce that is gathered into a pile, like the dry Egyptian bean. The חכמים say it covers only the five grains. The גמרא tests רבי מאיר's broad reading against a פסוק in דברי הימים, and אביי defends it. רבי יוחנן and a ברייתא teach that everyone agrees a נדר against תבואה covers only the five grains. When רב יוסף challenges this from the same פסוק, רבא answers that plain תבואה and תבואת שדה are different expressions. The גמרא then tells a story: רבא asks רב יוסף what the word עללתא includes, and רב יוסף becomes upset at how רבא treats his answer. רבא makes peace on ערב יום כיפור by mixing רב יוסף's wine himself. רב יוסף then asks him to explain a פסוק in במדבר, and רבא teaches that humility brings the תורה and greatness, while pride brings a person down. The proof that turning back from pride lifts a person up again continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳ הַנּוֹדֵר מִן הַדָּגָן —

MISHNA: One who vows off dagan (grain)

אָסוּר בְּפוֹל הַמִּצְרִי יָבֵשׁ,

is forbidden to eat the dry Egyptian bean,

דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

these are the words of Rabbi Meir.

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים:

And the Sages say:

The steps (21)

  1. StatementThe dispute about a vow against דגן
  2. Statementרבי מאיר separates תבואה from דגן
  3. QuestionDoes דגן really mean anything that is piled?
  4. Challengeרב יוסף challenges from a verse
  5. Resolutionאביי: the extra words add fruit and vegetables
  6. StatementEveryone agrees about תבואה
  7. ProofA ברייתא says the same
  8. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
  9. ResolutionWithout it, we might think תבואה means everything
  10. Challengeרב יוסף challenges from the same verse
  11. Resolutionרבא: תבואה and תבואת שדה are different
  12. Questionרבא asks what the word עללתא includes
  13. Responseרב יוסף answers from the ברייתא about grain
  14. Rejectionאביי says the two words are not alike
  15. Questionרבא explains his real question: rent from houses and boats
  16. Statementרב יוסף is upset at being asked
  17. Statementרבא comes on ערב יום כיפור and mixes רב יוסף's wine
  18. Questionרב יוסף asks רבא to explain a verse
  19. ResponseThe humble person rises: wilderness, gift, inheritance, heights
  20. ResponseIf he becomes proud, he is brought down into the ground
  21. ResponseIf he takes back his pride, God lifts him up again