Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 55b

נדרים נ״ה ע״ב

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

Open Nedarim 55b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Vows on foods and on clothing, mushrooms and their ברכה, and רבי יהודה's rule that a vow follows the vower's situation

Overview

This amud opens with the last line of the story about רבא and רב יוסף, a פסוק showing that a humble person is lifted up. Then a ברייתא explains what is included when someone vows off דגן (grain), 'produce of the year,' or 'produce of the land.' It says mushrooms count as 'growths of the ground' but not 'produce of the land.' The גמרא asks how this fits with the ברכה rule that mushrooms get שהכל because they do not grow from the ground. אביי answers that mushrooms grow from the earth but feed from the air, and the משנה in ברכות is read to match. Next comes a new משנה: a vow against clothing does not include sackcloth or sheets, and a vow against wool or flax does not include raw fleece or raw flax. רבי יהודה adds that everything follows the vower's situation. The גמרא brings ברייתות that list items that do count as clothing, discuss going out on שבת in rain coverings, and give examples of רבי יהודה's rule with wool and flax.

Opening lines

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כׇּל גֶּיא יִנָּשֵׂא״.

As it is said: 'Every valley shall be lifted up.'

תַּנְיָא: הַנּוֹדֵר מִן הַדָּגָן —

It was taught: one who vows off grain —

אָסוּר אַף בְּפוֹל הַמִּצְרִי יָבֵשׁ,

is forbidden even in dry Egyptian beans,

וּמוּתָּר בַּלַּח.

and permitted in fresh ones.

The steps (19)

  1. ProofThe verse that closes the story of humility
  2. StatementA vow against grain
  3. StatementA vow against produce of the year
  4. StatementA vow against produce of the land
  5. ChallengeContradiction from the laws of ברכות
  6. Resolutionאביי: mushrooms grow from the earth but feed from the air
  7. ChallengeBut the משנה's wording is about growth
  8. ResolutionReading the משנה as 'does not feed from the ground'
  9. StatementVowing off clothing, wool, or flax
  10. Statementרבי יהודה: everything follows the person's intent
  11. StatementA ברייתא lists items that do count as clothing
  12. QuestionWhat is an איסקורטי?
  13. Responseרבה בר חנה: a tanner's apron
  14. StatementGoing out on שבת in rain coverings
  15. StatementShepherds, and everyone else too
  16. StatementQuoting רבי יהודה's view from the משנה
  17. QuestionThe ברייתא asks how רבי יהודה's rule works
  18. ResponseWool: the vow forbids only wearing it
  19. ResponseFlax: the vow forbids only carrying it