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Nedarim 56a

נדרים נ״ו ע״א

Learn Nedarim 56a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

How far words reach in a נדר: whether 'house' includes the upper story and whether 'bed' includes a דרגש, and what a דרגש is.

Overview

This amud has two short משניות about how far a word reaches in a נדר. In the first משנה, רבי מאיר says someone who vows off 'the house' may still use the upper story (עלייה), while חכמים say the upper story counts as part of the house. The גמרא then asks which side two other teachings follow. On the teaching that 'בבית' includes the upper story for נגעים, רב חסדא says it must be רבי מאיר, but אביי shows חכמים could also need that פסוק. On עולא's rule about selling 'a house in my house,' the גמרא suggests רבי מאיר, then reads 'עלייה' as 'the finest room,' so it fits חכמים too. The second משנה has the same argument about whether a vow on a bed includes a דרגש. עולא defines a דרגש as a 'bed of fortune.' רבינא turns away a challenge from the mourning king who reclines on a דרגש. A stronger challenge then comes from the mourner's custom of overturning beds, and the גמרא's answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳ הַנּוֹדֵר מִן הַבַּיִת —

MISHNAH: One who vows off the house,

מוּתָּר בַּעֲלִיָּיה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

is permitted in the upper story; these are the words of Rabbi Meir.

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים:

And the Sages say:

עֲלִיָּיה בִּכְלַל הַבַּיִת.

The upper story is included in the house.

The steps (14)

  1. StatementThe משנה: Does a vow on a house include the upper story?
  2. QuestionWhose view is the teaching that 'in the house' includes the upper story?
  3. Responseרב חסדא: It must be רבי מאיר
  4. Rejectionאביי: Even חכמים need the verse
  5. QuestionWhose view is עולא's rule on selling 'a house in my house'?
  6. ProofA plain 'house' would not include the upper story, so it seems to be רבי מאיר
  7. RejectionNo: here 'עלייה' means the finest room
  8. StatementNew משנה: Does a vow against a bed include a דרגש?
  9. QuestionWhat is a דרגש?
  10. Responseעולא: A דרגש is a 'bed of good fortune'
  11. ChallengeThe רבנן challenge עולא from the mourning king
  12. Rejectionרבינא: Just like the meat and wine served that day
  13. ChallengeA stronger question: the mourner does not overturn a דרגש
  14. ResolutionThe גמרא begins to answer: this is not difficult