Nedarim 64b

נדרים ס״ד ע״ב

Learn Nedarim 64b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nedarim 64b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Opening a vow with כבוד אב ואם and with a נולד, and the four who are considered like dead

Overview

The amud opens with רבא's reason why the חכמים forbid opening a vow with כבוד אב ואם: since that opening would fit every vow, people would stop bringing their vows to a חכם. The גמרא tests this against the משנה, which says the חכמים agree when the vow is directly about the parents. That exception fits אביי's reason easily. It is answered for רבא too: ordinary vows still need a חכם, so this narrow case does no harm. Next, the גמרא asks for רבי אליעזר's source that one may open a vow with a נולד, a new development. רב חסדא points to משה, who was told he could return to מצרים because 'all the men have died.' The רבנן reply that those men, דתן ואבירם, never really died. ריש לקיש explains that 'died' means they became poor. This leads to רבי יהושע בן לוי's teaching that a childless person is like dead, and to a ברייתא listing four people considered dead: a poor person, a מצורע, a blind person, and a childless person, each with its פסוק.

Opening lines

The steps (12)

1. Statementרבא's reason why the Sages forbid opening with parents' honor
2. StatementThe משנה: the Sages agree when the vow involves the parents
3. ChallengeThe exception fits אביי but seems hard for רבא
4. ResolutionAnswer for רבא: other vows still need a sage
5. QuestionWhat is רבי אליעזר's source for opening with a new development?
6. Responseרב חסדא: משה's vow was released because of a new event
7. QuestionWhy do the Rabbis disagree?
8. RejectionThose men did not really die
9. ResponseThey lost their wealth
10. StatementA person without children is like dead
11. ProofA ברייתא lists four people considered dead
12. StatementA פסוק for each of the four