Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 76b

נדרים ע״ו ע״ב

Learn Nedarim 76b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nedarim 76b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

The time limit for הפרת נדרים: the end of the day (תנא קמא) versus twenty-four hours (מעת לעת), the ruling against the twenty-four-hour pair, and how quickly חכמים released vows

Overview

The amud opens by finishing an earlier discussion. The רבנן usually do learn from a קל וחומר, but here the פסוק 'אישה יקימנו ואישה יפרנו' blocks it. Only a vow that could be confirmed (הקם) can be cancelled (הפר), so a husband cannot cancel a vow before it is made. A new משנה then teaches that a father or husband may cancel a vow 'all day', meaning until nightfall of the day he hears it. Depending on when the vow was made, that window can be long or very short. A ברייתא records רבי יוסי ברבי יהודה and רבי אלעזר ברבי שמעון, who give a full twenty-four hours (מעת לעת). The גמרא shows that each side uses both פסוקים, 'ביום שמעו' and 'מיום אל יום', each in its own way. רבי יהושע בן לוי, and רב quoting his uncle, rule that the הלכה does not follow that pair. The amud ends with two short reports of חכמים who released vows brought before them very quickly.

Opening lines

אִין, בְּעָלְמָא דָּרְשִׁי קַל וָחוֹמֶר,

Yes, generally they do expound a kal vachomer,

וְשָׁאנֵי הָכָא

but here it is different,

דְּאָמַר קְרָא

for the verse says:

״אִישָׁהּ יְקִימֶנּוּ וְאִישָׁהּ יְפֵרֶנּוּ״.

"Her husband may confirm it, and her husband may cancel it."

The steps (16)

  1. ResolutionA verse limits cancelling to vows that could be confirmed
  2. StatementThe new משנה: cancelling is allowed all day
  3. StatementExamples of the lenient and strict outcomes
  4. StatementA ברייתא: all day versus twenty-four hours
  5. QuestionWhat is the first view's source?
  6. ResponseThe source: 'on the day he hears'
  7. QuestionWhat is the source for the twenty-four-hour view?
  8. ResponseThe source: 'from day to day'
  9. ChallengeWhat does the first opinion do with 'from day to day'?
  10. Resolution'From day to day' teaches that night counts too
  11. ChallengeWhat does the twenty-four-hour view do with 'on the day he hears'?
  12. Resolution'On the day he hears' limits the window to one day
  13. StatementThe הלכה does not follow the pair
  14. Conclusionרב stops לוי from following the pair
  15. Statementחייא בר רב checks a vow as fast as shooting an arrow
  16. Statementרבה בר רב הונא sits down and stands right back up