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Nedarim 79a

נדרים ע״ט ע״א

Learn Nedarim 79a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

A husband's silence about his wife's נדר: even silence meant to annoy her ratifies it (רבי חנינא is refuted); the start of a new פרק on which vows can be cancelled

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא about how a husband ratifies (הקם) or cancels (הפר) his wife's נדר. Silence and a silent decision in the heart can ratify, but they cannot cancel. The גמרא first tries to prove from this ברייתא that even silence meant to annoy the wife ratifies. It deflects that proof by explaining that the ברייתא means plain silence (שותק סתם). Next it asks where הפר is stronger than הקם. רבי יוחנן answers that a חכם can undo a הקם but not a הפר. Then רב כהנא, רבא and רב אשי each bring a source showing that silence ratifies even when it was not meant to ratify. Each challenge ends in תיובתא, so רבי חנינא's view that a husband silent to annoy can still cancel later is refuted. The פרק נערה המאורסה then closes. A new פרק opens with a משנה listing the vows a husband can cancel, starting with vows of עינוי נפש such as bathing and adorning oneself.

Opening lines

שֶׁהַשְּׁתִיקָה מְקַיֶּימֶת,

that silence ratifies,

וְאֵין שְׁתִיקָה מְבַטֶּלֶת.

but silence does not cancel.

קִיֵּים בְּלִבּוֹ — קַיָּים,

If he ratified in his heart, it is ratified,

הֵפֵר בְּלִבּוֹ — אֵינוֹ מוּפָר.

if he cancelled in his heart, it is not cancelled.

The steps (20)

  1. StatementThe ברייתא: silence can ratify but cannot cancel
  2. ChallengeDoes silence meant to annoy also ratify?
  3. ResolutionNo, it means silence in order to ratify
  4. ChallengeThat would repeat 'ratified in his heart'
  5. ResolutionIt means plain silence with no stated purpose
  6. QuestionWhere is cancelling stronger than ratifying?
  7. Responseרבי יוחנן: a הקם can be undone by a חכם, a הפר cannot
  8. Challengeרב כהנא challenges from a ברייתא on the פסוק
  9. QuestionThe ברייתא asks: annoy or ratify?
  10. ResponseThe ברייתא answers: one phrase is about silence to confirm, the other is about silence to annoy
  11. ConclusionThe ברייתא refutes the earlier view
  12. ChallengeWhy not read one phrase as silence to confirm and the other as plain silence?
  13. ResolutionThere are extra פסוקים about silence
  14. Challengeרבא's challenge from a נדר made close to nightfall
  15. Conclusionרבא's challenge is also a refutation
  16. Challengeרב אשי begins a challenge from a husband who did not know the law
  17. ChallengeWhy not treat the unaware husband like one silent to annoy?
  18. Conclusionרב אשי's challenge is a full refutation
  19. Conclusionהדרן — Closing פרק נערה המאורסה
  20. StatementNew פרק: vows of self-affliction can be cancelled