Gemara Clarity

Nedarim 81b

נדרים פ״א ע״ב

Learn Nedarim 81b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nedarim 81b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Which of a wife's vows her husband can cancel (הפרה): vows of עינוי נפש versus vows about matters between him and her

Overview

This amud opens by finishing an earlier argument: a wife who stops bathing will not drive her husband away, because 'a fox does not die from the dust of its own den.' The גמרא then brings a ברייתא supporting רב אדא בר אהבה. Vows of עינוי נפש can always be cancelled, while other vows can be cancelled only if they touch the relationship between husband and wife. The ברייתא gives examples of vows he can cancel, vows he cannot cancel, and vows he does not even need to cancel, and רבן גמליאל says he should cancel even those. The גמרא shows that this ברייתא fits רבי יוסי, who treats eye paint and rouge as marital matters. It then explains the case of a vow against intimacy using רב כהנא's rule: she cannot forbid herself to him, but she can forbid her own pleasure, and then he must cancel it. Next, a ברייתא about keeping strict customs, based on 'לא יחל דברו', is shown to follow רבן גמליאל. Finally, רבא asks רב נחמן whether, for the רבנן, a vow against intimacy is עינוי נפש or a marital matter. רב נחמן begins answering from a משנה, and the answer continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ שׁוּעָל

For we have not found a fox

שֶׁמֵּת בַּעֲפַר פִּיר.

that died from the dust of its den.

תַּנְיָא כְּווֹתֵיהּ דְּרַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה:

It is taught in accordance with Rav Adda bar Ahava:

דְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶן עִינּוּי נֶפֶשׁ

Matters that involve affliction

The steps (15)

  1. RejectionA fox does not die in the dust of its own den
  2. ProofA ברייתא supports רב אדא בר אהבה: the general rule
  3. StatementExamples: produce versus working for relatives and feeding animals
  4. StatementEye paint, rouge, and intimacy: cancellable as marital matters
  5. StatementMaking his bed, mixing his cup, washing him: no need to cancel
  6. Statementרבן גמליאל: he should cancel them anyway
  7. ProofThe ברייתא follows רבי יוסי
  8. QuestionWhat case is the vow about intimacy?
  9. RejectionIt can't mean she forbade herself to him
  10. ResponseShe forbade herself from benefiting from him
  11. Statementרב כהנא's rule about the two wordings
  12. QuestionWho taught the ברייתא about strict customs?
  13. ResponseThe ברייתא follows רבן גמליאל
  14. Questionרבא asks how to classify a vow against intimacy
  15. Responseרב נחמן begins to answer from a משנה