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Nedarim 86a

נדרים פ״ו ע״א

Learn Nedarim 86a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Can a woman consecrate (הקדש) her future handiwork (מעשה ידיה), which right now belongs to her husband? The גמרא tests this with a chain of comparisons to a field that will only come back to its owner later.

Overview

Earlier on the daf the גמרא discussed a woman who consecrates her handiwork. Right now that handiwork goes to her husband, so the consecration could only take effect later, once she is divorced. רבי אילא supports this with a seller who consecrates a field he is selling, effective when he buys it back. Then a chain of אמוראים each say 'מי דמי', meaning the comparison doesn't fit. רבי ירמיה says a field already sold is the better match, and that points against the woman. רב פפא says a pledged field matches better, and רב שישא בריה דרב אידי refines it to a field pledged for ten years. Both of those point in her favor. Finally רב אשי rejects even the ten-year field, because it has a fixed end date and a woman has none.

Opening lines

אָמַר רַבִּי אִילָא:

Rabbi Ila said:

וּמָה אִילּוּ אוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵירוֹ

And what if one says to his fellow,

״שָׂדֶה זוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹכֵר לְךָ,

"This field that I am selling to you,

לִכְשֶׁאֶקָּחֶנָּה מִמְּךָ — תִּקָּדֵישׁ״,

when I buy it back from you, let it be consecrated",

The steps (8)

  1. Proofרבי אילא compares the woman to a field being sold
  2. Rejectionרבי ירמיה: the seller still owns the field now
  3. Challengeרבי ירמיה's better comparison: a field already sold
  4. Rejectionרב פפא: a sale is a clean break, marriage is not
  5. Proofרב פפא's comparison: a pledged field
  6. Rejectionרב שישא: the owner can redeem anytime, the woman cannot divorce herself
  7. Proofרב שישא's comparison: a field pledged for ten years
  8. Rejectionרב אשי Rejects the Ten-Year Field Comparison