Talmud Nazir (E)

naziriteships as there are days in the solar year; if [he says] ‘as the days of a lunar year,’ he must
count as many naziriteships as there are days in a lunar year. Rabbi said that this does not hold
unless he says, ‘I undertake naziriteships as the number of days in the solar year or as the number of
days in the lunar year’?
9
 — R. Judah agrees with Rabbi on one point, and differs from him on the
other. He agrees with him on one point, viz: that what is undertaken is a [single] naziriteship,
10
 but
differs from him on the other, for whilst R. Judah distinguishes between [the cases] where the word
‘number’ is mentioned and where it is omitted, Rabbi does not so distinguish.
 
    Our Rabbis taught: [A man who says,] ‘I wish to be a nazirite all the days of my life,’ or ‘I wish to
be a life-nazirite,’ becomes a life-nazirite. Even if he says a hundred years, or a thousand years, he
does not become a life-nazirite, but a nazirite for life.
11
 
    Our Rabbis taught: [If a man says,] ‘I wish to be a nazirite plus one,’ he must reckon two
[naziriteships]. [If he adds,] ‘and another,’ he must reckon three, and if he then adds ‘and again’. he
counts four. Surely this is obvious? — It might be thought that the words ‘and again’ refer to the
whole [preceding number], making six in all, and so we are told that this is not so.
 
    Our Rabbis taught: [When a man says,] ‘I wish to be a nazirite,’ Symmachos affirmed [that by
adding] hen,
12
 [he must reckon] one; digon,
13
 two; trigon,
13
 three; tetragon,
13
 four; pentagon,
13
 five
[naziriteships].
14
 
    Our Rabbis taught: A house that is round, or digon,
15
 or trigon,
15
 or pentagon,
15
 does not contract
defilement through the plague [of leprosy]. One that is tetragon
15
 does. What is the reason? — For
Scripture, both in the latter part and in the earlier part of the passage [dealing with the leprosy of
houses], puts walls [in the plural]
16
 instead of wall [in the singular], thus making four walls in all.
17
 [
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(1) ‘I intend to he a nazirite, etc.’
(2) 365 naziriteships, each of thirty days duration.
(3) At the end of thirty years.
(4)  He would then mean, ‘I undertake to be a nazirite for the number of the sun's days, i.e., for ever.’ (Rashi).
[Alternatively: If you say he undertook a single naziriteship (i.e. of 365 days duration) could it be said of him that he had
completed the amount of naziriteships required by the Rabbis, in support of whose view R. Judah cites the incident; v.
Tosaf.]
(5) He could never bring sacrifices.
(6) Aliter; paths of the fig-gatherers. v. Kohut, Aruch.
(7) Aliter; field.paths in the Sabbatical year.
(8) Tosef. Naz. I. Whereas Rabbi holds that in such a case he would have to count only as many days as there are heaps
of figs.
(9) Tosef. Naz. I. And, according to Rabbi, the same would be the case if he omitted the word ‘number’, the important
thing being the use of the term, ‘nazirite’ or ‘naziriteships’.
(10) I.e., when he says, ‘I intend to be a nazirite as the capacity of this house’.
(11) Tosef. Naz. I, 3, and supra p. 21.
(12) Gr. **, once.
(13) The last syllable is probably a Hebraisation of ** Thus digon — ** — twice; and so on. V. Kohut, Aruch.
(14) Tosef. Naz. I.
(15) Here we have the normal meaning, two-sided, and so on.
(16) Lev. XIV, 39, and 37.
(17) Cf. Neg. XII, I.
Talmud - Mas. Nazir 9a
Talmud - Mas. Nazir 9a
Talmud - Mas. Nazir 9a
C H A P T E R  II

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    MISHNAH. [IF A MAN SAYS.] ‘I INTEND TO BE A NAZIRITE [AND ABSTAIN] FROM
DRIED FIGS AND PRESSED FIGS’, BETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT HE BECOMES A
NAZIRITE [IN THE ORDINARY SENSE].
1
 BUT BETH HILLEL SAY THAT HE DOES NOT
BECOME A NAZIRITE. R. JUDAH SAID: EVEN THOUGH BETH SHAMMAI DID AFFIRM
[THAT THE FORMULA IS OF SOME EFFECT]. THEY MEANT ONLY WHERE HE SAID,
2
‘THEY ARE [FORBIDDEN] TO ME, AS IS A SACRIFICE.’
3
 
    GEMARA. [IF A MAN SAYS,] ‘I INTEND TO BE A NAZIRITE [AND ABSTAIN] FROM
DRIED FIGS AND PRESSED FIGS, BETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT HE BECOMES A
NAZIRITE: But why? Does not the Divine Law say, nothing that is made of the grape-vine?
4
  —
Beth Shammai adopt the view of R. Meir, who said that a man does not make a declaration without
meaning something,
5
 whilst Beth Hillel adopt the view of R. Jose that a man's intentions are to be
gathered from
6
 the concluding portion of his statement [equally with the first portion], and [in
consequence] the vow here carries with it its annulment.
7
 
    But surely Beth Shammai also agree that the vow here carries with it its annulment? — We must
therefore say, that Beth Shammai adopt the view of R. Meir, who said that a man does not make a
declaration without meaning something, and so immediately he utters the words ‘I INTEND TO BE
A NAZIRITE’, he becomes a nazirite, and in adding ‘[AND ABSTAIN] FROM DRIED FIGS AND
PRESSED FIGS, his purpose is to obtain release
8
 [from his vow], and Beth Shammai [reject this] in
accordance with their general principle that there can be no release from [vows made for] sacred
purposes, and since there can be no release from [vows made for] sacred purposes, there can be no
release from naziriteship. Beth Hillel, on the other hand, agree with R. Simeon, as we have learnt:
9
R. Simeon declared him free
10
 [of obligation], since his offering was not undertaken in the
customary manner:
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(1) I.e., he must abstain from wine and grapes.
(2) I.e., he added (Rashi). [Tosaf: . . as if he said’; Asheri: . . .here he intended’].
(3) They then become forbidden, but he does not become a nazirite even according to Beth Shammai.
(4) Num. VI, 4, which would show that naziriteship applies only to wine etc.
(5) Even though taken altogether his words are meaningless, and we therefore select that part which has a meaning and
hold him to it.
(6) Lit., ‘a man is held by’.
(7) Lit., ‘its door’ for escape; by his concluding remarks, he has withdrawn from his nazirite vow.
(8) Lit, ‘to ask for remission.
(9) In connection with one who vowed to bring a meal-offering of barley flour; v. infra.
(10) From bringing the offering, since a meal-offering could be brought only of wheaten flour.
Talmud - Mas. Nazir 9b
Talmud - Mas. Nazir 9b
Talmud - Mas. Nazir 9b
    Our Mishnah is not in agreement with the following tanna. For it has been taught: R. Nathan said
that Beth Shammai declare him both to have vowed [to abstain from figs] and to have become a
nazirite, whilst Beth Hillel declare him to have vowed [to abstain from figs], but not to have become
a nazirite. [Here,] Beth Shammai agree with R. Meir
1
 and R. Judah,
2
 and Beth Hillel with R. Jose.
3
According to another report, R. Nathan said that Beth Shammai declare him to have vowed [to
abstain from figs], but not to have become a nazirite, whilst Beth Hillel declare him neither to have
vowed, nor to have become a nazirite. [Here,] Beth Shammai agree with R. Judah, and Beth Hillel
with R. Simeon.
4
 
    We have learnt elsewhere: A man who says, ‘I undertake to bring a meal-offering of barley-flour,’
must [nevertheless] bring one of wheaten flour.
5
 If he says, ‘of coarse meal,’ he must [nevertheless]

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