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Today's Mishnah Yomi

Nazir 5:5 - 5:6

The Mishnah Yomi for Tuesday, April 23, 2024 is Nazir 5:5 - 5:6

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Mishnah 1

Mishnayos Nazir Perek 5 Mishnah 5

נזיר פרק ה׳ משנה ה׳

5
If there were people walking along the way, and one other person was approaching them, and one of those walking said: I am hereby a nazirite if this person approaching us is so-and-so. And another one of them said: I am hereby a nazirite if this is not so-and-so, while a third member of the group said: I am hereby a nazirite if one of you two is a nazirite, and a fourth said: I am hereby a nazirite if neither of you is a nazirite, and another added: I am hereby a nazirite if both of you are nazirites. Finally, the last person said: I am hereby a nazirite if all you who spoke before me are nazirites. Beit Shammai say that they are all nazirites, as by saying: I am hereby a nazirite, they have accepted naziriteship upon themselves even if their statements turn out to be incorrect. Beit Shammai maintain that a vow of naziriteship taken in error is considered a valid vow of naziriteship. And Beit Hillel say: Only he whose statement was not fulfilled is a nazirite. And Rabbi Tarfon says: Not a single one of them is a nazirite, including those whose statements were correct. Rabbi Tarfon maintains that a vow of naziriteship must be pronounced in an explicit manner, without any hint of uncertainty. In this case, none of them knew for sure the identity of the person coming toward them, and therefore they could not be certain they were nazirites at the time of their vows.
הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְאֶחָד בָּא כְנֶגְדָּן, אָמַר אֶחָד מֵהֶן הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר שֶׁזֶּה פְלוֹנִי, וְאֶחָד אָמַר הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר שֶׁאֵין זֶה פְלוֹנִי, הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר שֶׁאֶחָד מִכֶּם נָזִיר, שֶׁאֵין אֶחָד מִכֶּם נָזִיר, שֶׁשְּׁנֵיכֶם נְזִירִים, שֶׁכֻּלְּכֶם נְזִירִים, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים כֻּלָּם נְזִירִים. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, אֵינוֹ נָזִיר אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַיְּמוּ דְבָרָיו. וְרַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר, אֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם נָזִיר:
ה׳

הריני נזיר שזה איש פלוני – “if this [person] who is walking towards me is so-and-so, I am a Nazirite,” and the second [person] says, “if this [person walking towards me] is not so-and-so, I am not a Nazirite.

כולם נזירים – and even those whose words were not confirmed/fulfilled, for just as a consecration done in error is a consecration, so also, Naziriteship [vowed] in error is Naziriteship (in accordance with the words of Bet Shammai as found in Tractate Nazir, Chapter 5, Mishnah 1).

ר"ט אומר אין אחד מהם נזיר – for Rabbi Tarphon holds that there is no Naziriteship other than for a distinct and solemn specification of a vow (without a doubt – see Tosefta Nazirut, Chapter 3, Halakha 18 and Talmud Nazir 34a in the words of Rabbi Yehuda quoting Rabbi Tarphon), meaning to say, that it is clear and known to him at the time of his vow that he will be a Nazirite and all of these [examples mentioned in our Mishnah], it was not known to him at the time of his vow that it will be according to his declaration, and the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Tarphon.

הריני נזיר שזה איש פלוני. אם זה ההולך לנגדי הוא איש פלוני הריני נזיר, והשני אומר אם אין זה איש פלוני הריני נזיר:

כולם נזירים. ואפילו אותם שלא נתקיימו דבריהם. דכי היכי דהקדש בטעות הוי הקדש, הכי נמי נזירות בטעות הויא נזירות:

ר״ט אומר אין אחד מהם נזיר. דסבר ר״ט אין נזירות אלא להפלאה, כלומר שיהא ברור וידוע לו בשעת נדרו שיהא נזיר, וכל הני לא היה ידוע לו בשעת נדרו שיהיה כדבריו. ואין הלכה כר״ט:

Mishnah 2

Mishnayos Nazir Perek 5 Mishnah 6

נזיר פרק ה׳ משנה ו׳

6
If the person approaching them turned back so that his identity was never discovered, not one of them is a nazirite. The matter was never clarified, and the halakha is lenient in cases of uncertain naziriteship. Rabbi Shimon says that the halakha is stringent with regard to an uncertainty of this kind, and therefore they should proceed as follows in order to avoid any uncertainty: Each of those who took a vow should say: If it was in accordance with my statement, I am hereby an obligatory nazirite, as my condition was fulfilled, and if not, I am hereby a voluntary nazirite, and in this manner they are all nazirites either way.
הִרְתִּיעַ לַאֲחוֹרָיו, אֵינוֹ נָזִיר. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, יֹאמַר, אִם הָיָה כִדְבָרַי, הֲרֵינִי נְזִיר חוֹבָה. וְאִם לָאו, הֲרֵינִי נְזִיר נְדָבָה:
ו׳

הרתיע לאחוריו – the person who had come towards them was startled and moved backward and it was not known who it was.

אינו נזיר – not a single one of them is a Nazirite, for no one protested for himself regarding a doubt, and his intention was at the time of the vow that if the matter did not come to clarity, that his words would not be worth anything.

ר' שמעון אומר כו' – Rabbi Shimon, according to his reasoning, who said that a doubtful case of Naziriteship is [dealt with] stringently and what is their remedy, for it is impossible o bring a sacrifice out of doubt, but rather, each person needs to make a condition and state that if it is not according to his statement, he should be a Nazirite out of free will, but the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Shimon.

הרתיע לאחוריו. זה שבא כנגדן חזר לאחוריו ולא נודע מי הוא:

אינו נזיר. אין אחד מהם נזיר, דלא מחית אינש נפשיה אספיקא ודעתו היה בשעת הנדר שאם לא יבא הדבר לידי בירור שלא יהיה בדבריו כלום:

ר׳ שמעון אומר כו׳ רבי שמעון לטעמיה דאמר ספק נזירות להחמיר. ומה תקנתן שהרי אי אפשר להביא קרבן מספק, אלא צריכים להתנות כל אחד ולומר אם אינו כדבריו שיהא נזיר נדבה. ואין הלכה כרבי שמעון:

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