## Nazir Daf 4b

###### Nazir 4b:1
[Nazir 4b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:1)

וְאֵינוֹ מֵבִיא קׇרְבַּן טוּמְאָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**but he does not bring** the **offering** for **impurity.**


###### Nazir 4b:2
[Nazir 4b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:2)

קׇרְבָּן הוּא דְּלָא מַיְיתֵי, אֲבָל נְזִירוּת חָיְילָא עֲלֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: From the words: But if he becomes impure he does not bring an offering for impurity, one can infer that **it is the offering that he does not bring. However,** all of the prohibitions of **naziriteship apply to him,** and it is prohibited for him to become impure from a corpse.


###### Nazir 4b:3
[Nazir 4b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:3)

מַנִּי מַתְנִיתִין? לָא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְלָא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: נְזִיר שִׁמְשׁוֹן — מוּתָּר לִיטַמֵּא לְמֵתִים, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן שֶׁנִּטְמָא. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: הָאוֹמֵר ״נְזִיר שִׁמְשׁוֹן״ — לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם, שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ בְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן שֶׁיָּצָאת נְזִירוּת מִפִּיו.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This leads to the following question: **Whose** opinion is expressed in **the mishna?** It is **not** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda and not** the opinion of **Rabbi Shimon, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Yehuda says: A nazirite** like **Samson is permitted to become impure from a corpse** *ab initio*, **as we find with Samson that he became impure. Rabbi Shimon says: One who says** he will be **a nazirite** like **Samson has not said anything, since we do not find with Samson that** an utterance of a vow of **naziriteship left his mouth.** Samson never took a vow to be a nazirite. He received his status from the angel’s instructions to his mother (see Judges 13:5). Consequently, Rabbi Shimon holds that one who vows to be a nazirite like Samson is not considered to have taken a nazirite vow.


###### Nazir 4b:4
[Nazir 4b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:4)

מַנִּי? אִי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה — הָאָמַר אֲפִילּוּ לְכַתְּחִילָּה, וּמַתְנִיתִין קָתָנֵי ״אִם נִטְמָא״. אִי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן — הָאָמַר לָא חָיְילָא עֲלֵיהּ נְזִירוּת כְּלָל!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains the question: **Whose** opinion is expressed in the mishna? **If** it is the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda, didn’t he say** that it is permitted for a nazirite of this kind to become impure from a corpse **even *ab initio*, but the mishna teaches: If he becomes impure,** which indicates that he is prohibited from doing so *ab initio*? However, **if** you say that the mishna is according to the opinion of **Rabbi Shimon, didn’t he say** that **naziriteship does not apply to him at all?**


###### Nazir 4b:5
[Nazir 4b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:5)

לְעוֹלָם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הִיא, וְאַיְּידֵי דְּקָתָנֵי גַּבֵּי נְזִיר עוֹלָם ״אִם נִטְמָא״, תְּנָא נָמֵי גַּבֵּי נְזִיר שִׁמְשׁוֹן ״אִם נִטְמָא״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Actually,** the mishna **is** in accordance with the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda,** and a nazirite like Samson may become impure from a corpse even *ab initio*. **And since it teaches with regard to a permanent nazirite: If he becomes impure,** as it is prohibited for a permanent nazirite to become impure from a corpse *ab initio*, the *tanna* **also taught** the same expression **with regard to a nazirite** like **Samson** and used the expression: **If he becomes impure.**


###### Nazir 4b:6
[Nazir 4b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:6)

לֵימָא בִּפְלוּגְתָּא דְהָנֵי תַּנָּאֵי קָמִיפַּלְגִי, דִּתְנַן: ״הֲרֵי עָלַי כִּבְכוֹר״, רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹסֵר, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי מַתִּיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara suggests: **Let us say that** Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon **disagree with regard to** the issue that is the subject of **the dispute between these *tanna’im*, as we learned** in a *baraita*: If one says: This object **is hereby** forbidden **to me like a firstborn, Rabbi Ya’akov prohibits** the individual from deriving benefit from the object, as he holds that a vow of this sort is valid. **And Rabbi Yosei permits** it, because the sanctity of a firstborn is not the result of a vow or sanctification. Rather, it is sacred of its own accord, and therefore its forbidden status cannot be extended by means of a vow to other items.


###### Nazir 4b:7
[Nazir 4b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:7)

מַאי לָאו, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה סָבַר לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב, דְּאָמַר: לָא בָּעִינַן דָּבָר הַנִּידָּר. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן סָבַר לַהּ כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, דְּאָמַר: בָּעִינַן דָּבָר הַנִּידָּר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**What, is it not** the case that **Rabbi Yehuda holds in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Ya’akov, who said** that in order for a vow to take effect, **we do not require** one to extend the forbidden status of **an item** rendered forbidden by means of **a vow?** Consequently, just as one can render an object forbidden by extending to it the sanctity of a firstborn animal, one can become a nazirite by accepting upon himself the status of Samson, whose prohibitions were not established by a vow. **And Rabbi Shimon holds in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei, who said** that in order for a vow to take effect, **we do require** one to extend the forbidden status of **an item** rendered forbidden by means of **a vow.** Consequently, one cannot become a nazirite by accepting upon himself the status of Samson.


###### Nazir 4b:8
[Nazir 4b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:8)

לָא, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא בָּעִינַן דָּבָר הַנִּידָּר, וְשָׁאנֵי גַּבֵּי בְּכוֹר, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: ״לַה׳״ — לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַבְּכוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara responds: **No,** it can be explained **that everyone** agrees that **we require** one to extend the forbidden status of **an item** rendered forbidden by means of **a vow. And** according to Rabbi Ya’akov, the *halakha* **is different with regard to a firstborn, as it is written about** this in the verse pertaining to vows: “When a man vows a vow **to the Lord”** (Numbers 30:3). This comes **to include the firstborn** and teach that since the firstborn is consecrated, its status is comparable to animals designated as offerings by means of a vow, and one can extend its forbidden status to another item.


###### Nazir 4b:9
[Nazir 4b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:9)

וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר לָךְ: הָהוּא ״לַה׳״, מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְרַבּוֹת חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Yosei** could have **said to you** in response that **he needs that** expression: **“To the Lord,” to include a sin-offering and a guilt-offering.** One may not obligate himself to bring these offerings by means of a vow. They are brought only when one becomes liable due to a transgression. Nevertheless, one can take a vow by extending to another item the forbidden status of a sin-offering or guilt-offering.


###### Nazir 4b:10
[Nazir 4b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:10)

וּמָה רָאִיתָ לְרַבּוֹת חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם וּלְהוֹצִיא אֶת הַבְּכוֹר? מְרַבֶּה אֲנִי חַטָּאת וְאָשָׁם — שֶׁכֵּן מַתְפִּיסָן בְּנֶדֶר, וּמוֹצִיא אֲנִי אֶת הַבְּכוֹר — שֶׁאֵין מַתְפִּיסוֹ בְּנֶדֶר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara questions Rabbi Yosei’s explanation: **And what did you see** that indicated to you **to include a sin-offering and a guilt-offering and to exclude a firstborn?** The Gemara answers: **I include a sin-offering and a guilt-offering, as one grants** consecrated status to the animals designated for these offerings **by** means of **a vow,** i.e., the act of designating specific animals for these offerings is comparable to taking a vow. **And I exclude a firstborn, as one does not grant it** consecrated status **by** means of **a vow.**


###### Nazir 4b:11
[Nazir 4b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:11)

וְרַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אָמַר לָךְ: בְּכוֹר נָמֵי מַתְפִּיסוֹ בְּנֶדֶר הוּא. דְּתַנְיָא: שֶׁל בֵּית רַבֵּינוּ אָמְרוּ: מִנַּיִן לְנוֹלַד לוֹ בְּכוֹר בְּתוֹךְ עֶדְרוֹ שֶׁמִּצְוָה עָלָיו לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הַזָּכָר תַּקְדִּישׁ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Ya’akov** could have **said to you** in response: **Also** in the case of **a firstborn, one grants it** consecrated status **by** means of **a vow, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: The Sages **of the house of our Rabbi,** i.e., Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, **said: From where** is it derived **that** when **a firstborn** male animal **is born in one’s herd,** there is **a mitzva for him to consecrate it,** although it is consecrated from the time it is born? **As it is stated:** “All firstborns **males** that are born to your herd and to your flock **you shall sanctify”** (Deuteronomy 15:19).


###### Nazir 4b:12
[Nazir 4b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:12)

וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר לָךְ: נְהִי דְּמִצְוָה לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ, אִי לָא מַקְדֵּישׁ לֵיהּ, מִי לָא קָדוֹשׁ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Yosei** could have **said to you** in response: **Granted that** there is **a mitzva to consecrate it.** But **if he does not consecrate it, is it not consecrated** of its own accord? Since a firstborn is forbidden principally because of its inherent sanctity and not because of a vow, one cannot express a vow by extending a firstborn’s forbidden status to another item.


###### Nazir 4b:13
[Nazir 4b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:13)

גַּבֵּי נָזִיר נָמֵי, הָכְתִיב ״לַה׳״!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: Both Rabbi Ya’akov and Rabbi Yosei agree that the phrase “to the Lord” indicates that one can take a vow by associating the object of his vow with an item whose prohibition does not stem from a vow. **With regard to a nazirite as well, isn’t it written:** “Shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a nazirite, to consecrate himself **to the Lord”** (Numbers 6:2)? Why doesn’t Rabbi Shimon derive from this verse that one can become a nazirite by accepting the naziriteship of Samson, despite the fact that Samson did not accept his naziriteship by means of a vow?


###### Nazir 4b:14
[Nazir 4b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:14)

הַהוּא מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכִדְתַנְיָא, אָמַר שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק: מִיָּמַי לֹא אָכַלְתִּי אֲשַׁם נָזִיר טָמֵא, חוּץ מֵאָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁבָּא אֵלַי מִן הַדָּרוֹם, יְפֵה עֵינַיִם וְטוֹב רוֹאִי, וּקְווּצּוֹתָיו סְדוּרוֹת לוֹ תַּלְתַּלִּים. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: בְּנִי, מָה רָאִיתָ לְשַׁחֵת שֵׂעָר נָאֶה זֶה?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **That** phrase **is required by him for that which is taught** in a *baraita*: **Shimon HaTzaddik said: In** all **my days** as a priest, **I never ate the guilt-offering of a ritually impure nazirite, apart from** the offering of **one man who came to me from the South,** who had **beautiful eyes and a fine countenance, and his locks were arranged in curls. I said to him: My son, what did you see** to become a nazirite, which would force you **to destroy this beautiful hair,** as a nazirite must cut off all his hair at the conclusion of his term?


###### Nazir 4b:15
[Nazir 4b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:15)

אָמַר לִי: רוֹעֶה הָיִיתִי לְאָבִי בְּעִירִי, וְהָלַכְתִּי לִשְׁאוֹב מַיִם מִן הַמַּעְיָין, וְנִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי בַּבָּבוּאָה שֶׁלִּי, וּפָחַז יִצְרִי עָלַי, וּבִיקֵּשׁ לְטוֹרְדֵנִי מִן הָעוֹלָם. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: רֵיקָה! מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתָּה מִתְגָּאֶה בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ, שֶׁסּוֹפְךָ לִהְיוֹת רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה? הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁאֲגַלֵּחֲךָ לַשָּׁמַיִם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**He said to me: I was a shepherd for my father in my town, and I went to draw water from the spring, and I looked at my reflection** in the water. **And my** evil **inclination quickly** rose **against me and sought to drive me from the world. I said to** my evil inclination: **Empty one! For what** reason **are you proud in a world that is not yours, as your end is to be maggots and worms** when you die. I swear by **the** Temple **service that I will** become a nazirite and **shave you for** the sake of **Heaven.**


###### Nazir 4b:16
[Nazir 4b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:16)

עָמַדְתִּי וּנְשַׁקְתִּיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ, אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: כְּמוֹתְךָ יִרְבּוּ נְזִירִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל — עָלֶיךָ הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא לִנְדֹּר נֶדֶר נָזִיר לְהַזִּיר לַה׳״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Shimon HaTzaddik relates: When I heard his response, **I arose and kissed him on his head,** and **said to him: May there be more nazirites like you in Israel,** whose intentions are noble, and who would not regret their vow of naziriteship even if they became impure. **With regard to you the verse states: “When** either **a man** or a woman **shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a nazirite, to consecrate himself to the Lord”** (Numbers 6:2). The verse speaks of a vow that is not undertaken out of anger or spite, but purely for the sake of God. The phrase “to the Lord” in this context means: For the sake of Heaven. It cannot be used to teach that if one declares his intention to become a nazirite like Samson, his statement constitutes a nazirite vow.


###### Nazir 4b:17
[Nazir 4b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:17)

וְשִׁמְשׁוֹן לָאו נָזִיר הֲוָה? וְהָכְתִיב: ״כִּי נְזִיר אֱלֹהִים יִהְיֶה הַנַּעַר מִן הַבֶּטֶן״! הָתָם מַלְאָךְ הוּא דְּקָאָמַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges the assumption that Samson’s naziriteship was not accepted through a vow: **And was Samson not a nazirite** whose naziriteship was accepted by a vow? **Isn’t it written: “For the child shall be a nazirite of God from the womb”** (Judges 13:5)? The Gemara answers: **There it was the angel who spoke.** Samson’s nazirite status did not stem from a vow uttered by a human being.


###### Nazir 4b:18
[Nazir 4b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:18)

וּמְנָלַן דְּאִיטַּמִּי לְמֵתִים? אִילֵּימָא מִדִּכְתִיב ״בִּלְחִי הַחֲמוֹר הִכֵּיתִי אֶלֶף אִישׁ״ — דִּילְמָא גָּרוֹיֵי גָּרִי בְּהוּ וְלָא נְגַע בְּהוּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And from where do we** derive **that** Samson **became impure from corpses? If we say** it is **from** the fact **that it is written:** “And Samson said: **With the jawbone of an ass, I smote a thousand men”** (Judges 15:16), **perhaps he thrust** the jawbone **at them but did not touch them,** and he remained pure.


###### Nazir 4b:19
[Nazir 4b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:19)

אֶלָּא מֵהָכָא: ״וַיַּךְ מֵהֶם שְׁלֹשִׁים אִישׁ וַיִּקַּח אֶת חֲלִיצוֹתָם״. דִּילְמָא אַשְׁלְחִינּוּן בְּרֵישָׁא וַהֲדַר קַטְלִינֻּן? ״וַיַּךְ ... וַיִּקַּח״ כְּתִיב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** it is derived **from here: “And he smote thirty men of them, and took their garments”** (Judges 14:19). Since he stripped the clothes off the dead he must have come into contact with them. The Gemara counters: **Perhaps he stripped them first and afterward killed them.** The Gemara responds: **It is written: “And he smote…and took,”** in that order, indicating that first he killed them and then he took their clothing.


###### Nazir 4b:20
[Nazir 4b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:20)

וְדִילְמָא גּוֹסְסִין שַׁוִּינֻן! אֶלָּא: גְּמָרָא גְּמִירִי לַהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But perhaps** he mortally wounded them and thereby **caused them** to be in the process of **dying,** and he then took their clothes before they died so that he would not touch their corpses. **Rather,** it must be concluded that **it is learned as a tradition** that Samson would become impure from corpses.


###### Nazir 4b:21
[Nazir 4b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Nazir/r/4b:21)

וּנְזִיר עוֹלָם הֵיכָא כְּתִיב? דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: אַבְשָׁלוֹם נְזִיר עוֹלָם הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלְכָה נָּא וַאֲשַׁלֵּם אֶת נִדְרִי אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתִּי לַה׳ בְּחֶבְרוֹן״, וּמְגַלֵּחַ אֶחָד לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים לַיָּמִים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara clarifies a *halakha* taught in the mishna: **And where is** the concept of **a permanent nazirite written? As it is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says: Absalom was a permanent nazirite, as it is stated: “And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king: I pray to you, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron”** (II Samuel 15:7). **And he cut** his hair **once** every **twelve months, as it is stated:** “And when he polled his head, **now it was at every year’s [*yamim*] end** that he polled it; because the hair was heavy on him” (II Samuel 14:26).