Talmud - Nazir 3a נזיר ג׳ א׳

The Gemara answers: Yes, as even according to Rabbi Elazar HaKappar, who said that a nazirite is a sinner, that applies only with regard to a ritually impure nazirite. This is because it is necessary for him to void the days of his vow that have been observed and to begin his term anew, as the Merciful One states in the Torah: “But the first days will be void, because his consecration was defiled” (Numbers 6:12). It is there that Rabbi Elazar HaKappar called the nazirite a sinner, because perhaps he will come to transgress his naziriteship now that he is a nazirite for a longer period than he originally intended. However, with regard to a ritually pure nazirite, Rabbi Elazar HaKappar does not call him a sinner.

§ The mishna taught that one who says: I am hereby like this, is a nazirite. The Gemara asks: Though this is indeed a case where he is holding his hair at the time, since he did not say: I am hereby like this, how can this statement constitute an acceptance of naziriteship? Shmuel said: It is a case where a nazirite was passing before him when he made his statement. His intention was to declare himself a nazirite like the individual passing before him, and his statement therefore constitutes a nazirite vow.

The mishna rules that one who says: I am hereby a hair curler is a nazirite. The Gemara asks: From where is it known that this term is referring to the curling [silsul] of hair by allowing it to grow? The Gemara answers: As that maidservant of the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to a certain man who grew his hair long: Until when will you curl [mesalsel] your hair? This shows that mesalsel means to grow hair.

The Gemara suggests: Say that the word mesalsel is referring to the study of Torah, as it is written with regard to Torah: “Extol her [salseleha] and she will exalt you” (Proverbs 4:8). The Gemara responds that Shmuel said: Here too, the case is where he was holding his hair at the time of his pronouncement.

The mishna rules that one who says: I am hereby growing my hair is a nazirite. The Gemara asks: From where is it known that this term is a reference to growing [kilkul] his hair? The Gemara answers: As we learned in a mishna (Shabbat 78b): With regard to the measure that determines liability for carrying out lime on Shabbat from a private to a public domain, Rabbi Yehuda says: The measure is equivalent to that which is used to spread on one’s kilkul. And Rav said: This is referring to the hair that grows on the areas beneath the temple.

The Gemara suggests: Say that he vowed to sustain the poor, as it is written: “And Joseph sustained [vaykhalkel] his father and his brethren” (Genesis 47:12). The Gemara responds that Shmuel said: Here too, in the mishna, the case is one where the individual was holding his hair when he made his pronouncement, so that it was clear that he was referring to growing his hair.

The mishna rules that with regard to one who says: It is incumbent upon me to grow [leshale’aḥ] long hair, he is a nazirite. The Gemara asks: From where is it known that this term shilu’aḥ, which is a different form of the word leshale’aḥ, is an expression of increase and growth? The Gemara answers: As it is written: “Your tresses [shelaḥayikh] are a park of pomegranates” (Song of Songs 4:13).

The Gemara suggests: Say that it is referring to a matter involving transfer, as it is written: “And sends [shole’aḥ] water upon the earth” (Job 5:10), where the word shole’aḥ is referring to the transport of water from one place to another. Here too, the individual taking the vow might mean that he intends to transfer, i.e., to remove, his hair.

The Gemara answers: The tanna derives the meaning of this term based upon a verbal analogy of the term long locks [pera] written with regard to a nazirite and the term long locks [pera] written with regard to a priest. It is written here, with regard to a nazirite: “He shall be holy, he shall let the hair of his head grow [gadel] long locks [pera]” (Numbers 6:5). And it is written there, with regard to a common priest serving in the Temple: “And they will not let their locks grow long [pera lo yeshaleḥu]” (Ezekiel 44:20). Just as the word pera with regard to a nazirite indicates growing long hair, so too, in the case of a priest it is referring to growing long hair. This proves that the term shilu’aḥ means letting one’s hair grow.

The Gemara offers an alternate answer: And if you wish, say that the meaning of the word shole’aḥ in that phrase: Sends [shole’aḥ] water, is also increase and growth, as Rav Yosef translated this verse into Aramaic in the following manner: When one waters produce, it grows. Consequently, the verse is referring to growth by means of water.

§ The mishna taught that if one says: An obligation is hereby incumbent upon me with regard to birds, Rabbi Meir says: He is a nazirite, and the Sages say: He is not a nazirite. The Gemara asks: What is the reason for the opinion of Rabbi Meir? Reish Lakish said: He accepted upon himself an obligation with regard to the birds that are juxtaposed in a verse to hair, as it is written: “Until his hair was grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws” (Daniel 4:30). Since the verse juxtaposes birds with growing hair, it is understood that when this individual accepted an obligation with regard to birds, he was referring to growing his hair as a nazirite.

The Gemara explains the basis of the dispute: Rabbi Meir holds that a person associates the object of his vow with something that is juxtaposed to it in a verse, so that when he says that it is incumbent upon him to bring birds, he means that it is incumbent upon him to grow his hair.

Traduction : The William Davidson digital edition of the Koren Noé Talmud, with commentary by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz.

Nazir 3a explores whether an impure nazirite is deemed a sinner and analyzes ambiguous vow declarations like being a hair curler.