Nazir 16 - February 8, 17 Shevat

Study Guide Nazir 16 Today’s daf is sponsored by Joyce Bendavid in honor of Rabbanit Michelle. “Thank you to Rabbanit Michelle Farber for the clarity of your teaching as you motivate us to continue learning the daily daf.” If Rabbi Yossi holds that part of the day is considered a whole day regarding the impurity of a zava, how could one ever become a zava gedola? The Gemara brings two possible answers. The third chapter begins with a description of few different cases of one who took upon oneself to be a nazir either without a specified amount of time or with a specified amount of time. The Mishna explains in each case what is the ideal day for the sacrifices and shaving to take place and what is the law if it was done a day earlier. What if one became impure on the last day or on the day the sacrifices were to be brought? Rabbi Eliezer and the rabbis disagree in most cases. The Gemara explains the reasoning for Rabbi Eliezer in each of the different cases. If one takes upon oneself to be a nazir while they are in a cemetery, one is not considered that they became impure as a nazir and does not bring the sacrifices of a nazir who became impure as the nazirite status never began. But if one left and then came back in, even on the day that one became pure again, there is a debate between the rabbis and Rabbi Eliezer about whether or not they would be obligated in the sacrifices for one who becomes impure. Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish argue about a case where one took upon to be a nazir in a cemetery - would that be effective once they became pure again (Rabbi Yochanan) or would they need only become a nazir if they reaccepted to be a nazir once they became pure? Rabbi Yochanan brings a number of sources to raise difficulties with Reish Lakish's position. The first one is from our Mishna and it is resolved, the second is from a Tosefta and is resolved.