Nazir 31 - February 23, 2 Adar

Today's daf is dedicated in memory of Faye Darack, one of Hadran's dedicated learners who passed away yesterday. Yehi zichra baruch. Beit Shamai holds that if one sanctified something by mistake, it is effective. Beit Hillel disagree. An example is brought in the Mishna of one who said that the first black ox to leave my house will be sanctified and a white ox left the house first. Or the first gold coin to come in my hand, or the first wine barrel and silver came first or a barrel of oil. Beit Shamai holds it is sanctified, Beit Hillel says it is not. There are three explanations in the Gemara regarding the details of the case and what in fact becomes sanctified according to Beit Shamai - is it the white one or the first black one that came out? What is the "mistake"? Was the declaration referring to what will happen or what did happen? Difficulties are raised on each of the interpretations and are resolved. Rav Chisda said that white bulls are superior to black bulls. This assumption is questioned from our Mishna and also from a different statement of Rav Chisda. In order to reconcile this, they distinguish between bulls in the Kerman Province where white bulls are superior, and everywhere else where black bulls are superior. The Mishna discusses what happens to animals that were sanctified by someone who was a nazir but then dissolved his vow. The halacha is that the animals are no longer sanctified. Beit Hillel uses this to argue against Beit Shamai as they claimed that mistaken sanctification is effective. Beit Shamai retorts that how can Beit Hillel explain the law regarding animal tithes as if one mistakenly counts the 9th or 11th as the tenth, it is sanctified. Beit Hillel claims that it is derived from a verse in the Torah and is therefore specific just for that specific type of error.