Nazir 39 - March 3, 10 Adar

Today’s daf is sponsored in honor of the birthday of Audrey Mondrow, a daf yomi learner, by her children and grandchildren. “Thank you for modeling for us how to always grow and learn.” Today’s daf is sponsored in honor of the bat mitzvah of Avigayil bat Yonatan v'Ilana this weekend in Riverdale. “Avigayil, your whole family is so proud of you, of your love of Torah and your dedication to learning (including learning Talmud with your Ima). With love from your bubbe and aunts, uncles, and cousins." Today’s daf is sponsored by the Hadran zoom family in honor of the bar mitzva of Amitai, son of our fellow learner Devorah Kessner Bader. “We’re inspired by your dedication to learning, Amitai!”  Today’s daf is sponsored by Sara Berelowitz in loving memory of her mother-in-law Sarah Berelowitz on her yahrzeit on 11 of Adar. “It's wonderful when your mother-in-law is also your friend. Missing you lots.” Rav Papa retracts his difficulty against Abaye's opinion and admits that he added the word "five" from the braita to see if Abaye would back down from his opinion or not as he wanted to see if Abaye's opinion was based on a tradition or not. Does hair from the root or from the end? The relevance of this question is if a nazir gets their hair shaved on by bandits, but they leave enough to fold the hair over, would they be able to complete the process (from the end - as what was cut was the new growth) or does there need to be growth that was there from the beginning of the term and they would therefore need to wait until more hair grew (from the root)? The Gemara brings five attempts to get to an answer. Three are rejected but two are accepted and they prove that it grows from the roots. A difficulty is raised with this explanation in light of a braita, but it is resolved. Is it forbidden for a nazir to shave one's hair only with a razor or in other ways as well? A number of ways of extrapolating the verse "a razor shall not pass over his head" are brought.