Nedarim - Daf 9
- כנדרים רשעים נדר בנזיר ובקרבן ובשבועה
The Mishnah states as another example of ידות נדרים: If one says: כנדרי רשעים נדר בנזיר ובקרבן ובשבועה - “Like the vows of the wicked,” he has made a neder to be nazir, or to bring a korbon, or to effect an oath. This qualifies as a neder, because it is within the practice of the wicked to make nedarim. If one says: כנדרי כשרים - “like the vows of the virtuous,” it is not effective, because it is not the practice of the virtuous to make nedarim. Still, if he said: כנדבותם, “like their pledges,” the vow is effective because the virtuous do make pledges, as the Gemara will explain. The Gemara wonders how simply saying “like the vows of the wicked” indicates that he means to accept a vow, for perhaps he means to say that he does not want to make such a vow. The Gemara adds further that even if he were to say: הריני כנדרי רשעים - I am hereby undertaking like the vows of the wicked, he still may not mean to accept a nezirus; rather, he may be accepting a fast upon himself. The Gemara concludes that the Mishnah is speaking כשהיה נזיר עובר לפניו - when a nazir was passing before him. Such a declaration in this context is clearly an acceptance to be a nazir.
- טוב אשר לא תדור משתדור ולא תשלם
The Gemara asks who the Tanna is of our Mishnah who distinguishes between a neder and nedavah, to consider the former improper, and the latter, proper? Seemingly, it is neither Rebbe Meir nor Rebbe Yehudah, for It was taught in a Baraisa: A passuk in Koheles states: "טוב אשר לא תדור משתדור ולא תשלם" - It is better that you do not vow, than vow and not pay. Rebbe Meir says: טוב מזה ומזה שאינו נודר כל עיקר - better than vowing and paying and vowing and not paying is one who does not vow at all. Rebbe Yehudah says: טוב מזה ומזה נודר ומשלם - better than not vowing and vowing and not paying, is one who vows and pays. The Ran explains that Rebbe Yehudah’s opinion is based on the previous passuk, which says: "את אשר תדור שלם" - that which you vow, pay. We see from that neither Tanna distinguishes between the different types of nedarim!? The Gemara answers that the Mishnah can be Rebbe Meir, as the Ran explains, since his passuk was only referring to nedarim, and it is possible that Rebbe Meir agrees that making a nedavah is better than not making one.
- The story of Shimon Hatzaddik and the handsome nazir with beautiful hair
The Gemara asks if there is a case of נדבה דנזירות - a virtuous nedavah of nezirus, where there is no concern that someone might violate the vow sometime during their nezirus and brings a Baraisa that taught: Shimon Hatzaddik said: מימי לא אכלתי אשם נזיר טמא – In all my days I never ate from the asham of a nazir who became tamei. Once a nazir came from the South and I sawשהוא יפה עינים וטוב רואי – that he had beautiful eyes and was good looking, וקווצותיו סדורות לו תלתלים - and his locks of hair were arranged in curls. When Shimon Hatzaddik asked him why he undertook to destroy his hair by becoming a nazir, he responded that he had once seen his handsome reflection and was seized by his yetzer hara, and reacted forcefully by declaring himself a nazir, and shave his hair for the sake of Heaven. Shimon Hatzaddik kissed him on his head and declared, “ "כמוך ירבו נוזרי נזירות בישראל- May there be more vowers of nezirus in Yisroel like you!” This was the nazir who had been tamei of whose offering Shimon Hatzaddik ate. The Ran explains that this man was the model of a nazir who was truly motivated by a sincere desire to devote himself to G-d, and therefore it was a virtuous nedavah since there was no concern that he would violate it.
