Nedarim - Daf 10
- חסידים הראשונים היו מתאוין להביא קרבן חטאת
The Gemara explains that the Tanna of our Mishnah, who distinguishes between a neder and nedavah, can indeed be Rebbe Yehudah. Although he had said that it is better to “vow and pay” than not to vow at all, the Gemara here suggests that he may have said this only in regard to nedavah, but he too is opposed to making nedarim, which may lead to violations. The Gemara continues, that Rebbe Yehudah holds that it is virtuous to become a nazir, based on a statement he made: חסידים הראשונים היו מתאוין להביא קרבן חטאת - the early pious ones desired to bring a korban chatas, לפי שאין הקדוש ברוך הוא מביא תקלה על ידיהם - because Hashem does not bring any stumbling through them [so they did not have their own chatas obligations]. מה היו עושין - What did they do instead? עומדין ומתנדבין נזירות למקום, כדי שיתחייב קרבן חטאת למקום - they would arise and pledge nezirus to Hashem, to become thereby obligated in a korban chatas to Hashem. We see that Rebbe Yehudah considers becoming a nazir, and bringing its requisite korban chatas, to be an activity worthy of the pious.
- Tannaim who hold that a nazir is called a sinner
The Gemara had quoted Rebbe Yehudah’s statement that the pious used to accept nezirus in order to bring its korban chatas. Rebbe Shimon, however, disagreed and said that the pious would not accept nezirus, כדי שלא יקראו חוטאין - so that they should not be called sinners, as it says: וכפר עליו מאשר חטא על הנפש - and [the Kohen] will atone for the nazir for having sinned relating to the soul. The Gemara quotes a similar position of R’ Elazar Hakappar, who added: וכי באיזה נפש חטא זה - regarding which soul did he sin? אלא שציער עצמו מן היין - It is rather because he afflicted himself from having wine. ומה זה שלא ציער עצמו אלא מן היין נקרא חוטא - if even the nazir, who only afflicted himself from wine, is called a sinner, המצער עצמו מכל דבר על אחת כמה וכמה - then he who afflicts himself from everything, all the more so is called a sinner! מכאן כל היושב בתענית נקרא חוטא- From here we learn that one who sits in fasting is called a sinner. The Gemara notes that although the above verse is speaking about a nazir who became tamei, it was written there משום דשנה בחטא - because he has repeated the sin, i.e. by becoming tamei and thus extending his abstention [Tosafos].
- Machlokes about what כינויים are and the fear of saying Hashem’s name in vain
The next Mishnah lists examples of כינויין for nedarim, such as קונם קונח וקונס as substitutes for קרבן. About such terms, Rebbe Yochonon said: לשון אומות הן - these are from languages of other nations. Reish Lakish said: לשון שבדו להם חכמים להיות נודר בו - they are terms the Chachomim invented to vow with. The Gemara explains Reish Lakish’s opinion, that the reason they created substitute terms, rather than using the original term “Korban,” was out of fear that a person may intend to say קרבן לה', and may say only לה', to Hashem, thus saying Hashem’s name in vain. The Gemara quotes a Baraisa which states that a person should say עולה לה', mentioning the korban first, rather than לה' עולה, because this carries the above risk of saying only לה' and stopping. The Gemara also notes that if one must be so careful when even saying Hashem’s name on a korban, to avoid mistakenly saying His Name in vain, all the more so must one take care never to say His Name in vain outright.
