Nedarim - Daf 63
- One who vows עד הגשמים, and a three-way machlokes about the three normal dates of rainfall
The Mishnah on the previous Daf brought a machlokes about a neder made עד הגשמים – “until the rains.” The Tanna Kamma said it is forbidden until it actually rains, and Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says it is permitted at the normal time of the second rainfall, even it is has not yet rained. Rebbe Zeira said that the Rabbonon agree where he said עד הגשם – “until the rain” (singular) that he would be permitted by the time of the second rainfall. Only when he said, “until the rains” (plural), which is an unusual phrase, do they hold that the neder is until it rains. The Gemara on our Daf challenges Rebbe Zeira: A Baraisa teaches a three-way machlokes about the dates of the three normal periods of rainfall. The first is pertinent for beginning to say ותן טל ומטר, the third is for when to fast if rain has not yet fallen, and the second is explained to be the time when a neder made “until the rain” would end. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel stated that rain that fell for seven days straight should be considered both the first and the second rain (even according to the Rabbonon). The Gemara assumes that the case is the common neder of “until the rain,” yet it requires actual rainfall, in contradiction to Rebbe Zeira! The Gemara answers that the Baraisa is speaking of where he said, “until the rains,” and therefore requires actual rain.
- Which Adar is referred to when one says “Adar” without specifying
The Mishnah teaches: עד ראש אדר עד ראש אדר הראשון – If one made a neder “until the beginning of Adar,” and a second month of Adar was added, he is forbidden only until the beginning of the first Adar. עד סוף אדר עד סוף אדר הראשון – If he said, “Until the end of Adar,” he is forbidden until the end of the first Adar (Ran’s preferred text). The Gemara infers that when one says “Adar” without specifying, it refers to the first Adar. The Gemara presents a machlokes about writing documents, in which Rebbe Meir says that during the first Adar, one should write explicitly “the first Adar,” but during the second Adar, one should simply write “Adar.” Rebbe Yehudah says that the first Adar should be written simply as “Adar,” whereas the second Adar is written explicitly as “the second Adar.” We see they argue which Adar is referred to when left unspecified, and our Mishnah seems to only fit with Rebbe Yehudah’s opinion. The Gemara responds that the Mishnah can be unanimous, because it is speaking about someone who does not know that the year was declared a leap year. Since he thought there was only one Adar that year, his intent is for the first Adar. The Gemara adduces support for this distinction from a Baraisa.
- Nedarim in which the time frame is reinterpreted based on what he prohibited.
The Mishnah teaches: Rebbe Yehudah says: קונם יין שאיני טועם עד שיהא הפסח – One who says, “Wine is konam for my tasting until it is Pesach,” although we normally interpret “until it is” to mean until its end, לא נתכוון זה אלא עד ליל פסח, עד שעה שדרך בני אדם לשתות יין – this one only intended to forbid wine until the first night of Pesach, when people drink wine, and he is therefore permitted from the first night of Pesach. Similarly, if one vowed not to eat meat עד שיהא הצום – “until it is the Fast” of Yom Kippur, he is only forbidden until the eve before Yom Kippur, which is a time when people eat meat. Here, Rebbe Yehudah teaches that the neder ends even before the time expressed. His son, Rebbe Yose, taught that one who vowed against garlic “until it is Shabbos,” is only forbidden until the start of Shabbos, when Ezra instituted that men should eat garlic.
