Nazir - Daf 18
- Two opinions of which day nezirus of taharah begins
It was taught in a Baraisa: The passuk states: וקדש את ראשו ביום ההוא – “And he will sanctify his head on that day” (referring to the nazir tamei beginning his nezirus of taharah), this means ביום הבאת קרבנותיו – on the day of the bringing of his korbanos (i.e., the eighth day of the taharah process), according to the opinion of Rebbe. Rebbe Yose bar Rebbe Yehudah says: ביום תגלחתו – It means on the day of his shaving, i.e., the seventh day. The Gemara later explains that Rebbe’s opinion is because the passuk first says, “and he will atone for him, having sinned regarding the [dead] person,” referring to his bringing korbanos, and then “he will sanctify his head on that day,” so “that day” must refer to the day of korbanos. Rebbe Yose counters that the words ביום ההוא - “on that day” are extra, and must be excluding the eighth day, to teach that he begins on the seventh day. (Rebbe responds that “on that day” teaches that he begins counting even before any korbanos are actually brought). The Gemara will later present two additional opinions on this matter.
- One brings only one set of korbanos tumah for multiple tumos
A Mishnah states: נזיר שנטמא טומאות הרבה – A nazir that became tamei many times,אינו מביא אלא קרבן אחד – only brings one korban [set] for tumah. Rav Chisda explained that this Mishnah follows the opinion of Rebbe Yose bar Rebbe Yehudah, who said that nezirus taharah begins on the seventh day. Therefore, the Mishnah teaches that if he became tamei on multiple seventh days following multiple tumos, he only brings one korban. Although each time he had begun his nezirus taharah and it was suspended by his new tumah, because he became tamei before he could bring his korbanos, he does not bring additional korbanos. According to Rebbe’s opinion, however, the Mishnah is untenable. If he became tamei on multiple seventh days, כולהו טומאה אריכתא היא – they are all one long tumah (since he holds a new nezirus does not begin until the eighth day), and the Mishnah cannot describe them as multiple tumos. If he became tamei on multiple eighth days, separate korbanos would be required for the additional tumos, since his korbanos could have been brought that day.
- Two different opinions that nezirus taharah begins after one of the korbanos is brought
Earlier, the Gemara had discussed two opinions of Tannaim that nezirus taharah begins on either the seventh or eighth day of his taharah process. Here, the Gemara presents two more opinions.
The Chachomim say that even if he became tamei on the eighth day, he does not bring additional korbanos. If he became tamei after having brought his korban chatas, he will become obligated in additional korbanos, because they hold: הביא חטאתו ולא הביא אשמו מונה – If he brought his chatas and did not yet bring his asham, he begins to count [nezirus taharah]. Rebbe Yishmael the son of Rebbe Yochanan ben Berokah goes further and says: כשם שחטאתו עיכבתו – Just as the chatas restrains him from counting anew, כן אשמו מעכבו – so does the asham restrain him from counting. He thus begins his nezirus only after bringing the asham, and only tumah thereafter would require new korbanos. The Gemara explains how each Tanna uses the exclusionary phrase “on that day”: The Chachomim say it teaches that he begins nezirus even before bringing the asham, and Rebbe Yishmael says it teaches that he begins nezirus before bringing the olah. The Gemara then explains the source of each opinion.
