Nazir - Daf 39
- Does hair grow from the base or from the tip?
The Gemara inquires: האי מזיא, מלתחת רבי או מלעיל – Does hair grow from the base or from the tip? The Gemara presents a practical difference: לנזיר שגילחוהו ליסטים – Regarding a nazir whom bandits shaved, ושיירו בו כדי לכוף ראשו לעיקרו – and left on him long enough hair to bend it to its root (which is a significant, seven-day growth). If it grows out from the base, then the original hair he had when he accepted nezirus was cut off, and he must wait for a full thirty-day growth to complete the nezirus. But if it grows out from the tip, then only new hair was cut off, and the remaining original hair is of sufficient significance to complete his nezirus. After deflecting several attempts to resolve this inquiry, the Gemara proves conclusively that hair grows from the base: מסקרתא דרפי עמרא מלתחת – from red paint on sheep, where the wool becomes loose at the base but remains stiff at the top where it was originally painted. Furthermore, כד צבעי סביא דיקנהון – when old men dye their beards black, חוורן עיקבי נימהון – the bottom of the hairs are white as they continue to grow, demonstrating that the hair grows out from the root.
- Why hair shaved by bandits does not require new growth
Having established that hair grows out from the base, the Gemara asks how to explain a Baraisa which teaches: נזיר שגילחוהו לסטים – A nazir whom bandits shaved, ושיירו בו כדי לכוף ראשו לעיקרו – and left on him long enough hair to bend to the root, אינו סותר – he does not forfeit any days of nezirus. Since the hair that remained was not present when he accepted nezirus, he should require a full thirty-day growth, as the Gemara said above!? It answers: כגון שגילחוהו אחר מלאת – It is a case where they shaved him after the completion of his term but before he brought korbanos and follows the opinion of Rebbe Eliezer who says כל אחר מלאת ז' סותר – whatever happens after the completion of his term forfeits seven days and no more. The Gemara explains his reasoning: יליף תגלחת טהרה מתגלחת טומאה – Rebbe Eliezer learns the shaving of a case of taharah, where the korbanos were postponed because of an illegal shaving, from shaving in a case of tumah, where a nazir became tamei after completion of his term. מה תגלחת טומאה שבעה – Just as shaving in a case of tumah postpones the final korbanos for seven days to become tahor (as Rebbe Eliezer said on Daf 16), אף תגלחת טהרה שבעה – so too the shaving in a case of taharah postpones the korbanos for seven days.
- Removing hair without a razor
It was taught in a Baraisa, quoting the opinion of Rebbe Yoshiyah: "תער" אין לי אלא תער – The Torah says, “A razor.” I only know of the prohibition of a nazir to shave with a razor, תלש מירט סיפסף כל שהוא מנין – if he plucked it, removed it with a cream, or picked any amount, from where is it known? תלמוד לומר קדוש יהיה גדל פרע שער ראשו – The Torah teaches: ”It shall be holy. He shall grow the tresses of the hair of his head,” and hair removal of any form violates this commandment. Rebbe Yonasan disagrees and says only using a razor violates a prohibition, but not other means of hair removal. The Gemara explains that he holds the above passuk teaches that one who does use a razor violates a positive commandment, in addition to the לא תעשה of shaving with a razor. Our Mishnah, which says that removing hair with scissors or picking is liable to malkos, must hold that either form is forbidden by a לא תעשה.
