Nazir - Daf 58
- Discussion if הקפת כל הראש is a machlokes Tannaim
The Gemara suggests that there is a machlokes Tannaim if completely shaving the head is a violation of הקפה: Two Baraisos discuss the extra word "ראשו" in the passuk of metzora. The first says that it teaches a metzora shaves his head (along with his entire body), despite the normal prohibition of הקפה. The second Baraisa says it teaches a nazir who is a metzora shaves, despite the nazir’s prohibition to shave. The second Tanna seems to hold הקפת כל הראש לא שמה הקפה – rounding the entire head is not prohibited rounding; perforce, the passuk must be discussing a nazir, וכי אתא קרא למידחי את לא תעשה ועשה – and the passuk comes to override the לא תעשה and עשה of a nazir. The first Tanna holds it is considered rounding, and the passuk is permitting it (a mere לא תעשה) in the case of a metzora. Rava suggests that all Tannaim agree that completely shaving the head is permitted, but the first Tanna interprets the passuk as allowing even shaving a metzora in the forbidden manner, כגון שהקיף ולבסוף גילח – where he first rounded the corners and then shaved the entire head. This possibility is rejected, since Reish Lakish taught that the Torah only allows for a לא תעשה to be overridden where there is no alternative.
- Machlokes what tzitzis written near shaatnez teaches
The Gemara says instead that both Tannaim hold הקפת כל הראש is normally prohibited. The reason the second Tanna could apply the passuk to nazir, to override even a לא תעשה with an עשה, is because he already derived the general principle that עשה דוחה לא תעשה from the Torah juxtaposing tzitzis with shaatnez, which teaches: לא תלבש שעטנז, הא גדילים תעשה לך מהם – Do not wear shaatnez, but you shall make twisted cords [tzitzis] from them [shaatnez]. The first Tanna, who limited the passuk of ראשו to הקפה (a mere לאו), did not similarly derive עשה דוחה לא תעשה from tzitzis because he darshens the passuk as did Rava: Rava posed a contradiction between tzitzis being described as "ציצית הכנף" – the fringes of the corner, which implies מין כנף – the same type of material as the corner, and the passuk צמר ופשתים יחדו – wool and linen together (written near tzitzis), which implies that tzitzis must be made from wool or linen. This teaches: צמר ופשתים פוטרים בין במינן בין שלא במינן – Wool and linen fringes exempt whether a garment is of their type or of another, שאר מינין במינן פוטרין, שלא במינן אין פוטרין – whereas other fringe types exempt their own type of garment, but not another type.
- מקיל אדם כל גופו בתער
Rav said: מקיל אדם כל גופו בתער – A man may shave his entire body with a razor, and it is not a violation of wearing a woman’s garment. He was challenged from a Baraisa: המעביר בית השחי ובית הערוה הרי זה לוקה – One who removes armpit or pubic hair incurs malkos. The Gemara answers that the Baraisa speaks of shaving with a razor, which is prohibited as dressing like a woman, and Rav spoke of one who cut with scissors (and Rav’s intent was about cutting “like a razor,” but not with an actual razor).
Rebbe Yochanan said that one who removes armpit or pubic hair incurs malkos, which the Gemara challenges from a Baraisa, which states: העברת שיער אינה מדברי תורה אלא מדברי סופרים – removing body hair is not Biblically prohibited, only Rabbinically, so there would not be malkos. It answers that he referred to Rabbinically mandated malkos. Another version is presented on the next Daf.
