Nazir - Daf 59
- Three opinions about the prohibition of dressing like a woman
This Daf presents an alternate version of Rebbe Yochanan’s statement, in which he said that one who removes armpit or pubic hair receives malkos for violating the prohibition to dress like a woman. The Gemara challenges him from a Baraisa, which states that it is only Rabbinical, and answers that Rebbe Yochanan was following the Tanna of another Baraisa, who says it is a Biblical violation. The Gemara explains that the first Tanna holds the passuk teaches: שלא ילבש איש שמלת אשה וישב בין הנשים – that a man may not wear a woman’s clothing and sit among women, or vice versa, for promiscuous purposes. Rebbe Elazar ben Yaakov has a third opinion: מנין שלא תצא אשה בכלי זיין למלחמה – From where do we know that a woman may not go out wearing weapons? For this the Torah states: “"לא יהיה כלי גבר על אשה – There shall not be a man’s implement on a woman. And the next phrase: ולא ילבש גבר שמלת אשה – “And a woman shall not wear the clothing of a man, שלא יתקן איש בתיקוני אשה – teaches that a man may not beautify himself with a woman’s adornments.
- Rebbe Yehoshua’s solution for a single nazir who may have become tamei: find another
The next Mishnah continues the case of a pair of nezirim, one of whom became tamei: מת אחד מהן – If one of them died, and the remaining nazir must bring korbanos of both tumah and taharah out of doubt, Rebbe Yehoshua says he should find someone willing to agree to the following nezirus conditions and say: אם טמא הייתי הרי אתה נזיר מיד – If I was tamei, you are a nazir now, ואם טהור הייתי הרי אתה נזיר אחר שלשים יום – and if I was tahor, you will be a nazir in thirty days. After thirty days, they bring korbanos of tumah and of taharah and he makes this stipulation: אם אני הוא הטמא קרבן טומאה שלי וקרבן טהרה שלך – If I was the tamei one, the korban tumah is mine and the korban taharah is yours, ואם אני הוא הטהור קרבן טהרה שלי וקרבן טומאה בספק – and if I was the tahor one, the korban taharah is mine (and the other’s nezirus did not begin until now), and the korban tumah is brought out of doubt (this refers to the special permissibility to bring a bird-chatas out of doubt, although a chatas cannot be brought without an actual obligation). Thirty days later, they bring another korban taharah and stipulate to assign it to whoever has not yet brought his korban taharah.
- Ben Zoma’s solution: Bring a korban taharah piecemeal
Ben Zoma rejects Rebbe Yehoshua’s approach: ומי שומע לו שידור כנגדו בנזיר – And who will agree to vow to be a nazir opposite him and have to observe two terms out of doubt? אלא מביא חטאת העוף ועולת בהמה, ואומר – Rather, he should bring a bird-chatas (for tumah) and animal-olah (for taharah) and say:אם טמא הייתי החטאת מחובתי והעולה נדבה – If I was tamei, the chatas is for my obligation and the olah will be voluntary, ואם טהור הייתי העולה מחובתי והחטאת מספק – and if I was tahor, the olah is my (taharah) obligation and the chatas is brought out of doubt, as above. Thirty days later, where there remains a possibility that he needs a korban taharah, he brings a full set and says that if he was tamei originally, this is now his korban taharah, and if he was tahor and brought his olah then, this olah is voluntary. Rebbe Yehoshua objects: נמצא זה מביא קרבנותיו לחצאים – It emerges that he brings his korbanos piecemeal! The Gemara concludes that in truth, Rebbe Yehoshua agrees there is nothing wrong with this solution, and he only offered his own to see if the students would think of Ben Zoma’s.
