Daf A Week
Nazir 4
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The fourth daf of Massechet Nazir serves as a primary locus for dissecting the metaphysical mechanics of vows (nedarim), oaths (shevuot), and the unique ontological category of Nezirut. The Gemara transitions from an inquiry into how a Nazirite status can override preexisting obligations to a structural taxonomy of Nazir Olam (the permanent Nazirite) and Nazir Shimshon (the Samson-like Nazirite).
The Core Issues
- The Conflict of Commitments (Issur Chal Al Issur): Can a newly uttered vow of Nezirut take effect over a prior, binding oath (shevuah) to drink wine, or over a preexisting Sinaitic obligation (מושבע ועומד מהר סיני)?
- The Taxonomy of Perpetual Nezirut: What are the operational differences between Nazir Olam and Nazir Shimshon regarding hair-cutting (tizgoret) and ritual impurity (tum'at met)?
- The Mechanism of Vow Association (Hatfasah): Can a person initiate a vow by linking it to an object whose sacred status is inherent or divinely decreed (davar ha-nasur), such as a firstborn animal (bechor) or Samson’s nezirut, rather than an object consecrated by human volition (davar ha-nadur)?
Nafka Minot (Practical & Conceptual Ramifications)
- Vow Validity: If one declares "I am hereby a Nazir" after swearing to drink wine, does he receive lashes (malkut) for drinking?
- Impurity Permissibility: Is a Nazir Shimshon permitted ab initio (l'chatchilah) to contract corpse-impurity, or is he merely exempt from bringing a purification offering (korban tum'ah) post facto (b'di'avad)?
- Linguistic Precision in Vows: Must a declarant invoke the full ancestral lineage and historical achievements of Samson to trigger a valid Nezirut Shimshon, or is a single reference sufficient?
Primary Sources
- Torah: Numbers 6:2-4 (The default Nazirite laws); Deuteronomy 15:19 (Sanctifying the firstborn); Leviticus 10:9 (Priestly prohibition of intoxicants).
- Prophets: Judges 13:5 and Judges 14:19 (The divine mandate and actions of Samson).
- Mishnah/Talmud: Nazir 4a, Nedarim 15a (The mechanics of issur cheftza vs. issur gavra), Shevuot 25a (Oaths overriding mitzvot).
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Text Snapshot
The Gemara on Nazir 4a wrestles with the linguistic and conceptual boundaries of these vows. Below are the key textual pivots:
הרי מושבע ועומד עליו מהר סיני הוא! אלא כדרבא, דאמר רבא: שבועה שאשתה ואמר הריני נזיר - אתי נזירות חייל אשבועה.
Translation: "But he is already sworn and obligated from Mount Sinai! Rather, it is like that which Rava said: [If one said] 'I swear that I will drink,' and then said, 'I am hereby a Nazirite,' the Naziriteship comes and takes effect over the oath."
Grammatical and Lexical Nuances
- "הרי מושבע ועומד": This phrase functions as a halachic axiom. Every Jew is viewed as perpetually under oath from Sinai to perform the mitzvot. The passive participle mushba (sworn) combined with v'omed (standing) denotes a permanent, non-negotiable state of spiritual obligation.
- "אתי נזירות חייל אשבועה": Note the verb chayyil (takes effect/falls upon). It implies a dynamic metaphysical collision. The Nezirut does not merely cancel the shevuah; it occupies the same conceptual space, superimposing a new layer of prohibition over a prior personal obligation.
- The Mishnaic Syntax ("כשמשון, כבן מנוח..."):
מתני׳ הריני כשמשון כבן מנוח כבעל דלילה כמי שעקרו פלשתים את עיניו... הרי זה נזיר שמשון.
The absence of the conjunctive vav (and) in the standard printings raises a textual debate: are these separate, independent formulations, or must they be uttered in a single, cumulative breath?
Readings
1. The Cheftza-Gavra Dichotomy: Rashi vs. Rambam on Kiddush and Sinai
To understand why the Gemara must resort to Rava's case of a personal oath rather than the obligation of Kiddush, we must analyze the structural mechanics of vows and oaths.
Rashi[^1] explains the problem of "already sworn from Sinai" by citing the obligation of Kiddush:
והרי מושבע ועומד עליו מהר סיני הוא - דכתיב זכור את יום השבת לקדשו זוכרהו על היין... וקי"ל דנשבע לבטל את המצוה פטור...
Translation: "And behold, he is already sworn and obligated from Mount Sinai—as it is written, 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,' remember it over wine... and we hold that one who swears to annul a mitzvah is exempt [i.e., the oath does not take effect]..."
Rashi is addressing a fundamental challenge: If a Jew is already commanded from Sinai to perform Kiddush over wine, how could a later oath (shevuah) or vow (neder) ever forbid him from drinking that wine?
In classical Lomdus, we distinguish between:
- Issur Gavra (Personal Obligation): An oath (shevuah) binds the person (gavra). Since the person is already bound by the Sinaitic covenant to perform the mitzvah of Kiddush, he cannot create a new personal obligation that contradicts his existing contract with the Almighty. There is no halachic space for a shevuah to take effect here.
- Issur Cheftza (Object Prohibition): A vow (neder) binds the object (cheftza). When a person declares an object forbidden via a vow, he is not directly commanding himself; rather, he is altering the metaphysical status of the object, rendering it "like an offering" (k'korban). Because the object itself becomes forbidden, the person's obligation to perform the mitzvah is suspended; we do not force a person to perform a mitzvah using a forbidden medium (ein ma'achilin l'adam davar ha-asur lo)[^2].
The Steinsaltz commentary[^3] refines this by citing the Rambam:
הרי מושבע ועומד עליו מהר סיני, לקיים דין נזירות, ואילו מצות הקידוש אינה אלא מדברי סופרת בלבד, ובודאי חל איסור שתיית יין על אלה!
Translation: "He is already sworn and obligated from Mount Sinai to fulfill the laws of Naziriteship, whereas the obligation of [wine for] Kiddush is only Rabbinic, and certainly the prohibition of drinking wine takes effect over these!"
According to this reading, the Gemara's initial assumption was that the obligation of Kiddush on wine is purely Rabbinic (mi-d'rabbanan). Since Rabbinic decrees cannot withstand the weight of a Torah-level (d'Oraita) prohibition like Nezirut, it is obvious that the Nezirut takes effect.
The Gemara therefore rejects this setup and turns to Rava's case: a conflict between a Torah-level shevuah (to drink wine) and a subsequent Torah-level Nezirut.
2. Rabbeinu Tam's Syntactic Rigor: The Conjunctive "Vav"
The Mishnah lists several historical identifiers for Samson: "Like Samson, like the son of Manoah, like the husband of Delilah..." How are we to read this list?
Tosafot[^4] cite Rabbeinu Tam's textual emendation:
אבל כשמשון לחודיה או כבן מנוח לחודיה לא סגי עד שיאמר שלשתן... מכאן ואילך גריס ר"ת וכמי שעקר דלתות עזה בוי"ו וכמי שנקרו פלשתים את עיניו...
Translation: "But saying 'like Samson' alone or 'like the son of Manoah' alone is not sufficient until he says all three... From this point onward, Rabbeinu Tam reads 'and like the one who tore off...' with a 'vav' [and], meaning he can say either this or that..."
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ How to trigger Nazir Shimshon │
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[ Rabbeinu Tam's Standard ] [ Rashi's Standard ]
Must say ALL THREE primary terms: Any single term is enough
"Samson" + "Manoah" + "Delilah" if context implies Nazir.
(To eliminate ambiguity of other No cumulative chain required.
people with those names).
Rabbeinu Tam introduces a sharp distinction in the mechanics of linguistic intent (kavanat ha-neder):
- The Ambiguous Names: The names "Samson," "Manoah," and "Delilah" were common enough in the ancient world that invoking any single one of them might refer to a contemporary neighbor rather than the biblical hero. Therefore, to remove all doubt, the declarant must construct a cumulative chain: "I am like Samson, the son of Manoah, the husband of Delilah." Only this complete historical profile establishes that the declarant intended to adopt the biblical Samson's unique status.
- The Unique Historical Actions: Actions like "tearing off the doors of Gaza" or "having one's eyes gouged out by the Philistines" are unique in human history. They belong exclusively to the biblical Samson. Therefore, if the declarant says, "I am like the one who tore off the doors of Gaza," he does not need to name Samson or Manoah. The action itself serves as a perfect identifier, and the vow takes effect instantly.
The Shita Mekubetzet[^5] adds that the Rosh did not read the conjunctive vav at the beginning of the Mishnah, preferring:
הריני כשמשון בן מנוח כבעל דלילה...
This reading strips away the separate "likes" (ke-) to emphasize that the entire phrase is a single, unbroken description.
3. The Rashash's Dilemma: Why Not Ma'aser Sheni?
The Rashash[^6] poses a powerful question on the Gemara's opening question. If the Gemara wanted to find a case where a neder of Nezirut must take effect over a preexisting Torah obligation, why did it struggle with the Rabbinic vs. Biblical status of wine for Kiddush? Why didn't it simply use the case of Ma'aser Sheni (the Second Tithe) or Terumah?
The Torah explicitly commands the owner to consume Ma'aser Sheni in Jerusalem:
"ואכלת לפני ה' אלהיך... מעשר דגנך תירושך ויצהרך..."
Eating and drinking this wine is a direct positive commandment (Mitzvat Aseh) from Sinai. If a person takes a Nazirite vow, does it take effect over his obligation to drink the wine of Ma'aser Sheni?
The Rashash notes that the Sifrei on Numbers 6:3 explicitly addresses this:
"מיין ושכר יזיר - לרבות יין של מצוה כיין של רשות..."
The Torah writes "from wine and strong drink he shall abstain" to teach that a Nazirite vow prohibits even the wine of a mitzvah, such as Ma'aser Sheni.
The Rashash explains that the Gemara on Nazir 4a did not want to use Ma'aser Sheni as its starting point because Ma'aser Sheni can be redeemed (pifdyon) onto money, thereby stripping the wine of its sacred status and removing the obligation to drink this specific liquid.
Kiddush, by contrast, is a personal obligation that must be fulfilled on the spot with whatever wine is present. It therefore represents a more intense conflict of commitments, making it the preferred conceptual test-case for the Gemara.
4. Sha'arei Torat Bavel: The Mechanics of Hair Lightening
The Mishnah draws a distinction between a Nazir Olam and a Nazir Shimshon:
נזיר עולם, הכביד שערו - מיקל בתער ומביא שלש בהמות...
Translation: "A permanent Nazirite, if his hair grows too heavy for him, he lightens it with a razor and brings three animals..."
How does this "lightening" work? The Sha'arei Torat Bavel[^7] highlights a dispute between the Geonim and the Rishonim:
...אבל מפי' המיוחס לרש"י כאן משמע, דמגלח לגמרי, וכן מבואר בפיה"מ להרמב"ם כאן... ומוכח שם שהוא גלוח ממש.
Translation: "...But from the commentary attributed to Rashi here, it implies that he shaves completely, and so it is explained in the Commentary on the Mishnah of the Rambam here... and it is proven there that it is a complete shaving."
This reveals two ways to understand the term meikel (lightens):
- Thinning out (Hakahah): The Nazir merely thins his hair to relieve the weight, but leaves some hair behind so he is never completely bald. This preserves his ongoing status as a long-haired Nazir.
- Complete Shaving (Giluach Gamur): The Nazir shaves his head completely to the skin, just like a standard Nazir who has completed his term (Nazir Tamei or Nazir Tahor). The term meikel (lightens) does not describe the result (thin hair), but rather the motivation (he shaves because the hair has become an unbearable burden).
The Sha'arei Torat Bavel points out that the Rambam in Hilchot Nezirut[^8] rules that he shaves completely with a razor. This means that a Nazir Olam is not someone who never shaves; rather, he is someone whose Nazirite status is permanent, but who operates on a cyclical calendar, shaving and bringing sacrifices whenever his hair becomes too heavy, and then immediately beginning his count anew.
Friction
1. The Metaphysical Paradox: How Does Nazir Override an Oath?
The Kushya
Rava states that if a person swears to drink wine (shevuah) and subsequently declares himself a Nazir (neder), the Nezirut takes effect and prohibits him from drinking.
How is this possible? There is a classic rule in the laws of vows and oaths: Ein issur chal al issur (a prohibition cannot take effect upon an existing prohibition)[^9].
If the person has already sworn to drink, he is under a binding obligation to do so. In halachic terms, his personal autonomy regarding wine is locked. How can the subsequent Nezirut penetrate this lock and take effect?
Furthermore, even if we view Nezirut as a neder (which binds the object, the cheftza), and we hold that a neder can override a shevuah (which binds only the person, the gavra), this should only work when the neder seeks to prohibit something that the shevuah permitted.
In this case, however, the shevuah was an active command to drink (a shevuat asei). How can a subsequent neder strip away the active force of that oath?
[ THE COLLISION OF OBLIGATIONS ]
Step 1: OATH (Shevuah) Step 2: VOW (Nezirut)
"I swear I will drink wine" "I am hereby a Nazir"
(Creates an Issur Gavra (Creates an Issur Cheftza
obligating the person) prohibiting the wine itself)
│ │
└─────────────────┬────────────────┘
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[ The Metaphysical Result ]
Does the Vow override the Oath?
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[ YES (Gemara's Rule) ] [ THE MECHANISM ]
The Nezirut takes effect. The vow targets the WINE (cheftza),
The person is forbidden rendering it "forbidden food."
from drinking. The oath to drink cannot force
him to consume forbidden food.
The Terutz
To resolve this, we must examine the Ran in Nedarim[^10]. The Ran explains that Nezirut is not a standard neder. It is a unique, comprehensive status of personal holiness (kedushat haguf).
When a person says "Harei ni Nazir," they are not merely forbidding wine to themselves; they are consecrating their entire body to Heaven.
Because Nezirut is a status of personal consecration, the Torah treats it as if the person has rebuilt their identity. A prior oath to drink wine is bound to the person's previous identity. When the status of Nezirut takes effect, it alters the person's halachic reality, rendering the prior oath irrelevant.
Alternatively, the Ketzot HaChoshen[^11] explains that the mechanism of Nezirut operates on the cheftza (the wine) by creating an objective prohibition on the liquid.
Even though the person swore to drink, he did not swear to drink forbidden wine. Once the Nezirut takes effect, the wine itself becomes objectively forbidden to him.
Since one cannot fulfill an oath by consuming forbidden items, the shevuah is automatically suspended.
2. The Samson Impurity Conundrum: L'Chatchilah vs. B'Di'avad
The Kushya
Our Mishnah states:
נזיר שמשון... ואם נטמא אינו מביא קרבן טומאה.
Translation: "A Samson-like Nazirite... and if he becomes impure, he does not bring an offering for impurity."
The Gemara immediately analyzes this phrasing:
"טעמא דאינו מביא קרבן, הא איתסורי מיתסר!"
Translation: "The reason is that he does not bring a sacrifice, implying that he is indeed forbidden [to contract impurity l'chatchilah]!"
The Gemara points out that this inference contradicts a Baraita, which states that Rabbi Yehuda explicitly permits a Nazir Shimshon to contract corpse-impurity l'chatchilah (מותר לטמא למתים לכתחילה), citing Samson's own actions in killing Philistines.
If the Mishnah follows Rabbi Yehuda, why does it use the language "if he becomes impure" (v'im nitma), which implies a post facto (b'di'avad) allowance?
If the Mishnah follows Rabbi Shimon, he holds that a Nazir Shimshon is not a valid category at all! Who, then, is the author of our Mishnah?
The Terutz
The Gemara's answer is a classic lesson in Mishnah structure:
לעולם רבי יהודה היא, ואיידי דתנא רישא בנזיר עולם "אם נטמא", תנא סיפא נמי "אם נטמא".
Translation: "In reality, it is Rabbi Yehuda, and because the first clause taught regarding a permanent Nazirite 'if he becomes impure,' the latter clause also taught 'if he becomes impure.'"
This stylistic device is known as Apas Tana (parallel structuring). To maintain a clean, comparative table between Nazir Olam and Nazir Shimshon, the Tanna of the Mishnah chose to use identical phrasing ("if he becomes impure") for both, even though the halachic reality for Nazir Shimshon is much more lenient (l'chatchilah).
[ COMPARATIVE IMPURITY RULES ]
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│ The Mishnah's Layout │
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[ Nazir Olam ] [ Nazir Shimshon ]
"If he becomes impure..." "If he becomes impure..."
(Strictly forbidden l'chatchilah; (Actually PERMITTED l'chatchilah;
brings Korban post-facto). brings no Korban ever).
*Phrased this way only for
parallel structure.*
The Tosafot Rid[^12] explains the deeper conceptual basis of Rabbi Yehuda's view. Samson's nezirut was never intended to be a state of temple-like purity.
He was a warrior-judge, raised up by God to save Israel through physical combat. Because combat inevitably involves contact with corpses, the very definition of Samson's nezirut excluded the prohibition of corpse-impurity.
Therefore, when a person says "I am like Samson," he is adopting a customized package of Nezirut that contains only two elements: abstaining from wine and letting his hair grow. Impurity is not merely excused; it was never part of his vow in the first place.
Intertext
1. Hatfasah: Bechor, Sin-Offering, and the Limits of Human Sanctification
The Gemara on Nazir 4a connects the dispute between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon to a broader debate between Rabbi Yaakov and Rabbi Yosei regarding Hatfasah (associating a new vow with an existing sacred item):
"הריני כבכור - רבי יעקב אוסר ורבי יוסי מתיר..."
Translation: "'This is to me like a firstborn'—Rabbi Yaakov prohibits [the item, validating the vow], and Rabbi Yosei permits [it, invalidating the vow]."
To understand this debate, we must look at the biblical definition of a firstborn animal (bechor) in Deuteronomy 15:19:
"כל הבכור אשר יולד בבקרך ובצאנך הזכר תקדיש לה' אלהיך..."
Translation: "All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock you shall sanctify to the Lord your God..."
This verse contains an internal tension:
- The firstborn is holy automatically from the womb (me'rechem). It does not require a human declaration to become sacred.
- Yet, the Torah writes "you shall sanctify" (takdish), implying a positive commandment for the owner to actively declare it holy.
This tension is the root of the dispute between Rabbi Yaakov and Rabbi Yosei:
| Position | View on Bechor | Validity of Vow Association (Hatfasah) | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbi Yosei | It is a Davar HaNasur (inherently forbidden item). | Invalid | A vow can only be linked to something whose sanctity was created entirely by human speech (Davar HaNadur), such as a voluntary burnt-offering (Olah). Since a firstborn is holy from birth, human speech cannot copy its status onto another object. |
| Rabbi Yaakov | The mitzvah of "you shall sanctify" makes it a Davar HaNadur. | Valid | Because the Torah commands the owner to actively consecrate the firstborn, human speech plays a role in its sanctification. Therefore, it can serve as a hook for Hatfasah. |
This dispute is codified in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 203:5)[^13]:
"אין מתפיסין אלא בדבר הנדור... לפיכך האומר הרי זה עלי כבכור... לא אמר כלום."
Translation: "We only associate vows with a vowed item (davar ha-nadur)... Therefore, one who says 'This is to me like a firstborn'... has said nothing."
The Shulchan Aruch rules like Rabbi Yosei. Because a firstborn is holy from birth, associating a vow with it is invalid.
However, if one associates a vow with a sin-offering (Chatat) or a guilt-offering (Asham), the vow is fully valid. Although these offerings are brought for a sin, they do not become holy until the owner actively dedicates them with his own mouth.
2. The Angelic Decree: Samson's Non-Vowed Naziriteship
The Gemara asks why Rabbi Shimon rejects the validity of a Nazir Shimshon vow:
"רבי שמעון אומר: האומר נזיר שמשון - לא אמר כלום, שלא מצינו ששמשון יצאה נזירות מפיו."
Translation: "Rabbi Shimon says: One who says 'I am a Samson-like Nazirite' has said nothing, because we do not find that Naziriteship ever left Samson's own mouth."
This points us back to the historical account of Samson's birth in Judges 13:5:
"כי הנך הרה וילדת בן ומורה לא יעלה על ראשו כי נזיר אלהים יהיה הנער מן הבטן..."
Translation: "For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come upon his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite of God from the womb..."
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ How was Samson's Nazir Created? │
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[ Human Speech / Vow ] [ Divine / Angelic Decree ]
(Standard Nazirite) (Samson's Naziriteship)
Created by personal choice Imposed from the womb
and verbal declaration. without personal consent.
For Rabbi Shimon, the entire system of Nezirut in the Torah is built on human choice and verbal commitment: "When a man shall clearly utter a vow..." Numbers 6:2.
Because Samson never made a personal choice or uttered a vow—his status was imposed on him from the womb by divine decree—his nezirut is fundamentally different from the Torah's system of vows.
Therefore, a person cannot use the mechanism of Hatfasah (vow association) to copy Samson's status, because Samson's status was never created by a vow.
Psak/Practice
Modern Ramifications and Rambam's Codification
How do these theoretical models land in actual halachic practice? We must examine the rulings of the Rambam in his Mishneh Torah.
1. The Impurity of Nazir Shimshon
The Rambam in Hilchot Nezirut[^14] codifies the ruling of Rabbi Yehuda:
"מה בין נזיר עולם לנזיר שמשון? נזיר עולם... אם נטמא מביא קרבן טומאה... אבל נזיר שמשון, מותר לטמא למתים לכתחילה, ששמשון עצמו נטמא..."
Translation: "What is the difference between a permanent Nazirite and a Samson-like Nazirite? A permanent Nazirite... if he becomes impure, he brings an impurity offering... But a Samson-like Nazirite is permitted to contract corpse-impurity l'chatchilah, because Samson himself became impure..."
The Rambam rules in accordance with Rabbi Yehuda's lenient position. A Nazir Shimshon is completely permitted to touch dead bodies l'chatchilah.
This reveals a profound conceptual point: Halacha recognizes customized categories of status.
Even though standard Nezirut strictly forbids contracting impurity, the Halacha accepts a variant form of this status—modeled after Samson—where the prohibition of impurity simply does not exist.
2. The Perpetual Hair Prohibition
While a Nazir Shimshon is completely free from the laws of impurity, he is far more restricted than a Nazir Olam when it comes to his hair. The Rambam rules[^15]:
"נזיר שמשון, אם הכביד שערו - אינו מיקל בתער."
Translation: "A Samson-like Nazirite, if his hair grows heavy, he may never lighten it with a razor."
Unlike a Nazir Olam, who can shave his head once a year and bring sacrifices to manage the weight of his hair, a Nazir Shimshon has no such option. He must let his hair grow continuously for his entire life, without interruption.
[ PERPETUAL NEZIRUT COMPARISON ]
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Perpetual Nazir │
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[ Nazir Olam ] [ Nazir Shimshon ]
• Forbidden to touch dead bodies. • PERMITTED to touch dead bodies.
• Can shave once a year to lighten • NEVER allowed to shave or
hair (brings three sacrifices). lighten hair.
3. Modern Practice
Can a person declare themselves a Nazir Shimshon today?
The Shulchan Aruch rules[^16] that even in our times, when the Temple in Jerusalem is no longer standing and we cannot bring the required sacrifices, vows of Nezirut remain fully binding.
However, because we cannot bring the necessary sacrifices to conclude a standard term of Nezirut, anyone who takes a regular Nazirite vow today becomes a Nazir for life, trapped in a permanent state of prohibition.
If a person says, "I am hereby a Nazir like Samson," he is bound by this status today.
He would be permitted to touch dead bodies (allowing him to attend funerals), but he would be forbidden to drink wine or cut his hair for the rest of his life.
Because there is no halachic mechanism to undo a Nazir Shimshon vow once it is made, the Sages of all generations have strongly warned against making any such declarations in our times.
Takeaway
Nezirut Shimshon reveals that halachic identity is not a rigid, one-size-fits-all mold, but a dynamic canvas where historical precedent can bypass standard legislative frameworks to carve out unique, customized paths of personal sanctity.
[^1]: Rashi on Nazir 4a:1:1 s.v. "והרי מושבע ועומד עליו מהר סיני הוא". [^2]: See Nedarim 16a for the core talmudic discussion on this principle. [^3]: Steinsaltz on Nazir 4a:1 s.v. "הרי מושבע ועומד עליו מהר סיני". [^4]: Tosafot on Nazir 4a:10:1 s.v. "כשמשון כבן מנוח כבעל דלילה". [^5]: Shita Mekubetzet on Nazir 4a:8. [^6]: Rashash on Nazir 4a:1. [^7]: Sha'arei Torat Bavel on Nazir 4a:1-2. [^8]: Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Nezirut 3:12. [^9]: This principle is explored extensively in Yoma 74b and Shevuot 24b. [^10]: Ran on Nedarim 15a s.v. "מאי טעמא דנדר". [^11]: Ketzot HaChoshen, Choshen Mishpat 209. [^12]: Tosafot Rid on Nazir 4a s.v. "רבי יהודה אומר". [^13]: Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 203:5. [^14]: Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Nezirut 3:13. [^15]: Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Nezirut 3:14. [^16]: Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 326:1.
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