Nazir 14a (יד.) — the Talmud in English

If you should conclude

that

a short nazirite term

is not intended to be interrupted,

since there are only ten days

which are insufficient for the measure of a nazirite term,

it is that they remain [

after he completes the second nazirite term]—

Therefore,

these ten days certainly do not count for him,

meaning: These ten days, which do not constitute the measure of a nazirite term, are not fit to combine with the half of the nazirite term that he had begun; therefore, he does not intend to interrupt it—

However,

a nazirite

who undertook a lengthy nazirite term of

one hundred days, since he has eighty [

eighty]

days remaining at the end

which he must complete for the first nazirite term,

they count for him

as days fit to combine with the days of the nazirite term that he has already counted. If so, it may be said that he intends to begin immediately and does not mind the interruption, as is indeed implied by his wording—

If not,

does he intend to interrupt his nazirite term? Rava adds and raises another uncertainty:

b.

And if you should conclude

that in

a lengthy

nazirite term the nazirite term takes effect from now, even though he will have to interrupt it—

If

he said: “

I shall be a nazirite after twenty days, and from now I shall be a nazirite forever,”

what is the halakha; does

an everlasting nazirite status take effect upon him from now,

or not?

And one may say: It is specifically an interruption of his nazirite term by means of a similar nazirite term that does not matter to him, since even while interrupting it, he observes a nazirite status similar to the one he vowed—

But when he now undertakes “an everlasting nazirite status,” and after twenty days he accepts an ordinary nazirite term upon himself, it may be said that he does not wish to interrupt his everlasting nazirite status with a different type of nazirite term.

Rava adds and raises another uncertainty:

c. And

if you should conclude,

that

here,

when he accepted an everlasting nazirite status upon himself from now,

since it is possible to ask about [

to seek a release from] the second nazirite term that he accepted upon himself, and then he would not have to interrupt the nazirite term that he accepted now, therefore

the nazirite status takes effect

from now, since it was within his power to ensure that there would be no interruption in his nazirite term, and therefore, even if he did not seek a release from it, he observes it.

But if

he said: “

I shall be a nazirite like Samson”—

which is also a type of nazirite status different from the one he is accepting now, but it cannot be released through a request—“

after twenty days, and from now I shall be an ordinary nazirite,”

what is the halakha?

For

here,

since

it is not possible to seek a release

from the Samson nazirite status that is to interrupt it,

does

the ordinary nazirite status that he undertook now take effect,

or not,

since it is unlikely that he intended to interrupt the nazirite status that he is accepting now with a different type of nazirite status, namely, the Samson nazirite status?

Rava adds and raises an uncertainty concerning another matter of nazirite status:

d.

A man said: “I shall be

like

Moses” [

the generation of Moses]

on the seventh of Adar,”

what

is his status—whether he is a nazirite or not?

For Moses our teacher was born on the seventh of Adar and also died on that date. On the day of his birth, people certainly rejoiced greatly, whereas on the day of his death, presumably many vowed vows and nazirites became numerous among Israel because of their grief. The uncertainty is how to interpret his words: Whether he intended to be in great joy, like on the day of Moses’ birth, on the seventh of Adar, or whether he intended to be a nazirite, like on the day of Moses’ death, on the seventh of Adar.

The Gemara resolves the matter:

Resolve at least the first one [

The first question raised by Rava, concerning a lengthy nazirite term, can be resolved]:

From that which is taught explicitly: “

I shall be a nazirite after twenty days, and from now I shall be a nazirite for one hundred days”:

He

counts twenty

days toward the one-hundred-day nazirite term,

and afterward counts thirty

days for the second nazirite term,

and afterward

sits

and counts eighty

days that were lacking for him,

in order to complete the first nazirite term.

It follows that, in any event, in the case of a lengthy nazirite term, the nazirite status takes effect immediately.

We learned in the Mishna: “I shall be a nazirite when I have a son, and [I shall be] a nazirite. He began counting his own [term], and afterward a son was born to him; he sets his own [term] aside and counts his son’s [term], and afterward completes his own.”

The Gemara cites a dispute between amoraim concerning one who acted in accordance with the law of the Mishna and

became impure during the days of

observing the nazirite status of

his son,

which falls in the middle of his own nazirite term:

Rabbi Yohanan says:

He

invalidates

both nazirite terms: his own term, which he interrupted in the middle, as well as his son’s term; after becoming pure, he returns to count both of them.

Resh Lakish said: He does not invalidate

the nazirite term that he interrupted in the middle, but only his son’s nazirite term, which he was observing at the time of the ritual impurity.

The Gemara explains their rationales:

Rabbi Yohanan said: He invalidates

even his own nazirite term, because his nazirite term together with his son’s nazirite term, which he observes in the middle of his own nazirite term, are all

one long nazirite term [

one extended nazirite term].

Resh Lakish said: He does not invalidate,

because there is not one long nazirite term here, but rather:

His own nazirite term is separate, and his son’s is separate [

his own is separate and his son’s is separate].