Study Nazir folio 11B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
רישא, כגון דנזר מחדא, לרבנן דאמרי דאפילו לא נזר אלא מאחת מהן — הוי נזיר, ואסור. לרבי שמעון דאמר עד שיזיר מכולם — מותר.
in the earlier clause, where one said: I did not know that a nazirite is prohibited from drinking wine, that is a case where he vowed naziriteship with regard to only one of the prohibitions. The difference of opinion is as follows: According to the Rabbis, who say that even if he vowed naziriteship with regard to only one of the prohibitions of naziriteship he is nevertheless a nazirite, in that case he is prohibited by all of them, despite not knowing about the prohibition against consuming wine. According to R' Shimon who said he is not a nazirite unless he takes a vow of naziriteship with regard to all of them, he is permitted.
סיפא דנדר מכולהו, ואיתשיל מחדא.
Conversely, the last clause addresses one who vowed naziriteship with regard to all of them, thereby accepting upon himself all the halakhot of naziriteship, and now wishes to request dissolution of one of the prohibitions, thinking that a halakhic authority can dissolve one aspect of his naziriteship.
לרבנן דאמרי אפילו לא נזר אלא מאחת מהן הוי נזיר, כי מתשיל מחדא מינייהו — אישתרי. לרבי שמעון דאמר עד שיזיר מכולם, כי מתשיל נמי מההוא, עד דמתשיל מכולהו. משום הכי קתני: ורבי שמעון אוסר.
The Talmud explains: According to the Rabbis, who say that even if he vowed naziriteship with regard to only one of the prohibitions of naziriteship he is nevertheless a nazirite, in that case too, when he requests of a halakhic authority to dissolve one of them, he is permitted to engage in all of the behaviors forbidden to a nazirite. Just as the acceptance of one part of naziriteship causes one to be bound by all the halakhot of naziriteship, dissolution of one element of naziriteship nullifies the entire naziriteship. According to R' Shimon, who said that he is not a nazirite unless he takes a vow of naziriteship with regard to all of them, when he requests dissolution of that prohibition, none of the prohibitions are permitted until he requests dissolution of all of the prohibitions of naziriteship. Due to this the Mishnah teaches: And R' Shimon prohibits him.