Study Nazir folio 63B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
אמר רבא, תא שמע: אם עד שלא גילח — בין כך ובין כך סותר. היכי דמי? אי דאיתידע ליה בתוך מלאת — צריכא למימר? אלא לאו, לאחר מלאת, שמע מינה.
Rava said: Come and hear a resolution to this dilemma from the Mishnah: If he discovered he was impure before he shaved, he negates the days of his naziriteship in either case. The Talmud seeks to clarify this: What are the circumstances of this case? When exactly did he find out about the impurity? If it became known to him during the full term of his naziriteship, need this be said, that he negates the previous days? After all, he has yet to complete his naziriteship vow. Rather, is it not referring to a case when the impurity was discovered after the full term of his naziriteship? Conclude from the Mishnah that he negates the days of his naziriteship even if he discovered the impurity after the completion of his term.
ועדיין תיבעי לך: כולו סותר או שבעה סותר? למאן? אילימא לרבנן — פשיטא דכולו סותר. ואי לרבי אליעזר: כל אחר מלאת — שבעה סותר!
The Talmud continues to analyze the aforementioned case. And you can still raise the dilemma: Does he negate the entire period of his naziriteship or does he negate just 7 days? The Talmud asks: According to whom is this dilemma raised? If we say this dilemma is referring to the opinion of the Rabbis (see 16b), it is obvious that he negates it all, as they maintain that even a nazirite who becomes impure after the completion of his naziriteship must observe another 30 days. And if it is referring to the opinion of R' Eliezer, his ruling with regard to any impurity after the full term of his term is that one negates only 7 days.
אמר לך: הני מילי, כי נטמא אחר מלאת, והאי לפני מלאת הוא. או דילמא: שאני הכא דידיעה אחר מלאת היא?
The Talmud responds: The one who raised this dilemma could have said to you: This statement of R' Eliezer that a nazirite negates a mere 7 days applies only if he became impure after the full term of his naziriteship, but this one became impure before the end of the full term, and therefore he negates the entire period. Or perhaps it is different here, as it is a case of knowledge that came to light after the full term of his naziriteship.