R. ELEAZAR B. AZARIAH SAID etc.: R. Joseph said: In agreement with whom is the rendering in the Targum2 as 'from the kernels even unto the skins'?3 — In agreement with the opinion of R. Jose.4
MISHNAH. A NAZIRITESHIP OF UNSPECIFIED DURATION LASTS THIRTY DAYS.5 SHOULD [THE NAZIRITE] POLL HIMSELF OR BE POLLED BY BANDITS,6 THIRTY DAYS ARE RENDERED VOID.7 A NAZIRITE WHO POLLS HIMSELF, NO MATTER WHETHER HE USES A SCISSORS OR A RAZOR, OR WHO TRIMS [HIS HAIR] HOWEVER LITTLE, INCURS A PENALTY.
GEMARA. [The Academy] wished to know whether the growth of the hair takes place at the roots or at the tips.8 [The knowledge] is of importance for the case of a nazirite polled by bandits who left enough [of each hair] for the end to be curled in towards the root.9 If [the hair] grows at the roots the consecrated part has been removed,10 but if it grows at the tips, then the part he consecrated is still there.11 Judge from the live nit found at the root of a strand [of hair], for if it were true that the growth is at the root ought it not to be found at the tip?12 — The growth may well be at the tip, but the nit, being alive, continually moves down [towards the root]. Judge13 from a dead nit [that is found] at the end of a strand[ of hair], for if it were true that the growth takes place at the end, ought it not to be found near the root? There again [it may well be] because it has no power [to grasp the hair]14 that it slides more and more along it. Judge from the pigtails of heathens15 that loosen near the root after growing [for some time]!16 There too, [it may well be] because of its being creased by his lying on it that it grows loose.17 Judge from the sekarta18 for the wool grows fresh again underneath [the marking], and this is something which we learned [in a Mishnah];19 further when old men dye their beards, these grow white again
Nazir 39bat the roots.1 From this we can justly infer that hair increases at the roots. This proves it.But it has been taught [as follows]: A nazirite polled by bandits who left sufficient [of each hair] for the end to be curled inwards towards the root is not required to render void [his naziriteship].2 Now if it is true that the hair grows from beneath, why should he not render it void? — It is here assumed that they polled him after the termination [of his naziriteship], and the author is R Eliezer in whose opinion whatever happens after the termination of the naziriteship renders void only seven days,3 his reason being that he applies the same rule to polling in ritual purity4 as to polling after defilement. Just as in polling after defilement seven days become void,5 so in polling in ritual purity seven days are to be come void; and the Rabbis knew for a fact that every seven days enough hair grows for the tip to be curled inwards towards the root.6 A NAZIRITE WHO POLLS HIMSELF, NO MATTER WHETHER HE USES A RAZOR OR A SCISSORS,7 OR WHO TRIMS [HIS HAIR] HOWEVER LITTLE INCURS A PENALTY: Our Rabbis taught: [From the word] razor,8 I only know [that he is forbidden to use] a razor. How do I know that if he pulls [his hair] out, or plucks it [with tweezers] or trims it however little [he is equally culpable]? The verse continues, He shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.9 The above is the opinion of R. Josiah, whereas R. Jonathan said that 'razor' implies razor only, and if he plucks [his hair] or pulls it out, or trims it but a little there is no penalty.10 But it says, He shall be holy etc.?11 — This is to tell us that if he removes it with a razor, he has transgressed both a positive and a negative precept.12 Another [Baraitha] taught: 'Razor' tells me only [that he is forbidden to use] a razor. How do I know that if he pulls out [his hair], or plucks it, or trims it but a little [he is equally culpable]? The verse reads, [A razor] shall not come upon his head.13 Now seeing that we are finally [intended] to include all means [of removing the hair], why are we told that a razor shall not come upon his head? This is because we should not otherwise be able to infer that the final polling must be done with a razor.14 For it is impossible to derive this from the leper15, - To Next Folio -
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