Daf Yomi for Women - Hadran

Latest Episodes:

Nazir 8 - January 31, 9 Shevat Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

Today's daf is sponsored by Dalia Gamson in memory of Efraim ben Yitzchak Shmuel.

The Mishna lists several cases where one accepted to be a nazir for a time period based on an object, like the hair on my head, dush of the earth...). They are considered a nazir forever, but tana kama and Rebbi disagree about whether one meant an infinite number of separate terms of being a nazir (with haircuts and sacrifices at the end of each thirty-day term) or one long period of being a nazir that lasts forever. If one said one will be a nazir for the capacity of the house or the basket, we ask what the intent was - for the house/basket or for contents. If the intent was the house/basket, they are a nazir for thirty days. If the intent was the contents, we view it as if it was filled with mustard seeds and they are a nazir for the rest of their life. If one says they will be a nazir from here to a different location, we measure how many days' journey and use that to determine how long the term will be. If one says "like the number of the days in the solar year" they are a nazir for 365 30-day terms. Rabbi Yehuda recounts that someone did this and as he finished the last term, he died. The Gemara questions the case with the basket - why do we assume they meant full of mustard seeds and not something larger like gourds, which would mean a nazirite term for a period of time corresponding to the number of gourds. Does this issue depend on a debate between Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yehuda about whether we are stringent or lenient regarding vows? Chizkiya says yes, but Rabbi Yochanan distinguishes between the case where they disagree and our case and claims that Rabbi Yehuda would agree in the case of our Mishna as well. According to Rabbi Yochanan's explanation, one must explain that Rabbi Yehuda holds like Rebbi's opinion in our Mishna. However, that is difficult in light of Rabbi Yehuda's statement in our Mishna and in a braita. Those difficulties are resolved. Several braitot are quoted with more cases of specific wording used by one accepting to be a nazir and how long or how many terms that person would need to be a nazir.

Nazir 7 - January 30, 8 Shevat Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Nazir 7

Today's daf is sponsored by Jane and David Shapiro in honor of their Skokie daf yomi compatriots: Shira & Norman Eliaser, Nina Black, and Rav Marianne Novak. "You keep us engaged, enthusiastic, and inspired by the daf every day."

The Mishnayot discuss various languages used to accept a nazirite term and how many days one would be a nazir for each of the different languages used. If one says "one large term" or "one short term" or "from here until the end of the world," one is only a nazir for thirty days. Why is the last case only thirty days? The assumption is that one is saying it is so difficult to be a nazir for thirty days that it feels like forever. The Gemara raises a difficulty on this answer from a different Mishna where one says they will be a nazir "from here until a particular place" and the term of the nazir depends on the number of days it takes to get there. Why are the rulings in these two cases different? Two answers are given to answer this question. The Mishna lists several different cases where one said I will be a nazir and then added an additional amount of time. In each case, the person has to keep two periods of being a nazir. Why was it necessary for the Mishna to list all the different cases? The next Mishna lists a case where one said "I will be a nazir for thirty days and one hour." Since one can't be a nazir for an hour, the person is a nazir for thirty-one days. Rav rules that this is only if one did not say thirty days and one day, but thirty and one day as he holds like Rabbi Akiva that any extra word can be used to mean something additional. Rabbi Akiva's position is found in a Mishna in Bava Batra 64a regarding the ownership of a pit and a cistern on a property of a house that one sold to someone else.

Nazir 6 - January 29, 7 Shevat Jan 29, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Nazir 6

Today's daf is sponsored by Blima Slutzky in memory of her mother, Mazal (Tina) bat Rina and David.

Today's daf is dedicated in memory of those murdered in the terrorist attack on Friday night in Neve Yaakov and for a refuah shleima to those injured there and from the attack in Ir David.

Five Mishnayot from the third chapter of Nazir are brought to raise a question against Bar Pada's opinions (that a stam nezirut is twenty-nine days). Three of those were already brought on the previous page. There are all resolved, and some as they are resolved are thrown back to question Rav Matna's opinion. A further question is raised to explain Rabbi Eliezer's position regarding a nazir who became impure on the last day of nezirut. The Gemara suggests that the debate between Rav Matna and Bar Pada is based on a tannatic debate between Rabbi Yoshiya and Rabbi Yonatan. However, this suggestion is rejected.

Nazir 5 - Shabbat January 28, 6 Shevat Jan 27, 2023

Show notes

We derive from Avshalom who was a nazir olam that if one's hair gets too long, one can trim it. But at what intervals did Avshalom cut his hair? Three opinions are brought and the GEmara both raises questions and explains these three approaches. If one accepts to be a nazir without specifying how much time, the Mishna rules that the timeframe is thirty days. Rav Matna learns this from gematria of the words "yihiye." Bar Pada derives that is it twenty-nine from the twenty-nine times in the chapter where the root n.z.r. appears. Two Mishnayot are brought to question Bar Pada but are resolved. After explaining the second one, that source is thrown back against Rav Matna. After that is resolved, another Mishna is brought to raise a difficulty against Bar Pada.

Nazir 4 - January 27, 5 Shevat Jan 27, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Nazir 4

Today's daf is sponsored by Goody and Eric Weil to our beloved mother/mother-in-law, Lili Weil z"l on the Shloshim since her passing. Aside from the many acts of chessed and philanthropic organizations she created, Lili was also a pioneer of women's learning. Several years after making Aliya from France in 1970, she wanted to learn Gemara, but organizations like Hadran didn't exist back then. So Lili and her friends started Matan around her kitchen table, helping generations of women deepen their Jewish learning and connection to our tradition. We honor her with our collective learning today.

After pointing out the derivations of Rabbi Shimon and the rabbis regarding their debate of one who accepts to be a nazir by only refraining from one particular prohibition of a nazir, the Gemara has a back-and-forth discussion of what each one does with the verse the other one uses and so on. Throughout the discussion, several verses in the section of the nazir are used to derive different halachot by each of them. What language needs to be used to accept upon oneself to be a nazir Shimshon? One who is a nazir Shimshon can never cut one's hair but can become impure to dead people. One who is a nazir olam (forever) can trim one's hair periodically but can never become impure to the dead. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon disagree about nazir Shimshon as Rabbi Shimon holds that one cannot accept upon oneself to be a nazir in this way as Shimshon did not accept upon himself to be a nazir and a vow only works if one connects it to something that is vowed upon, not something that has inherent sanctity. A different tannaitic debate is brought and compared to this debate, but in the end, the comparison is rejected. From where do we derive that Shimshon was not forbidden to become impure to dead people?

Nazir 3 - January 26, 4 Shevat Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

Study Guide Nazir 3

Today's daf is dedicated to Rebecca Eisen and Joshua Adler on the birth of their first child, a daughter, Maya Sari Adler, born on Thursday, January 12, 2023 in Toronto. "May she grow up connected to Torah, Israel, and her Jewish identity. Mazel tov!" Today's daf is dedicated for the refuah shleima of Hannah bat Peninah from her children and grandchildren. There are various phrases listed in the Mishna that can be used to become a nazir. The Gemara questions each one of them, suggesting that perhaps they could mean something else entirely. Shmuel responds to most of the questions by explaining that each case is a statement combined with an action - either a nazir walked by at exactly that moment or the person was holding their hair as they said it. Whoever says, "I will accept upon myself birds," there is a dispute between Rabbi Meir and the rabbis as to whether this is an acceptance of being a nazir or not. Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish disagree about the reasoning behind each position. To Reish Lakish, it is a dispute as to whether a person says something, can we assume it is referring to a word that is juxtaposed to that word in a verse. Birds appear in a verse in Daniel next to the growth of hair, perhaps he meant growth of hair mentioned in that verse and meant I will grow my hair to be a nazir. Rabbi Yochanan thinks that the debate is – is this statement referring to the bird offering in the event that the person will be a nazir and will become impure and will become obligated to bring a bird sacrifice. One who takes upon to be a nazir by saying that one is taking upon only one of the prohibitions of nazir, Rabbi Shimon and the rabbis disagree about whether that person is considered a nazir (and then would be forbidden for all nazirite prohibitions) or is one not a nazir at all. What is the proof of each side for his position?

Introduction to Masechet Nazir with Dr. Ayelet Hoffman Libson Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

Introduction to Masechet Nazir

Nazir 2 - January 25, 3 Shevat Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

Masechet Nazir is sponsored by the family of Rabbi Howard Alpert, HaRav Tzvi Lipa ben Hillel, in honor of his first yahrzeit. "Our father helped guide thousands of college students towards lives of Torah in his four decades of work as a Hillel professional. He instilled in his children an appreciation for Torah and its values while encouraging each of us to find meaning in our personal Jewish journeys." What are expressions that if uttered, one would be considered a nazir, even if one did not explicitly say that one is taking it upon oneself to be a nazir? The Mishna discusses kinuyim, words synonymous with nazir and yadot, phrases that intimate that one wants to be a nazir, but are incomplete formulations. Why is Nazir in Seder Nashim? To answer this, the Gemara explains the connection between a nazir and a sotah - one who sees a sotah will realize that it was caused by drunkenness and will vow to become a nazir. Why did the Mishna begin with kinuyim and then move to explain yadot before going back to explain kinuyim? What can be learned about the literary structure from other mishnayot that have a similar or different order? What rules does the Gemara suggest? The Mishna said that if one says "I will be" that is a yad for nazir and that person is a nazir. Perhaps the person meant "I will be in a fast" and didn't mean to become a nazir? Shmuel explains that the case is one where a nazir was walking by at the time. Does this teach us what Shmuel holds about an unclear intimation (yad)? Perhaps the person meant to take on the sacrificial responsibilities of the passing nazir and not to actually become a nazir? The Gemara answers that the person must have thought in their heart that they intended to become a nazir. How could this work if generally, we say that things one says in the heart are meaningless if not uttered? The Mishna ruled that if one says "I will beautify myself" they are a nazir. Perhaps they meant to beautify themselves with mitzvot? Shmuel explains that they are holding their hair at the time they make the declaration. How could becoming a nazir be called beautiful if the rabbis did not approve of people becoming a nazir?

Nedarim 91 - Siyum Masechet Nedarim - January 24, 2 Shvat Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

Siyum Masechet Nedarim is sponsored by Sharona Shuster in memory of her father Eliyahu Chaim ben Harav Ephraim and mother-in-law Devorah bat Yisroel. "Both of whom have a legacy of Torah and Mitzvot among their children and grandchildren. And to my husband who believed in me and encouraged me to learn with Hadran. Also a mazel tov to Hadran community." Siyum Masechet Nedarim is sponsored by Miriam Kerzner (sister) and her children Lana and Sheldon and Jamie and Elayne Greenstone (wife) in honor of Barry (Dov) Greenstone. "With great determination, at the age of 15 in 1957 finished Masechet Nedarim with his Rebbi, Rabbi Herzl Kaplan, z"l at the Hebrew Theological College (Skokie)."

Rav Papa said that Rava would quiz them on the following question: Does the wife of a kohen who is raped and must get divorced, receive her ketuba money or not? The answer is clear from our Mishna that she does. If a woman says in court that her husband divorced her, Rav Hamnuna says she is believed because a woman wouldn't have the audacity to lie in front of her husband if it wasn't true as he would know she is lying. Rava thinks that a woman is believed as in our Mishna, in a case where she says she is raped as it is humiliating for her to say that and therefore she would only say it if it were true. However, regarding divorce, that is not humiliating and therefore she is not believed. A question is raised against Rav from the case in our Mishna where a woman claims "heaven is between you and me" and was originally believed which seems to indicate she is believed even if she says something that doesn't humiliate her, as the issue is with her husband and not her. This difficulty is resolved as the language she uses clearly indicates that she is uncomfortable talking about this and therefore it is humiliating to her. A question is raised against Rav Hamnuna from the case in our Mishna where a woman claims "heaven is between you and me" according to the later ruling that she is not believed. According to Rav Hamnuna, if this is something he knows about as well, how could she have the audacity to lie to him about it? To answer the question, they assume that the wife thinks that the husband may not know whether or not he is at fault. Two stories are told of women married to kohanim who claimed that they accidentally may have had relations with another man and yet Rav Nachman ruled that they are not to be believed and the husbands do not need to divorce their wives. Two stories are told of men who found another man in their house alone with their wives and based on the details of what happened when they arrived home, Rava ruled in both cases that the women could stay married to their husbands.

Nedarim 90 - Rosh Chodesh Shvat, January 23, 1 Shvat Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

This month's learning is sponsored by Shlomo and Amalia Klapper in honor of the birth of Chiyenna Yochana, named after her great-great-grandmother, Chiyenna Kossovsky. "A talmida chachama who studied gemara ahead of her time. Baby Chiyenna will be 4 1/2 when her mother finishes shas, be'ezrat Hashem!" This week's learning is sponsored by Stacey Goodstein Ashtamker in loving memory of Stacey's beloved father Jack Goodstein, Yaakov ben Asur Halevi z"l whose 12 months of mourning ends on Rosh Chodesh and in memory of her father-in-law Eliyahu Ashtamker, Eliyahu ben David z"l, whose first yahrzeit is this Shabbat. "May their memories be for a blessing." Today's daf is dedicated in memory of HaRabbanit Dr. Naomi Cohen zt"l, the wife of HaRav Shear Yashuv Hakohen zt"l. A woman ahead of her time who taught Gemara to women in Haifa. You are missed as a teacher, and as a special wise woman, we had the honor to study with.

Does the debate between Rabbi Natan and the rabbis regarding nullification of a vow that has not yet taken effect also apply to dissolving vows with a chacham? A story is brought of a man who took a vow of this kind and Rav Acha made sure the vow took effect so that it could be dissolved. Two explanations are brought up explaining why he needed the vow to take effect first. Sources are brought to support the second explanation but are each rejected. An alternate version of the second explanation is brought and the same sources are brought to raise a difficulty against it. One is resolved, and the other is not. Originally there were three different claims a woman could make and the rabbis would insist the husband divorce the wife and give her the ketuba money, but over time there were women who lied in order to get the husband to divorce her, and therefore the rabbis stopped believing them. What were these claims? After the rabbis changed their minds, what would they do if a woman made these claims? One of the claims is a woman married to a kohen claims that she was raped. The Gemara asks: if we no longer believe her to insist on divorce, can she continue to eat truma?

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Daf Yomi for Women – Hadran

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected