Friday, July 21, 2006

nezirus - nidrei gavoha or nidrei bituei?

I thank Anonymous for pointing me to a letter the Rav wrote to R’ Hutner upon receiving advanced copy of R’ Hutner’s Toras Nazir – see Igros haGRI”D p 278. The Rav addresses the question of which box – nidrei gavoha or nidrei issur – a neder of nezirus fits into. As we have seen earlier in the week, the Ramban defines nidrei hekdesh and tzedaka based on the hischayvus, the obligation such a neder creates. Nidrei bituei do not create a hischayvus to do something, e.g. giving tzedaka or offering a korban – they create issurim. At first glance one would suspect that nezirus is a form of nidrei gavoha, as one who becomes a nazir accepts the obligations of bringing the korbanos of nezirus. However, the Rambam opens hilchos nezirus with the statement “Hanezirus hi neder bichlal nidrei issur”, nezirus is in the category of nidrei issur! The Rav explains that the neder of nezirus is not an acceptance of korbanos obligations, but an acceptance of the shem nazir. Once one is defined as a nazir, it naturally follows that certain obligations stem from that chalos.

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:19 AM

    What is interesting about that (that the Nazir is actually viewed as being a noder a chatas) is the Rambam paskens in Hilchos Nedarim 1:10 that using chatas in a neder is consdiered davar ha-nadur -- which implies you are in effect being noder a chatas (and I had some recollection that the Brisker ha-Rav says similarly). Here is the Rambam

    החטאת והאשם--אף על פי שאינן באין בנדר ונדבה, כמו שיתבאר במקומו--אפשר לנודר להביא אותם מחמת נדרו: שהנודר בנזיר, מביא חטאת; ואם נטמא, מביא אשם כמו שיתבאר. לפיכך האומר פירות אלו עליי כחטאת, או כאשם, או שאמר הרי הן חטאת, או הרי הן אשם--הרי אלו אסורין.

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  2. There is a whole discussion in the Gr"Ch stencil (also others, e.g. R' Naftoli Trop) regarding davar hanadur which is outside the scope of what I can adequetly touch on here. You are equating davar hanadur with being a direct result of the neder's hischayvus - maybe the fact that the shem nazir is mechayeiv the korban is sufficient. Needs more research!

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  3. Anonymous11:50 AM

    Just to note that last comment was me, with the tip for the Igros ha-grid. I will add that the Avnei Miluim takes a similar approach to understanding the issurei nazir that they are neither issur gavra nor issur cheftza (trying to fit nezirus in the shevuah/neder model) and basically argues that the issurim flow from the nazir's status as such. He develops the yesod to answer a famous and problematic rambam in hil nezirus re: aseh docheh lo taseh in the nazir context.

    As I've said before, I really enjpy the blog - Keep up the interesting posts!

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  4. i will just add to your mareh mekomos the sha'agas arye siman 60 on the whole issue.

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