Amud (a) introduces another Mishna that explains what should be done if a person vows to observe nazirut for one hundred days beginning now if his/her child is born. The rabbis have already established that one term of nazirut lasts 30 days (to allow hair to grow and then be shaved off). The Gemara questions what should be done if a child is born after 70 days. Is the nazirut already served enough if it is followed by one term of nazirut to honour the vow regarding birth of a child? Does the person break from his practice of nazirut after the birth of the child and then return to complete the remaining days from the 100 day vow? What if the child is born on the 71st day of nazirut? The Gemara also questions how the rituals around mourning might complicate the terms of nazirut.
Our rabbis ask about missed days, as well - Festival days that might break one's term of nazirut. They consider other situations that are similar. One of those is a woman who is spotting but not menstruating and thus an offering is brought on her behalf at first Pesach. She then goes to the mikvah but begins to menstruate. Was her offering valid? Is it valid now? Must she bring a second offering to the second Pesach? The Gemara walks us through the numerous limitations regarding purity and offerings. It is determined that her offering was valid, as she was clean, tahor, at the time it was given. She is not allowed to eat of the korban, however, for she is in a different state at the time when it would be consumed.
Another example is brought into this debate about time, status, obligation and vows. A zav, a man who experiences gonorrhoea-like discharge, might be subject to very similar considerations. And in his case, the rabbis consider whether or not the effects of his ritual impurity, tamei, should be considered retroactively.
Different rabbis consider whether it is rabbinic law or Torah law that suggests stringency regarding the assessment of past events/behaviours and their effects.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment