Nedarim 124

Chapter 124

א לפתוח ראשון ולברך ראשון וליטול מנה יפה ראשון
1 to be the first to commence [the reading of the Law],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In ancient times the public reading of the Law was done by those 'called up'. The priest was to be called to read the first portion. v. Git. 59a. ');"><sup>1</sup></span> the first to pronounce the blessing,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the blessing for bread prior to the meal, and grace after the meal. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
ב אמר רבא שרי ליה לצורבא מרבנן למימר לא יהיבנא אכרגא דכתיב (עזרא ז, כד) מנדה בלו והלך לא שליט למירמא עליהון וא"ר יהודה מנדה זו מנת המלך בלו זו כסף גולגלתא והלך זו ארנונא
2 and first to receive a good portion.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At a meal he must be served first. — Asheri: when sharing anything with an Israelite, the latter must divide the thing to be shared in two equal portions and give choice of pick to the priest. ');"><sup>3</sup></span> Raba said: A rabbinical scholar may declare, I will not pay poll-tax, for it is written, [also we certify to you, that touching any of the priests&nbsp;… or ministers of this house of God,] it shall not be lawful to impose mindah [tribute,] belo [custom,] or halak [toll,] upon them:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezra VII, 24. ');"><sup>4</sup></span>
ג ואמר רבא שרי ליה לצורבא מרבנן למימר עבדא דנורא אנא לא יהיבנא אכרגא מ"ט לאברוחי אריא מיניה קאמר
3 whereon Rab Judah said: 'mindah' is the king's portion [of the crops]; 'belo' is a capitation tax, and 'halak' is arnona.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or 'annona', produce tax. Jast. conjectures that [H] probably means a tax for the sustenance of marching troops. ');"><sup>5</sup></span> Raba also said: A Rabbinical scholar may assert, 'I am a servant of fire, and will not pay poll-tax.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To the Persian it would suggest a fire worshipper, who was free from poll-tax. But the scholar making (his assertion should mean that he worships the Lord, who is designated 'consuming fire' in Deut. IV, 24. (Under Chapter II, fire worship became the national and state-aided religion of the Persians, and in order to win converts to that religion fire worshippers enjoyed exemption from poll-tax: v. Funk, S. Die Juden in Babylonien II. p. 3.) ');"><sup>6</sup></span>
ד רב אשי הוה ליה ההוא אבא זבניה לבי נורא א"ל רבינא לרב אשי האיכא (ויקרא יט, יד) לפני עור לא תתן מכשול א"ל רוב עצים להסקה ניתנו:
4 What is the reason? Because it is [only] said in order to drive away a lion.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., in self-defence, against irregular extortion. Ran states that Raba's dictum means that even a Rabbinical student may act thus, and it is not regarded as an untruth; the ordinary person may certainly do so. ');"><sup>7</sup></span> R. Ashi owned a forest, which he sold to a fire-temple. Said Rabina to R. Ashi: But there is [the injunction]. Thou shalt not put a tumbling-block before the blind!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XIX. 14: i.e., nothing must be done to aid idolatry. ');"><sup>8</sup></span>
ה <big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> עד הקציר עד שיתחיל העם לקצור קציר חטין אבל לא קציר שעורין הכל לפי מקום נדרו אם היה בהר בהר ואם היה בבקעה בבקעה
5 — He replied: Most wood is used for [ordinary] heating.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Not for idolatrous service, ');"><sup>9</sup></span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. [IF HE VOWS,] 'UNTIL THE HARVEST,' [IT MEANS] UNTIL THE PEOPLE BEGIN REAPING THE WHEAT HARVEST, BUT NOT THE BARLEY HARVEST.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which is earlier. ');"><sup>10</sup></span>
ו עד הגשמים עד שיהו הגשמים עד שתרד רביעה שניה רשב"ג אומר עד שיגיע זמנה של רביעה עד שיפסקו גשמים עד שיצא ניסן כולו דברי ר' מאיר ר' יהודה אומר עד שיעבור הפסח:
6 IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE PLACE WHERE HE VOWED:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., though normally 'harvest', unspecified, means the wheat harvest, if in a particular place one refers thus to the barley harvest it means until then. Likewise, as the Mishnah proceeds to explain. ');"><sup>11</sup></span> IF IN A HILL-COUNTRY. THE HILL-COUNTRY [HARVEST]; IF IN THE PLAIN, [THE HARVEST OF] THE PLAIN [IS MEANT].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Harvesting is later in a hill-country than in a plain. ');"><sup>12</sup></span>
ז <big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> תניא הנודר עד הקיץ בגליל וירד לעמקים אע"פ שהגיע הקיץ בעמקים אסור עד שיגיע הקיץ בגליל:
7 [IF HE VOWS,] 'UNTIL THE RAINS,' [OR], 'UNTIL THE RAINS SHALL BE', [IT MEANS] UNTIL THE SECOND RAINFALL DESCENDS.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., until it commences. There are three winter rainfalls in Palestine. Their times are discussed on 63a. When he states, 'until the rainfall', without specifying which, it is assumed that he means the middle one, as he would have defined the first or last by name. ');"><sup>13</sup></span> R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: UNTIL THE [NORMAL] TIME FOR THE [FIRST] RAINFALL IS REACHED.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Even if it does not rain then. Since the times of the rainfalls are not exact, he must have meant when the rainfall commences. ');"><sup>14</sup></span>
ח עד הגשמים עד שיהו גשמים עד שתרד רביעה שניה רשב"ג אומר וכו': אמר ר' זירא מחלוקת דאמר עד הגשמים אבל אמר עד הגשם עד זמן גשמים קאמר
8 [IF HE VOWS,] 'UNTIL THE RAINS CEASE,' [IT MEANS] UNTIL THE END OF NISAN:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first month in the Jewish year, corresponding to March-April. ');"><sup>15</sup></span> THIS IS R. MEIR'S VIEW. R. JUDAH SAID: UNTIL PASSOVER IS PAST. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. It was taught: He who vows in Galilee, 'until the fruit-harvest,' and then descends to the valleys, though the fruit harvest has begun in the valley, he is forbidden [by his vow] until the fruit-harvest in Galilee. [IF HE VOWS,] 'UNTIL THE RAINS,' [OR] 'UNTIL THE RAINS SHALL BE,' [IT MEANS] UNTIL THE SECOND RAINFALL DESCENDS. R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID, etc. R. Zera said: The dispute is only if he said, 'until the rains';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The first Tanna maintains that the plural implies, until there shall have been at least two rainfalls; whilst in R. Simeon b. Gamaliel's opinion the terms of the vow are fulfilled when the time for the second rainfall comes, even though it did not actually rain. ');"><sup>16</sup></span> but if he declared, until the rain,' he [certainly] meant, until the time of the [first] rain.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashi. ');"><sup>17</sup></span>
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