All epithets (kinuyei) of Naziritism are like Naziritism. [Something which is not the name per se is called a kinui, as in (Bava Metzia 58b) "hamechaneh shem lechavero" ("one who calls his friend by an epithet")]. If one says: "I shall be," he becomes a Nazirite [This is not a kinui, but is called a "yad" ("hand"), like a handle by which a vessel is held. In the same way the vow is "held" by this expression. Our Mishnah is "lacking," and this is what is meant: All epithets of Naziritism are like Naziritism, and all yadoth of Naziritism are like Naziritism. These are yadoth of Naziritism: If one says: "I shall be," "I shall be beautified." And these are epithets of Naziritism: "nazik," "naziach," "paziach." ("If one says: 'I shall be,'":) If he sees a Nazirite passing before him and says: "I shall be," even if he did not say: "I shall be like this one," if his intent were to be a Nazirite like him, he becomes a Nazirite, even though he did not make it explicit.], or (if one says:) "I shall be beautified," he becomes a Nazirite. [If he grasped his hair and said: "I shall be beautified," the implication is: I shall be comely by growing this hair long (as a Nazirite does). If this were his intent, he becomes a Nazirite, even though he did not make it explicit. For these and expressions like them are yadoth of Naziritism, and they are like (assuming) Naziritism (itself).] If one says: "nazik," "naziach," "paziach," he becomes a Nazirite. [They are gentile expressions for a Nazirite, close to the Hebrew, and they are called "epithets of Naziritism."] (If one says:) "I shall be like this one" [pointing to a Nazirite near him], "I shall smooth my hair," "I shall be mechalkel" ["mechalkel" — growing hair, as in (Niddah 52b): "mishetechalkel ha'atarah," when the hair of the pudenda is fully grown.] (If one says:) "I shall let my hair grow long," he becomes a Nazirite. (If one says:) "I shall bring birds," [two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, which are the offering of a Nazirite who has become unclean (This, when a Nazirite passes before him.)], R. Meir says: He becomes a Nazirite. [Since a Nazirite passes before him, and birds are the offering of a Nazirite who has become unclean, it is clear that when he said: "I shall bring birds," he intended Naziritism.] And the sages say: He does not become a Nazirite. [The halachah is in accordance with the sages. He is not a Nazirite, but he brings birds to fulfill his vow.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
כל כינויי נזירות – a word which is not the essence of the name is called a substituted word, like a person who calls his fellow by a nickname [Tractate Bava Metzia 58b].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
Introduction This mishnah is very similar to the first mishnah of nedarim, indeed the first line of our mishnah is quoted there. The mishnah discusses vow substitute formulas. People were afraid to mention the entire vow formula because of the awe they had in the power of a vow. Hence they used substitutes. The rabbis teach that substitutes are just as valid as the full formula. The mishnah continues to discuss other statements that make one into a nazir.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
האומר אהא – it is not a nickname but rather suggestions of nicknames, like a handle which the utensil is held by; such the vow is influenced by this language but our Mishnah is deficient and should be read as follows: all nicknames/substitute words for Naziriteship are like Naziriteship and all suggestions of Naziriteship are like Naziriteship. Which are the suggestions of Naziriteship? A person who says: “I will be [such]….,” “I will be handsome,” and which are the nicknames of Naziriteship? Nazik (a substitute for Nazir), Naziah, Paziah.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
All the substitutes for vows have the validity of vows. This is an introduction to the rest of the mishnah. One need not state the full nazirite formula in order to become a nazirite.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
האומר אהא – that he saw a Nazirite passing before him and said: “I will be,” even though he did not say, “I will be like this,” if he intended to be a Nazirite like him, behold this is a Nazirite and even though he did not utter with his lips like this.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
If one says, “I shall be [one]” he is a nazirite. According to the simple reading of this section, all one needs to say to become a nazirite is “I shall be”, with the direct object “a nazirite” understood. The Talmud says that in order for this to be a valid nazirite formula, he must state it while a nazir is walking by.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
אהא נוה – that he would grab hold of his hair and state, “I will be handsome,” implying that “I will be handsome with the growth of this hair,” and if he intended for this purpose, He is a Nazirite, and even though he did not specify that these and other similar suggestions of Naziriteship and they are like being a Nazirite.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
I shall be comely. Nazirites, who grew their hair long, were considered to be comely. Therefore, one who says “I shall be comely” has taken a nazirite vow.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
נזיק אזיח פזיח – the expressions of the [non-Jewish] nations that they call a Nazirite as such and their expressions are close to that of Israel and are called nicknames of Naziriteship.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
“A nazik”, “a naziah”, “a paziah”, he is a nazirite. These words all sound close enough to “nazir” that it is clear that by using them, the person intends to take a nazirite vow.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
הריני כזה – and he gesticulates/hints to the Nazirite that is opposite him.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
[If one says,] “Behold I shall be like this one,” or “Behold I shall curl [my hair]” or “Behold, I shall tend [my hair]” or “Behold, I shall grow my hair long,” he is a nazirite. The first statement “I shall be like this one” must have been made while a nazirite was walking by, as we explained in section two. The other statements, references to growing beautiful, long hair, are also references to becoming a nazir. As we can see, nazirites were distinguished by their growing their hair long.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
הריני מסלסל הריני מכלכל הריני כזה – and all of them specifically when he grabs hold of his hair and his intention is to Naziriteshiip.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
[If one says] “Behold, I shall [bring] birds [as offerings]” Rabbi Meir says he is a nazirite, but the sages say he is not a nazirite. A nazirite who became impure must bring two birds as sacrifices (Numbers 6:10). According to Rabbi Meir, if one says, “I shall bring bird offerings”, his intention is to make himself a nazirite. The Sages hold that he has not vowed a nazirite vow. However, he would have to bring two birds as offerings.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
מסלסל/he curls his hair (see Talmud Nazir 3a);
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
מכלכל/grows a crown of hair, and its example is from she has a full growth of hair (around the puenda) [Talmud Niddah 52b], when the hair of [her] pudenda.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
הרי עלי צפרים – two turtle doves or two pigeons and they are the sacrifice of a Nazirite who has become ritually defiled and like the example of a Nazirite that passes before him.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
רבי מאיר אומר נזיר – since a Nazirite passes before him and birds are the sacrifice of a Nazirite that became ritually defiled, the words prove that when he says, “I pledge myself [to offer] birds,” he is speaking about Naziriteship.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
וחכמים אומרים אינו נזיר – and the Halakha is according to the Sages that he is not a Nazirite, but he brings the birds to complete his vow.
