If one assumed Naziritism while he was in the cemetery, even if he were there thirty days, they do not accrue to the count (of Naziritism), and he does not bring an offering for uncleanliness. [For that offering is prescribed for a Nazirite who was clean and became unclean. In any event, if he were forewarned, he receives stripes.] If he went out and re-entered, they do accrue to the count, and he brings an offering of uncleanliness. [The gemara explains this Mishnah thus: If he went out of the cemetery, and were besprinkled (with the cleansing waters) the third and seventh days, and immersed, and were purified from his uncleanliness, and began to count the days of his Naziritism — even though he afterwards re-entered the cemetery, these days that he counted after he became clean do accrue to him, since cleanliness intervened between the first days that he assumed Naziritism in the cemetery and these latter days. And even though he re-entered the cemetery, the uncleanliness of the cemetery does not offset the number of days that he counted in cleanliness. For only the twelve varieties of uncleanliness stated in respect to Naziritism offset these days. As to "and he brings an offering of cleanliness," this is what is meant: If he became unclean again, with one of the uncleanlinesses which cause a Nazirite to shave, he brings an offering of uncleanliness and offsets (the count). R. Eliezer says; Not on the same day, it being written (Numbers 6:12): "And the first days shall fall off" — there must be "first days." [That is, if on the day that he immersed and cleansed himself he became unclean with one of the uncleanlinesses which cause the Nazirite to shave, he does not offset that day, it being written: "And the first days shall fall off" — Uncleanliness does not offset until two days of Naziritism have been counted. And the same is true for a Nazirite in general, who became unclean on the first day of his Naziritism — Uncleanliness does not offset that day, but he includes it in the count of the days of his Naziritism. The halachah is in accordance with R. Eliezer.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
ואינו מביא קרבן טומאה – for as it is written a sacrifice for defilement, it is written for a pure Nazirite who was defiled; nevertheless, if he was warned about it, he is liable for whipping.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
Introduction
As we have already mentioned, if a nazirite becomes impure, he must bring a sacrifice and begin to recount his naziriteship. Our mishnah deals with a person who takes a nazirite vow while he is in a graveyard, a place of high impurity.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
יצא ונכנס עולין לו מן המנין – and he brings a sacrifice of defilement; but our Mishnah is explained in the Gemara (Tractate Nazir 19a) as follows: if he left the cemetery and sprinkled on the third and seventh days and immersed [in the Mikveh] and became purified from his defilement and he began to count the days of his Naziritieship, even though he went back and entered afterwards into the cemetery, they count for him from the number those days which he counted after he purified, for since his purification interrupted whether [we are dealing with] the first days that he was a Nazirite and he is in the cemetery, or whether [we are dealing with] the latter days and even though he returned and entered the cemetery, the defilement of the cemetery do not cause him to lose the number of the days that were counted while in a state of purity, for the Nazirite does not lose other the twelve days defilements that are mentioned regarding it. And that which is stated furthermore, and he brings a sacrifice of defilement, this is how it should be stated: if he was defiled again with one of the defilements that the Nazirite shaves and brings the sacrifice of defilement and he loses [those days].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
If one takes a nazirite vow while in a graveyard, then even if he remains there for thirty days, these do not count, and he does not have to bring the sacrifice [prescribed] for impurity. This person took a nazirite vow while standing in a place of impurity. Therefore he cannot even begin to count the days of his naziriteship. As long as he stays in the place of impurity he has not yet become a nazirite. Therefore, he also does not need to bring a sacrifice of impurity, which he would have been obligated for, had he been a nazirite and then became impure.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
ר"א אומר לא בו ביום – meaning to say, if on that selfsame day that he immersed [in a Mikveh] and became pure, on that same day he became defiled with one of the defilements that [causes] the Nazirite to shave, he does not lose that same day, as it is written (Numbers 6:12): “The previous period shall be void [since his consecrated hair was defiled],” the defilement does not cause him to lose until he will have two days of Naziriteship counted and the same law applies with a Nazirite in general who was defiled on the first day of the count of his Naziriteship, for the defilement does not cause him loss of the that day, but rather completes for him the number of the days of his Naziriteship, and the Halakha is according to Rabbi Eliezer.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
If he leaves it and re-enters, [the period] counts, and he must bring the sacrifice [prescribed] for impurity. Rabbi Eliezer says: not [if he re-enters] on the same day, for it says, “But the former days shall be void,” (Numbers 6:12) until there are former days. However, if he leaves the graveyard, and then becomes pure (which takes seven days) he now begins to count the days of naziriteship. If after he leaves he re-enters the graveyard, he is now a nazirite who has become impure and is obligated to bring the requisite sacrifices. Rabbi Eliezer holds that if he returns to the graveyard (or is otherwise made impure) the same day that he began to count his naziriteship, the day is not lost and he does not bring impurity sacrifices. After he becomes pure, he goes on counting from where he left off. This halakhah is derived by means of a midrash on the word “days”. In order to void that part of the naziriteship which was previously observed, there must have been full days which were observed.
