The shaving of uncleanliness — How? He would be besprinkled (with the cleansing waters) on the third and seventh days, and he would shave on the seventh, and he would bring his offerings on the eighth. And if he shaved on the eighth, he brings his offerings on that day, [as it is written (Numbers 6:9): "Then he shall shave it. (10) And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtle-doves, etc."] These are the words of R. Akiva. R. Tarfon asked him: What is the difference between him and a leper? [it being written in respect to the second shaving of a leper (Leviticus 14:9): "And it shall be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair … (10) And on the eighth day he shall take, etc." And it is ruled in respect to a leper that if he shaved on the eighth day, he brings his offering on the ninth!] He answered: This one [the Nazirite], his cleaning is contingent upon his days, [sprinkling on the third and on the seventh, and immersion. Therefore, since he is cleansed on the seventh, even though he did not shave until the eighth day, he brings his offerings on that day], whereas a leper — his cleansing is contingent upon his shaving, and he cannot bring an offering until the sun has set (after his cleansing), [it being written: "On the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair," followed by: "And he shall bathe his flesh in water." And if he immersed before he shaved, his immersion is of no avail. Therefore, if he shaved on the eighth, he still requires immersion and setting of the sun, for which reason he cannot bring his offerings until the ninth day. The halachah is in accordance with R. Akiva.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
מגלח בשביעי ומביא קרבן בשמיני – as It is written (Numbers 6:9-10): “[If a person dies suddenly near him, defiling his consecrated hair,] he shall shave his head on the day he becomes clean; he shall shave it on the seventh day. On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons [to the priest, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting],” and a lamb for a guilt offering (see verse 12).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
Introduction
If a nazirite contracts ritual impurity, he must count seven days, shave his head on the seventh, bring two sacrifices on the eighth day, one a sin offering and the other a burnt offering, and then begin to count his naziriteship again. This is spelled out in Number 6:9-12. Our mishnah describes this ritual.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
מה בין זה למצורע – as it is written in the portion of the leper in the second shaving (Leviticus 14:9-10): “On the seventh day he shall shave off he shall shave off all his hair…,” on the eighth day he shall take [two male lambs without blemish, one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish].” And we hold with regard to a leper, that if he shaves on the eighth day, he brings the sacrifice on the ninth [day].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
Shaving on account of defilement: How was it done? He would sprinkle [with purification water] on the third and seventh days, shave on the seventh day and bring his sacrifices on the eighth day. Numbers 19:19 states that a person who has become ritually defiled by contact with a corpse must have purification water sprinkled on him on the third and seventh days. Our mishnah adds this information into the procedure clearly stated in Numbers 6, that a nazirite who has become impure shaves on the seventh day and brings his sacrifices on the eighth.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
אמר לו שזה טהרתו תלויה בימיו – For a Nazirite, his [ritual] purification is dependent upon sparkling on the third [day] and on the seventh [day] and ritual immersion’; therefore, since he became pure on the seventh day, even though he had not shaved until the eighth day, he bring his sacrifices on that selfsame day.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nazir
If he shaved on the eighth day, he would bring his sacrifices on that same day, the words of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Tarfon said to him: what difference is there between this one and a person with scale disease? He said to him: the purification of this one depends on his days, whereas the purification of one with scale disease depends on his shaving, and he cannot bring a sacrifice unless the sun has set upon him [after his purification]. According to Rabbi Akiva, if he shaved on the eighth day, he may bring his sacrifices that very same day. Rabbi Akiva reasons that a nazirite may always bring his sacrifices the day after he has become pure, regardless of when he shaves. Rabbi Tarfon raises a difficulty on Rabbi Akiva. When a person with scale disease becomes pure, he too must shave on the seventh day and bring his sacrifices on the eighth day (see Leviticus 14:9-10). However, in that case, Rabbi Akiva agrees that if he shaves on the eighth day, he may not bring his sacrifices until the ninth. Rabbi Akiva responds that a nazirite’s purity depends on the seven days and not on his having shaved. This is demonstrated by the fact that the nazirite goes to the mikveh on the seventh day, even if he doesn’t shave until the eighth. Therefore, once he has become pure on the seventh day, he may bring his sacrifices on the eighth, even if he also shaves that day. In contrast, a person with scale disease cannot go to the mikveh, until he shaves. He cannot bring his sacrifice, therefore, until the sun sets on the day that he has become pure by going to the mikveh, which if he shaves on the eighth will not be until the ninth. Therefore, the person with scale disease is not analogous to the nazirite.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nazir
אבל מצורע טהרתו תלויה בתגלחתו – as it is written (Leviticus 14:9): “on the seventh day he shall shave off all his hair” and afterwards it is written (ibid.): “and bathe his body in water; [then he shall be clean],” but if he immersed prior to shaving, the immersion does not count for him; therefore, if he shaved on the eighth day, he yet requires [ritual] immersion at sunset, therefore, he cannot bring his sacrifices until the ninth [day], and the Halakha is according to Rabbi Akiva.
