"Konam, que no obtengo ningún beneficio de los hijos de Noé", se le permite a los israelitas, [los israelitas han dejado la clase de "los hijos de Noé"], y está prohibido a las naciones del mundo, [incluso aquellos de la simiente de Abraham]. "que no obtengo ningún beneficio de la simiente de Abraham", está prohibido a los israelitas [(Y los prosélitos también están en la clase de "la simiente de Abraham, está escrito (Génesis 17: 5):" Porque te he hecho el padre de una multitud de naciones ")], y se le permite a las naciones del mundo [incluso aquellos que son la simiente de Abraham, solo los hijos de Jacob se llaman" la simiente de Abraham ", está escrito ( Ibid. 21:12): "Porque en Isaac te será llamado simiente"—"en Isaac" y no en todo Isaac] "que no obtengo ningún beneficio de los israelitas", puede comprar por más (de lo que vale) y vender por menos. "Que los israelitas no obtengan ningún beneficio de mí", puede comprar por menos y vender por más si aceptan. [Es decir, puede venderlo por más de lo que vale si su vecino está de acuerdo con tal transacción.] "Que no obtengo ningún beneficio de ellos ni ellos de mí", puede obtener beneficios de los no judíos. "Konam, que no obtengo ningún beneficio de los incircuncisos" [Su intención es aquellos que no creen en el pacto de la circuncisión], se le prohíbe a los israelitas incircuncisos y se les permite circuncidar a los no judíos. "Konam, que no obtengo ningún beneficio de los circuncidados" [aquellos que creen en el pacto de la circuncisión], se le prohíbe a los israelitas incircuncisos [como uno cuyos hermanos murieron a causa de la circuncisión], y se les permite circuncidar a los no judíos [tales como un árabe incircunciso o un Giveonita incircunciso], porque "incircunciso" es un epíteto para los no judíos, a saber. (Jeremías 9:26): "Porque todas las naciones están incircuncisas, y toda la casa de Israel no está circuncidada de corazón", y (I Samuel 1:20): "Para que las hijas de los filisteos no se regocijen, para que las hijas del exultado incircunciso ". R. Elazar b. Azaryah dice: Repugnante es incircuncisión, con lo cual los impíos fueron ejecutados, a saber: "Porque todas las naciones están incircuncisas". R. Yishmael dice: Grande es (la mitzvá de) la circuncisión, que fue dada con trece pactos, [el "pacto" aparece trece veces en la sección de (la mitzvá de) la circuncisión dada a Abraham.] R. Yossi dice: Grande es (la mitzvá de) la circuncisión, que anula el estricto (mitzvá del) sábado, [está escrito (Levítico 12: 3): "Y al octavo día circuncidará la carne de su prepucio"—incluso en el día de reposo.] R. Yehoshua b. Karchah dice: Grande es (la mitzvá de) la circuncisión, porque (negligencia) en la cual Moisés, el justo, no habría recibido un momento completo (conmutación, pero habría sido asesinado inmediatamente si su esposa no hubiera circuncidado a su hijo). R. Nechemiah dice: Grande es (la mitzvá de) la circuncisión, que anula (la prohibición de cortar) los puntos de peste. [Porque exponemos (Levítico 12: 3): "él circuncidará"—incluso en el sitio de una lesión leprosa. Y él no está violando el mandamiento negativo (Deuteronomio 24: 8): "Presta atención al punto de la peste de la lepra".] Rebbi dice: Grande es (la mitzvá de) la circuncisión; porque con todas las mitzvoth que realizó nuestro padre Abraham, no fue llamado "perfecto" hasta que se circuncidó a sí mismo, como está escrito (en relación con la circuncisión) (Génesis 17: 1): "Camina delante de mí y sé perfecto". Otra (homilía): Grande es (la mitzvá de) la circuncisión, queriendo que el Santo Bendito sea Él no habría creado Su mundo, a saber. (Jeremías 33:25): "Así dice el Señor; si no fuera por mi pacto (de circuncisión) día y noche, las ordenanzas del cielo y la tierra no las habría hecho".
Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
מותר בישראל – they have department from the category of the children of Noah/Noahides.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nedarim
Introduction
This long mishnah actually contains several mishnayoth. The first part begins with a definition of the terms “Children of Noah” and “Children of Abraham”. The second part deals with vows not to benefit from Israelites and the third part deals with vows not to benefit from the uncircumcised or the circumcised. The mishnah ends with an ode to the importance of circumcision in Judaism.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
ואסור באומות העולם – and even those who are from the seed of Abraham (i.e. Abraham’s other children such as Ishmael or the children of Keturah, etc.).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nedarim
[If one says,] “Konam that I do not benefit from the Children of Noah,” he may benefit from Israelites, and he is forbidden to benefit from the nations of the world. [If one says, “Konam] that I do not benefit from the seed of Abraham,” he is forbidden [to benefit] from Israelites, but permitted [to benefit] from the nations of the world. Technically speaking, all of humanity are the descendents of Noah, for only his family survived the flood. However, the term “Children of Noah” refers to non-Jews (Noahides, as in the “Noahide commandments”) and not to Jews. Similarly, the “Seed of Abraham” could refer to Ishmaelites, Edomites (descendents of Esau). However, it is taken as referring to Jews and not non-Jews. We should note that descent, both physical and spiritual from Abraham was a “hot” issue in Mishnaic times, and we often find it being debated in early Christian texts. In Christian texts we find Christian leaders telling Jews that although they are physical (carnal) descendents of Abraham, they are not his only spiritual descendents. In our mishnah we sees rabbis claiming that only Jews are Abraham’s descendents; non-Jews, although some of them may trace their roots to Abraham, are not actually his descendents. This polemic, which we may hear here between Jews and Christians, will sharpen at the end of this mishnah, which discusses the hottest topic between Jews and early Christians the importance of circumcision.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
אסור בישראל – and converts also are within the category of he seed of Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 17:5): “[but your name shall be Abraham,] for I make you the father of a multitude of nations.”
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nedarim
[If one says, “Konam] that I do not benefit from Israelites”, he may buy things from them for more [than their worth] and sell them for less. [If he says, “Konam] if Israelites benefit from me, he must buy from them for less and sell for more [than their worth], if they will listen to him. [If he says, “Konam] that I do not benefit from them, nor they from me”, he may benefit only from non-Jews. With regard to vows not to benefit from or give benefit to Israelites, the mishnah interprets these vows minimally. One who says that he will not benefit from Israelites is still allowed to buy from them, provided he pay more than the fair price, and sell to them, provided he buy at a higher price. Because he loses out, he is not considered as benefiting from them. One who says that he will not give benefit to Israelites, is still permitted to buy, but only at a price lower than the going rate, and sell, but only at a price higher than the going rate. Of course, in the latter case it will be more difficult to get someone to agree to do so with him. The only one who is totally prohibited from buying from or selling to Israelites is one who vows not to benefit from or give benefit to them. This person could only conduct business with non-Jews.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
ומותר באומות העולם – and even with those who are from the seed of Abraham, for only the children of Jacob were called the seed of Abraha, as it is written (Genesis 21:12): “for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be continued/called for you,” but no all of Isaac/כל יצחק (i.e., Esau).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nedarim
[If one says,] “Konam that I do not benefit from the uncircumcised”, he may benefit from uncircumcised Israelites but not from circumcised heathens”; [If one says, “Konam] that I do not benefit from the circumcised,” he is forbidden to benefit from uncircumcised Israelites but not from circumcised non-Jews, because “uncircumcised” is a term applicable only to non-Jews, as it says, “For all the nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart” (Jeremiah 9:25). And it says, “And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be [as one of them]” (I Samuel 17:6). And it says, “Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult” (II Samuel 1:20). Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah says: The foreskin is loathsome, since it is a term of disgrace for the wicked, as it says, “For all the nations are uncircumcised”. Rabbi Ishmael says: Great is circumcision, since thirteen covenants were made upon it. Rabbi Yose says: Great is circumcision, for it overrides the Sabbath. Rabbi Joshua ben Karha says: Great is circumcision for Moses’s punishment for neglecting it was not suspended even for one hour. Rabbi Nehemiah says: Great is circumcision, since it overrides the laws of leprosy. Rabbi says: Great is circumcision, for despite all of the commandments which Abraham fulfilled he was not designated complete until he circumcised himself, as it says, “Walk before me, and be complete” (Genesis 17:1). Another explanation: “Great is circumcision, for were it not for it, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, would not have created the world, as it says, “Were it not for my covenant by day and night, I would not have appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jeremiah 33:35). The term “circumcised” refers to Jews, even to those Jews who are not circumcised, for either legitimate or illegitimate reasons. The term “uncircumcised” refers to non-Jews, even to those non-Jews who did circumcise (it is known that some non-Jews did practice circumcision, for instance Arabs and Egyptians). As a prooftext Jeremiah 9:25 is brought. According to this verse non-Jews are uncircumcised, no matter whom they are. Israelites, however, are circumcised in their foreskins, even if they are not always circumcised in their hearts. We should again note that there may exist a polemic in this mishnah with early Christianity. In Acts 7:51, Stephen says “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart”. In Romans 2:29, Paul says, “Rather, a real person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart it is spiritual and not literal.” We can clearly see the distinction between the Jews and the Christians (who, of course, claimed at the time to be the true Jews). The Jews admit, based on Jeremiah, that they are not necessarily “uncircumcised of the heart”. A Jew still must strive to be better and to obey God’s commands. However, the validity of real circumcision (of the foreskin) is not lessened at all. Indeed, as a sign of God’s covenant, it is the primary commandment. It was certainly, the greatest distinguishing sign between Jew and non-Jew, both in the ancient world and to this day.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
שאיני נהנה לישראל – that of Israel.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Nedarim
The mishnah now brings seven statements that emphasize the importance of circumcision. 1. The first of these statements connects to the verse used above from Jeremiah. This is the bridge to the rest of the mishnah. 2. In Genesis 17, the word “berith”, covenant, as in “berith milah”, the “covenant of circumcision”, is stated thirteen times. 3. Circumcision may be performed on the Sabbath, even though it involves the cutting of the flesh which is otherwise prohibited on the Sabbath. 4. In Exodus 4:24, on his way back to Egypt, despite Moses’s great merits, and despite the fact that God had just instructed him to lead the people out of Egypt, God almost kills him for not having circumcised his son. 5. Normally, one may not cut off a spot of leprosy (see Deuteronomy 24:8). However, if the spot of leprosy appears on the foreskin, it may be cut off. 6. Only after circumcision is Abraham called “complete”. 7. This verse mentions a covenant kept day and night. The midrash states that this must refer to circumcision, which exists on a person’s body both day and night. Indeed, were it not for this important commandment, God would not have created the world. There is little doubt in my mind that this long mishnah is aimed either at early Christians who denied the importance of physical circumcision, or at Hellenizing Jews, who refused to circumcise themselves, or “uncircumcised” themselves. Romans often forbade circumcision, and these statements, which may be slightly exaggerated, are meant to encourage Jews to maintain this commandment, one which would not have been easy, for both physical and social reasons, in the ancient world.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
שאין ישראל נהנין לי – of what is mine.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
ומוכר ביותר. אם שומעין לו – this is the reading, meaning to say, he will sell the thing for more from such as it is of its value, if his fellow wishes to listen to him, and to purchase from him the object for more than what it is worth.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
לערלים – the opinion on whomever does not believe in ritual circumcision.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
למולים – that believe in ritual circumcision.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
מותר בערלי ישראל – as for example, whomever whose brother died on account of [ritual] circumcision.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
ואסור במולי אומות – as for example, an Arab who is [ritually] circumcised or a Gibeonite who is [ritually] circumcised.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
שלש עשרה בריתות – it is stated in the portion of circumcision (Chapter 17 of Genesis, where the word "ברית"/covenant, is mentioned thirteen times) which is mentioned to Abraham.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
שהיא דוחה את השבת – as I is written (Leviticus 12:3): “On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised,” and even if [the eighth day is] on Shabbat.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Nedarim
שהיא דוחה את הנגעים – that we expound, "ימול"/shall be circumcised (Leviticus 12:3), and even in the place of a white spot on the skin (eventually one of the symptoms of leprosy), but we don’t have here because of cutting off his white spot, which is part of the negative commandment of (Deuteronomy 24:8): “In cases of a skin affection [be most careful to do do exactly as the Levitical priests instruct you].”
