Commentaire sur Nedarim 6:11

הנודר מן המבושל – that he said: “KONAM: that which is cooked upon me [that I will not eat it].”

Introduction As I previously explained, when we interpret what the one who swore intended by his vow, we interpret his words according to the normal way in which people talk. Our mishnah and those that follow explain how certain vows are to be interpreted based on this principle.

מותר בצלי ובשלוק – all that is cooked more than the appropriate amount of cooking is called שלוק (i.e., seethed, boiled to a pulp).

He who vows [not to eat] what is “cooked [mebushal] is permitted what is roasted or seethed. In Mishnaic Hebrew there are three types of cooking: boiling, roasting and seething. The latter refers to cooking something in water until it is really well-done (the way they used to serve vegetables in school lunches). Since people distinguish between these types of cooking, one who swears not to eat one type, is not prohibited from the other.

מעשה קדירה רך – that is eaten without bread/pita.

If he says, “Konam if I taste any cooked dish [tabshil]” he is forbidden [to eat] food loosely cooked in a pot, but is permitted [to eat] food solidly-cooked. He may also eat a lightly boiled egg and gourds put in ashes. If he says that he is forbidden to eat a “cooked dish”, “tabshil” in Hebrew, he may not eat food cooked loosely, such as food with a sauce. However, he may eat food cooked in a pot that comes out solid, such as cereals. Furthermore, the Talmud explains that “tabshil” refers to food eaten with bread, such as hummous or other spreads. Food not eaten with bread, such as hot cereal, is not called “tabshil”. He may eat a lightly-boiled egg and bitter gourds mixed with ashes which sweeten them since these are also not called “tabshil”. (This doesn’t really sound like it tastes so good, but then again, taste is culturally dependent.)

ביצה טרמיטא (an egg boiled down to the size of a pill) – cooked in hot water and protecting it that it should not coagulate/curdle.

ובדלעת הרמוצה (a gourd made edible by baking in hot ashes) – a gourd that they preserve in hot ashes/embers , which is hot ashes and it becomes sweet in this

ממעשה קדרה (cooked in a pot) – food made from flour that was heated in a pot. But the generall rule of he matter, regarding vows one goes according to the language of people according to the time and the place, and if there is a place that calls something roasted cooked, and something cooked roasted, a person who takes a vow from that which is cooked is forbidden with that which is roasted, and such in a similar manner to this. Bu if mst people call it this and a minority call it that, we don’t say – go after the majority, but rather it is a doubtful vow, and all doubtful vows are dealt with stringently.

Introduction This mishnah deals with a person who vows not to eat food which goes into a pot. The mishnah relates to two such types of food; 1) food that is totally boiled in the pot; 2) food that is lightly cooked in a pot and is finished cooking somewhere else, such as in a frying pan or in an oven.

He who vows abstinence from food prepared in a pot, is forbidden only from food boiled in a pot; If a person takes a vow forbidding himself from eating anything “prepared in a pot” he is only forbidden from eating things totally prepared in the pot, meaning that they were completely boiled in the pot. An example would be a grain dish, which in Talmudic times was boiled in water. He would still be permitted to eat things which had preliminary stages of their cooking in a pot and were later baked or fried.

But if he says, “Konam that I taste whatever goes down into a pot”, he is forbidden everything prepared in a pot. However, if he says “whatever goes down into a pot”, he is forbidden to eat anything that has at any time been in a pot.

אינו אסור אלא מן הכבוש מן הירק – for undefined pickled is of vegetables.

[He who vows abstinence] from what is pickled is forbidden only pickled vegetables; [If he says, “Konam,] if I taste anything pickled”, he is forbidden all pickled.
[He who vows abstinence] from what is seethed is forbidden only seethed meat; [If he says, “Konam,] if I taste anything seethed” he is forbidden every thing seethed.
[He who vows abstinence] from what is roasted is forbidden only roasted meat, the words of Rabbi Judah. [If he says, “Konam,] if I taste anything roasted” he is forbidden anything roasted.
[He who vows abstinence] from what is salted is forbidden only salted fish; [If he says, “Konam,] if I taste anything salted” he is forbidden anything salted.
In all of the clauses in this mishnah there is one type of food that is the typical example of food prepared in a certain way, yet there also exist other foods prepared in the same way. This is similar to the way we say “pickle” to refer to a pickled cucumber, or a “roast” to refer to roasted meat. There are other foods that are pickled but still no one says “I’ll have a pickled cucumber” because a pickle is a pickled cucumber.
The mishnah teaches whether a person who swears abstinence from a food prepared in a certain way is prohibited from all food prepared that way, or just the food that is usually referred to as being prepared in that way.
Section one: “Pickled” normally refers to pickled vegetables. Hence one who vows not to eat “what is pickled” is forbidden only to eat pickled vegetables. However, if he says “Konam if I taste anything pickled”, since he his statement applies that he wishes to forbid himself to anything pickled he may not eat anything “pickled”.
This same paradigm applies to all of the sections of the mishnah. “Seethed” (overly boiled) normally refers to seethed meat. “Roasted” normally refers to roasted meat. “Salted” normally refers to salted fish. All of these cases are exactly like the case of “pickled” as explained above.

כבוש שאיני טועם – implying all kinds of pickled [foods]. And similarly, seethed, roasted and salted, without the "ה"/definite article “the”, implies all the kinds of seethed, and of roasted and of salted.

דג דגים שאינו טועם – neither fishe nor fishes, and everything is implied.

Introduction This mishnah discusses vows of abstinence from types of fish.

טפלין – without salt.

‘[Konam,] if I taste fish or fishes,” he is forbidden [to eat] them, whether large or small, salted or unsalted, raw or cooked. But he may eat chopped terith and brine. If one forbids himself to eat either “fish” or “fishes” he is forbidden to eat all kinds of fish. Since he used both plural and singular, he clearly intended to forbid himself from all fish. However he may eat chopped terith, because that is not called fish. Although I don’t know exactly what this was, I assume that it was so chopped up that people didn’t really think of it as fish. He may also eat the brine, the liquid that comes out of fish (sounds gross to me, but certain members of my family do seem to enjoy this).

בטרית טרופה (a brine containing hashed pickled fish in which you can cannot recognize the clean and unclean fish) – fish that they cut it up into small pieces and sell it and it has a name of its own and is not within the general category of fish and fishes.

He who vows [abstinence] from zahanah is forbidden chopped terith, but may eat brine and pickled fish brine. Zahanah is a foul-smelling mixture of different chopped fish, and hence one who vows not to eat zahanah, may also not eat chopped terith. However, he may still eat different types of brine.

ציר – water/liquid that comes out from the salted fish (i.e., brine).

He who vows [abstinence] from chopped terith may not eat of brine and pickled fish brine. Chopped terith includes in it brine and pickled fish brine. Therefore one who forbids himself from eating chopped terith may not eat any type of brine either.

ומורייס – fat that comes out from salted fish.

צחנה (small fish preserved in brine) – a mixture of kinds of brined fish which is called צחנה /small fish preserved in brine), and its example is in the Tractate Avodah Zarah [40a] this is shiploand of small fish preserved in brine,

ומותר בציר ובמורייס – since the essence of the matter of the fish is not absorbed in them.

הנודר מטרית טרופה – for since it (i.e., the Mishnah) mentioned טרופה /chopped, from everything that is mixed with a species of fish is implied.

קום (curdled milk) – it is the whey that comes out from the cheese.

Introduction This mishnah discusses one who vows abstinence from different milk products.

אבא שאול אומר כו' בין מלוחה בין טפילה – that you should not say that is the special cheese, implying, that there is no manner to eat it without salt. But the Halakha is according to Abba Shaul.

He who vows [abstinence] from milk is permitted to eat curds. But Rabbi Yose forbids it. A person who vowed abstinence from milk may still eat curds, the water that remains after milk has been curdled into cheese. This is not called milk and hence is not forbidden. Rabbi Yose disagrees.

[He who vows abstinence] “from curds,” is permitted milk. Again, curds are not considered to be milk and hence one who forbids himself from eating curds may still drink milk.

Abba Shaul says: he who vows abstinence from cheese, is prohibited to eat [cheese], whether salted or unsalted. A vow of abstinence from cheese forbids one from eating any kind of cheese.

מותר ברוטב ובקיפה (broth and sediments of boiled meat) – the broth that is curdled on the rims of the pot is called קיפה/sediments of boiled meat.

Introduction The first part of our mishnah discusses what is prohibited when one vows to abstain from meat. The second part of the mishnah discusses the problem of a forbidden food (in this case forbidden through a vow) becoming mixed up with other permitted foods.

רבי יהודה אוסר – since it has the taste of meat. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda.

He who vows [abstinence] from meat may eat broth and meat sediment. But Rabbi Judah prohibits. One who vows not to eat meat, may still eat broth and the pieces of meat that stick to the pot (meat sediment) for those are not considered to be what the person intended when he vowed to abstain from “meat”. Rabbi Judah says that even the broth and meat sediment are prohibited.

אימתי בזמן שאמר בשר זה עלי – for since he said, “this meat,” this piece [of meat] is considered ass something forbidden and its taste is forbidden. But if he said, KONAM, this meat upon me, he did not forbid upon himself other than the things that is called meat.

Rabbi Judah said: it once happened that Rabbi Tarfon prohibited me from eating [even the] eggs boiled [with the meat]. They replied: That is so. When is this true? When he says “This meat is prohibited to me.” For if one vows [to abstain] from something, and it is mixed up with another thing, if there is a sufficient [amount of the prohibited food] to impart its taste [to the other] it is forbidden. To support his opinion, Rabbi Judah tells a story of how Rabbi Tarfon prohibited him from having even the eggs boiled with the meat. The reason is that the eggs had absorbed some of the taste of the meat. If even the eggs are prohibited, obviously the broth and the meat sediment should be prohibited as well. The Sages respond that the case where Rabbi Tarfon prohibited the eggs proves their point, for in that case the person said “This meat is prohibited to me” and not “Konam, the meat that I eat.” In the former case, he may not eat anything that has the taste of the prohibited meat, including the eggs cooked with it. However, in the latter case, his intention was to abstain only from things called “meat” and not from broth or meat sediments.

מותר בתבשיל שיש בו טעם יין – according to the Rabbis of Rabbi Yehuda.

Introduction This mishnah continues to illustrate the principle learned in yesterday’s mishnah. If one vows abstinence from a type of food, he may not eat anything which is called by that name. However, he may eat derivatives of the food as long as they are called by a different name. But, if one vows abstinence from a specific piece of food, i.e. “this piece of meat” or “this wine” he is forbidden to eat not only that piece of food but anything that has derived taste from it. The mishnah discusses wine, grapes, olives and olive oil.

He who vows [abstinence] from wine, may eat food which contains the taste of wine. If he says, “Konam if I taste this wine”, and it falls into food, if it is sufficient to impart its taste [to the food] it is forbidden. If he vows to abstain from wine, he may still eat food that has wine in it, because it is not called “wine”. However, if he vows to abstain from “this wine” he may not eat anything which has received some taste from that specific wine.

He who vows [abstinence] from grapes is permitted wine; from olives, is permitted oil. If he says, “Konam if I taste these olives and grapes”, he is forbidden to eat them and [the liquids] that come out of them. Although grapes are generally made into wine and olives into olive oil, one who vows not to eat grapes or olives may still drink wine and use olive oil. However, if he forbids specific grapes or olives, he may not eat anything to which they impart their taste. Obviously, this would include wine made from the grapes or oil made from the olives.

סתוניות – bad grapes that remain in the vines in he days of the fall, bt are not appropriate for wine, and we make of them vinegar.

Introduction Employing the example of dates and date honey, and winter grapes and winter grape vinegar, the mishnah discusses food derivatives that still partially retain the name of the foods from which they derive. An example today might be apples and apple juice. This differs from wine and oil (in the mishnah “oil” always refers to olive oil), which are not called “grape wine” or “olive oil”.

כל ששם תולדתו קרויה עליו – but even though it has changed, it is called by its original name, like the honey of date-palms and the vinegar of winter grapes.

He who vows abstinence from dates is permitted date honey; from winter grapes, is permitted winter-grape vinegar. Rabbi Judah ben Bathyra said: if it bears the name of its origin, and he vows to abstain from it, he is forbidden [to benefit] from what comes from it. But the Sages permit it. He who vows abstinence from dates is permitted date honey; from winter grapes, is permitted winter-grape vinegar. Rabbi Judah ben Bathyra said: if it bears the name of its origin, and he vows to abstain from it, he is forbidden [to benefit] from what comes from it. But the Sages permit it. According to the sages, whose opinion is expressed here and at the end of the mishnah, although “date honey” and “winter grape vinegar” are called by the same name as “dates” and “winter grapes”, they are permitted to one who vowed to abstain from dates or winter grapes. [Winter grapes are a type of grape that ripens in late fall and are only used for making vinegar.] We assume that when he prohibited dates or winter grapes to himself, his intention was the dates or winter grapes themselves, and not anything that derives from them. Rabbi Judah ben Bathyra says that since they still retain the name of dates or winter-grapes, they are forbidden. This would be true in any case of a food which retains the name of the food from which it derives.

וחכמים מתירין\ – there is a difference between the first Tanna/teacher and the Sages, for the first Tanna/teacher holds that a person who takes a vow against winter/autumnal grape is permitted to the vinegar that comes from them, and is forbidden [to consume] winter grapes, but the Sages permit winter grapes themselves, for since winter grapes are not eatable, when he took a vow from [consuming] winter grapes, his intention was on the vinegar that comes out from them, not on the winter grapes themselves. And the Halakha is according to the Sages. Another explanation: But the Sages permit the vinegar of winter grapes like the honey of dates, for the Sages hold that whether they are things appropriate for consumption pr whether they are inappropriate for consumption a person who prohibits something upon himself is permitted [to consume] that which comes out from it.

קפלוטות (porrets) – a kind from the species of leek-green stuff that grows in the Lnd of Israel.

Introduction This mishnah teaches that if a person vows to abstain from a type of food, he may still eat another type of food that bears the same name, if that other food also has an accompanying name and is not called by the name itself. This rule will be clear from the examples.

שהוא שם לווי ( a differentiating epithet) – he who comes to state the vegetables of the field must attach the name of the egetable and state, the vegetables of the field. And similarly for all of them. But in the Seventh year, because the vegetables of he garden are not found, for they don’t grow without work and we eat the vegetables of the field, therefore, undefined vegetables in the Seventh year are the vegetables of the field. This is not the case in the other years of the seven year cycle.

He who vows abstinence from wine is permitted apple-wine; from oil, is permitted sesame oil; from honey, is permitted date honey; from vinegar, is permitted winter grape vinegar; from leeks, is permitted porrets; from vegetables, he is permitted field-vegetables, because it is an accompanying name. In all of the cases in this mishnah, a person vows abstinence from a certain food, but may still eat another food that has the same name, but also has an accompanying name. For instance, when a person vows to abstain from wine, his intention is grape wine and not apple wine. The same is true for honey, which is normally from bees and therefore date honey, which is not called “honey” is permitted. Porrets are a type of leek, but are not called “leeks”. Field-vegetables are vegetables that grow on their own in the fields. They are not called “vegetables”, whereas garden-grown vegetables are called “vegetables”.

אספרגוס – it is a kind of cabbage, but cabbage is not called by the name of asparagus. Another explanation: Asparagus, the water that the cabbage seethed in it.

Introduction In yesterday’s mishnah we learned that one who vows to abstain from certain foods may still have other foods that have the same name, if they also have an accompanying name. Today’s mishnah teaches that one who vows to abstain from certain other foods, may nevertheless also be prohibited from having foods which are in those foods.

מן הגיסין אסור במקפה – for even though that they are placed in the stiff mass of grist, oil and onions/the porriage, the name of the dish of pounded grains is upon them.

[He who vows abstinence] from cabbage is forbidden asparagus; from asparagus, is permitted cabbage; From grits, is forbidden grits pottage; Rabbi Yose permits it; from grits pottage is permitted grits. From grits pottage, is forbidden garlic; Rabbi Yose permits it; from garlic, he is permitted grits pottage. From lentils, is forbidden lentil cakes; Rabbi Yose permits them; from lentil cakes, is permitted. In these cases one food includes other food, but the inclusion is not mutual. Cabbage (at least in Hebrew) includes asparagus. Therefore, one who vows not to have cabbage must also not have asparagus. However, asparagus does not include cabbage, and therefore one who vows not to have asparagus, may still have cabbage. “Grits pottage” is a dish that includes grits, oil and garlic. According to one opinion, since people sometimes call “grits pottage”, “grits”, one who vows not to have “grits pottage” may also not have “grits”. Rabbi Yose says that the two are usually called by different names. One who vows not to have “grits pottage” may also not have the garlic put into the pottage. Rabbi Yose disagrees and holds that by his vow he did not intend to include the garlic and therefore garlic is permitted. All agree that if he vowed to abstain from the garlic he may still have the pottage. One who vows not to have lentils may not have lentil cakes, for lentils are the prime ingredient of lentil cakes. Rabbi Yose again disagrees. However, all agree that if one vows not to have lentil cakes he may still have regular lentils. We can see a trend by now. One who vows not to have the main ingredient of a certain dish, may not eat the dish or the main ingredient separate from the dish. However, one who vows not to have the dish, may eat the main ingredient separate from the dish.

ורבי יוסי מתיר – for he holds that it is called a porridge of pounded grains, it is not called mere pounded grains.

[If one says] “Konam, if I eat wheat [or] wheats,” he is forbidden both flour and bread. “If I eat grit [or], grits,” he is forbidden both raw and cooked. Rabbi Judah says: [If one says], “Konam, if I eat grits or wheat,” he may chew them raw. According to some commentators, the person vowing in this section used double language, and is therefore prohibited from wheat in any form. Others explain that the mishnah refers to a person who said “wheat” or “wheats” (which is proper diction in Hebrew), but not both. The same rule holds true for grit or grits. Rabbi Judah holds that one who vows not to have wheat or grits may still chew raw grains. “Wheat” refers to flour and “grits” refers to semi-processed kernels. Neither word is generally used to refer to raw, unprocessed kernels, and therefore they are still permitted to him.

מקפה – a thick cooked dish of beans or of a sort of pudding consisting of minced meats, mixed with wine and spices.

הנודר מן המקפה אסור בשום – it was customary to put garlic in every porridge in order that it would provide flavor, and the garlic is the stiff mass of grist, oil and onions.

אסור באשישין (cake made with boiled lentils impregnated with honey) – the refuse of lentils, but the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yossi in these three segments of our Mishnah.

חטה חטים שאיני טועם – a grain of wheat, implies baked bread; wheat [ground up] implies to chew.