Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Nedarim

Folio 53a

MISHNAH. HE WHO VOWS [ABSTINENCE] FROM DATES IS PERMITTED DATE HONEY; FROM WINTER GRAPES,'¹  HE IS PERMITTED VINEGAR MADE FROM WINTER GRAPES — R. JUDAH B. BATHYRA SAID: IF IT BEARS THE NAME OF ITS ORIGIN,²  AND HE VOWS [TO ABSTAIN] FROM IT,³  HE IS FORBIDDEN [TO BENEFIT] FROM WHAT COMES FROM IT. BUT THE SAGES PERMIT IT.

GEMARA. But the Sages are identical with the first Tanna? — They differ in respect of the following which was taught: R. Simeon b. Eleazar laid down this general rule: Whatever is eaten itself, and what comes from it too is eaten, e.g., dates and the honey of dates, and he vowed [abstinence] from the substance itself, he is forbidden that which comes from it;⁴  but if he vows [abstinence] from what comes from it, he is also forbidden the substance itself.⁵  But if the substance is not eaten itself, whilst what comes from it is,⁶  and he vowed [abstinence] from the substance itself, he is forbidden only what comes from it,⁷  because he meant nought else but what comes from it.⁸

MISHNAH. HE WHO VOWS [ABSTINENCE] FROM WINE MAY PARTAKE OF APPLE-WINE [CIDER]; FROM OIL HE IS PERMITTED SESAME OIL;⁹  FROM HONEY, HE IS PERMITTED DATE HONEY; FROM VINEGAR, HE IS PERMITTED THE VINEGAR OF WINTER GRAPES; FROM LEEKS, HE IS PERMITTED PORRET;¹⁰  FROM VEGETABLES, HE IS PERMITTED FIELD HERBS,¹¹  BECAUSE IT IS A QUALIFYING EPITHET.¹²

GEMARA. It was taught: He who vows [to abstain] from oil: to Palestine sesame oil is permitted him, but he is forbidden olive oil; in Babylon, he is forbidden sesame oil but permitted olive oil. In the place where they are both commonly used, both are forbidden. But that is obvious? — It is necessary to teach it only when most people use one: I might think that the majority must be followed. We are therefore taught that a doubtful prohibition is [resolved] stringently.¹³

He who vows [abstinence] from vegetables, in normal years is forbidden garden vegetables but permitted wild vegetables; in the seventh year. He is forbidden wild vegetables but permitted garden vegetables.¹⁴  R. Abbahu said on the authority of R. Hanina b. Gamaliel:

1. [H] < [H] winter, remaining on the tree till winter.
2. As here, the vinegar being called 'winter grapes vinegar'.
3. Sc. the article of its origin, i.e., winter grapes.
4. T. J. has 'permitted', which Wilna Gaon regards as correct.
5. V. preceding note.
6. E.g winter grapes.
7. If the substance is foresworn.
8. The first Tanna, who rules that vinegar of winter grapes is permitted, disagrees with R. Simeon b. Eleazar, whilst the Sages agree with him. Hence, 'the Sages permit it', refers to the substance itself, when not usually eaten, but not to what comes from it
9. [H] (pl. [H]) probably fr. [H] (sun-flower), sesame.
10. [H] pl. [H] ([G]), is a species of leek with a head (porrum capitatum).
11. Wild vegetables.
12. The reason of all these is that is where a qualifying epithet is normally added to the name of the substance it is not included in the unspecified term: thus, in speaking of wine (unspecified), grape wine is meant, not apple wine: and so the rest.
13. Consequently, though a particular oil is used by a minority only, yet if its usage is sufficiently prevalent to warrant the assumption that the vow may have been meant to include it, it is forbidden.
14. Since none are planted then, by the unspecified term wild vegetables are meant.

MISHNAH. [HE WHO VOWS TO ABSTAIN] FROM CABBAGE IS FORBIDDEN ASPARAGUS;³  FROM ASPARAGUS, HE IS PERMITTED CABBAGE;⁴  FROM POUNDED BEANS, HE IS FORBIDDEN MIKPEH:⁵  R. JOSE PERMITS IT. [IF ONE VOWS TO ABSTAIN] FROM MIKPEH, HE IS FORBIDDEN GARLIC. R. JOSE PERMITS IT; FROM GARLIC, HE IS PERMITTED MIKPEH. FROM LENTILS, LENTIL CAKES ARE FORBIDDEN HIM. R. JOSE PERMITS THEM. FROM LENTIL CAKES, LENTILS ARE PERMITTED HIM. [IF ONE SAYS] 'KONAM, IF I TASTE HITTAH, HITTIN',⁶  BOTH THE FLOUR THEREOF AND THE [BAKED] BREAD ARE FORBIDDEN TO HIM: IF I TASTE GERIS, GERISSIN',⁷  HE IS FORBIDDEN [TO PARTAKE] OF THEM WHETHER RAW OR COOKED. R. JUDAH SAID: [IF ONE DECLARES], 'KONAM, IF I TASTE HITTAH OR GERIS,' HE MAY CHEW THEM RAW.

GEMARA. It was taught: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: [If one vows 'Konam,] if I taste hittah [wheat]', baked wheat [i.e., flour] is forbidden him, but he may chew it raw; '[Konam,] if I taste hittin,'⁸  he may not chew them raw, but if baked, they are permitted;⁹  'If I taste hittah, hittin', he may neither eat them baked nor chew them raw. [If he says. 'Konam,] if I taste geris', it is forbidden cooked, but may be chewed [raw]; '[Konam], if I taste gerrissin', he is forbidden either to cook them or chew them raw.

1. Lit., 'outside the Land (of Israel)'.
2. Which may adhere to the roots when they are brought: these clods were considered unclean, v. Shab. 15b.
3. Being considered a species of the genus 'cabbage' (Jast.).
4. The part is included in the whole, but the whole is not included in the part.
5. A stiff mass of oil, grist, and onions (Jast.).
6. hittah, a grain of wheat, also (generically) wheat; pl. hittim (in popular speech the Aramaic plural hittin, was used).
7. Geris, a pounded bean, also used collectively: pl. gerissim.
8. Wheat, but plural in form.
9. Such are the respective meanings assigned in common speech to hittah and hittin: the same difference occurs in geris and gerissin.