1)

(a)Alternatively, we establish the author of our Mishnah (which differentiates between Neder and Nedavah) as Rebbi Yehudah - and we amend Rebbi Yehudah's statement 'Tov mi'Zeh u'mi'Zeh, Noder u'Mekayem' to ' ... Nodev u'Mekayem'.

(b)Regarding Neder, Rebbi Yehudah agrees with Rebbi Meir (that the best thing is not to make a Neder at all), and their Machlokes is regarding Nedavah, which Rebbi Meir forbids entirely just like Neder, whereas Rebbi Yehudah encourages it.

(c)Rebbi Yehudah is not afraid that the Noder might delay his Korban until after three Regalim - because he expects the Noder to what Hillel did (i.e. to bring his animal to the entrance of the Azarah, before declaring it a Nedavah).

(d)When he writes 'k'Nidvosam Nadar b'Nazir' - he means that the Kesherim would actually declare themselves Nezirim in order to bring the Chatas (Nedavah of a) Nazir.

2)

(a)Rebbi Yehudah just permitted a Chatas Nedavah in the form of a Chatas Nazir - which the Chasidim ha'Rishonim used to bring, because otherwise, due to the fact that Hash-m protects Tzadikim from transgressing such serious sins, they would never have the opportunity of bringing a Chatas.

(b)The problem that Rebbi Shimon has with donating a Chatas via Nezirus is - that it is sinful to declare oneself a Nazir, as the Torah writes in Naso "me'Asher Chata al ha'Nefesh".

(c)Abaye points out that three Tana'im all hold on principle that a Nazir is a sinner. We have already discussed Rebbi Shimon and Shimon ha'Tzadik (who, we saw earlier, agrees like this) - though the latter only considers a Nazir a sinner, only if he subsequently became Tamei.

(d)The third in the group is Rebbi Elazar ha'Kapor b'Rivi - who learns like Rebbi Shimon, and who describes the Nazir's sin as being his abstention from wine, in spite of the fact that the Torah has permitted it (see Hagahos ha'Bach).

3)

(a)According to Rebbi Shimon and Rebbi Elazar ha'Kapar, the Torah chooses to explain the Nazir's sin specifically by a Nazir Tamei - because he has now sinned twice, once by declaring himself a Nazir, and again by desecrating his Nezirus, by permitting himself to become Tamei.

(b)The first of these two sins is hinted - in the words "me'Asher Chata" and the second, in "al ha'Nefesh" (which is otherwise superfluous).

(c)Rebbi Shimon extrapolates from Nazir - that one should not forbid upon oneself that what the Torah permits, such as fasting voluntarily.

4)

(a)The Mishnah lists ...

1. 'Konam, Kone'ach, Kones' - as Kinuyim of Korban ...

2. 'Cherek, Cherech, Cheref' - as Kinuyim of Cherem ...

3. 'Nazik, Nazi'ach, Pazi'ach' - as Kinuyim of Nazir, and ...

4. 'Shevusah, Shekukah, Noder b'Mohi' - as Kinuyim of Shevu'ah.

(b)The Kinuyim of Cherem in Galil apply even Stam but not those in Yehudah - unless the Noder specifies 'Cherem shel Bedek ha'Bayis'.

(c)This is because otherwise - Stam Charamim in Yehudah go to the Kohanim (but in the Galil only if he specifically states 'Cherem shel Kohanim').

(d)'Noder b'Mohi' means - the Shevu'ah of Moshe (as the Torah writes in Shemos "Vayo'el Moshe". We shall see later why the Tana says 'Nadar').

5)

(a)According to Rebbi Yochanan, the Kinuyim are expressions adopted by the Nochrim. Resh Lakish maintains that they are expressions which the Chachamim invented ('Badu mi'Libam' - like in the Pasuk in Melachim [in connection with Yarav'am ben Nevat] "ba'Chodesh Asher Bada mi'Libo").

(b)We initially suggest that Resh Lakish's reason is because the Chachamim wanted to avoid people using Hash-m's Name unnecessarily, and the word 'Korban' would encourage them to say 'Korban la'Hashem'. This suggestion cannot be correct however - since there is nothing wrong with such a declaration.

(c)So we suggest that maybe they will say 'la'Hashem Korban' - which again, is not in itself incorrect. We are however, afraid that if one does so, he might die after saying la'Hashem', before he has a chance to complete the sentence (see also Tosfos DH 'Hachi Garsinan').

(d)Rebbi Shimon extrapolates from the Pasuk in Vayikra "Korban la'Hashem" - that, when consecrating an animal as a Korban, one should say 'Olah, Minchah, Todah or Shelamim la'Hashem', and not vice-versa (in case one dies after stating 'la'Hashem', before he has had a chance to complete his declaration).

(e)And if this is the case when one is consecrating a Korban, how much more careful must one be in one's mundane speech, to avoid mentioning Hash-m's Name unnecessarily.

6)

(a)Beis Shamai in a Beraisa forbids even 'Kinuyei Kinuyin'. Beis Hillel - declare the declaration invalid.

(b)'Kinuyei Kinuyin' - are expressions that are similar to the official Kinuyim.

(c)We try to connect the Machlokes Beis Shamai and Beis Hillel with that of Rebbi Yochanan and Resh Lakish - by establishing Beis Shamai like Rebbi Yochanan (that they are expressions used by the Nochrim), in which case, any Neder that they concoct is also considered a Kinuy; whereas Beis Hillel hold like Resh Lakish (that they are expressions invented by the Chachamim), and only those Leshonos which Chazal instituted are valid, but no others.

(d)We conclude that even Beis Hillel hold like Rebbi Yochanan, and they simply argue over whether the Nochrim also use these expressions or not. Alternatively - everyone agrees that the Nochrim do not use these expressions, only Beis Shamai decree 'Kinuyei Kinuyin' on account of Kinuyim, whereas Beis Hillel do not.

7)

(a)The common denominator between ...

1. ... Mekanmana, Makanchana, Mekansana is - that they all Kinuyei Kinuyin of Nedarim.

2. ... Tachrakim, Charakim, Charafim is - that they are all Kinuyei Kinuyin of Cherem.

3. ... Mechazkana, Menazchana, Mefichana - is - that they are all Kinuyei Kinuyin of Nezirus.

4. ... Shevuva'el, Shevusi'el, Shekuka'el is - that they are all Kinuyei Kinuyin of Shevu'ah.

(b)We reject the original contention that Shevu'el is the first of the Kinu'yei Kinuyin of Shevu'ah - on the grounds that this is the name of the son of Gershom, Moshe's son (who is not a Davar ha'Nadur).

(c)The She'eilah regarding whether 'Mifchazna', 'Mischazna' and 'Mis'azna' are Kinuyei Kinuyim remains unanswered, and so does that of 'Kinma' which Ravina asked Rav Ashi, and 'Kinah which Rav Acha Brei d'Rav Chiya asked Rav Ashi. What prompted ...

1. ... Ravina to ask about 'Kinma' - was the fact that it might also mean the spice known as Kinmon Bosem.

2. ... Rav Acha Brei d'Rav Chiya to ask about 'Kinah' - was the fact that it might also refer to a chicken-coop.

(d)Shmuel rules - that 'Ashivsa', 'Ashkika' 'Karinsha' are not Kinuyei Kinuyin of Shevu'ah, and do not therefore constitute a Shevu'ah.

8)

(a)According to Raban Shimon ben Gamliel, if someone says 'be'Mohi' alone, his Neder is not valid - unless he says 'be'Mumsa d'Amar Mohi'.

(b)Even though 'Mumsa' means a Shevu'ah, the Tana of our Mishnah says 'Nadar b'Mohi', and not just 'Shevu'ah, Shekukah b'Mohi' - because we might then have thought that 'b'Mohi', like 'Shevu'ah and Shekukah', is eligible on its own. So the Tana adds 'Nadar b'Mohi', to teach us that he must mention the Neder of Moshe (although it as really a Shevu'ah).

(c)According to others, Raban Shimon ben Gamliel is differentiating between 'b'Mumi' (which is the equivalent of 'b'Mohi') or 'b'Mumsa' on the one hand, and 'Mumi' or 'Mumsa' on the other. The difference between them is - 'b'Mumi' or 'b'Mumsa' is not a Kinuy li'Shevu'ah, whereas 'Mumi' or 'Mumsa' is.

(d)The Tana of our Mishnah adds the word 'Nadar b'Mohi' - because we would otherwise have thought that one is obligated to say 'Shevusah u'Shekukah Mohi'. 'Nadar' indicates that he only needs to mention one of the Leshonos, and not both.

9)

(a)Our Mishnah now discusses various Leshonos of Neder. 'la'Chulin she'Ochal Lach' - implies 'What I will eat of yours is not Chulin, but Hekdesh'. Consequently, it is forbidden.

(b)'Dachi' means 'Tahor'.

(c)If one says ...

1. ... 'Lo Dachi (Kikar Zeh)' or 'Lo Tahor' - his Neder is valid, and the same applies if he says ...

2. ... 'Tamei', 'Nosar', Pigul', or 'Asur'.

(d)The Lashon 'Asur' is valid, despite the fact that it incorporates things which are automatically Asur (Davar ha'Asur) on which one cannot be Matfis - on account of the principle 'Stam Nedarim Lehachmir'.

10)

(a)According to some texts, the Tana continues with 'Tahor, v'Tamei ... ' without a 'Lamed'. The problem with this is - that having begun with 'la'Dachi' (which means 'Lo Tahor'), how can he continue with 'Tahor', which has the exact opposite meaning.

(b)The Tana nevertheless does that - because, having written 'la'Dachi', he takes for granted that we will understand that the 'la' extended to Tahor, too.

(c)What 'Tamei', 'Nosar', Pigul', and 'Asur' all have in common is - the fact that each word expresses the Isur, rendering the 'Kaf' of comparison unnecessary.

(d)We reconcile this with the Mishnah later 'ha'Omer Korban Olah, Minchah ... Rebbi Yehudah Matir' (because he did not say 'k'Olah, k'Minchah', even though 'Olah' and 'Minchah' too, denote Isur - because they only express the Isur by inference. Their inherent meaning denotes the obligation to bring them in the prescribed manner, explaining why the 'Kaf' of comparison there is necessary, whereas here, even Rebbi Yehudah will agree that it is not.

11)

(a)'Tamei' might pertain to Terumah. Nevertheless, seeing as it can also pertain to Kodshim - we apply the principle 'Stam Nedarim Lehachmir.

(b)In the third group listed in our Mishnah, the Tana includes 'k'Imra', 'k'Dirim', 'k'Etzim', 'k'Ishim', 'k'Mizbe'ach', 'k'Heichal', 'ki'Yerushalayim', which all require the 'Kaf' of comparison - because there is nothing in each of the words that denotes Isur.

(c)The meaning of 'ke'Imra' - is 'like the lamb of a Korban'.

(d)The Neder 'ke'Imra' might be valid because even though, this could pertain to a lamb of Chulin, we again apply the principle 'Stam Nedarim Lehachmir'. Alternatively, the Neder is valid - because 'ke'Imra' implies like the well-known lamb (i.e. that of the Korban).

12)

(a)The significance of ...

1. ... 'k'Dirim' is - that one is declaring something forbidden like the Korbanos that were in the specially-designated rooms (the Lishkos ha'Korbanos).

2. ... 'k'Etzim' is - ... like the two blocks of wood that were placed on the Mizbe'ach.

3. ... 'k'Ishim' - ... like the flames of fire on the Mizbe'ach.

(b)'Rebbi Yehudah Omer, ha'Omer Yerushalayim, Lo Amar Klum' -because this implies that he is declaring something to be like Yerushalayim; whereas when he says 'ki'Yerushalayim', he is declaring it forbidden like the Korbanos of Yerushalayim.