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Week 71 - Monday - 2 April 2001

NEDARIM: CHAPTER 7: MISHNAH 6

"Konam this produce to me," "Konam this for my mouth," "Konam this to my mouth - he is forbidden what is exchanged for it and what grows from it; "that I eat and that I taste" - he is permitted what is exchanged for it and what grows from it. Concerning a thing whose seed decomposes; but concerning a thing whose seed does not die off, even what grows from what has grown is prohibited.

Kehati

We learned in the preceding chapter (mishnayot 6-7) that one prohibited by vow from meat or from wine (without qualification) is permitted their mixture; but if he said "Konam this meat for me," or "Konam this wine that I do not taste," he is prohibited their mixture as well ("what imparts flavor"). We also learned there that one prohibited by vow from grapes or olives is permitted their derivative (wine and oil); but if one says, "Konam these olives and grapes that I do not taste," he is prohibited their derivatives as well. The Gemara explains (Ned. 52b) that the same applies to one who says, "Konam these olives and grapes," without adding "that I do not taste," he is prohibited their derivatives; however, the Gemara questions whether when one says "Konam olives and grapes that I do not taste," and does not say, "these olives and grapes," the person taking the vow is prohibited from their derivatives, for the wording "that I do not taste" implies, that I do not taste the food itself, or that I do not taste from the taste of the food, i.e., the derivative. This mishnah continues to deal with the replacement and the products when one prohibits himself by vow from produce using the wordings "these" and "that I do (not) taste," (according to Rabbeinu Nissim).

If one says - "Konam this produce to me," or if one says - "Konam this for my mouth [alpi]," or - "Konam this to my mouth [le-fi]" - he prohibited himself by vow from produce before him, with one of these wordings. And the same applies if he said, "Konam the produce of a certain place for me," or "Konam the produce of so-and-so for me" (as will be explained in the next mishnah), he is forbidden what is exchanged for it - for the produce, for if he exchanged the produce and received in return money or other produce, he is forbidden them, and - he is similarly prohibited from - what grows from it - from this produce, after he prohibited himself by vow from it, if it was sown or planted. Since the person taking the vow detailed and singled out in his vow the produce which he prohibited to himself, and gave it the status of consecrated property, he is prohibited from its replacement and its product, just as the replacement and product of consecrated property is prohibited; but if one says, "Konam produce - that I eat" and - or, "Konam produce - that I taste" - he is permitted what is exchanged for it and what grows from it - since he prohibited himself only from the produce itself; when he eats its replacement or its product, he does not taste that produce that he forbade to himself. And the same applies if he said, "Konam this produce that I eat," or "that I taste"; even though he is forbidden its mixtures and its derivatives, as mentioned in the introduction to this mishnah, he nevertheless is permitted its replacement and its product, for the wording "that I eat" or "that I taste" minimizes the words of the person taking the vow, and permits him anything which does not have the taste of the produce which he prohibited himself by vow, such as its replacement and its products, unlike mixture and its derivative, which contain the taste of the prohibited produce (Rabbeinu Nissim, Hameiri).

According to Rabbeinu Asher and Bartenura, the wording in the first part of the mishnah "this produce" is not to be taken literally, rather the main difference between the first section of the mishnah and the second is that in the first the person taking the vow prohibited himself from deriving benefit from the produce, and therefore is forbidden its replacement, for the Sages prohibited to derive benefit from what replaces something which is prohibited; similarly, he is prohibited from its products, for what grows from something which is included in a Konam is prohibited just as the product of consecrated property is prohibited. In the second section of the mishnah, however, the person taking the vow prohibited himself only from eating or tasting the produce; he therefore is permitted its replacement and its product.

The law taught in the second section of the mishnah, namely: the person who says, "Konam (this) produce that I eat" or "that I taste" is permitted its products, as well as the law taught in the first section of the mishnah, namely: the person who says "Konam this produce for me," etc., is forbidden its product, implying only the products, but the product of the product is permitted, is taught - Concerning a thing whose seed decomposes - produce whose seed dies off when it sprouts; but concerning a thing whose seed does not decompose - such as onions and similar produce, even what grows from what has grown - which sprouted from sowing the product, is prohibited - to the person taking the vow, for the original prohibition is mixed in with it. The Gemara explains that since it is possible to cancel vows and thus render the hitherto forbidden permitted, even if the ratio of prohibited to permitted is 1:1000, the prohibition is not cancelled.

NEDARIM: CHAPTER 7: MISHNAH 7

If one says to his wife, "Konam the work of your hands to me," "Konam be they for my mouth," "Konam be they to my mouth" - he is forbidden what is exchanged for it and what grows from it; "that I do not eat," "that I do not taste" - he is permitted what is exchanged for it and what grows from it - concerning a thing whose seed decomposes; but concerning a thing whose seed does not decompose, even what grows from what has grown is prohibited.

Kehati

This mishnah continues to teach the law of replacements, and products, if one prohibits himself by vow from enjoying the work of his wife This refers to a case in which the husband prohibits himself that which is made by his wife or the payment for her work, or when he said to his wife, "Konam your hands for me for their work," when the vow is valid (Gemara). This mishnah teaches that even if a person singles out the produce of a specific person to forbid it to him by a vow, he is considered to have said "Konam this produce for me," as was mentioned in the preceding mishnah, and therefore, in this case as well, he is prohibited its replacement and products.

If one says to his wife, "Konam the work of your hands to me" - as was explained above; or if one says to his wife, "Konam be they for my mouth [alpi]," or - "Konam be they to my mouth [le-fi]" - the husband prohibited himself from everything that his wife makes and prepares for him, he is forbidden what is exchanged for it - if the husband exchanged his wife's work for money or for produce, he is forbidden to derive benefit from them; and - similarly, he is prohibited from deriving benefit from - what grows from it - what grows from the tree that his wife has sown or planted (Rabbeinu Asher), or from what grows from the produce which he took in exchange (Hameiri).

But if a person says to his wife, "Konam the work of your hands - that I do not eat," or - "that I do not taste," he is permitted what is exchanged for it and what grows from it - since he added in his vow, "that I do not eat," or "that I do not taste," he prohibited himself only from tasting the foods that his wife prepares for him, and he therefore is permitted the replacement or the products of these foods, for he does not taste in them the flavor of the foods which he prohibited to himself. This law applies - concerning a thing whose seed decomposes; but concerning a thing whose seed does not decompose, even what grows from what has grown is prohibited - as was explained in the preceding mishnah.

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