1Rav Pappa himself raised his objection to Abaye’s opinion based on the premise that the tanna taught five sets of lashes, and since in the baraita it is not taught five sets of lashes, what is the reason that Rav Pappa raised his objection to Abaye’s opinion? Rav Pappa said: I held that it is not a tradition in Abaye’s hand that a nazirite is also flogged for “anything that is made of the grapevine,” but merely his own opinion, and therefore I assumed that were I to cite a baraita that explicitly contradicts his opinion he would retract his opinion. Consequently, I myself changed the wording of the baraita to see how Abaye would respond. But I did not know that this halakha is a tradition in Abaye’s hand and that therefore he did not retract his opinion.
2§ The mishna taught: Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya says: He is liable only if he eats at least two ḥartzannim and one zag that together form the volume of an olive-bulk. The mishna then cites two opinions as to whether ḥartzan is a grape seed and zag is the skin, or the reverse. Rav Yosef said: In accordance with whose opinion do we translate the verse “from ḥartzannim to zag ” (Numbers 6:4) as: From the seeds [ purtzanin ] to the skins [ itzurin ]? He explains: This translation is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei.
3MISHNA: A naziriteship of unspecified length lasts for thirty days. If a nazirite shaved his hair during that period, or if he was shaved by bandits [ listim ] against his will, this negates thirty days of his naziriteship, which he must count afresh. With regard to a nazirite who shaved his hair, whether he did so with scissors or with a razor, or if he pulled out [ sifsef ] any amount, he is liable.
4GEMARA: A dilemma was raised before the Sages: Does this hair that grows on the body grow from the bottom or from the top? Which part of the hair is new? The Gemara explains: What is the difference between these possibilities? The Gemara answers: It is relevant for the case of a nazirite who was shaved by bandits or shaved himself, but his head was not entirely shaved. Rather, they left part of it, so that the hair is long enough to bend its end to its root.
5The Gemara explains the two sides of the dilemma: If you say that hair grows from the bottom, he has removed the hair of the naziriteship, which is the hair he vowed not to shave, and therefore he must add extra days to his term of naziriteship to allow for its proper growth. But if you say that it grows from the top, that hair which he sanctified still exists in part. Consequently, he may conclude his naziriteship and perform the mitzva of shaving.
6The Gemara suggests: Come and hear a solution to this dilemma from an examination of this live louse [ inba ], which is always found in the root of the hair. And if it should enter your mind that hair grows from the bottom, the louse should be situated on the end of the hair, as it would be pushed up with the hair’s growth. The Gemara rejects this suggestion: Actually, one could say that hair grows from the bottom, and because it is alive the louse continuously descends, as it is always crawling toward the scalp from where it draws its nourishment.
7The Gemara suggests another proof: Come and hear from the fact that a dead louse is invariably found on the end of the hair. And if it should enter your mind that hair grows from on top, it should be situated on the root of the hair. The Gemara rejects this: There too, one could say that because it has no strength it is caught where it was when it died and goes up with the growing hair.
8The Gemara proposes a different proof: Come and hear from an examination of the long hair [ belorit ] of gentiles, which is grown for idolatrous purposes, by braiding the ends of the hair. As, after they braid it, it becomes loose underneath, which suggests that hair grows from below. The Gemara rejects this: There too, since it crumples from the effect of the person who lies upon it, it becomes loose underneath.
9The Gemara offers an additional suggestion: Come and hear from the dye used on sheep, as the dyed wool becomes loose underneath. This shows that hair grows from the bottom. The Gemara adds: And this case of dyeing sheep is not merely anecdotal, as it was taught with regard to the halakhot of animal tithe. And furthermore, when old men dye their beards, we see that the beards turn white