1And bar Padda could have said to you that although some of these verses are required for an exposition, is there not at least one of them that is not used for an exposition? Rather, since that usage of the term nazirite is stated to indicate the number of days in an unspecified term of naziriteship, all of the other usages of the term are also stated to indicate the number of days in an unspecified term of naziriteship in addition to the specific halakhot that are derived from them.
2The Gemara analyzes the opinions of Rav Mattana and bar Padda in light of the mishna and relevant baraitot . We learned in the mishna: An unspecified naziriteship lasts for thirty days. Granted, according to Rav Mattana it works out well. However, according to bar Padda it is difficult, since in his opinion the mishna should have stated that an unspecified naziriteship lasts for twenty-nine days.
3The Gemara answers: Bar Padda could have said to you: The principal days of naziriteship are twenty-nine days. However, since there is the thirtieth day, when the nazirite shaves his hair and brings his offerings, and the prohibitions of naziriteship remain in effect on that day until he has brought these offerings, due to that reason the tanna teaches that an unspecified naziriteship lasts for thirty days.
4The Gemara asks: We learned in a mishna (16a): One who said: I am hereby a nazirite, shaves his hair on the thirty-first day. Granted, according to Rav Mattana this works out well, since one must finish his term of naziriteship, which lasts for thirty days, before he can shave his hair. However, according to bar Padda, it is difficult. Why doesn’t he shave his hair on the thirtieth day?
5The Gemara answers: Bar Padda could have said to you in response: Say the latter clause of that mishna: If he shaved his hair on the thirtieth day, he has fulfilled his obligation. This indicates that the naziriteship itself lasts only twenty-nine days. Rather, the latter clause of that mishna certainly supports his opinion. As for the first clause, the reason a nazirite must wait until the thirty-first day in order to shave his hair ab initio is as follows: Since one who specifies that he is becoming a nazirite for thirty complete days may shave his hair only on the thirty-first day, the Sages ruled that even one who did not specify a time period becomes like one who said explicitly that he will be a nazirite for thirty complete days. Consequently, he may shave his hair ab initio only after thirty days have passed.
6The Gemara asks: And for Rav Mattana, the latter clause of the mishna is difficult, since it states that one who shaves his hair on the thirtieth day has fulfilled his obligation, whereas Rav Mattana claims that his naziriteship is not yet complete at that time. The Gemara answers: He holds that the legal status of part of the day is like that of an entire day. Although the term of naziriteship is thirty days, once the thirtieth day begins it is as though it has been completed, and a nazirite who shaves his hair on that day has fulfilled his obligation.
7The Gemara asks further: We learned in that same mishna: In the case of one who says: I am hereby a nazirite for thirty days, if he shaved his hair on the thirtieth day, he has not fulfilled his obligation. This appears to contradict the opinion of Rav Mattana, who holds that part of the day is like an entire day. The Gemara answers: This is referring to one who says that he will be a nazirite for thirty complete days, in which case he certainly does not fulfill his obligation by shaving his hair on the thirtieth day itself.
8The Gemara asks further: We learned in that mishna: One who accepted two terms of naziriteship shaves his hair for the first naziriteship on the thirty-first day, and he shaves his hair for the second term on the sixty-first day. Granted, according to Rav Mattana this works out well, since he shaves his head for the first naziriteship after a full thirty days have passed. The second term of naziriteship then commences on that day, which is the thirty-first day since he took his vows. He then shaves for the second time on the thirty-first day of his second naziriteship, which is the sixty-first day since he took his vows.