Nazir

But is that so? Come and hear: If a man says to his agent,  'You are to declare void any vows that my wife makes from the present moment until the time I return from such-and-such a place,' and he does so, it might be imagined that they become void, but Scripture says: Her husband may let it stand, or her husband may make it void.  This is the opinion of R. Josiah. R. Jonathan said: In all circumstances do we find that a man's representative is equivalent to himself.  Now, [R. Josiah's] reason derives from the statement of the Divine Law, Her husband may let it stand, or her husband may make it void, and but for this, the agent would be able to declare them void, whereas where [the husband] himself is concerned, it has been taught: Should a man say to his wife, 'All the vows that you may make from the present moment until I return from such-and-such a place are to stand,' this is of no effect. [Should he say,] 'They are to be void,' R. Eliezer declares them void, but the Sages say that they are not void.  Now assuming that R. Josiah agrees with the Rabbis that he himself could not make them void, [we nevertheless find that] had not the Divine Law said, Her husband may let it stand or her husband may make it void, the agent could have declared them void?  — It is possible that he agrees with R. Eliezer that [the husband] can make them void [in advance]. If that is so, why does he trouble to appoint a deputy? Why does he not declare them void himself? — He fears that [at the moment of departure]  he might forget, or be angry, or be too busy. MISHNAH. [SHOULD A MAN SAY,] 'I UNDERTAKE THE POLLING OF HALF A NAZIRITE,'  AND HIS COMPANION, HEARING THIS, SAY 'I, TOO; I UNDERTAKE THE POLLING OF HALF A NAZIRITE,' THEN, ACCORDING TO R. MEIR, EACH MUST POLL A NAZIRITE COMPLETELY, BUT THE SAGES SAY: EACH POLLS HALF A NAZIRITE. GEMARA. Raba said: All agree that if he Says, 'I undertake half the sacrifices  of a nazirite,' he is obliged to bring only half the sacrifices;  if he says 'I undertake the sacrifices of half a nazirite,' he must bring a complete set of sacrifices, since partial naziriteship is impossible.  Where they differ is when the phraseology of the Mishnah [is used].  R. Meir considers that as soon as he says 'I undertake [to poll]' he becomes liable to the complete sacrifice of naziriteship, and when he [afterwards] specifies half a naziriteship, it is no longer within his power [to limit his obligation].  The Rabbis, on the other hand, look upon it as a vow accompanied by its own modification. MISHNAH. [SHOULD A MAN SAY,] '  UNDERTAKE TO BECOME A NAZIRITE WHEN I SHALL HAVE A SON,' AND A SON BE BORN TO HIM, HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE. IF THE CHILD BORN BE A DAUGHTER, OR SEXLESS, OR AN HERMAPHRODITE, HE DOES NOT BECOME A NAZIRITE. SHOULD HE SAY, WHEN I SHALL HAVE A CHILD,' THEN EVEN IF IT BE A DAUGHTER, OR SEXLESS, OR AN HERMAPHRODITE, HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE.