Nazir

SHOULD HIS WIFE MISCARRY, HE DOES NOT BECOME A NAZIRITE. R. SIMEON SAID: [IN THIS CASE] HE MUST SAY, IF IT WAS A VIABLE CHILD, I AM A NAZIRITE OBLIGATORILY; OTHERWISE I UNDERTAKE A NAZIRITESHIP VOLUNTARILY.'  SHOULD [HIS WIFE] LATER BEAR A CHILD,  HE THEN BECOMES A NAZIRITE. R. SIMEON SAID: HE SHOULD SAY, 'IF THE FIRST WAS A VIABLE CHILD, THE FIRST [NAZIRITESHIP] WAS OBLIGATORY, AND THE PRESENT ONE WILL BE VOLUNTARY, OTHERWISE, THE FIRST ONE WILL HAVE BEEN VOLUNTARY, AND THE PRESENT ONE IS OBLIGATORY. GEMARA. For what purpose are we told this?  — Because of the subsequent clause, viz.: — IF IT BE A DAUGHTER, OR SEXLESS, OR AN HERMAPHRODITE, HE DOES NOT BECOME A NAZIRITE. But is not this obvious? — It might be thought that his meaning was 'If I beget a child'  and so we are told that this is not so. SHOULD HE SAY 'WHEN I SHALL HAVE A CHILD' etc.: But is not this obvious? — It might be thought that he only meant the child that is reckoned amongst men,  and so we are told [that any child is meant]. SHOULD HIS WIFE MISCARRY HE DOES NOT BECOME A NAZIRITE. The author of this statement is the R. Judah of the heap of grain. R. SIMEON SAID: HE SHOULD SAY, 'IF THE CHILD WAS VIABLE, THEN I AM A NAZIRITE OBLIGATORILY; OTHERWISE I UNDERTAKE NAZIRITESHIP VOLUNTARILY.' — R. Abba put the following question to R. Huna: Should a man say, 'I undertake to become a nazirite when I shall have a son', and his wife miscarries, and he set aside a sacrifice,  and then his wife gave birth [to a son],  what is the law?  From whose standpoint [was this problem propounded]? If from the standpoint of R. Simeon, what problem is there? Does not R. Simeon say that wherever there is a doubt in questions concerning naziriteship we adopt the more stringent ruling?  — It must therefore be from the standpoint of R. Judah, who maintains that in questions concerning naziriteship, if there is a doubt the more lenient ruling is adopted. The query then is whether [the animal] became sacred or not,  But what [practical] difference can it make [which it is]?  — [There would be the question of] whether he might shear it, or work with it.  The problem was unsolved. Ben Rehumi put the following question to Abaye: [Should a man say,] 'I undertake to become a nazirite when I shall have a son, and his companion, hearing this, add 'And I undertake likewise,' what would be the law? Is the reference to his words  or to him himself?  Should your finding be that the reference is to him himself,  then if a man should say, 'I undertake to become a nazirite when I shall have a son,' and his companion, hearing this, add 'I too' what would be the law? Is the reference to himself, I or does he mean, 'I am as much your good friend as you are yourself'?  Should your finding be that whenever the other is present