Nazir

I INTEND TO BE LIKE THIS: Granted that he takes hold of his hair, he does not say 'I intend to be through this,'  [but only 'like this']? — Samuel said: We suppose that a nazirite is passing by at the time. I INTEND TO CURL  [MY HAIR]. How do we know that this [word MESALSEL] refers to the curling of the hair? — From a remark made by a maidservant  of Rabbi's household, who said to a certain man: How much longer are you going to curl [mesalsel] your hair? But perhaps [it refers to] the Torah  in accordance with the verse, Extol her [salseleha] and she will exalt thee?  — Samuel said: Here, too, we suppose that he takes hold of his hair. I MEAN TO TEND  [MY HAIR]. How do we know that this [word MEKALKEL] refers to the tending of his hair? — From what we learnt: 'With regard to orpiment.  R. Judah said that there must be sufficient to depilate the kilkul,'  and Rab commented: [This means the hair of] one of the temples.  But might it not mean tending the poor. in accordance with the verse, And Joseph sustained [wa-yekalkel] his father and his brothers?  — Samuel said: Here too. we assume that he takes hold of his hair. I UNDERTAKE TO DEVELOP  TRESSES,'  HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE. How do we know that this [word] shilluah signifies increase? — From the verse, Thy shoots [shelohayik] are a park of pomegranates.  But perhaps it has the significance of 'removal'  in accordance with the verse, And sendeth [we-sholeah] waters upon the fields?  — The occurrence of the word pera' [tresses] in connection with the nazirite gives the tanna the clue. It says here, He shall be holy. he shall let the locks [pera'] grow long.  and it says elsewhere regarding an ordinary priest,  Nor' suffer their locks [pera'] to grow long [yeshallehu].  Alternatively, we can say that the sholeah used of water,  also signifies increase,  for when produce is watered it shoots up. [IF HE SAYS] 'I TAKE UPON MYSELF [AN OBLIGATION INVOLVING] BIRDS,' R. MEIR SAYS HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE. What is R. Meir's reason? — Resh Lakish said: [In making this vow] he has in mind the birds that are coupled with hair in the scriptural verse, Till his hair was grown long like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.  R. Meir is of the opinion that a man will refer to one thing when he means something else occurring in the same context,