Nazir

Raba b. Mesharsheya said to Raba: This Tanna first asserts that [the rule of the nazirite] could not be deduced from that of the leper  because we must not argue to the less stringent from the more stringent in order to impose on it the same stringency, and then he goes on to say that [the case of the leper itself] should be inferred by argument,  whereas in fact we are not able to infer it from any argument!  — [Raba] replied: The former discussion is based on the view of the Rabbis,  the latter on that of R. Eliezer,  for we have learnt:  Whilst there is no penalty  unless he plucks out [the hair] with a razor. R. Eliezer said that even if he plucks it with tweezers or with a rohitni  he incurs a penalty. What is the reason of the Rabbis?  It has been taught: Why does Scripture mention his beard?  Because we find elsewhere  the verse, Neither shall they shave off the corners of their beards,  it might be thought that this applies even to [a priest who is] a leper. We are therefore told [that the leper must shave] 'his beard'.  Whence [do we know] that he must use a razor? — It has been taught: [The verse,] Neither shall they shave off the corners of their beards  could mean that even if they shaved it with scissors there would be a penalty, and so we are told [elsewhere], Neither shalt thou mar [the corners of thy beard].  [This last verse alone] could mean that even if he plucks it out with tweezers or a rohitni there is a penalty, and so we are told, Neither shall they shave the corners of their beards. How [do we make the inferences from these verses]? The kind of shaving that also mars [the beard] is with a razor. But how does it follow?  For may it not well be that even if [the leper] uses tweezers or a rohitni he has carried out his religious duty, the purpose of the verse  being to tell us that even if he uses a razor there is no penalty? — I will explain. If you assume that even if he uses tweezers or a rohitni he has carried out his religious duty, the verse should have remained silent on the subject  and I should have argued as follows. Seeing that a nazirite, who has done what is forbidden,  is nevertheless obliged [to use a razor], then [the leper] who is here doing a religious duty  should certainly [be allowed to use a razor].