Nazir

MISHNAH. [IF A MAN SAYS,] 'I INTEND TO BE A NAZIRITE AS THE HAIRS OF MY HEAD, OR THE DUST OF THE EARTH, OR THE SANDS OF THE SEA,' HE BECOMES A LIFE-NAZIRITE, POLLING EVERY THIRTY DAYS. RABBI SAID THAT SUCH A MAN DOES NOT POLL EVERY THIRTY DAYS;  THE MAN WHO POLLS EVERY THIRTY DAYS IS THE ONE WHO SAYS, 'I UNDERTAKE NAZIRITESHIPS  AS THE HAIR ON MY HEAD, OR THE DUST OF THE EARTH, OR THE SANDS OF THE SEA.' [IF HE SAYS,] 'I INTEND TO BE A NAZIRITE AS THE CAPACITY OF THIS HOUSE, OR AS THE CAPACITY OF THIS BASKET,' WE INTERROGATE HIM. IF HE SAYS THAT HE HAS VOWED ONE LONG PERIOD OF NAZIRITESHIP, HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE FOR THIRTY DAYS, BUT IF HE SAYS THAT HE HAS VOWED WITHOUT ATTACHING ANY PRECISE MEANING [TO HIS STATEMENT], WE REGARD THE BASKET AS THOUGH IT WERE FULL OF MUSTARD SEED, AND HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE FOR THE WHOLE OF HIS LIFE.  [IF HE SAYS,] 'I INTEND TO BE A NAZIRITE, AS FROM HERE TO SUCH AND SUCH A PLACE,' WE ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF DAYS' [JOURNEY] FROM HERE TO THE PLACE MENTIONED. IF THIS IS LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS, HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE FOR THIRTY DAYS; OTHERWISE HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE FOR THAT NUMBER OF DAYS. [IF HE SAYS], 'I INTEND TO BE A NAZIRITE, AS THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN A SOLAR YEAR'' HE MUST COUNT AS MANY NAZIRITESHIPS AS THERE ARE DAYS IN THE SOLAR YEAR. R. JUDAH SAID: SUCH A CASE ONCE OCCURRED, AND WHEN THE MAN HAD COMPLETED [HIS PERIODS], HE DIED. GEMARA. WE REGARD THE BASKET AS THOUGH IT WERE FILLED WITH MUSTARD SEED, AND HE BECOMES A NAZIRITE FOR THE WHOLE OF HIS LIFE. But why [mustard seed]? Surely we could regard it as though it were full of cucumbers or gourds, and so provide him with a remedy?  — Hezekiah said: This is a matter on which opinions differ, the author [of our Mishnah] being R. Simeon, who has affirmed that people do undertake obligations in which the use of an ambiguous formula results in greater stringency than the use of a precise one.  For it has been taught: [If a man has said,] 'I intend to be a nazirite provided this heap [of grain] contains a hundred kor,  and on going to it, he finds that it has been stolen or lost, R. Simeon declares him bound [to his vow] since whenever in doubt as to a nazirite's liabilities, we adopt the more stringent ruling.  R. Judah, however, releases him since whenever in doubt as to a nazirite's liabilities, we adopt the more lenient ruling. R. Johanan said: It is even possible that [the author of the Mishnah] is R. Judah. For in the case just mentioned, the man has possibly not entered into a naziriteship at all [if there were not one hundred kor in the heap],  whereas in this case [mentioned in the Mishnah,] he does at any rate enter into a naziriteship.  On what grounds can he be released from it?  But why not regard the basket as though it were full of cucumbers and gourds, and so provide him with a remedy?  — Such an idea ought not to cross your mind, for he has undertaken one [unbroken] naziriteship,