Objection: Rav Papa's question was based on the fact that the Beraisa says five!

Answer (Rav Papa): I thought that Abaye had no tradition for his law (but rather relied on his own reasoning. I falsified the Beraisa to see if he would retract if a Beraisa apparently opposed him);

When I saw that he did not retract (but rather gave a flimsy answer to defend himself), I realized that he had a tradition.

(Mishnah): R. Eliezer ben Azaryah says...

(Rav Yosef): Unkelos' translation of "from Chartzanim to Zag" is like R. Yosi (who says that Chartzanim are pits and Zag is the skin).

(Mishnah): Stam Nezirus is 30 days. If he shaved or was shaved by bandits (before completion), this nullifies 30 days (most Rishonim - this obligates him to observe 30 days of Nezirus after shaving);

If a Nazir shaved, whether with scissors or a Ta'ar (razor), or plucked out even one hair, he is liable.

(Gemara) Question: Do hairs grow from the bottom (the scalp) or from the top (the end of the hair)?

Question: What difference does it make?

Answer: If bandits shaved a Nazir, and they left the hairs long enough to fold a hair onto its root:

If hairs grow from the bottom, they cut off all the hair he had when he accepted Nezirus (he must let his hair grow 30 more days before he can shave and end his Nezirus);

If hairs grow from the top, there are remnants of his hair at the time he accepted, so he may shave and end Nezirus without delay (as if he was not shaved).

Answer #1: Lice eggs prove that hairs grow from the top.

They are always found attached to hairs near the roots. If hairs grew from the roots, older eggs would be further from the scalp!

Rejection: Really, hairs grow from the roots. There is life inside the eggs, and they slide their way back to the roots.

Answer #2: Dead lice eggs prove that hairs grow from the bottom

Some are found attached to hairs far from the roots. If hairs grew from the top, all would remain at the scalp (like they were when alive)!

Rejection: Really, hairs grow from the top. Since there is no life inside the eggs, they slide down [away from the roots, closer to the ground].

Answer #3: We learn from idolaters who braid their hair that hairs grow from the bottom. Over time, the braiding becomes lax (because there is more hair from the scalp to the knot than initially)!

Rejection: Really, hairs grow from the top. When they sleep, they lie on their hair, and this softens the braiding.

Answer #4: We learn from dye put on the wool of animals that hairs grow from the bottom. This proof is based on something learned in a Mishnah (when tithing one's animals, one dyes each tenth animal).

Answer #5: We can also prove this from old people who dye their beards (black). The part of the hair near the roots is white!

Question (Beraisa): If bandits shaved a Nazir, and they left the hairs long enough to fold back onto the roots, this does not nullify the days of Nezirus he has kept.

If hairs grow from the bottom, he should need to observe 30 more days!

Answer: The case is, they shaved him after he finished his term of Nezirus;

The Beraisa is like R. Eliezer, who says that if he became Tamei at that time, he would need to wait only seven days;

R. Eliezer learns the law of a Tahor Nazir from a Tamei Nazir. Just like a Tamei Nazir waits only seven days, also a Tahor Nazir need wait only until he has seven days' growth of hair.

Chachamim know that in seven days a hair grows long enough to fold it onto its root.

(Mishnah): If a Nazir shaved with scissors or a Ta'ar, or plucked out even one hair, he is liable.

(Beraisa #1 - R. Yoshiyah) Question: It says "a Ta'ar (will not pass over his head)." What is the source that a Nazir is liable even for pulling out hairs or parts of hairs?

Answer: "He will be Kodesh; he will grow the hair of his head."

R. Yonasan says, one is liable only for a Ta'ar. One is exempt for pulling out hairs or parts of hairs.

Question: But it says "He will be Kodesh..."!

Answer: This teaches that if he shaves with a Ta'ar, he transgresses a Lav and an Aseh.

(Beraisa #2) Question: It says "Ta'ar." What is the source that a Nazir is liable even for pulling out hairs or parts of hairs?

Answer: We learn from "Will not pass over his head."

Question: Since one is liable for all methods of removing hair, why did the Torah specify a Ta'ar?

Answer: Since it is not needed to teach about the Isur of shaving during Nezirus, it is used to teach that upon finishing Nezirus, he must shave with a Ta'ar.

We could not learn this from a Metzora (who shaves with a Ta'ar), since a Metzora is more stringent (he shaves all the hair on his body).