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1) UNKNOWN TUM'AH

(a) (Mishnah): A Nazir shaved (upon completing Nezirus) and then learned that he was Tamei.

1. If it was a known Tum'ah, the days he counted are nullified (and he must bring sacrifices of a Tamei Nazir and be a Nazir again);
2. If it was Tum'as ha'Tehom (an unknown Tum'ah), he has fulfilled Nezirus.
3. If he found out before shaving, in either case the days he counted are nullified.

(b) Example: He went to immerse in a Mikveh in a cave; later, Tum'ah was found floating on the water - we say that he became Tamei;

1. If Tum'ah was found buried in the floor of the cave, we distinguish.

i. If he was Tahor, and only entered the water to cool off, we say he is still Tahor;
ii. If he had become Tamei Mes, and immersed to finish becoming Tahor, he is Tamei.

2. There is good reason to leave him in his status quo (still Tahor or still Tamei).

(c) (Gemara) - Question: How do we know that unknown Tum'ah does not nullify Nezirus?
(d) Answer #1 (R. Elazar): "If a Mes will die upon him" - only if it is clear to him.
(e) Answer #2 (Reish Lakish): "If a man will be Tamei Mes, or on a far away Derech (road) (and cannot offer the Pesach sacrifice)" - just as a road is exposed, only exposed Tum'ah disqualifies a person from bringing the Pesach sacrifice (and we learn Nazir from Pesach).
(f) Question #1 (Mishnah): Tum'as ha'Tehom is one which no one knew about; if 1 person anywhere in the world knew, it is not Tum'as ha'Tehom.

1. This is consistent with Reish Lakish.
2. According to R. Elazar - even if some person knew about the Tum'ah, it was not clear to the one that became Tamei!

(g) Question #2 (Beraisa): One who finds a corpse lying across the width of the path (on which he had walked) - he is Tamei regarding Terumah and Kodshim, but Tahor regarding bringing the Pesach sacrifice and Nezirus.

1. Why should there be any difefrence?

(h) Answer #3: Rather, Tum'as ha'Tehom is a tradition from Moshe from Sinai.
(i) (Mishnah): If before shaving ...
(j) Question: Who is the Tana of the Mishnah?
(k) Answer (R. Yochanan): R. Eliezer, who says that the prohibitions of Nezirus are in effect until he shaves.

(a) Question (Rami bar Chama): If he became Tamei before completing Nezirus, and learned of this after completing Nezirus, what is the law?

1. Do we go after when he found out, and this was after completion, so he fulfilled Nezirus?
2. Or, do we go after when he became Tamei, and this was before completion, and he must be a Nazir again?

(b) Answer (Rava - Mishnah): If he learned before shaving, in either case days are nullified.

1. Question: When did he find out?

i. Suggestion: If before completing Nezirus, there is no need to teach this!

2. Answer: Rather, after completing Nezirus (and days are nullified, i.e. we go after when he became Tamei).

(c) Question: We can still ask, are all the days nullified, or only 7?
(d) Answer: According to Chachamim, all the days are nullified; according to R. Eliezer, Tum'ah after completing Nezirus only nullifies 7.
(e) Question: Perhaps R. Eliezer only said that when he became Tamei after completion; here, he became Tamei during Nezirus!

1. Or, perhaps we go after when he found out, and this was after completion.

(f) Answer: We learn from our Mishnah - in either case, he nullifies - the Mishnah does not distinguish if the Tum'ah was before or after completion (and in the latter case, only 7 days are nullified).

(a) (Beraisa): A corpse was found underneath a road, spanning the width of the road. One who traversed this road is Tamei regarding Terumah, but Tahor regarding the Pesach sacrifice or Nezirus.
(b) This only applies if it spans the entire width; if not, one who traversed the road is Tahor even regarding Terumah.
(c) Also, law (a) only applies if the corpse is whole; if the body is broken or in pieces, he is Tahor even for Terumah - perhaps he walked between the pieces.

1. If the body is in a coffin, leniency (c) does not apply - the coffin joins up the pieces, and he is Tamei.
2. Also, leniency (c) only applies if he was walking - if he was carrying a burden or riding, he is Tamei.

i. One who is walking can avoid touching, moving or towering over the Tum'ah; one carrying a load or riding cannot.

(d) Law (a) only applies to Tum'as ha'Tehom; if the Tum'ah was known, he is Tamei even regarding Pesach and Nezirus.
(e) Tum'as ha'Tehom is a Tum'ah which no one in the world knows about; if anyone does know about it, it is not Tum'as ha'Tehom.
(f) If the Tum'ah was concealed in straw or stones, it is Tum'as ha'Tehom; if it was not seen because it was in water, it was dark, or it was in a crevice in a rock, it is not Tum'as ha'Tehom.
(g) Tum'as ha'Tehom only applies to Tum'as Mes (Rashi; Rambam - to one that died, not one murdered).
(h) (Mishnah): If he descended to immerse ...
(i) (Doubtful) floating Tum'ah of a rodent is Tahor.

1. (Beraisa): In a doubt regarding Tum'ah floating in water, the ruling is Tahor, whether the water is in a vessel or in the ground;
2. R. Shimon says, if it is in a vessel, the ruling is Tamei; in the ground, the ruling is Tahor.