31. Vows - Nedarim
If a person forbids something tangible to himself
even without swearing an oath, he must fulfill his vow
and he is forbidden to violate it, as it says "[If a man
makes a vow...] to forbid himself something, his word
shall not be annulled; he must do everything that comes
out of his mouth"1; and it says "[If you make a vow...]
you must keep and do what comes out of your lips".2,a
He must forbid it by saying that it is like something
which it is in his power to make forbidden -- e.g., like
a sacrifice or other donation to the Temple that can be
brought by an individual.b A person can also forbid his
own property to others.c
As with oaths, a vow must be expressed orally and
with intent; it can be administered by others; it is not
binding if made under duress or in ignorance of the facts
or in exaggeration; and one can be released from it in the
same way as from an oath. Unlike oaths, however, one can
include oneself in a vow made by another and can extend
the scope of a vow to new things; and one can forbid to
himself things necessary for the fulfillment of a
commandment.d
A father can annul the vows and oaths of his young
unmarried daughter on the day he hears them, as it says
["And if a woman makes a vow... in her father's house in
her youth... and her father opposes her on the day he
hears], all her vows and prohibitions that she made on
herself do not stand, and Ha-Shem will forgive her since
her father opposed her".3 Similarly, a husband can annul
his wife's vows and oaths even if he does not hear them,
as it says "And if she made a vow in her husband's house...
and if her husband annulled (it) on the day he heard... it
does not stand...; any vow or oath to prohibit, to afflict...
her husband can annul it".4 A husband can
completely annul a vow only if it involves affliction;
otherwise, he can annul it only as regards himself but not as
regards others.e
Sources: |
| 1. Num. 30:3 |
a. 1:1,4-5; 3:10; see 13:25 |
| 2. Deut. 23:22-24 |
b. 1:9 |
| 3. Num. 30:4-6 |
c. 5:lff |
| 4. Num. 30:11-14 |
d. 2:1-3; 3:3-6; 4:1,5 |
|
e. 11:6,8,21; 12:1-2 |
