As we know, the meaning of the word Nedarim is ‘vows’, and as the past few dapim of Massechet Nedarim have taught us, alongside the formal vow-making formulas, certain alternative expressions (כינויים) incorporating various translations of these key vow-making formulas may also be used to make a vow. For example, if one were to say,…
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Today’s daf (Nedarim 4a) begins by discussing the halachic implications of someone who vows to become a Nazir while standing in a cemetery. Significantly, a Nazir is prohibited to go to a cemetery. Nevertheless, while we are taught that, in such a situation, though the vow takes effect, the actual period of Nezirut does not…
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“The Torah speaks in human terms” (דברה תורה בלשון בני אדם). This principle, which is often invoked by our classic commentaries, is mentioned more than once in today’s daf (Nedarim 3a-b) while clarifying the way in which the Torah speaks about vow-making – with the implied consequences relating to what must be said for a…
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If we had to summarise the first Mishna of Massechet Nedarim (2a), it would be that if you sincerely wish to make a vow to God, then whether you use normative vow-making words, or you use of alternative expressions (כינויים) to the words most commonly used when making a vow, your vow is valid. The…
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