Mishnat Nedarim

If a man vow a vow to the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

No "devoted" thing, that a man shall "devote" to the Lord of all that he has, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every "devoted" thing is most holy to the Lord.

All nicknames for vows are like vows and for haramim are like haramim and those for oaths are like oaths and for naziriteness are like naziriteness.

If someone says to his fellow, “I am forbidden from you by a vow”; “I am separated from you”; “I am distanced from you”, “that I should eat from yours”, “that I should taste from yours”, he is prohibited.

If he says: “I am banned to you”, Rabbi Akiba was inclined to rule stringently.

“As the vows of the wicked”, he has vowed in respect of being a nazirite, or a sacrifice, or an oath.

“As the vows of the fit”, he has said nothing.

“As their freewill-offerings” he has vowed in respect of being nazirite and a sacrifice.

One who says, “konam” “qonah” or “qonas”: these are the substitutes for korban.

“Herek” “herech” or “heref,” these are substitutes for herem.

“Nazik” “naziah” “paziah” these are substitutes for nazirite vows.

“Shevuthah” “shekukah” or one who vows with the word “mota” these are substitutes for shevuah.

If one says “not-hullin I shall not eat from you”, “not kasher”, or “not pure”, “clean” or “unclean”, “remnant” or “Piggul" he is bound.

"As a lamb”, “As the Temple pens”, “As the wood”, “As the fire”, “As the altar”, “As the Temple” or “As Jerusalem”; if one vowed by one of the altar utensils, even though he did not mention “korban”, behold this one has vowed by a korban.

Rabbi Judah said: He who says “Jerusalem” has said nothing.

Someone who says “A korban”, “A wholly burnt-offering”, “A meal-offering”, “A sin-offering”, “A thanksgiving-offering”, “A peace-offering" that should not I eat from you” he is bound.

Rabbi Judah permits.

“The korban”, “like a korban”, “korban”, should be that I eat from yours, he is bound.

If he says, “That which I shall not eat of yours should not be a korban”, Rabbi Meir binds.

If one says to his fellow, “Konam be my mouth which speaks with you”, “My hands which work for you”, and “My feet which walk with you,’ he is bound.

"To bind a bond upon his soul"

I might think, even if he swore to eat neveiloth and treyfot, abominations and reptiles. It is, therefore, written "to bind a bond" — to bind what is permitted, and not to permit what is forbidden.

And these are permitted [i.e. not binding]:

“What I eat of yours shall be hullin”; “Like pork”; “In idolatrous worship”; “Like carrion”; “Like terefot”; “Like abominations”; “Like creeping things”; “Like Aaron’s dough and his terumah”- permitted.

If one says to his wife, “Behold! You are like my mother to me”, they open him an opening from another place [allow him to annul], in order that he should not act lightly in such matters.

“Kunam that I sleep”; “that I speak”; or “that I walk”; or if one says to his wife, “Kunam if I have sex with you,” he is liable to “he shall not break his word” (Numbers 30:3 above).

"I swear an oath not to sleep”, or to talk, or to walk, it is forbidden [i.e. binding].

“Korban that I do not eat of yours”; “Korban that I eat of yours”; ““Not korban that I do not eat of yours” - permitted [i.e. not binding].

“An oath that I do not eat of yours”; “An oath that I eat of yours”; ““Not an oath that I do not eat of yours” - forbidden [i.e. binding].

In these instances oaths are more stringent than vows.

There is greater stringency in vows than in oaths. How? He said, “Kunam be the sukkah that I make,”; “The lulav that I take”; “The tefillin that I put on”; as vows they are binding, but as oaths they are not, because one cannot swear to transgress the commandments.

There is a vow within a vow, but not an oath within an oath. How is this so?

He said, “Behold, I will be a nazir if I eat [it]”; “Behold, I will be a nazir if I eat [it]”, “Behold, I will be a nazir if I eat [it]”, and he ate, he is liable for each and every one.

“I swear I will not eat”, “I swear I will not eat”,“I swear I will not eat”, and he ate, he is only liable for one.

Unspecified vows are interpreted strictly, and specified ones leniently. How so?

He said, “Behold! This is to me as salted meat”; or “As wine of libation”. If he vowed by that which is to Heaven, it is forbidden [the vow holds]. If by that which is idolatrous, permitted. And if it was unspecified, forbidden.

“Behold! This is to me as herem” If as a herem to Heaven, forbidden [the vow holds]; if as a herem to the priests, permitted. If it was unspecified, his vow is forbidden.

“Behold! This is to me as a tithe” If he vowed tithes of beasts, forbidden. If as grain tithes, permitted. If unspecified, forbidden.

“Behold! This is to me as terumah” If he vowed, as the terumah of the Temple-chamber, forbidden. If as the terumah of the threshing-floor, permitted, if unspecified, forbidden, according to Rabbi Meir.

The sages say, an unspecified terumah in Judea is forbidden, but in Galilee is permitted, because the people of Galilee are unfamiliar with the terumah of the Temple-chamber.

Unspecified haramim in Judea are permitted and in Galilee forbidden, because the people of Galilee are unfamiliar with priestly haramim.

He vowed by herem, and said, “I vowed only by a net [herem] of the sea”; he vowed by a korban, and said, “I vowed only by gifts [korbanot] of kings”;

“Behold! I myself [atzmi] am a korban”, and said, “I vowed only by the etzem - the bone - which I keep for the purpose of vowing”;

“Konam be any benefit my wife has from me”, and said, “I spoke only of my first wife, whom I have divorced”

On all of these they should not inquire [of a sage in order to break them], but if they inquire about them, they are punished and treated strictly, according to Rabbi Meir.

And the Sages say: they "open an opening from another place", in order that they should not act lightly with vows.

Four types of vows the Sages permitted [i.e. invalidated]: vows of urging, vows of exaggeration, vows in error, and vows under duress.

Vows of urging. Someone was selling an article and said, “Kunam that I will not reduce for you below a sela” and the other replied, “Kunam that I will not increase for you more than a shekel” then both of them want three dinarim.

Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: Also someone who wishes to make his friend subject to a vow to eat with him and said . . .

“Every vow which I may make in the future shall be void”, providing that he remembers this at the time of the vow.

It is incomplete and the Mishnah should be taught like this:

Someone who wants his friend to eat with him, and urges him to do so and subjects him to a vow, this vow is included in the category of vows of urging.

And, someone who desires that his vows not be upheld for the entire year should stand up on Rosh HaShana and say: Any vow that I take in the future shall be void, provided that he remembers at the time of the vow. . .

Abaye said, let it be taught, "provided that he does not remember at the time of the vow."

Vows of exaggeration. He said, “If I did not see on this road as many as departed from Egypt”; “If I did not see a snake like the beam of an olive press.

Vows in error. He said, "If I ate or drank”, and then remembered that he had; “If I should eat or drink” and then forgot and ate and drank;

He said, “Kunam be any benefit which my wife has from me, for she stole my purse and beat my child, and it was known that she had not beaten him and known that she had not stolen”;

He saw them eating figs and said to them, “Let them be a korban to you,” and then discovered them to be his father or his brothers and others were with them, Beyt Shammai say his father and brothers are permitted, but the rest are forbidden, and Beyt Hillel say all are permitted.

Vows under duress. Two kinds of duress are mentioned. One is when he swears and is prevented [from carrying out his word]. Another is when is is forced to swear because, if he admitted the truth, he would endanger himself or someone else personally or financially, that is to say that if he is forced to swear for someone else he should similarly.

Vows under duress: someone subjected his neighbor to a vow to eat with him, and then he or his son fell sick, or a river prevented him, behold these are vows under duress.

One may vow to murderers, robbers, or tax collectors that it is terumah, even if it is not; that they belong to the royal house, even if it does not.

Beth Shammai says: one may make any vow, except an oath; Beth Hillel says: even an oath.

Beth Shammai says: he must not volunteer to vow; Beth Hillel says: he may do so.

Beth Shammai says: only as far as he makes him vow; Beth Hillel says: even in respect of what he does not make him vow.

How so? If they said to him, say: “Kunam be any benefit my wife has of me”, and he said, “Kunam be any benefit my wife and children have of me,” Beth Shammai says: his wife is permitted, but his children are forbidden; Beth Hillel says: both are permitted.

“Behold these saplings are a korban if they are not cut down”; or, “This garment is a korban if it is not burnt”, they can be redeemed.

“Behold these saplings are a korban until he cuts them down”; or, “This garment is a korban until it is burnt”, they cannot be redeemed.

Tax collector – a self-appointed tax collector.

But as regards a tax-collector appointed by the king, whether the king is an Israelite or a non-Jew and takes a specified amount as the law of the kingdom, “the law of the land is the law,” and it is forbidden to flee from tax, and all the more so it is forbidden to vow or to swear to him a falsehood.

Someone who vows [not to benefit] from seafarers, may benefit from land-dwellers;

And someone who vows from land-dwellers, is forbidden even from seafarers, because seafarers are included in land-dwellers;

Not those who merely travel from Akko to Jaffa, but even those whose habit is to sail away.

Someone who vows from the "seers of the sun", is forbidden even from the blind, because he only meant someone whom the sun sees.

Someone who vows from the black-haired is forbidden from the bald or the gray-haired, but and permitted from women and children, because only men are called black-haired.

The principle in all of this is that in Nedarim it goes according to the "speech of men".

One who vows [not to benefit] from those who have been born is permitted from those yet to be born; from those to be born, Rabbi Meir permits even from those to be born;

And the Sages say: he meant all those in whose nature it is to be born.

He who vows [not to benefit] from those who rest on the Sabbath, is forbidden both from Israelites and Cutim (Samaritans).

From garlic eaters, he may not benefit from Israelites and Cutim.

From those who go up to Jerusalem, he is forbidden from Israelites but from Cutim [who workship on Mount Gerizim] he is permitted.

Ezra instituted ten ordinances: reading the Torah on Shabbat afternoon; and reading every Monday and Thursday; and judging every Monday and Thursday; and doing laundry on Thursday; and eating garlic on Shabbat eve . . . .

And eating garlic on Shabbat eve - This for conjugal relations.

“Kunam that I do not benefit from the children of Noah,” he may benefit from Israel, and he is forbidden from the nations.

"That I do not benefit from the seed of Abraham,” he is forbidden from Israel, but permitted from the nations.

“That I do not benefit from Israel”, he may buy things from them for more and sell them for less.

"That Israel should not benefit from me", he must buy from them for less and sell for more, but they don't listen to him.

"That I do not benefit from them, nor they from me”, he may benefit only from the nations.

“Kunam that I do not benefit from the uncircumcised”, he may benefit from uncircumcised Israelites but not from circumcised heathens”.

"That I do not benefit from the circumcised,” he is forbidden to benefit from uncircumcised Israelites but not from circumcised non-Jews, because “uncircumcised” is a term applicable only to non-Jews, as it says, “For all the nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart” (Jeremiah 9:25). And it says, “And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them” (I Samuel 17:6). And it says, “Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult” (II Samuel 1:20).

1. Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah says: The foreskin is loathsome, since it is a term of disgrace for the wicked, as it says, “For all the nations are uncircumcised” (Jeremiah 9:25, above).

2. Rabbi Ishmael says: Great is circumcision, since thirteen covenants were made upon it.

3. Rabbi Yosi the Galilean says: Great is circumcision, for it overrides the great Sabbath.

4. Rabbi Joshua ben Karha says: Great is circumcision, for Moses’s punishment for neglecting it was not suspended even for one hour.

5. Rabbi Nehemiah says: Great is circumcision, since it overrides the laws of leprosy.

6. Rabbi Meir says: Great is circumcision, for despite all of the commandments which our father Abraham kept he was not designated "complete" until he circumcised himself, as it says, “Walk before me, and be complete” (Genesis 17:1).

7. Another explanation: “Great is circumcision, for were it not for it, the Holy One, Blessed Be He, would not have created the world, as it says, “Were it not for my covenant by day and night, I would not have put down the laws of heaven and earth” (Jeremiah 33:25).

“Great is circumcision, for it equates to all the commandments in the Torah, as it is said, “Here is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you on all these words” (Exodus 24:8).

The circumcised – that believe in brit mila - the covenant of circumcision.

There is no difference between someone sworn not to benefit from his fellow and someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbour's food, except for access and vessels which are not used for food.

Someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbour's food, he may not lend him a fine sieve, coarse sieve, mill-stone or oven.

But he may lend him a cloak, ring, garment, and earrings . . . . and whatever is not used to make food . . . . in a place where things such as these are rented out, it is forbidden.

Someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbor, he may pay his shekel, pay off his debts, and return a lost article to him. Where payment is taken for this, the benefit should become sacred property.

GEMARA: It is merely driving away a lion, and it is permitted.

He may donate his terumah and his tithes with his knowledge. He may offer up for him the bird sacrifices of zavim and zavot and the bird sacrifices of women after childbirth, sin-offerings and guilt-offerings. He may teach him midrash, halakhot and aggadot.

He may not teach him Mikra, yet he may teach his sons and daughters Mikra And he may support his wife and children, even though he is liable for their maintenance.

He may not feed his beasts, whether clean or unclean. Rabbi Eliezer says: he may feed an unclean one but not a clean one.

They said to him: what is the difference between an unclean and a clean one? He replied to them, a clean one, its life belongs to heaven, but its body to him; but an unclean one its body and life belongs to heaven.

They said to him: Even life of an unclean one belongs to heaven and the body to him for, if he wishes, he can sell it to a non-Jew or feed dogs with it.

Someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbor, if he enters to visit him, must stand, but not sit. He may heal his body, but not his property, and bathe together with him in a large bath, but not in a small one.

And he sleeps in a bed with him. Rabbi Judah said: in summer, but not in raintime, because he benefits him and he reclines with him on a couch and eats with him at the table, but not out of the pot; he eats with him out of a bowl which returns.

He may not eat with him out of the food trough put before laborers. He may not work with him on the same furrow, according to Rabbi Meir. And the Sages say: he may work at a distance from him.

Someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbor before the seventh year, should not enter his field, nor eat what hangs over.

And in the seventh year, he may not enter his field, but may eat what hangs over.

If he swore in respect of food, before the seventh year, he enters his field, but does not eat of its fruits. In the seventh year, he may enter and eat.

Someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbor may not lend to him nor borrow from him, loan to him nor receive a loan from him, sell to him nor purchase from him.

One says to another, “Lend me your cow.” He says, “It is not available.”

He says, “Kunam, if I ever plow my field with it’.

If he generally plowed himself, he is forbidden, but all others are permitted. But if he did not generally plow himself, he and all others are forbidden.

If someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbor has nothing to eat, he can go to the shopkeeper and say, “So-and-so is forbidden by vow to benefit from me, and I do not know what I can do.”

He gives to him and then he comes and takes from him.

If he had to build his house, or mend his fence, or harvest his field, he may go to laborers, and say, “So-and-so is forbidden by vow to benefit from me, and I do not know what I can do.’

They work for him and come and take their wages from him.

They are walking together on the road, and he has nothing to eat, he gives to a third person, and he is permitted with it.

If there is no one with them, he puts it on a stone or a barrier and says, “This is ownerless for whoever desires”, and the other takes and eats it. Rabbi Yose prohibits.

Joint owners sworn not to benefit from one another may not enter the courtyard.

Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: This one enters his own and this one enters his own. Both are forbidden to set up a mill-stone or an oven or raise chickens.

If one of them was sworn not to benefit from the other, he may not enter the courtyard.

Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: He can say to the other, “I am entering into my own, and I am not entering into yours.’

They force the one who vowed to sell his share.

If someone from the street was sworn not to benefit from one of them, he may not enter the courtyard.

Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: He can say to him, “I am entering into your friend’s and not into yours.”

Someone sworn not to benefit from his neighbor, and he owns a bath-house or an olive press leased in the town, if he has an interest in them, he is forbidden; if not, he is permitted.

If someone says to his neighbor, “Kunam, if I enter your house”, or “if I purchase your field”, and then he dies or sells it to another, he is permitted.

"If I enter this house”, or "if I purchase this field”, and he dies or sells it to another, he is forbidden.

“Behold, I am herem to you” the one besworn is forbidden.

“Behold, you are herem to me” the one who swore is forbidden.

“Behold, I to you, and you to me”, both are forbidden.

Both are permitted the things which belong to those who came up from Babylon, but are forbidden the things which belong to that town.

What are the things that belong to those that came up from Babylon? For example the Temple Mount and the Temple courts and the well in the middle of the road.

What are the things that belong to that town? For example the public square, the bath-house, the synagogue, the ark, and the scrolls and someone who assigns his portion to the Nassi.

Rabbi Judah says: it is the same whether he assigns it to the Nassi or to a private individual. But what is the difference between one who assigns it to the Nassi and one who assigns it to a private individual? If he assigns it to the Nassi, he need not confer title.

But the Sages say: both require conferring of title, they only mentioned the Nassi as the present practice.

Rabbi Judah said: The Galileans need not assign, because their ancestors have already assigned so for them.

GEMARA: Why is it [the portion assigned to the Nassi] forbidden? Rav Sheshet said: This is what it is teaching: And what is their remedy? They should write their portion to the Nasi.

If one is forbidden by vow to benefit from his neighbor and has nothing to eat, he may give to a third party, and he is permitted to use it.

It happened to one in Beth Horon that his father was forbidden to benefit from him and he was giving his daughter in marriage. He said to his neighbor, “The courtyard and the banquet are given to you as a gift, but they are yours only that my father may come and feast with us at the banquet.”

He said to him, “If they are mine, let them be dedicated to heaven!” He said to him, “But I did not give you my property to dedicate it to heaven.”

He said to him, “You gave me yours so that you and your father might eat and drink together and become reconciled to one another, while the sin will be on my head.”

The sages said, every gift which will not be dedicated if he dedicates it is not a gift.

This is all interpreted by him speaking in the language commonly-used among them at that time.

The principle in all of this is that in Nedarim it goes according to the "speech of men".

Someone who vows from “cooked" is permitted what is roasted or seethed.

If he said, “Kunam I taste any cooked dish” he is forbidden soft food made in a pot, but is permitted hard, and he may also eat a lightly boiled egg and gourds put in ashes.

Someone who vows from food made in a pot, is only forbidden food boiled in a pot.

If he said, “Kunam that I taste whatever goes down into a pot”, he is forbidden everything prepared in a pot.

"From what is pickled" is forbidden only pickled vegetables; "If I taste anything pickled”, he is forbidden all pickled.

"From what is seethed" is forbidden only seethed meat; "If I taste anything seethed” he is forbidden every thing seethed.

"From what is roasted" is forbidden only roasted meat, according to Rabbi Judah. "If I taste anything roasted” he is forbidden everything roasted.

"From what is salted" is forbidden only salted fish. "If I taste anything salted” he is forbidden everything salted.

‘If I taste fish or fishes,” he is forbidden from them, whether large or small, salted or unseasoned, raw or cooked. But he may eat hashed terith and brine.

Someone who foreswears zahanah is forbidden hashed terith, but may eat brine and pickled fish brine.

Someone who foreswears hashed terith may [not?] eat brine and pickled fish brine.

In our language, when someone combines the singular and the plural this points to the totality and amplification, like "vanity of vanities" and "song of songs". So if he said, "fish of fishes" he included all types of whatever kind exist.

Someone who foreswears milk is permitted to eat whey. Rabbi Yose forbids it.

“From whey,” is permitted milk.

Abba Shaul says: someone who foreswears cheese, is prohibited to eat it, whether salted or unseasoned.

Someone who foreswears meat may eat sauce and jelly. But Rabbi Judah prohibits. Rabbi Judah said: it once happened that Rabbi Tarfon prohibited me from eating eggs cooked with it. They replied: That is so.

When is this true? When he says “This meat is prohibited to me.” But if someone foreswears something, and it is mixed up with another thing, if there is sufficient to give it taste it is forbidden.

Someone who foreswears wine, may eat food which contains the taste of wine. If he says, “Kunam if I taste this wine”, and it falls into food, if it is sufficient to give it taste it is forbidden.

Someone who foreswears grapes is permitted wine; from olives, is permitted oil. If he says, “Kunam if I taste these olives and grapes”, he is forbidden to eat them and what comes out of them.

Someone who foreswears dates is permitted date honey; from winter grapes, is permitted winter-grape vinegar.

Rabbi Judah ben Bathyra said: anything whose derivatives bear its name, if he vows to abstain from it what comes from it is forbidden to him. But the Sages permit.

Someone who foreswears wine is permitted apple-wine; oil, is permitted sesame oil; honey, is permitted date honey; vinegar, is permitted winter grape vinegar; leeks, is permitted porrets; from vegetables, is permitted field-vegetables, because it is an accompanying name.

"From cabbage" he is forbidden ispargos; from ispargos, he is permitted cabbage.

From grits, he is forbidden grits porridge, Rabbi Yose permits; from grits porridge he is permitted grits.

From grits porridge, he is forbidden garlic; Rabbi Yose permits; from garlic, he is forbidden grits porridge.

From lentils, he is forbidden lentil cakes; Rabbi Yose permits; from lentil cakes, he is permitted.

“If I taste wheat of wheats,” he is forbidden both flour and bread. “If I eat grit of grits,” he is forbidden both raw and cooked.

Rabbi Judah says, “Kunam, if I eat grits or wheat,” he may chew them raw.

Porridge – a thick cooked dish of beans or of a sort of pudding consisting of minced meats, mixed with wine and spices.

Someone who foreswears porridge is forbidden garlic – it was customary to put garlic in every porridge in order that it would provide flavor, and the garlic is the porridge.

Someone who foreswears vegetables is permitted gourds and Rabbi Akiba prohibits. They said to him: And does not a man say to his messenger “Bring me vegetables,” and he replies, “I could find only gourds.”

He said to them: That is so! But would he say, “I could find only pulses?” For gourds are included in vegetables, while pulse is not.

And he is forbidden fresh Egyptian beans but permitted them dry.

Someone who foreswears grain (dagan) is forbidden dry Egyptian beans, according to Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say: only the five species of grain are forbidden to him.

Rabbi Meir says: someone who foreswears produce (tevuah) is forbidden only the five species; but one who forswears grain (dagan), is forbidden all; yet he is permitted the fruits of the tree and vegetables.

Someone who foreswears garments is permitted sack-cloth, curtain, and blanket wrapping.

If he says, “Kunam, if wool comes upon me,” he may cover himself with wool shearings; "if flax comes upon me”, he may cover himself with stalks of flax.

Rabbi Judah says: It all depends upon the vow. If he was carrying and perspiring and smelt bad, and he said “Kunam if wool or flax come upon me,” he may wear them, but not roll them up behind him.

Someone who foreswears a house is permitted the upper story, according to Rabbi Meir.

And the Sages say: the upper story is included in “house”.

Someone who foreswears the upper story is permitted the use of the house.

Someone who foreswears a bed is permitted a dargesh, according to Rabbi Meir.

And the Sages say: a dargesh is included in “bed”.

Someone who foreswears a dargesh is permitted the use of a bed.

Someone who foreswears a town, may enter the town’s border but may not enter its outskirts. But one who vows not to benefit from a house, is forbidden [only] from the door-stop and inwards.

"Dargash" is a small bed that one puts in front of the big bed, which is called a "mita", like the ladder upon which one would climb to the big bed.

“Kunam be these fruits to me”, “Kunam they are for my mouth,” or “Kunam they are on my mouth”, what is exchanged for them or what grows from them is forbidden.

“If I eat" or "If I taste”, what is exchanged for them or what grows from them is permitted if it is a thing whose seed ceases to exist, but if the seed does not cease to exist, that which grows out of its sproutings is forbidden.

If someone says to his wife, “Kunam be the work of your hands to me,” or ”Kunam be they for my mouth, or “Kunam be they to my mouth”, what is exchanged for them or what grows from them is forbidden.

“If I eat" or "If I taste”, what is exchanged for them or what grows from them is permitted if it is a thing whose seed ceases to exist, but if the seed does not cease to exist, that which grows out of its sproutings is forbidden.

what you will produce I will not eat from it until Pesach” or “That what you will produce, I will not wear until Pesach”, he may eat or wear after Pesach that which she produces before Pesach. [

"What you produce until Pesach I will not eat”, or “That what you produce until Pesach I will not wear”, what she produces before Pesach he may not eat after Pesach.

That you should not have any benefit from me until Pesach, if you go to your father’s house until the Festival [Sukkot],” if she goes before Pesach she may not benefit from him until Pesach; if she goes after Pesach she is subject to, “he shall not break his word” (Numbers 30:3).

That you shall not have any benefit from me until the Festival [Sukkot] if you go to your father’s house before Pesach”, if she goes before Pesach, she may not benefit from him until the Festival, but she is permitted to go after Pesach.

“Kunam, if I taste wine today,” he is only forbidden until dark.

“This Shabbat,” he is forbidden the whole week and the Shabbat that passed .

“This month,” he is forbidden the whole of that month, and Rosh Hodesh belongs to the next month.

“This year,” he is forbidden the whole year, and the Rosh HaShanah belongs to the next year.

“This week" [of years] he is forbidden the whole of that week, and the seventh year that passed .

And if he says, “One day,” “One Sabbath,” “One month,” “One year,”, “One week [of years],” he is forbidden from the day to the day.

“Until Pesach,” he is forbidden until it arrives;

“Until it is . . . ,” he is forbidden until it leaves.

“Until before Pesach,”: Rabbi Meir says he is forbidden until it arrives; Rabbi Yose says he is forbidden until it is completed.

“Until the grain harvest, “Until the grape harvest”, or, “Until the olive harvest,” he is forbidden only until it arrives.

This is the general rule: if anything has a fixed time and someone vows, “Until it arrives,” he is forbidden until it arrives; if he says, “Until it is”, he is forbidden until it is over.

And whatever has no fixed time, whether he says, “Until it is,” or “Until it arrives,” he is forbidden only until it arrives.

The principle in all of this is that in Nedarim it goes according to the "speech of men".

“Until the summer,” “Until the summer shall be,” until people begin to bring in in their baskets.

“Until the summer is past,” until the knives are folded up.

“Until the harvest,” until the people begin reaping the wheat harvest, but not the barley harvest.

It all depends on the place of his vow: if in hill-country, like the hill-country; if in the valley, like the valley.

“Until the rains,” “Until the rains shall be”, until the second rainfall descends.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: until the time of the second rainfall.

“Until the rains cease,” until all of Nisan is completed, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Judah says: Until Pesach is over.

“Kunam that I not taste wine for a year”, if the year is intercalated, he is forbidden during the year and its extension.

“Until the beginning of Adar,” until the beginning of the first Adar; “Until the end of Adar,” until the end of the first Adar.

Rabbi Judah says, “Kunam that I taste no wine until Pesach shall be,” he is forbidden only until Pesach night, for he meant until the hour when people usually drink wine.

If he said, “Kunam that I taste no meat until the fast shall be,” he is only forbidden until the eve of the fast, for he only meant until the time when people usually eat meat.

Rabbi Yose, his son, says: “Kunam, that I taste no garlic until it shall be Shabbat,” he is only forbidden only until Shabbat eve, for he only meant until the time when people usually eat garlic.

Someone who says to his neighbor “Kunam, that I benefit from you, if you do not come and take for your sons a kur of wheat and two barrels of wine,” may annul his vow without the release of a sage, and would say, “You only spoke to honor me: this [annulment] is my honor.”

Similarly, if one says to his neighbor, “Kunam, that you benefit from me, if you do not give my son a kor of wheat and two barrels of wine”: Rabbi Meir says: he is forbidden until he gives and the Sages say, he too can annul his vow without the release of a sage, by saying to him, “I am as if I have received it.”

If they were urging him to marry his sister’s daughter, and he said, “Kunam, that she benefits from me forever”; Likewise, if he is divorcing his wife and he said, “Kunam, that my wife benefits from me forever,” they are permitted to benefit from him, because he meant only marriage. If he was urging his neighbor to eat at his house, and he replied, “Konam be your house which I do not enter,” or, “The drop of water that I do not drink,” he may enter his house and drink cold water because he only meant eating and drinking in general.

Rabbi Eliezer says: They "open" for a person with the honor of his father and mother; and the Sages forbid.

Rabbi Zadok said: Before "opening''

with the honor of his father and mother, they should open with the honor of God.

If so, there would be no vows!

The Sages agree with Rabbi Eliezer that in a matter concerning himself and his father and mother one may release a vow with the honor of his father and mother.

Rabbi Eliezer also said: They release a vow with reference to a new thing; and the Sages forbid it.

How is this so? He

said, “Kunam that I will not benefit from so and so,” and he became a scribe, or was about to give his son in marriage, and he said, “Had I known that he would become a scribe or was about to give his son in marriage, I would not have vowed”.

“Kunam, that this house I will not enter,” and it became the synagogue, and he declared, “Had I known that it would become the synagogue, I would not have vowed”.

Rabbi Eliezer permits, but the Sages forbid.

Rabbi Meir says: Some things are similar to a new thing, and yet are not new; and the Sages agree [do not agree?] with him.

How is this so? He

said, “Kunam that I do not marry so and so, for her father is wicked". They said to him “He is dead,” or, “He has repented”.

“Kunam is this house which I will not enter, because it contains a wild dog,” or, “because there is a snake in it”. They said to him, “The dog is dead,” or, “The serpent has been killed,” behold these are similar to a new thing, and yet not new. And the sages [do not?] agree with him.

Rabbi Meir also said: They open from what is written in the Torah, and they say to him, “Had you known that you were violating :“You shall not avenge” (Leviticus 19:18), “You shall not bear a grudge” (ibid.), “You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart (ibid., v., “Love your neighbor as yourself” (ibid., v., “Let him live by your side” (ibid. 25:37), Perhaps he might become poor and you would not be able to provide for him?”.

If he replied, “If I had known that this is so, I would not have vowed,” he is permitted.

A man vowed not to have intercourse with his wife: Beth Shammai say two weeks; Beth Hillel say one week.

They open [release a vow] via his wife’s ketubah.

It happened that a man vowed not to benefit from his wife and her ketubah amounted to four hundred denarii. He went before Rabbi Akiva, who ordered him to pay her her ketubah. He said to him, “Rabbi! My father left eight hundred denarii, of which my brother took four hundred and I took four hundred. Isn’t it enough that she should receive two hundred and I two hundred?”

Rabbi Akiva replied: even if you have to sell the hair of your head you pay her her ketubah. He said, “Had I known that, I would not have vowed.” And Rabbi Akiva released him.

They open [release a vow] via festivals and shabbatot. In the beginning they used to say that for these days the vow is cancelled, but for others it is binding, until Rabbi Akiva came and taught: a vow which is partially released is entirely released.

For example, he swore that he would not drink wine or eat meat for some number of days. To this he [the Sage] says, "if you had known at the time of the vow that you were obliged on the shabbatot or the festivals included in those days to eat meat and to drink wine because of the verse "You shall call the Shabbat a delight" (Isaiah 58:13), would you have sworn?", and he says, "No" and they release the vow for him . . and the halakha is like Rabbi Akiva.

How so?

He said, “Kunam that I benefit from any of you,” one was released, they are all released.

"That I benefit from this one or this one”: the first was released, all are released; the last one was released, he is released, but the rest are forbidden; the middle one was released, those below him are released, but those above him are forbidden.

“That I benefit from this one, from this one Korban and from this one Korban,” they each require a separate release.

“Kunam is the wine that I do not taste, because wine is bad for the insides.” They said to him, “But matured is good for the insides.” He is released in respect of mature wine, and not only in respect of mature wine, but of all wine.

“Kunam the onions that I do not taste, because they are bad for the heart.” They said to him, “But village onions are good for the heart.” He is released in respect of village onions, and not only of village onions, but of all onions.

Such a case happened and Rabbi Meir permitted him all onions.

They open [release a vow] via his own honor and the honor of his children. They say to him, “Had you known that tomorrow they will say of you, ‘It is the regular habit of so-and-so to divorce his wife’; and concerning your daughters they will say, ‘They are the daughters of a divorced woman. What fault did he find in their mother to divorce her?’

If he replied, “Had I known that it is so, I would not have vowed,” he is released from his vow.

“Kunam if I marry that ugly woman,” and she turns out to be beautiful; “black,” and she is white; “short ,” and she is tall. He is permitted to marry her, not because she was ugly, and became beautiful, or black and became white, short and grew tall, but because the vow was made in error.

It happened with one who vowed not to benefit from his sister’s daughter, and she was taken into Rabbi Ishmael’s house and they made her beautiful. Rabbi Ishmael said to him, “My son! Did you vow not to benefit from this one!” He said, “No,” and Rabbi Ishmael released him.

In that hour Rabbi Ishmael wept and said, “The daughters of Israel are beautiful, but poverty disfigures them.” And when Rabbi Ishmael died, the daughters of Israel raised a lament, saying, “Daughters of Israel weep for Rabbi Ishmael.” And thus it is said too of Saul:

“Daughters of Israel, w

eep over Saul, w

ho clothed you in crimson and finery, w

ho decked your robes with jewels of gold.

” (II Samuel 1:24).

The men of Israel were distressed^-h that day. For Saul had laid an oath upon the troops: “Cursed be the man who eats any food before night falls and I take revenge on my enemies.” So none of the troops ate anything.

For as the LORD lives who brings victory to Israel, even if it was through my son Jonathan, he shall be put to death!” Not one soldier answered him.

Annulment of vows "fly in the air" and have nothing to support them.

If a woman makes a vow to the LORD or restricts herself with a restriction while in her father’s household in her youth,

and her father learns of her vow or her self-imposed restriction and offers no objection, all her vows shall stand and every self-imposed restriction shall stand.

But if her father restrains her on the day he finds out, none of her vows or self-imposed restriction shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, since her father restrained her.

A betrothed young woman, her father and her husband revoke her vows.

If the father revoked but not the husband, or the husband revoked but not the father, it is not revoked; and it goes without saying if one of them upheld.

If the father dies, his authority does not pass over to the husband. If the husband dies, his authority passes over to the father.

In this respect, the father’s power is greater than the husband’s.

But in another respect, the husband’s power is greater than that of the father, for the husband can revoke when she is of majority but the father cannot revoke her vows when she is of majority.

If she vowed when betrothed, and was divorced on that day and betrothed on the same day, even a hundred times, her father and her last betrothed husband can revoke her vows.

This is the general rule: as long as she has not passed out into her own "domain" for even one hour, her father and last husband revoke her vows.

It is the practice of scholars, before the daughter of one of them departs from him, he says to her, “All the vows which you vowed in my house are revoked.”

Likewise the husband, before she enters into his domain would say to her, “All the vows which you vowed before you entered my domain are revoked,” because once she enters into his domain he cannot revoke them.

A virgin is given twelve months from when the husband claimed her, to prepare herself. Just as it is given to the woman, so is it given to the man to prepare himself.

And for a widow, thirty days.

If their time has come and they are not married, or if their husband has died, they eat from his possessions and they may eat terumah.

A girl who reached majority age who waited twelve months, or a widow thirty days, Rabbi Eliezer says: since her husband is responsible for her maintenance, he may revoke. And the sages say: the husband cannot revoke until she enters into his domain.

If a woman waits for a yavam, whether for one or for two, Rabbi Eliezer says he can revoke.

Rabbi Joshua says, for one, but not for two.

Rabbi Akiva says: neither for one nor for two.

Rabbi Eliezer said: if a man can revoke the vows of a woman whom he himself acquired, isn’t it logical that can he revoke those of a woman bequeathed to him by Heaven!

Rabbi Akiva said to him: No! If you speak of a woman whom he himself acquires, that is because others have no rights in her; what will you say of a woman given to him by Heaven, in whom others too have rights?

Rabbi Joshua said to him: Akiva, your words apply to two yevamim; but what will you answer if there is only one yavam? He said to him, the yevamah is not as completely acquired to the yavam as a betrothed is to her husband.

Every vow and every oath to "afflict the soul" - her husband may uphold it, and her husband may revoke it.

If her husband is silent from day to day, he has upheld all the vows or obligations on her; he has upheld them because he was silent on the day he heard.

Someone who says to his wife, “All vows which you may vow from now until I come from such and such a place behold, they are upheld,” has not said anything.

"Behold, they are revoked”, Rabbi Eliezer says they are revoked and the sages say they are not revoked.

Rabbi Eliezer said, if he can revoke vows which already came into force, surely he can revoke those which have not come into force?

They said to him, “Her husband may uphold it, and her husband may revoke it” (Numbers 30:14). That which has entered the generality of upholding has entered the generality of revoking; that which has not entered the generality of upholding, has not entered the generality of revoking.

Revoking of vows is the whole day. This can be stringent or lenient.

How is this so? If she vowed on the eve of Shabbat, he can revoke on the eve of the Shabbat and on Shabbat day until nightfall.

If she vowed just before nightfall, he can revoke only until nightfall: for if night fell and he had not revoked it, he can no longer revoke it.

These are the statutes, which the Lord commanded Moshe, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father’s house.

These are the vows he can revoke: vows which involve self-denial. “If I bathe” or “If I do not bathe;” “If I adorn myself,” or, “If I do not adorn myself.”

Rabbi Yose says: these are not vows of self-denial.

These are vows of self-denial. She said, “Kunam be the produce of the world to me”, he can revoke.

“The produce of this region to me,” he should bring her that of a different region.

“

The produce of this shopkeeper to me”, he cannot revoke. But if he can obtain his sustenance only from him, he can revoke, according to Rabbi Yose.

“Kunam, that which I benefit from mankind,” he cannot revoke, and she can benefit from gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corners of the field.

“Kunam be the benefit which priests and Levites have from me”, they take against his will.

“Kunam be the benefit these priests and Levites have from me,” others should take.

“Kunam that which I do for Father,” “for your father,” “for my brothers,” “for your brothers,” he cannot revoke it.

“That which I do for you,” he need not revoke it.

Rabbi Akiva says he should revoke, lest she make more than is fitting for him.

Rabbi Yohanan ben Nuri said he should revoke it, lest he divorce her and she should be forbidden to come back to him.

His wife vowed, he thought that his daughter had vowed; his daughter vowed, he thought that his wife had vowed; she took the vow of a nazir, and he thought that she had vowed by a korban; she vowed by a korban, and he thought that she took the vow a nazir; she foreswore figs, and he thought that she foreswore grapes, she foreswore grapes and he thought that she foreswore figs, he must revoke again.

She said, “Kunam these figs and grapes which I taste”, and he confirmed the figs, all of it is confirmed.

He revoked the figs, it is not revoked unless he revokes the grapes too.

She said, “Kunam the figs that I taste and these grapes that I taste”, these are two vows.

“I know that there are vows, but I do not know that there are revokers”, he may revoke them.

“I know that there are revokers, but I did not know that this was a vow,” Rabbi Meir says he cannot revoke, and the sages say he can revoke.

Someone under a vow that his son-in-law shall not benefit from him, who wants to give money to his daughter, says to her, “This money is given to you as a gift, on condition that your husband has no rights with it, but that you can use it ["put it in your mouth"].

“But every vow of a widow and of a divorcee… shall be binding upon her” (Numbers 30:10). How is this so?

If she said, “Behold, I will be a nazirite after thirty days”, even if she married within the thirty days, he cannot revoke.

If she vows while in her husband’s domain, he can revoke for her. How is this so?

She said, “Behold, I will be a nazirite after thirty days,” even though she was widowed or divorced within the thirty days, it is revoked.

She vowed that day, he divorced her that day and took her back that day, he cannot revoke. This is the rule: once she has gone into her own domain for a single hour, he cannot revoke.

HALAKHAH: “The vows of nine young women are confirmed,” etc. Rebbi Joḥanan said, there are two [adults and divorcees]. But why did we teach “nine”? To train the students. And according to Rebbi Jehudah, there are three [adults, divorcees and orphans].

There are nine young girls whose vows stand:

1a. A bogeret [adult] who is an orphan;

1b. A na'ara [adolescent] who became an adult and is an orphan;

1c. An adolescent who did not become an adult but is an orphan.

__________________

2a. A bogeret [adult] whose father died;

2b. A na'ara [adolescent] who became an adult and whose father died;

2c. An adolescent who did not become an adult and whose father died.

____________

3a. An adolescent whose father died and then became an adult,

3b A bogeret [adult] whose father lives,

3c. A na'ara [adolescent] who became an adult and whose father lives.

Rabbi Meir says, also [3d?]if somebody marries off his underage daughter and she becomes widowed or divorced and returns to him while she is still is an adolescent.

“Kunam that I have any benefit from my father or from your father if I make anything for you”, “That I have any benefit from you, if I make anything for my father or your father”,

he can annul.

It is a disgrace to the husband that she is forbidden to benefit from her father and his father through the fact that she works for her husband, and these are matters between him and her.

At first they would say that three women must be divorced and receive their ketubah: She who says: “I am defiled to you”; “Heaven is between me and you”; “I have been removed from the Jews.”

They changed the saying so that a wife would not set her eyes on another and make herself unavailable to her husband.

Rather, someone who says, “I am defiled unto you” must bring proof for her words.

“Heaven is between me and you” they try to mediate.

And, "I have been removed from the Jews” he must annul his portion, and she may have relations with him, and she shall be removed from other Jews.

We will return to you, Masechet Nedarim, and you will return to us.

Our mind is on you, Masechet Nedarim, and your mind is on us.

We will not forget you, Masechet Nedarim, and you will not forget us – not in this world and not in the world to come.

We will return to you, Masechet Nedarim, and you will return to us.

Our mind is on you, Masechet Nedarim, and your mind is on us.

We will not forget you, Masechet Nedarim, and you will not forget us – not in this world and not in the world to come.