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Nedarim

Vows

The heart of Nedarim in about 6 minutes: 11 passages from 11 chapters, in its own words.

By
The Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud
When
Mishnah c. 200; Babylonian Talmud c. 500
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In its own words

נַעֲרָה הַמְאֹרָסָה, אָבִיהָ וּבַעְלָהּ מְפֵרִין נְדָרֶיהָ. הֵפֵר הָאָב וְלֹא הֵפֵר הַבַּעַל, הֵפֵר הַבַּעַל וְלֹא הֵפֵר הָאָב, אֵינוֹ מוּפָר, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁקִּיֵּם אֶחָד מֵהֶן:

In the case of a betrothed young woman, her father and her betrothed husband annul her vows. If her father annulled [her vow] but not the husband, or if the husband annulled [it] but not the father, it is not annulled; and it goes without saying if one of them upheld [it].
Mishnah Nedarim 10:1 · Mishnah Yomit, Dr. Joshua KulpRead on

Every word below is the text itself, as written, with its translator named. Texts from Sefaria. Nothing is paraphrased.

Chapter 1

  1. כָּל כִּנּוּיֵי נְדָרִים כִּנְדָרִים, וַחֲרָמִים כַּחֲרָמִים, וּשְׁבוּעוֹת כִּשְׁבוּעוֹת, וּנְזִירוּת כִּנְזִירוּת. הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ, מֻדָּרְנִי מִמְּךָ, מֻפְרָשְׁנִי מִמְּךָ, מְרֻחָקְנִי מִמְּךָ, שֶׁאֵינִי אוֹכֵל לָךְ, שֶׁאֵינִי טוֹעֵם לָךְ, אָסוּר. מְנֻדֶּה אֲנִי לָךְ, רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא הָיָה חוֹכֵךְ בָּזֶה לְהַחֲמִיר. כְּנִדְרֵי רְשָׁעִים, נָדַר בְּנָזִיר, וּבְקָרְבָּן, וּבִשְׁבוּעָה. כְּנִדְרֵי כְשֵׁרִים, לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם. כְּנִדְבוֹתָם, נָדַר בְּנָזִיר וּבְקָרְבָּן:

    All the substitutes for vows have the validity of vows. Those for haramim have the validity of haramim, And those for oaths have the validity of oaths, And those for nazirite [vows] have the validity of nazirite [vows]. If one 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. [If one says] “As the vows of the wicked”, he has vowed in respect of being a nazirite, or a sacrifice, or an oath. [If he says] “As the vows of the fit”, he has said nothing. [But if he said] “As their freewill-offerings” he has vowed in respect of being nazirite and a sacrifice.

    Mishnah Nedarim 1:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 2

  1. וְאֵלּוּ מֻתָּרִין. חֻלִּין שֶׁאֹכַל לָךְ, כִּבְשַׂר חֲזִיר, כַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּעוֹרוֹת לְבוּבִין, כִּנְבֵלוֹת, כִּטְרֵפוֹת, כִּשְׁקָצִים, כִּרְמָשִׂים, כְּחַלַּת אַהֲרֹן וְכִתְרוּמָתוֹ, מֻתָּר. הָאוֹמֵר לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, הֲרֵי אַתְּ עָלַי כְּאִמָּא, פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ פֶתַח מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, שֶׁלֹּא יָקֵל רֹאשׁוֹ לְכָךְ. קוֹנָם שֶׁאֵינִי יָשֵׁן, שֶׁאֵינִי מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁאֵינִי מְהַלֵּךְ, הָאוֹמֵר לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, קוֹנָם שֶׁאֵינִי מְשַׁמְּשֵׁךְ, הֲרֵי זֶה בְלֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ. שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֵינִי יָשֵׁן, שֶׁאֵינִי מְדַבֵּר, שֶׁאֵינִי מְהַלֵּךְ, אָסוּר:

    And these [vows] are not binding: [One who says] “What I eat of yours shall be unconsecrated”; “As the flesh of the swine”; “As an object of idolatrous worship”; “As hides pierced at the heart”; “As carrion”; “As terefoth”; “As abominations”; “As creeping things”; “As Aaron’s dough”; “As his terumah”--[in all these cases the vow is] not binding. If one says to his wife, “Behold! You are like my mother to me”, he must be given an opening on other grounds, in order that he should not act lightly in such matters. [If one says,] “Konam if I sleep”; “If I speak”; or “If I walk”; or if one says to his wife, “Konam if I cohabit with you,” he is liable to [the biblical prohibition] “he shall not break his word” (Numbers 30:. [If he says,] “I swear] an oath not to sleep”, or, “talk,” or, “walk,” he is forbidden [to do so].

    Mishnah Nedarim 2:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 3

  1. אַרְבָּעָה נְדָרִים הִתִּירוּ חֲכָמִים, נִדְרֵי זֵרוּזִין, וְנִדְרֵי הֲבַאי, וְנִדְרֵי שְׁגָגוֹת, וְנִדְרֵי אֳנָסִים. נִדְרֵי זֵרוּזִין, כֵּיצַד. הָיָה מוֹכֵר חֵפֶץ וְאָמַר, קוֹנָם שֶׁאֵינִי פוֹחֵת לְךָ מִן הַסֶּלַע, וְהַלָּה אוֹמֵר, קוֹנָם שֶׁאֵינִי מוֹסִיף לְךָ עַל הַשֶּׁקֶל, שְׁנֵיהֶן רוֹצִין בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דִינָרִין. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, אַף הָרוֹצֶה לְהַדִּיר אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁיֹּאכַל אֶצְלוֹ, אוֹמֵר, כָּל נֶדֶר שֶׁאֲנִי עָתִיד לִדֹּר הוּא בָטֵל, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיְּהֵא זָכוּר בִּשְׁעַת הַנֶּדֶר:

    Four types of vows the Sages have invalidated: Vows of incentive, vows of exaggeration, vows in error, and vows [broken] under pressure. Vows of incentive how so? If one was selling an article and said, “Konam that I will not reduce below a sela”; and the other replied, “Konam that I will not add above a shekel” both of them want [a price] of three denarii. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: Also one who wishes to subject his friend to a vow to eat with him, may say: “Every vow which I may make in the future shall be void”, providing that he remembers this at the time of the vow.

    Mishnah Nedarim 3:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 4

  1. אֵין בֵּין הַמֻּדָּר הֲנָאָה מֵחֲבֵרוֹ לַמֻּדָּר הֵימֶנּוּ מַאֲכָל אֶלָּא דְרִיסַת הָרֶגֶל וְכֵלִים שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין בָּהֶן אֹכֶל נֶפֶשׁ. הַמֻּדָּר מַאֲכָל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, לֹא יַשְׁאִילֶנּוּ נָפָה וּכְבָרָה וְרֵחַיִם וְתַנּוּר, אֲבָל מַשְׁאִיל לוֹ חָלוּק וְטַבַּעַת וְטַלִּית וּנְזָמִים, וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין בּוֹ אֹכֶל נֶפֶשׁ. מְקוֹם שֶׁמַּשְׂכִּירִין כַּיּוֹצֵא בָהֶן, אָסוּר:

    The only difference between one who is under a vow not to benefit at all from his neighbor, and one who is under a vow prohibiting food benefit, is in respect of walking [on his property] and [the use of] utensils not employed in the preparation of food. If a man is under a vow not to derive food benefit from his neighbor, he may not lend him a sifter, sieve, mill-stone or oven, but he may lend him a cloak, ring, garment, and earrings, and whatever is not employed in the preparation of food. In a place where things such as these are rented out, it is forbidden.

    Mishnah Nedarim 4:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 5

  1. הַשֻּׁתָּפִין שֶׁנָּדְרוּ הֲנָאָה זֶה מִזֶּה, אֲסוּרִין לִכָּנֵס לֶחָצֵר. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, זֶה נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ וְזֶה נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ. וּשְׁנֵיהֶם אֲסוּרִים לְהַעֲמִיד שָׁם רֵחַיִם וְתַנּוּר וּלְגַדֵּל תַּרְנְגוֹלִים. הָיָה אֶחָד מֵהֶם מֻדָּר הֲנָאָה מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, לֹא יִכָּנֵס לֶחָצֵר. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, יָכוֹל הוּא לוֹמַר לוֹ, לְתוֹךְ שֶׁלִּי אֲנִי נִכְנָס וְאֵינִי נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ שֶׁלָּךְ. וְכוֹפִין אֶת הַנּוֹדֵר לִמְכֹּר אֶת חֶלְקוֹ:

    If joint owners [of a courtyard] made a vow not to benefit from one another, they may not enter the courtyard. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: This one enters his own property and this one enters his own property. And both are forbidden to set up a mill-stone or an oven or raise chickens. If [only] one was forbidden by vow to benefit from the other, he may not enter the court. 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 [of the courtyard].

    Mishnah Nedarim 5:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 6

  1. הַנּוֹדֵר מִן הַמְבֻשָּׁל, מֻתָּר בַּצָּלִי וּבַשָּׁלוּק. אָמַר קוֹנָם תַּבְשִׁיל שֶׁאֵינִי טוֹעֵם, אָסוּר בְּמַעֲשֵׂה קְדֵרָה רַךְ, וּמֻתָּר בְּעָבֶה וּמֻתָּר בְּבֵיצַת טְרָמִיטָא, וּבִדְלַעַת הָרְמוּצָה:

    He who vows [not to eat] what is “cooked [mebushal] is permitted what is roasted or seethed. If he says, “Konam if I taste any cooked dish [tabshil]” he is forbidden [to eat] food loosely cooked in a pot, but is permitted [to eat] food solidly-cooked. He may also eat a lightly boiled egg and gourds put in ashes.

    Mishnah Nedarim 6:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 7

  1. הַנּוֹדֵר מִן הַיָּרָק, מֻתָּר בִּדְלוּעִין. וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹסֵר. אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, וַהֲלֹא אוֹמֵר אָדָם לִשְׁלוּחוֹ קַח לִי יָרָק וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לֹא מָצָאתִי אֶלָּא דְלוּעִין. אָמַר לָהֶם, כֵּן הַדָּבָר, אוֹ שֶׁמָּא אוֹמֵר הוּא לוֹ לֹא מָצָאתִי אֶלָּא קִטְנִית, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַדְּלוּעִין בִּכְלָל יָרָק, וְקִטְנִית אֵינָן בִּכְלָל יָרָק. וְאָסוּר בְּפוֹל הַמִּצְרִי לַח, וּמֻתָּר בַּיָּבֵשׁ:

    He who vows abstinence from vegetables is permitted gourds. 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 pulse?” For gourds are included in vegetables, while pulse is not. He is forbidden fresh Egyptian beans but permitted the dry species.

    Mishnah Nedarim 7:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 8

  1. קוֹנָם יַיִן שֶׁאֲנִי טוֹעֵם הַיּוֹם, אֵינוֹ אָסוּר אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁתֶּחְשָׁךְ. שַׁבָּת זוֹ, אָסוּר בְּכָל הַשַּׁבָּת, וְשַׁבָּת שֶׁעָבְרָה. חֹדֶשׁ זֶה, אָסוּר בְּכָל הַחֹדֶשׁ, וְרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ לְהַבָּא. שָׁנָה זוֹ, אָסוּר בְּכָל הַשָּׁנָה, וְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. שָׁבוּעַ זֶה, אָסוּר בְּכָל הַשָּׁבוּעַ, וּשְׁבִיעִית שֶׁעָבְרָה. וְאִם אָמַר יוֹם אֶחָד, שַׁבָּת אֶחָת, חֹדֶשׁ אֶחָד, שָׁנָה אֶחָת, שָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד, אָסוּר מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם:

    [If one vows,] “Konam, if I taste wine today,” he is forbidden only until it gets dark. “This Sabbath,” he is forbidden the whole week and the Sabbath belongs to the past [week]; “This month,” he is forbidden the whole of that month, and the beginning of the [following] month belongs to the next month. “This year,” he is forbidden the whole year, and the beginning of the [following] year belongs to the next year. “This week of years,” he is forbidden the whole of that week of years, and the [following] sabbatical year belongs to the past. But if he says, “One day,” “One Sabbath,” “One month,” “One year,” [or] “One week of years,” he is forbidden from day to day.

    Mishnah Nedarim 8:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 9

  1. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, פּוֹתְחִין לָאָדָם בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִין. אָמַר רַבִּי צָדוֹק, עַד שֶׁפּוֹתְחִין לוֹ בִכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, יִפְתְּחוּ לוֹ בִכְבוֹד הַמָּקוֹם, אִם כֵּן אֵין נְדָרִים. וּמוֹדִים חֲכָמִים לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּדָבָר שֶׁבֵּינוֹ לְבֵין אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, שֶׁפּוֹתְחִין לוֹ בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ:

    Rabbi Eliezer says: They release a vow [by reference] to the honor of his father and mother but the Sages forbid. Rabbi Zadok said: Instead of releasing through the honor of his father and mother, they should release [by reference] to the honor of God. If so, there would be no vows! But the Sages admit to Rabbi Eliezer that in a matter concerning himself and his father and mother one may release a vow [by reference] to the honor of his father and mother.

    Mishnah Nedarim 9:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 10

  1. נַעֲרָה הַמְאֹרָסָה, אָבִיהָ וּבַעְלָהּ מְפֵרִין נְדָרֶיהָ. הֵפֵר הָאָב וְלֹא הֵפֵר הַבַּעַל, הֵפֵר הַבַּעַל וְלֹא הֵפֵר הָאָב, אֵינוֹ מוּפָר, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁקִּיֵּם אֶחָד מֵהֶן:

    In the case of a betrothed young woman, her father and her betrothed husband annul her vows. If her father annulled [her vow] but not the husband, or if the husband annulled [it] but not the father, it is not annulled; and it goes without saying if one of them upheld [it].

    Mishnah Nedarim 10:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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Chapter 11

  1. וְאֵלּוּ נְדָרִים שֶׁהוּא מֵפֵר, דְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם עִנּוּי נֶפֶשׁ, אִם אֶרְחָץ וְאִם לֹא אֶרְחָץ, אִם אֶתְקַשֵּׁט וְאִם לֹא אֶתְקַשֵּׁט. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אֵין אֵלּוּ נִדְרֵי עִנּוּי נָפֶשׁ:

    And these are the vows which he can annul: vows which involve self-denial. [For instance:] “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.

    Mishnah Nedarim 11:1 · Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp

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