Shavuot 3:8
By :
Daniel Nevins 91快活林 Alum (Rabbinical School), Former Pearl Resnick Dean of The Rabbinical School and the Division of Religious Leadership, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Posted On Jan 1, 2008 | Mishnat Hashavua
What types of oaths are invalid?
讗讬讝讜 讛讬讗 砖讘讜注转 砖讜讗. 谞砖讘注 诇砖谞讜转 讗转 讛讬讚讜注 诇讗讚诐, 讗诪专 注诇 讛注诪讜讚 砖诇讗讘谉 砖讛讜讗 砖诇讝讛讘, 讜注诇 讛讗讬砖 砖讛讜讗 讗砖讛, 讜注诇 讛讗砖讛 砖讛讬讗 讗讬砖, 谞砖讘注 注诇 讚讘专 砖讗讬 讗驻砖专, 讗诐 诇讗 专讗讬转讬 讙诪诇 砖驻讜专讞 讘讗讜讬专, 讜讗诐 诇讗 专讗讬转讬 谞讞砖 讻拽讜专转 讘讬转 讛讘讚, 讗诪专 诇注讚讬诐, 讘讜讗讜 讜讛注讬讚讜谞讬, 鈥� 砖讘讜注讛 砖诇讗 谞注讬讚讱, 谞砖讘注 诇讘讟诇 讗转 讛诪爪讜讛, 砖诇讗 诇注砖讜转 住讻讛, 讜砖诇讗 诇讟讜诇 诇讜诇讘, 讜砖诇讗 诇讛谞讬讞 转驻诇讬谉 鈥� 讝讜 讛讬讗 砖讘讜注转 砖讜讗, 砖讞讬讘讬谉 注诇 讝讚讜谞讛 诪讻讜转 讜注诇 砖讙讙转讛 驻讟讜专.
What is an invalid oath? [For example:] He swore to a statement contrary to common knowledge; he said of a stone pillar that it was gold; that a man was a woman, or that a woman was a man. If he swore regarding an impossible condition, for example, [I swear] that I have seen a camel flying in the air, or that I saw a snake as thick as an olive-press beam. If one asks witnesses to come testify for him and they swear that they will not testify [as required by law]. Or if he swore to annul the commandments: not to make a sukkah, not to take the lulav, not to wear tefillin鈥攖hese are all instances of an invalid oath. For these, one who violates intentionally is punished with lashes, but one who violates unintentionally is exempt [from punishment].
Comments
The mishnah is very concerned with oath taking, especially when the people offering oaths are not careful about their claims. This mishnah catalogues vain or invalid oaths. In all cases, the apparent sincerity of the oath is undermined by the absurdity of the statement.
Questions
- What is your impression of people who casually say, 鈥淚 swear鈥� even in cases where their claim is patently false?
- How can you make sure that your words are taken seriously?
