Matot - in Classical Rabbinic Interpretation - Numbers Chapter 30

Numbers Chapter 30

Tractates Nedarim and Shevuot in the Mishnah, Tosefta, Jerusalem Talmud, and Babylonian Talmud interpreted the laws of vows in Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 5:1–10 and 19:12, Numbers 30:2–17, and Deuteronomy 23:24. (Mishnah Nedarim 1:1–11:11; Tosefta Nedarim 1:1–7:8; Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 1a–; Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 2a–91b; Mishnah Shevuot 1:1–8:6; Tosefta Shevuot 1:1–6:7; Jerusalem Talmud Shevuot 1a–; Babylonian Talmud Shevuot 2a–49b.)

The Sifre asked why Numbers 6:1–4 set forth the effectiveness of nazirite vows, when the general rule of Numbers 30:2 would suffice to teach that all vows — including nazirite vows — are binding. The Sifre explained that Numbers 6:1–4 warned that a person making a nazirite vow would be bound to at least a 30-day nazirite period. (Sifre to Numbers 22:1.)

Rabbi Akiba taught that vows are a fence to self-restraint. (Mishnah Avot 3:13.) But the Jerusalem Talmud asked whether it was not enough that the Torah had forbidden us things that we should seek to forbid yet other things to ourselves. (Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 9:1.) The Gemara discouraged vows. Rabbi Nathan taught that one who vows is as if he built a high place, and he who fulfils a vow is as if he sacrificed on that high place. And the Gemara deduced from Rabbi Nathan's teaching that it is meritorious to seek absolution from vows. (Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 22a, 59a.) And a Midrash told the tale of King Jannai, who owned two thousand towns, all of which were destroyed because of true oaths. A man would swear to his friend that he would eat such-and-such a food at such-and-such a place and drink such-and-such a drink at such-and-such a place. And they would go and fulfill their oaths and would be destroyed (for swearing to trifles). The Midrash concluded that if this was the fate of people who swore truthfully, how much more would swearing to a falsehood lead to destruction. (Numbers Rabbah 22:1.)

The Mishnah taught that the law of the dissolution of vows hovers in the air and has nothing on which to rest in the Biblical text. (Mishnah Chagigah 1:8; Babylonian Talmud Chagigah 10a.) Rab Judah said that Samuel found the Scriptural basis for the law of the dissolution of vows in the words of Numbers 30:3, “he shall not break his word,” which teaches that “he” — the vower — may not break the vow, but others might dissolve it for him. (Babylonian Talmud Chagigah 10a.) The Rabbis taught in a Baraita that a Sage could annul a vow retroactively. (Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 74b.)

Rabbah bar bar Hana told of how an Arab merchant took him to see Mount Sinai, where he saw scorpions surround it, and they stood like white donkeys. Rabbah bar bar Hana heard a Heavenly Voice expressing regret about making an oath and asking who would annul the oath. When Rabbah bar bar Hana came before the Rabbis, they told him that he should have annulled the oath. But Rabbah bar bar Hana thought that perhaps it was the oath in connection with the Flood, where in Genesis 8:21, God promised never to destroy the world again with another flood. The Rabbis replied that if that had been the oath, the Heavenly Voice would not have expressed regret. (Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 74a.)

Raba employed Numbers 30:3 to interpret Exodus 32:11, which says: “And Moses besought (va-yechal) the Lord his God” in connection with the incident of the Golden Calf. Raba noted that Exodus 32:11 uses the term “besought” (va-yechal), while Numbers 30:3 uses the similar term “break” (yachel) in connection with vows. Transferring the use of Numbers 30:3 to Exodus 32:11, Raba reasoned that Exodus 32:11 meant that Moses stood in prayer before God until Moses annulled for God God’s vow to destroy Israel, for a master had taught that while people cannot break their vows, others may annul their vows for them. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 32a.) Similarly, Rabbi Berekiah taught in the name of Rabbi Helbo in the name of Rabbi Isaac that Moses absolved God of God’s vow. When the Israelites made the Golden Calf, Moses began to persuade God to forgive them, but God explained to Moses that God had already taken an oath in Exodus 22:19 that “he who sacrifices to the gods . . . shall be utterly destroyed,” and God could not retract an oath. Moses responded by asking whether God had not granted Moses the power to annul oaths in Numbers 30:3 by saying, “When a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word,” implying that while he himself could not break his word, a scholar could absolve his vow. So Moses wrapped himself in his cloak and adopted the posture of a sage, and God stood before Moses as one asking for the annulment of a vow. (Exodus Rabbah 43:4.)

Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai taught that just as the texts “He shall not break his word” in Numbers 30:3 and “Defer not to pay it” in Ecclesiastes 5:3 apply to vows, so they also apply to valuations, and thus Moses exhorts the Israelites in Leviticus 27:7: “When a man shall clearly utter a vow of persons to the Lord, according to your valuation . . . .” (Leviticus Rabbah 37:2.)

The Mishnah taught that a father or husband could annul vows that involved self-denial, such as bathing and adorning oneself. (Mishnah Nedarim 11:1; Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 79a–b.) The Gemara deduced from the words “between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter” in Numbers 30:17 that in addition to vows of self-denial, a husband could also annul vows that affected the relationship between husband and wife. (Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 79b.) And a Midrash taught that just as a husband could annul only vows that would cause personal affliction between the spouses, so too, a father could annul only vows that would cause personal affliction between him and his daughter. (Midrash Tanhuma Matos 1.)

The Mishnah taught that in the case of a betrothed young woman, her father and her fiancé could annul her vows, if they both did so. If her father but not her fiancé attempted to annul her vow, or if her fiancé but not her father attempted to annul her vow, it was not annulled. And the Mishnah taught that it went without saying that her vow was not annulled if one of them confirmed it. (Mishnah Nedarim 10:1; Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 66b–67a.)

The Mishnah taught that one could annul vows on the Sabbath. (Mishnah Shabbat 24:5; Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 157a.)