The Three Oaths is the popular name for a Midrash found in the Talmud, which relates that God adjured three oaths upon the world. Two of the oaths pertain to the Jewish people, and one of the oaths pertains to the other nations of the world. The Jews for their part were sworn not to go up from Exile to the Land of Israel en masse and not to rebel against the other nations, and the other nations in their turn were sworn not to subjugate the Jews excessively.
Amongst Orthodox Jews today there are primarily two different ways of viewing this Midrash. Of the Haredim, those who are strongly anti-Zionist often view this Midrash as not being fulfilled, whereas Religious Zionists view it as being fulfilled and maintained, and now obsolete. Both buttress their positions by citing historic rabbinic sources in favor of their view.
Read more about Three Oaths: The Midrash and The Text Upon Which It Expounds, Other Midrashim Concerning The Three Oaths
Famous quotes containing the word oaths:
“I conjure thee, and all the oaths which I
And thou have sworn to seal joint constancy,
Here I unswear, and overswear them thus,
Thou shalt not love by ways so dangerous.
Temper, O fair Love, love’s impetuous rage,
Be my true Mistress still, not my feign’d Page;
I’ll go, and, by thy kind leave, leave behind
Thee, only worthy to nurse in my mind
Thirst to come back;”
—John Donne (1572–1631)