(ד) א֣וֹ נֶ֡פֶשׁ כִּ֣י תִשָּׁבַע֩ לְבַטֵּ֨א בִשְׂפָתַ֜יִם לְהָרַ֣ע ׀ א֣וֹ לְהֵיטִ֗יב לְ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְבַטֵּ֧א הָאָדָ֛ם בִּשְׁבֻעָ֖ה וְנֶעְלַ֣ם מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְהוּא־יָדַ֥ע וְאָשֵׁ֖ם לְאַחַ֥ת מֵאֵֽלֶּה׃(ה) וְהָיָ֥ה כִֽי־יֶאְשַׁ֖ם לְאַחַ֣ת מֵאֵ֑לֶּה וְהִ֨תְוַדָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָטָ֖א עָלֶֽיהָ׃(ו) וְהֵבִ֣יא אֶת־אֲשָׁמ֣וֹ לַיהוה עַ֣ל חַטָּאתוֹ֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר חָטָ֜א נְקֵבָ֨ה מִן־הַצֹּ֥אן כִּשְׂבָּ֛ה אֽוֹ־שְׂעִירַ֥ת עִזִּ֖ים לְחַטָּ֑את וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלָ֛יו הַכֹּהֵ֖ן מֵחַטָּאתֽוֹ׃
(4) Or when a person utters an oath for bad or good purpose (whatever a human being may utter in an oath) and it was hidden from them, but later that person realizes guilt in any of these matters—(5) upon realizing guilt in any of these matters, one shall confess having sinned in that way.(6) And one shall bring as a penalty to יהוה, for the sin of which one is guilty, a female from the flock, sheep or goat, as a sin offering; and the priest shall make expiation for the sin, on that person’s behalf.
Relevant provisions of the Oaths Act 1978
A1 (1) Any oath may be administered and taken in England, Wales or Northern Ireland in the following manner: The person taking the oath shall hold the New Testament, or in the case of a Jew, the Old Testament, in his uplifted hand, and shall say or repeat after the officer administering the oath the words ‘I swear by Almighty God that ...’ followed by the words of the oath prescribed by law....
5. (1) Any person who objects to being sworn shall be permitted to make his solemn affirmation instead of taking an oath. ...
(4) A solemn affirmation shall be of the same force and effect as an oath.
Male Jews may wish to cover their heads when taking the oath, but this is not a requirement of the Oaths Act 1978 and failure to cover the head should not be regarded as an indication of untruthfulness. Jewish law regards the act of taking an oath or affirmation as equally binding whether or not the head is covered. Jews who wish to cover their heads at all times should not be considered disrespectful of the court.
The Act requires that Jews take the oath on the Torah, also known as the Hebrew Bible or ‘Old Testament’. However, many very Orthodox Jews do not think it appropriate to swear oaths upon the Torah in a non‐religious context. Such a witness should be permitted to affirm without any consideration that their credibility has been compromised.
with Rabbi Ethan Tucker and Rabbi Avi Killip
(ב) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הַמַּטּ֔וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֥ה יהוה׃(ג) אִישׁ֩ כִּֽי־יִדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לַֽיהוה אֽוֹ־הִשָּׁ֤בַע שְׁבֻעָה֙ לֶאְסֹ֤ר אִסָּר֙ עַל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ לֹ֥א יַחֵ֖ל דְּבָר֑וֹ כְּכׇל־הַיֹּצֵ֥א מִפִּ֖יו יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃
(2) Moses spoke to the heads of the Israelite tribes, saying: This is what יהוה has commanded:(3) If a householder makes a vow to יהוה or takes an oath imposing an obligation on himself, he shall not break his pledge; he must carry out all that has crossed his lips.
(כב) כִּֽי־תִדֹּ֥ר נֶ֙דֶר֙ לַיהוה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תְאַחֵ֖ר לְשַׁלְּמ֑וֹ כִּֽי־דָרֹ֨שׁ יִדְרְשֶׁ֜נּוּ יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃(כג) וְכִ֥י תֶחְדַּ֖ל לִנְדֹּ֑ר לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃(כד) מוֹצָ֥א שְׂפָתֶ֖יךָ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר וְעָשִׂ֑יתָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֜רְתָּ לַיהוה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ נְדָבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ בְּפִֽיךָ׃ {ס}
(22) When you make a vow to your God יהוה, do not put off fulfilling it, for your God יהוה will require it of you, and you will have incurred guilt;(23) whereas you incur no guilt if you refrain from vowing.(24) You must fulfill what has crossed your lips and perform what you have voluntarily vowed to your God יהוה, having made the promise with your own mouth.
(ג) כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ תִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר לֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים אַל־תְּאַחֵר֙ לְשַׁלְּמ֔וֹ כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין חֵ֖פֶץ בַּכְּסִילִ֑ים אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּדֹּ֖ר שַׁלֵּֽם׃(ד) ט֖וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־תִדֹּ֑ר מִשֶּׁתִּדּ֖וֹר וְלֹ֥א תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃
(3) When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfil it. For God has no pleasure in fools; what you vow, fulfil.(4) It is better not to vow at all than to vow and not fulfil.
וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת, אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַיהוה (במדבר ל, ב ג), הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (ירמיה ד, ב): וְנִשְׁבַּעְתָּ חַי יהוה בֶּאֱמֶת בְּמִשְׁפָּט וּבִצְדָקָה, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא תִהְיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁהֻתַּר לָכֶם לְהִשָּׁבַע בִּשְׁמִי אֲפִלּוּ בֶּאֱמֶת, אֵין אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְהִשָּׁבַע בִּשְׁמִי אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יִהְיוּ בְּךָ כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ (דברים י, כ): אֶת יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּאוֹתָן שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים, אַבְרָהָם, אִיוֹב וְיוֹסֵף. אַבְרָהָם דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כב, יב): כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה, אִיּוֹב דִּכְתִיב (איוב א, ח): אִישׁ תָּם וְיָשָׁר יְרֵא אֱלֹהִים, יוֹסֵף דִּכְתִיב (בראשית מכ, יח): אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲנִי יָרֵא, הֱוֵי אֶת יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא. (דברים י, כ): וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד, אִם אַתָּה מְפַנֶּה עַצְמְךָ לַתּוֹרָה וְלַעֲסֹק בְּמִצְווֹת וְאֵין לְךָ עֲבוֹדָה אַחֶרֶת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד. (דברים י, כ): וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק, וְכִי יָכוֹל אָדָם לִדָּבֵק בַּשְּׁכִינָה, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר (דברים ד, כד): כִּי יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא, אֶלָּא לוֹמַר לָךְ, כָּל הַמֵּשִׂיא בִּתּוֹ לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁקּוֹרֵא וְשׁוֹנֶה וְעוֹשֶׂה פְּרַקְמַטְיָא וּמְהַנֵּהוּ מִנְּכָסָיו, זֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו: וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק, אִם יֵשׁ בְּךָ כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְהִשָּׁבַע, וְאִם לָאו אֵין אַתָּה רַשַּׁאי לְהִשָּׁבַע. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּיַנַּאי הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים עֲיָרוֹת וְכֻלָּם נֶחֶרְבוּ עַל שְׁבוּעַת אֱמֶת, כֵּיצַד, אוֹמֵר אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ בִּשְּׁבוּעָה שֶׁאֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ וְאוֹכֵל כָּךְ וְכָךְ בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי, וְאֶשְׁתֶּה כָךְ וְכָךְ בְּמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי, וְהָיוּ הוֹלְכִין וּמְקַיְּמִין שְׁבוּעָתָן, וְנֶחֶרְבוּ. מַה הַנִּשְׁבָּע בֶּאֱמֶת כָּךְ, הַנִּשְׁבָּע עַל הַשֶּׁקֶר עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
(Numb. 30:2-3) “And Moses said to the heads of the tribes, ‘When someone makes a vow (neder) to the Lord.’” This is related to that which is written (in Jer. 4:2), “And you shall swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ [in truth, in justice, and in righteousness].” The Holy Blessed One said to Israel, “Do not think that you have permission to swear in My name even in truth. You are not entitled to swear by My name unless you possess all the following attributes (of Deut. 10:20), ‘The Eternal your God you shall fear, God you shall serve, to God you shall hold fast, [and by God you shall swear].’”
That you should be like those who were called God-fearing, Abraham, Job, and Joseph: Abraham of whom it is written (in Gen. 22:12), “For now I know that you fear [God].” Concerning Job it is written (in Job 1:1), “the man was blameless and upright, one who feared God.” Concerning Joseph it is written (in Gen. 42:18), “for I fear God.” Ergo (in Deut. 10:20), “The Eternal your God you shall fear.” (Deut. 10:20, cont.) “God you shall serve.” ... “To God you shall hold fast.”...
If you have all these [attributes] you may swear; if not, you are not entitled to swear.
If you have all these [attributes] you may swear; if not, you are not entitled to swear.
There is a story about King Yannai, that he had two thousand towns and they all were destroyed because of a true oath. How so? One person said to another, “It is an oath that I will walk and eat such and such in place x”; and they would walk and fulfil the oath, and [the towns] were [nevertheless] destroyed. [If] this is with someone that swears truthfully, all the more so with one who swears falsely.
וְאָמַר רַב גִּידֵּל אָמַר רַבמִנַּיִן שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּעִין לְקַיֵּים אֶת הַמִּצְוָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי וָאֲקַיֵּמָה לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָוַהֲלֹא מוּשְׁבָּע וְעוֹמֵד מֵהַר סִינַי הוּא אֶלָּא הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן דְּשָׁרֵי לֵיהּ לְאִינִישׁ לְזָרוֹזֵי נַפְשֵׁיהּ.
And Rav Giddel said that Rav said:From where is it derived that one may take an oath to fulfill a mitzva? It is as it is stated: “I have sworn and I have confirmed it, to observe Your righteous ordinances” (Psalms 119:106).The Gemara asks: Are they not already under oath fromMount Sinai? Rather, it teaches us this: It is permitted for a person to motivate themselves.
(א)איזה דברים משובחים ואיזה הם מגונים. ובו ז' סעיפים:אל תהי רגיל בנדרים כל הנודר אף ע"פ שמקיימו נקרא רשע ונקרא חוטא:
(ב)איחר אדם נדרו פנקסו נפתחת:
(ג)הנודר כאילו בונה במה בשעת איסור הבמות והמקיימו כאילו הקריב עליה קרבן שטוב יותר שישאל על נדרו והני מילי בשאר נדרים אבל נדרי הקדש מצוה לקיימן ולא ישאל עליהם אלא מדוחק: (וכן אם נשבע על איזה דבר לא ישאל עליו אלא מדוחק) (מרדכי פ"ג דשבועות בשם מוהר"ם וע"פ עב"י ס"ס ר"ל):
(ד)צריך ליזהר שלא ידור שום דבר ואפי' צדקה אין טוב לידור אלא אם ישנו בידו יתן מיד ואם לאו לא ידור עד שיהיה לו ואם פוסקים צדקה וצריך לפסוק עמהם יאמר בלא נדר:
(1) [Which things are praiseworthy, and which of them are degraded. And following: 7 subsections] Do not become accustomed to making vows. Anyone who vows, even if they keep them, is called evil and is called a sinner.
(2) A person who delays their vow, their notebook is opened.
(3) One who vows is considered as if they built a forbidden altar, and one who fulfils the vow is as if they sacrificed a forbidden sacrifice, for it is better to annul the vow. This is the case in normal vows, but in the case of hekdesh vows it is obligatory to fulfil them, and one should only have them annulled in extenuating circumstances. RAMA: This is the case, too, when one makes an oath, that they should only seek annulment in extenuating circumstances.
(4) One should be careful not to vow in any matter. Even tzedaka should not be vowed; rather, if one has what to give, they should immediately give it, and if not, they should not vow until they have it. And if one is part of the tzedaka-distribution process, it should be done while stating "This is not a vow!"
(ד) אִם דַּעְתוֹ לִקְבֹּעַ לוֹ אֵיזֶה לִמּוּד בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵיזֶה מִצְוָה, וְהוּא יָרֵא פֶּן יִתְרַשֵּׁל אַחַר כָּךְ, אוֹ שֶׁהוּא מִתְיָרֵא פֶּן יַסִּיתֵהוּ הַיֵּצֶר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵיזֶה אִסּוּר אוֹ לְמָנְעוֹ מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת אֵיזֹה מִצְוָה, מֻתָּר לוֹ לִזְרוּזֵי נַפְשֵׁה בְּנֶדֶר אוֹ בִּשְׁבוּעָה, דְאָמַר רַב, מִנַּיִן שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּעִין לְקַיֵּם אֶת הַמִצְוָה לְזָרֵז אֶת עַצְמוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מֻשְׁבָּע וְעוֹמֵד מֵהַר סִינַי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי וַאֲקַיֵמָה לִשְׁמֹר מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם לֹא אָמַר בִּלְשׁוֹן נֶדֶר אוֹ שְׁבוּעָה, אֶלָּא בְּדִבּוּר בְּעָלְמָא, הֲוֵי נֶדֶר וּמְחֻיָּב לְקַיֵּם. וְלָכֵן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִזָּהֵר כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר שֶׁיַעֲשֶׂה אֵיזֶה דְּבַר מִצְוָה, שֶׁיֹּאמַר בְּלִי נֵדֶר. וְטוֹב שֶׁיַרְגִּיל הָאָדָם אֶת עַצְמוֹ כֵּן, אֲפִלּוּ בְּאָמְרוֹ לַעֲשׁוֹת דְּבַר רְשׁוּת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּשֵׁל, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בַּעֲוֹן נְדָרִים.
(4) If you resolve to set for yourself [a time] for the study of Torah or to perform any mitzvah, and are concerned that you will neglect to do so later; or if you are concerned that your [evil] inclination might induce you to do something which is forbidden or prevent you from doing a mitzvah, you may quicken your resolve by means of a vow or an oath, for Rav said: "From where is it known that we may take an oath to fulfill a mitzvah to quicken our resolve, though we are already under oath to do so from [the time we stood at] Mount Sinai?" For it is said: "I have sworn and I have fulfilled [my oath] to preserve your righteous mandates." Even if you did not declare your intention in the form of a vow or an oath, but even a simple declaration constitutes a vow and obligates you to fulfill it. Therefore, you must be careful when saying that you will perform any mitzvah to say: "[I will do so] but I am not making a vow." It is worthwhile to develop this habit, even when planning on doing something mundane, so that you will not transgress the violation of vows.
Matot-Masei, Limmud On One Leg - 2013
by Judith Symons a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice in the City and North London.
"If a man takes a vow to Hashem or swears an oath to establish a prohibition on himself, he shall not desecrate his word, according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do."
This statement asserts the power of speech, and moreover tells us that its power is boundless and that its boundary must be set by us. What might a vow or oath be, in this context? My more orthodox friends always say bli neder (without a vow) when making any future arrangement such as 'I'll call you at five tomorrow', so it seems that even a slight promise has some seriousness to it.
Bruno Shulz, the Polish Jewish writer shot by the Nazis in 1942 is quoted as saying, "At present we consider the word to be a mere shadow of reality, it's reflection. But the reverse would be more accurate - reality is but a shadow of the word."
As a psychotherapist by profession, speech comes to be experienced as the vehicle for change. It's a challenging endeavour, being both the worst and last thing the patient wants to do as well as the most liberating and transforming. Think what might be stimulated in the feelings and the mind if one needed say,'I hate my brother' or 'I wish my wife would never come back'. Even in writing it would be impossible to make these statements if it were believed the thoughts might come true, be effective. We testify to our belief in the active effectiveness of thought and speech in the impossibility of speaking the words. I can write this because I have no brother or wife. We simply can't utter phrases that refer to worrying thoughts about those we love. Yet In a dream I might see my brother dead (G-d forbid). The dreamer, in relating his or her dream, is bound to say, 'But I love my brother!'. Nevertheless, the dreamer created the dead brother.
When it comes to other material, such as relating abhorrent behaviours like beatings or sexual abuse, the fear of speaking is felt just as strongly, or even more so. We have the very deeply held belief that creating and uttering the words with the mouth recreates and establishes as real the events being recalled, as if they are not only newly formed, but cannot be unformed, and that we are the willing creators of the acts described. You can't shoot or imprison a thought. And we know that thought leads to action, as a way of managing or discharging the thought.
One of the many beauties of the therapy setting is that thoughts that require discharging can be spoken in a place that has limits. The listener is chosen by the speaker and the encounter takes place at a time and place agreed between the two. The listener will not disclose the events told to him or her, and is prevented from doing so by a publicly available ethical convention. The latter point safeguards the speaker (patient) and listener (therapist) from a 'folie a deux', indeed from abusive practice, as possession of the Torah safeguards from self-serving or delusional beliefs.