Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 9.1

משנה: רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר פּוֹתְחִין לָאָדָם בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹסְרִים. אָמַר רִבִּי צָדוֹק עַד שֶׁפּוֹתְחִין לוֹ בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ יִפְתְּחוּ לוֹ בִּכְבוֹד הַמָּקוֹם אִם כֵּן אֵין נְדָרִים. מוֹדִין חֲכָמִים לְרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּדָבָר שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לְבֵין אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ שֶׁפּוֹתְחִין לוֹ בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ.

MISHNAH: Rebbi Eliezer says, one opens for a man by the honor of his father and mother, but the Sages forbid it. Rebbi Ṣadoq said, before one opens by the honor of his father and mother one should open by the honor of the Omnipresent; then there are no vows. The Sages agree with Rebbi Eliezer that if was a matter between a man and his father and mother, that one opens for him by the honor of his father and mother.

הלכה: רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר. פּוֹתְחִין לָאָדָם כול׳. רַבָּנִין אָמְרִין. חֲזָקָה שֶׁאָדָם מַעֲמִיד בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ. רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר. פְּעָמִים מַעֲמִיד וּפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ מַעֲמִיד. מוֹדֶה רִבִּי לִיעֶזֶר לְאַחַר מִיתָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַעֲמִיד. הַכֹּל מוֹדִין בִּכְבוֹד רַבּוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַעֲמִיד. דְּתַנִּינָן וּמוֹרָא רַבָּךְ כְּמוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם.

HALAKHAH: “Rebbi Eliezer says, one opens for a man,” etc. The rabbis say, a man resists the honor of his father and mother. Rebbi Eliezer says, sometimes he resists, sometimes he does not resist. Rebbi Eliezer agrees that after their death he does not resist. Everybody agrees that nobody resists the honor of his teacher, as we stated: “And the fear of your teacher shall be like the fear of Heaven.”

אִם כֵּן אֵין נְדָרִים. לֹא יְהוּ נְדָרִים. וְהָכְתִיב וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת. תָּלָה הַפָּרָשָׁה בְרָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת. שֶׁיְּהוּ מַתִּירִין אֶת נִדְרֵיהֶן. אִם אוֹמֵר אַתְּ כֵּן נִמְצֵאת עוֹקֵר פָּרָשַׁת נְדָרִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה.

“Then there are no vows.” Let there be no vows! But is it not written: “Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes.” He hung the chapter on the heads of the tribes, that they could dissolve their vows. If you say so, it turns out that you uproot the chapter of vows from the Torah.

רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בָּעֵי. אַתְּ אוֹמֵר. פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ. דְּבָרִים שֶׁבֵּינוֹ לְבֵין הַמָּקוֹ׳ם אַל יִפְתְּחוּ לוֹ בְּכְבוֹד הַמָּקוֹ׳ם. מֵעַתָּה דְבָרִים שֶׁבֵּינוֹ לְבֵין אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ. וְדִכְוָותָהּ יִפְתְּחוּ לוֹ בִּכְבוֹד דְּבָרִים שֶׁבֵּינוֹ לְבֵין הַמָּקוֹ׳ם. אֵי זֶהוּ כְּבוֹד הַמָּקוֹ׳ם. כְּגוֹן סוּכָּה שֶׁאֵינִי עוֹשָׂה. לוּלָב שֶׁאֵינִי נוֹטֵל. תְּפִילִּין שֶׁאֵינִי נוֹתֵן. וְהַיְינוֹ כְבוֹד הַמָּקוֹ׳ם. מַשְׁמַע לֵיהּ דִּלְנַפְשֵׁיהּ הוּא מְהַנֵּי. כְּהָדָא אִם צָדַקְתָּ מַה תִּתֵּן לוֹ. אִם חָטָאתָ מַה תִּפְעָל בּוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יַנַּאי. כָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ לְיִצְרוֹ כְּאִילּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. מַאי טַעֲמָא. לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךְ אֵל זָר וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל נֵכָר. זָר שֶׁבְּקִרְבָּךְ אַל תַּמְלִיכֵהוּ עָלֶיךָ.

Rebbi Jeremiah asked: Since you say, one opens for him by the honor of his father and mother; in things between him and the Omnipresent, one does not open for him by the honor of the Omnipresent. But since in matters between him and his father and mother one opens for him by the honor of his father and mother; similarly, in things between him and the Omnipresent should one not open for him by the honor of the Omnipresent? What is the honor of the Omnipresent? For example, that I shall not make a tabernacle, that I shall not take a lulab, that I shall not put on phylacteries. One understands that he does it for his own benefit. As in the following: “If you are just, what are you giving Him?” “If you sinned, what would you do to Him?” Rebbi Yannai said, one who listens to his urges is as if he worshipped idols. What is the reason? “In yourself there shall be no alien force; do not bow down to a foreign god.”

רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ פָּתַח. אִילּוּ הָיִיתָ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַנּוֹדֵר כְּאִילּוּ נוֹתֵן קוֹלַר עַל צַוָּארוֹ נוֹדֵר הָיִיתָ. לְקֻסְטוֹרִיָיה שֶׁהָיְתָה עוֹבֶרֶת וְרָאָה קוֹלַר פָּנוּי וְהִכְנִיסָה אֶת רֹאשָׁהּ לְתוֹכוֹ. לֶאֱסוֹר אִסָּר עַל נַפְשׁוֹ. כְּמַה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וְהוּא אָסוּר בַּזִּיקִים. רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן פָּתַח. אִילּוּ הָיִיתָ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַנּוֹדֵר כְּבוֹנֶה בָמָה וְהַמְקַיְימוֹ כְמַקְרִיב עָלָיו נוֹדֵר הָיָיתָ. וְקַשְׁיָא. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בִסְקִילָה וְהַנְּדָרִים בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה וְאַתְּ אָמַר אָכֵן. לֵית לָךְ אֶלָּא כַּיי דָּמַר רִבִּי יַנַּאי. כָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ לְיִצְרוֹ כְּיִלּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח. אִילּוּ הָיִיתָ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַנּוֹדֵר כִּילּוּ נוֹטֵל חֶרֶב וְדוֹקְרָהּ בְּלִיבּוֹ נוֹדֵר הָיִיתָ. יֵשׁ בּוֹטֶה כְּמַדְקְרוֹת חָרֶב. רִבִּי חֲנִינָה דְצִיפּוֹרִין בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי פִינְחָס. כִּמְדַקֵּר אֵין כְּתִיב אֶלָּא כְּמַדְקְרוֹת חָרֶב. לְאֶחָד שֶׁנָּדַר מִן הַכִּכָּר. וַוי דְּיֵיכוֹל וַיי דְּלָא יֵיכוֹל. אִין אֲכִיל עֲבַר עַל נִידְרֵיהּ. אִין לָא אֲכִיל חֲטֵי עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ. כֵּיצַד הוּא עוֹשֶׂה. הוֹלֵךְ אֶצֶל חָכָם וְהוּא מַתִּיר נִדְרוֹ. וּלְשׁוֹן חֲכָמִים מַרְפֵּא. רִבִּי דִימִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יִצְחָק. לֹא דַיֵיךְ מַה שֶׁאָסְרָה לָךְ הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא שֶּׁאַתָה מְבַקֵּשׁ לֶאֱסוֹר עָלֶיךָ דְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים. לֶאֱסוֹר אִסָּר.

Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish provided an opening: If you had known that one who makes a vow is as if he put a neck-iron on his neck, would you have made the vow? It is as if a gang of prisoners was passing by, he saw that there was one unused neck-iron and put his head into it! “To bind a prohibition onto himself”, as you say, “he was bound with chains.” Rebbi Jonathan provided an opening: If you had known that one who makes a vow is like one who builds an idolatrous altar and one who continues in it is like one who sacrifices there, would you have made the vow? That is difficult to understand. Idolatry is a capital crime but vows are a simple prohibition; how can you say that? You have only what Rebbi Yannai said, one who listens to his urges is as if he worshipped idols. Rebbi Isaac provided an opening: If you had known that one who makes a vow is like one who takes a sword and sticks it in his heart, would you have made the vow? “Some talk bluntly like sword piercings.” Rebbi Ḥanina from Sepphoris in the name of Rebbi Phineas: It does not say “piercing” but “sword piercings”. For example, one who made a vow not to eat a loaf. Woe if he eats, woe if he does not eat. If he eats he transgresses his vow. If he does not eat he sins against himself. What can he do? He goes to a Sage who will dissolve his vow, “but the speech of Sages is healing. Rebbi Eudaimon in the name of Rebbi Isaac: Is it not enough what the Torah forbade you that you want to forbid other things for yourself? “To forbid a prohibition”.

רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן פָתַח וְתָהֵי. וְאִילוּלֵי דוּ תְהֵא הוּ אֲתֵי. וְתָהוּת לֹה כְנוֹלָד הוּא. אָמַר רִבִּי הִילָא. הַתָּהוּת מְצוּיָה. כְּהָדָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לֹא מָצָא פֶתָח לְנִדְרוֹ עַד שֶׁבָּא אֶחָד מִזִּקְנֵי גָּלִיל. אִית דְּאָמְרִין. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה נְסִיב לֵיהּ מִכָּא וּמוּקִים לֵיהּ הָכָא. נְסִיב לֵיהּ מִכָּא וּמוּקִים לֵיהּ הָכָא. עַד דְּאוּקְמֵיהּ גַּו שִׁמְשָׁא מַפְלֵי מָנוֹהִי. אָמְרִין לֵיהּ. אִילּוּ הָיִיתָ יוֹדֵעַ דְּהָהֵן סַבָּא עֲבַד לָךְ כֵּן נוֹדֵר הָיִיתָ. אֲמַר לוֹן. לֹא. וְשָׁרָא לֵיהּ. אָמְרוּן. מְנָא לָךְ הָדָא. אָמַר לָהֶן. מְשָׁרֵת מֵאִיר הָיִיתִי בְּבָרְחוֹ שְׁנַיִם. וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי. מַקְּלוֹ שֶׁלָּרִבִּי מֵאִיר הָיְתָה בְיָדִי וְהִיא מְלַמֶּדֶת לִי דַּעַת.

Rebbi Joḥanan provided an opening by having second thoughts: “If it were not for that, would he have come?” Are second thoughts not something new? Rebbi Hila said, second thoughts are a common occurrence. In this kind, Rebbi Simeon did not find an opening for his own vow until one of the Galilean Elders came; some say, that one was Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar. He took him from here and put him there; he took him from here and put him there, until finally he put him into the sun and told him to check his garments for fleas. They said to him, if you had known that this old man would treat you in such a way, would you have made the vow? He said, No. He permitted him. They asked, from where do you have this? He said to them, I was Meïr’s servant both times when he fled, but some say, Rebbi Meïr’s walking stick was in my hand and it teaches me knowledge.

רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה שָׁרֵי נִדְרָא וּמְקַיֵים לֵיהּ. אִין מִשּׁוּם דְּהוּא חָשַׁשׁ לְהוּא דְשָׁרֵי לֵיהּ לָא יָדְעִין. אִין מִשּׁוּם שֶׁאֵין הַיֵּצֶר תָּאֵב אֶלָּא דָבָר שֶׁאָסוּר לוֹ וְלָא יָדְעִין. רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה כַד לֹא הֲוָה בָּעֵי מֵידוֹן אָמַר. עֵיינִי כְהֵיָיא. וְעַל פִּיהֶם יִהְיֶה כָּל רִיב וְכָל נָגַע. הֵקִישׁ רִיבִים לִנְגָעִים. מַה נְגָעִים לְכָל מַרְאֶה עֵינֵי הַכֹּהֵן. אַף רִיבִים לְכָל מַרְאֶה עֵינֵי הַכֹּהֵן.

Rebbi Jeremiah had his vow dissolved but kept it. Whether it was because he did not trust him who dissolved it, we do not know. Whether it was because one has urges only for things forbidden to oneself, we do not know. When Rebbi Jeremiah was not in the mood to judge, he said, my eyes are weak. “Following their pronouncements shall be all quarrels and all disfiguration.” This compares quarrels to disfigurations. Since disfigurations are “for all the Cohen sees”, so also quarrels are “for all the Cohen sees”.

רִבִּי מָנָא נָדַר מִן חַמְרָא דַאֲבוֹהִי. אֲתַא אֲבוֹהִי סְלַק לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ. אִילּוּ הָיִיתָ יוֹדֵעַ דַּאֲנָא מִצְטָעֵר נוֹדֵר הָיִיתָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ לֹא. וְשָׁרָא לֵיהּ. מַה אֲנָן קַיָימִין. אִם בְּאוֹמֵר. הֲנָיָיתִי עַל אַבָּא. הָדָא הִיא דָמַר רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן. כּוֹפִין אֶת הַבֶּן שֶׁיִּזּוֹן אֶת הָאָב. אֶלָּא כִּי נָן קַיָימִין בְּאוֹמֵר. הֲנָיַית אַבָּא עָלַי. רִבִּי מָנָא נָדַר וּסְלַק לְגַבֵּי רִבִּי שַׁמַּי. אָמַר לֵיהּ. אִילּוּ הָיִיתָ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַבִּרְיוֹת רָחֲקִין מִינָּךְ. דְּאַתְּ נָדְרָן. נָדַר הֲוֵיתָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ לֹא. וְשָׁרָא לֵיהּ.

Rebbi Mana made a vow away from his father’s wine. His father came to him and said to him, would you have made that vow if you had known that I am hurt by it? He said, no. He dissolved for him. Where do we hold? If he said, my benefit [is forbidden] to my father; is that not what Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa, Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥman said in the name of Rebbi Jonathan: One forces the son to support his father. But we must hold that he said, my father’s benefit [is forbidden] to me. Rebbi Mana made a vow and came to Rebbi Shammai, who said to him, would you have made that vow if you had known that people do not want to deal with you since you are a vower? He said, no, and he dissolved for him.