In Judaism, a neder (נדר, plural ''nedarim'') is a kind of vow or oath. The neder may consist of performing some act in the future (either once or regularly) or abstaining from a particular type of activity of the person's choice. The concept of the neder and the
Jewish law
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws which is derived from the Torah, written and Oral Tora ...
related to it, is described at the beginning of the parashah of Matot.
Laws
A ''neder'' is a self-made oral declaration which makes an object prohibited to the person making the vow. The person thus creates a prohibition (''issur'') having the status of scriptural law (
''De'oraita''), as the
Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...
states:
:When the man pledges a vow (''yidor neder'') to Hashem, or swears an oath (''hishavA` shevuah''), proscribing a prohibition (''le'esor issar'') on himself, he shall not desecrate his word; whatever has come out of his mouth he must do.
From the phrase "he must do," the rabbis deduced that there exists a
positive commandment to fulfill what one said, as well as a negative prohibition not to desecrate one's word.
The word "neder" is mentioned 33 times in the
Pentateuch
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the sa ...
, 19 of which occur in the
Book of Numbers
The book of Numbers (from Greek Ἀριθμοί, ''Arithmoi''; he, בְּמִדְבַּר, ''Bəmīḏbar'', "In the desert f) is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah. The book has a long and com ...
.
Judaism views the power of
speech
Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses Phonetics, phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if ...
as very strong. It is speech that distinguishes humans from animals, and has the power to accomplish a lot for better or for worse. Due to the strength of a neder, and the fact that one must absolutely be fulfilled if made, many pious Jews engage in the practice of saying ''"b'li neder"'' after a statement that they will do something, meaning that their statement is not a binding neder in the event they cannot fulfill their pledge due to unforeseen circumstances.
The most common way a neder is made is through verbal pronunciation. But according to some opinions, the performance of an act on three consecutive occasions is akin to a neder.
The distinction between ''neder'' and ''shevuah''
The word ''neder'' is often translated into English and other languages as a "
vow
A vow ( Lat. ''votum'', vow, promise; see vote) is a promise or oath.
A vow is used as a promise, a promise solemn rather than casual.
Marriage vows
Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedd ...
", while ''shevu'ah'' is often rendered as "
oath
Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to ...
", though no single English word exactly describes either.
The neder may be a promise of prohibition or deprivation (''neder issar'', e.g., "Let all beans be forbidden to me for thirty days"), or a dedication to the Temple (''neder heḳdesh'', e.g. "I pledge to bring a burnt-offering").
Mishneh Torah
The ''Mishneh Torah'' ( he, מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה, , repetition of the Torah), also known as ''Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka'' ( he, ספר יד החזקה, , book of the strong hand, label=none), is a code of Rabbinic Jewish religious law (''h ...
Nedarim 1:1-2 The latter case forbids the object's benefit to the person making the neder, and obligates him to bring it to its new "owner." Thus the thing common to any neder is that it applies to the object, not the person. When a specific object is pledged, the neder is also called a ''nedavah'', dedication, which is the name in Deut. 12:17; an example is, "This
nimal Nimal may refer to
*Nimal Bandara, Sri Lankan politician
*Nimal Gamini Amaratunga, Sri Lankan judge
*Nimal Gunaratne, Sri Lankan air force officer
*Nimal Mendis, Sri Lankan politician
*Nimal Piyatissa (born 1968), Sri Lankan politician
*Nimal Raja ...
shall be a burnt-offering."
In contrast, the type of ''shevu`ah'' mentioned above (referred to by the Sages as ''shevu'at bitui'', שבעת ביטוי) (and distinct from "oath" in testimony and jurisprudence, also called ''shevu`ah'') is a declaration wherein a person makes a statement obligating himself to perform a positive act or to refrain from doing something, either regarding past events or future ones. A shevu`ah is a requirement on the person, not on the object. An example is, "I will not eat any beans for thirty days."
Reasons for nedarim
Jewish people traditionally have made nedarim for a variety of reasons
(some of which are cited below, for added illustration).
Personal piety
Some nedarim are made out of closeness to God and one's personal
dedication. The neder is a way of making a commitment to the Torah and
mitzvot and the practice of religion. For example, it is common for a
tzaddik
Tzadik ( he, צַדִּיק , "righteous ne, also ''zadik'', ''ṣaddîq'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadiqim'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The ...
who is at a very high level of Torah practice to set new guidelines in his life.
Gratitude
Nedarim are sometimes made out of gratitude toward God for having been
the beneficiary of some form of kindness from God's hand, such as a
miracle. For example, one whose life has been saved from near-death
might make a new neder as a commitment toward God.
Personal improvement
One who wishes to improve oneself might make a neder in order to change
one's behavior for the better.
In times of need
Some Jews in times of desperation have made nedarim in hopes that God
will answer their prayers in exchange for making a commitment.
Essentially, they are "bargaining" with God to have their needs
met. For example, a woman who is
unable to have children might make a neder to give a certain amount of
charity if she is blessed with children.
The Nazirite neder
A common type of neder is that of the
Nazirite
In the Hebrew Bible, a nazirite or a nazarite ( he, נָזִיר ''Nāzīr'') is one who voluntarily took a vow which is described in . "Nazarite" comes from the Hebrew language, Hebrew word ''nazir'' meaning "consecrated" or "separated". Those w ...
. A neder to be a
Nazirite for a period of time or sometimes for life for either of the
above-described reasons. The
Nazirite is required to refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages or
grape products, cutting one's hair, or exposure to dead bodies,
including one's closest relatives.
Annulment (''hatarat nedarim'')
Generally, a neder is so strong, that it cannot be broken, and doing so constitutes an ''
aveira
In Hebrew, the feminine noun ''aveira'' or ''averah'' ( he, עבירה pl. ''aveirot'' ) is a transgression or sin against man or God. The word comes from the Hebrew root ayin-bet-resh, meaning to ''pass'' or ''cross over'' with the implied me ...
'' (sin). For this reason, it is better not to make a neder at all, than to make a neder and not to keep it. But there are times when halakha permits a neder to be broken.
A neder may be annulled by either a
beit din
A beit din ( he, בית דין, Bet Din, house of judgment, , Ashkenazic: ''beis din'', plural: batei din) is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel. Today, it ...
(court of Jewish law, composed of at least three adult men), or singlehandedly by a ''
Talmid chacham
''Talmid Chakham'' is an honorific title which is given to a man who is well versed in Jewish law, i. e., a Torah scholar. Originally he, תלמיד חכמים ''Talmid Chakhamim'', lit., "student of sages", pl. תלמידי חכמים ''talmi ...
'' (
Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...
scholar
A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researche ...
). Either one must ask the individual who originally made the neder why they now wish to have their neder annulled. If a valid argument can be found to release that person from his or her vow, the vow is then cancelled.
Nedarim by women
According to the Torah, a neder pronounced by a married woman or a female "still living in her father's house" can be "disallowed" by her husband or her father, respectively, if they so choose, but only on the day that they hear the vow.
[Numbers 30:4-6] Otherwise, the neder may not be broken. The neder of a widow or a divorcee is also binding once uttered.
The fact that a neder by a woman can so easily be invalidated by a man has been criticized by some contemporary feminists, though others see it as a kindness in Judaism toward women. Under the latter view, in a marriage, it is a means of keeping marital partners in harmony by requiring women to discuss a neder with her husband before taking it on.
High Holidays
Traditionally, around the High Holidays, all nedarim are annulled in order to free all persons of the liability in the event they are not fulfilled. They first are annulled on the eve of
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , " ...
, and then by the recitation of
Kol Nidre
Kol Nidre (also known as Kol Nidrey or Kol Nidrei; Aramaic: ''kāl niḏrē'') is a Hebrew and Aramaic declaration which is recited in the synagogue before the beginning of the evening service on every Yom Kippur ("Day of Atonement"). Strictly ...
at the beginning of
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day's ...
.
The common practice is for groups of people, such as family members or a
minyan
In Judaism, a ''minyan'' ( he, מניין \ מִנְיָן ''mīnyān'' , lit. (noun) ''count, number''; pl. ''mīnyānīm'' ) is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In more traditional streams of Jud ...
to ask for the annulment together. But one who is unable to do this can rely on the Kol Nidre of the community, which is recited on behalf of all Jews.
Through the High Holiday annulment, the following types of nedarim can be annulled:
*The fulfillment of a voluntary commandment
*A practice beyond Torah commandments in which the plan was to fulfill the neder indefinitely
*A practice that was performed on three consecutive occasions
*A neder to give
tzedaka
''Tzedakah'' or ''Ṣedaqah'' ( he, צדקה ) is a Hebrew word meaning "righteousness", but commonly used to signify ''charity''. This concept of "charity" differs from the modern Western understanding of "charity". The latter is typically un ...
All nedarim that are annulled must be those one cannot remember having made. If one can remember having made a neder, he must recite it to at least three adult men who are familiar with the laws of the specific type of neder.
Procedure
The High Holidays annulment has a customary text and procedure which goes as follows. First the individual asks for annulment of every vow or pledge or prohibition that he swore "while I was awake or dreaming", "whether they were matters relating to money, or to the body, or to the soul".... The tribunal responds by reciting three times, "May everything be permitted you, may everything be forgiven you, may everything be allowed you. There does not exist any vow, oath, ... or curse. But there does exist pardon, forgiveness, and atonement." The individual then concludes with a brief statement: "I cancel from this time onward all vows and all oaths ... that I ''will'' accept upon myself, whether while awake or in a dream .... from this moment I ''preemptively'' regret them and declare of all of them they shall be utterly null and void...."
[Scherman, Nosson, et al., ''The Complete ArtScroll Machzor: Rosh Hashanah'' (Ashkenazic) (1985, Brooklyn, Mesorah Publ'g) pp. 2–5; ''Mahzor Rinat Yisroel: Rosh Hashana'' (Ashkenazic) (1979, Jerusalem) p. 13–14; Nulman, Macy, ''Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayers'' (1993, NJ, Jason Aronson) p. 302 s.v. "Shime'u na Rabbotai". It is still found in many Orthodox prayerbooks. However, it does not appear in the Birnbaum mahzor, the Orot Sephardic mahzor, the Adler mahzor, and some others (perhaps because this is an individual, not a congregational, ritual).]
References
{{Halakha
Jewish oaths
Hebrew words and phrases in the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish law
he:נדר
it:Neder