במדבר ל׳

ויאמר משה אל בני ישראל. לְהַפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, לְפִי שֶׁעַד כָּאן דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם וּפָרָשַׁת נְדָרִים מַתְחֶלֶת בְּדִבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה, הֻצְרַךְ לְהַפְסִיק תְּחִלָּה וְלוֹמַר שֶׁחָזַר מֹשֶׁה וְאֲמָרָהּ פָרָשָׁה זוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁאִם לֹא כֵן, יֵשׁ בְּמַשְׁמַע שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר לָהֶם זוֹ, אֶלָּא בְּפָרָשַׁת נְדָרִים הִתְחִיל דְּבָרָיו:

Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisroel. This concludes the subject, comments R’ Yishmael. Because, up until this point, we have the words of the Omnipresent, and the chapter of vows begins with the words of Moshe, it is necessary to conclude the subject by saying that Moshe reviewed this parshah with the Israelites. Otherwise, the implication would be that he (Moshe) did not tell them this, but began his discourse with the chapter of vows.

ראשי המטות. חָלַק כָּבוֹד לַנְּשִׂיאִים לְלַמְּדָם תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ לְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאַף שְׁאָר הַדִּבְּרוֹת כֵּן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שמות ל"ד) "וַיָּשֻׁבוּ אֵלָיו אַהֲרֹן וְכָל הַנְּשִׂאִים בָּעֵדָה וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֲלֵהֶם, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן נִגְּשׁוּ כָּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל". וּמָה רָאָה לְאָמְרָהּ כָּאן? לִמֵּד שֶׁהֲפָרַת נְדָרִים בְּיָחִיד מֻמְחֶה, וְאִם אֵין יָחִיד מֻמְחֶה, מֵפֵר בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת; אוֹ יָכוֹל שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר מֹשֶׁה פָרָשָׁה זוֹ אֶלָּא לַנְּשִׂיאִים בִּלְבַד? נֶאֱמַר כָּאן "זֶה הַדָּבָר" וְנֶאֱמַר בִּשְׁחוּטֵי חוּץ (ויקרא י"ז) "זֶה הַדָּבָר", מַה לְּהַלָּן נֶאֶמְרָה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו וּלְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן" וְגוֹ' — אַף זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה לְכֻלָּן (ספרי; נדרים ע"ח):

The tribal leaders. He bestowed honor on the leaders by teaching them first, and afterward, all of Bnei Yisroel. How do we know that the other discourses were so? The Torah therefore teaches, “. . . they returned to him— Aharon and all the leaders of the congregation— and Moshe spoke to them. Afterward, all of Bnei Yisroel approached.” Why, then, did he see fit to say this here? He taught that vows may be nullified by a single expert. When there is no single expert, nullification is by three laymen. But perhaps Moshe recited this chapter only to the leaders? “This is the word” is said here, and it is said concerning slaughtering outside [the Temple], “this is the word.” Just as that was said to Aharon and his sons, and all of Bnei Yisroel, as it is said, “speak to Aharon, etc.,” so was this, said to all of them.

זה הדבר. מֹשֶׁה נִתְנַבֵּא בְּ"כֹה אָמַר ה' כַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה" (שמות י"א) וְהַנְּבִיאִים נִתְנַבְּאוּ בְּ"כֹה אָמַר ה'", מוּסָף עֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה שֶׁנִּתְנַבֵּא בִּלְשׁוֹן "זֶה הַדָּבָר". דָּ"אַ — זה הדבר מִעוּט הוּא, לוֹמַר שֶׁהֶחָכָם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַתָּרָה, וּבַעַל בִּלְשׁוֹן הֲפָרָה, כִּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב כָּאן, וְאִם חִלְּפוּ — אֵין מֻתָּר וְאֵין מוּפָר (ספרי; נדרים ע"ז):

This is the word. Moshe prophesied with “this is what Adonoy has said, about the time of midnight. . .,” and the [other] prophets prophesied with “this is what Adonoy has said:” Moshe surpassed them, as he prophesied with the phrase “this is the word.” Another interpretation: “This is the word” is exclusionary, teaching that the Sage [annuls] with the term “release,” and the husband with the term “nullification,” following the Scriptural language here. If they reverse the terminology, there is neither release nor nullification.

נדר. הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵי עָלַי קוֹנָם שֶׁלֹּא אֹכַל אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא אֶעֱשֶׂה דָבָר פְּלוֹנִי; יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ נִשְׁבַּע שֶׁיֹּאכַל נְבֵלוֹת אֲנִי קוֹרֵא עָלָיו כְּכָל הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיו יַעֲשֶׂה? תַּ"ל לאסר אסר — לֶאֱסֹר אֶת הַמֻּתָּר וְלֹא לְהַתִּיר אֶת הָאָסוּר (ספרי):

A vow. By saying, ‘Let it be as a konam to me, that I will not eat, or I may not do a certain thing.’ But perhaps, even if he swears to eat the meat of an animal that was not ritually slaughtered, I read, concerning him, “all that he has verbalized, he must fulfill”? The Torah, therefore, teaches, “. . .to initiate a prohibition”— to prohibit what is permitted, but not to permit what is prohibited.

לא יחל דברו. כְּמוֹ לֹא יְחַלֵּל דְּבָרוֹ — לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה דְּבָרוֹ חֻלִּין (שם):

He may not profane his word. Like Gא יְחַלֵּל דְבָרוֹ, he may not secularize his word.

בבית אביה. בִּרְשׁוּת אָבִיהָ וַאֲפִלּוּ אֵינָהּ בְּבֵיתוֹ (שם):

In her father’s home. Under her father’s jurisdiction, even if she is not actually in his home.

בנעריה. וְלֹא קְטַנָּה וְלֹא בוֹגֶרֶת, שֶׁהַקְּטַנָּה אֵין נִדְרָהּ נֶדֶר, וְהַבּוֹגֶרֶת אֵינָהּ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיהָ לְהָפֵר נְדָרֶיהָ; וְאֵי זוֹ הִיא קְטַנָּה? אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בַּת י"א שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד נְדָרֶיהָ נִבְדָּקִין, אִם יָדְעָה לְשֵׁם מִי נָדְרָה וּלְשֵׁם מִי הִקְדִּישָׁה, נִדְרָהּ נֶדֶר, בַּת י"ב שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה לִבָּדֵק:

While still in her youth. But not a minor, or a “bogeres,” as a minor’s vows are invalid, and a bogeres is no longer under her father’s jurisdiction for nullification of vows. When is she considered a minor? Our Rabbis say, at the age of eleven and a day, her vows should be examined. If she recognizes in Who’s Name she took the vow, or in Who’s Name she made the sanctification, then her vow is valid. At the age of twelve and a day, examination is no longer required.

ואם הניא אביה אתה. אִם מָנַע אוֹתָהּ מִן הַנֶּדֶר, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהֵפֵר לָהּ. הֲנָאָה זוֹ אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה הִיא, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר "וְאִם בְּיוֹם שְׁמֹעַ אִישָהּ יָנִיא אוֹתָהּ וְהֵפֵר" (פסוק ט') הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר הֲנָאָה זוֹ הֲפָרָה. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ לְשׁוֹן מְנִיעָה וַהֲסָרָה, וְכֵן "וְלָמָּה תְנִיאוּן" (במדבר ל"ב), וְכֵן "שֶׁמֶן רֹאשׁ אַל יָנִי רֹאשִׁי" (תהילים קמ"א), וְכֵן "וִידַעְתֶּם אֶת תְּנוּאָתִי" (במדבר י"ד) — אֶת אֲשֶׁר סַרְתֶּם מֵעָלַי:

But if her father restrained her. He restrained her from the vow, in other words, he nullified it. I would not know what this הֲנָאָה means, but when it says, “but if, on the day her husband hears about it, יָנִיא אוֹתָהּ וְהֵפֵר, he restrains her and nullifies,” you may conclude that הֲנָאָה means nullification. Its plain meaning is to restrain and turn aside. Similarly, “why do you turn [the people’s hearts] away,” and “let the oil on my head not turn my head,” and “you will know My turning aside” [i.e. the punishment] for turning away from Me.”

וה' יסלח לה. בַּמֶּה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר? בְּאִשָּׁה שֶׁנָּדְרָה בְנָזִיר וְשָׁמַע בַּעְלָהּ וְהֵפֵר לָהּ וְהִיא לֹא יָדְעָה וְעוֹבֶרֶת עַל נִדְרָהּ וְשׁוֹתָה יַיִן וּמִטַּמְּאָה לְמֵתִים, זוֹ הִיא שֶׁצְּרִיכָה סְלִיחָה וְאַעַ"פִּ שֶׁהוּא מוּפָר, וְאִם הַמּוּפָרִין צְרִיכִים סְלִיחָה, קַ"וָ לְשֶׁאֵינָן מוּפָרִים (עי' קידושין פ"א):

Adonoy will forgive her. To whom does Scripture refer? To a woman who took the Nazirite vow. Her husband heard and nullified it, but she was not aware. She then violated her vow by drinking wine and defiling herself by contact with a corpse. She is in need of forgiveness, although it was nullified. Now, if those who[se vows] have been nullified require forgiveness, certainly those who[se vows] have not been nullified.

ואם היו תהיה לאיש. זוֹ אֲרוּסָה, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא נְשׂוּאָה? כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר "וְאִם בֵּית אִישָׁהּ נָדָרָה" הֲרֵי נְשׂוּאָה אָמוּר, וְכָאן בַּאֲרוּסָה, וּבָא לַחֲלֹק בָּהּ שֶׁאָבִיהָ וּבַעְלָהּ מְפֵרִין נְדָרֶיהָ, הֵפֵר הָאָב וְלֹא הֵפֵר הַבַּעַל, אוֹ הֵפֵר הַבַּעַל וְלֹא הֵפֵר הָאָב, הֲרֵי זֶה אֵינוֹ מוּפָר, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אִם קִיֵּם אֶחָד מֵהֶם:

If she is [married] to a man. This refers to an “arusah.” But perhaps to a “nesuah?” When it says, “and if she took the vow in her husband’s home,” a “nesuah” is mentioned, so this must mean an “arusah.” It is intended to distinguish her, in that her father and her husband annul her vow. If the father annulled, but not the husband, or the husband, but not the father, there is no annulment, and it goes without saying, if one of them endorsed it.

ונדריה עליה. שֶׁנָּדְרָה בְּבֵית אָבִיהָ, וְלֹא שָׁמַע בָּהֶן אָבִיהָ וְלֹא הוּפְרוּ וְלֹא הוּקְמוּ (עי' ספרי):

And her vows were upon herself. She took the vows in her father’s home, but her father did not hear them — they were neither annulled nor endorsed.

ושמע אישה וגו'. הֲרֵי לְךָ שֶׁאִם קִיֵּם הַבַּעַל שֶׁהוּא קַיָּם:

And her husband heard, etc. Here you have [the ruling] that if the husband endorses, it stands.

והפר את נדרה. יָכוֹל אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הֵפֵר הָאָב, תַּ"ל (פסוק י"ז) "בִּנְעֻרֶיהָ בֵּית אָבִיהָ" — כָּל שֶׁבִּנְעוּרֶיהָ בִּרְשׁוּת אָבִיהָ הִיא (ספרי שם):

He then annuls her vow which was upon her. Perhaps even if the father did not annul? The Torah therefore teaches, “in her youth, while in her father’s house” — all through her youth, she is under her father’s jurisdiction.

כל אשר אסרה על נפשה יקום עליה. לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָהּ לֹא בִרְשׁוּת אָב וְלֹא בִרְשׁוּת בַּעַל, וּבְאַלְמָנָה מִן הַנִּשּׂוּאִין הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, אֲבָל אַלְמָנָה מִן הָאֵרוּסִין — מֵת הַבַּעַל נִתְרוֹקְנָה וְחָזְרָה רְשׁוּת לָאָב (נדרים ע'):

Everything she prohibited for herself shall remain incumbent upon her. Since she is neither under the jurisdiction of the father, nor the jurisdiction of the husband. Scripture refers here to a widow after “nisuin,” but a widow after “erusin,” when the husband dies, his jurisdiction transfers to the father.

ואם בית אשה נדרה. בִּנְשׂוּאָה הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר (שם ס"ז):

But if she took the vow in her husband’s home. Scripture refers to a “nesuah.”

כל נדר וכל שבעת אסר וגו'. לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁהַבַּעַל מֵפֵר, יָכוֹל כָּל נְדָרִים בְמַשְׁמָע, תַּ"ל לענת נפש — אֵינוֹ מֵפֵר אֶלָּא נִדְרֵי עִנּוּי נֶפֶשׁ בִּלְבַד, וְהֵם מְפֹרָשִׁים בְּמַסֶּ' נְדָרִים (דף ע"ט):

Every vow, and every oath of self-denial, etc. Since it was said that the husband may annul, perhaps all vows are included; the Torah therefore teaches, “of self-denial.” He may only annul vows which are of self-denial They are defined in tractate Nedarim.

מיום אל יום. שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר מֵעֵת לְעֵת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "מִיּוֹם אֶל יוֹם", לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין מֵפֵר אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁתֶּחְשַׁךְ (נדרים ע"ו):

From one day to the next. So that you should not say [he may annul] for twenty four hours — this is why “from day to day” is said, to teach that he may only annul until nightfall.

אחרי שמעו. אַחֲרֵי שֶׁשָּׁמַע וְקִיֵּם, שֶׁאָמַר אֶפְשִׁי בּוֹ, וְחָזַר וְהֵפֵר לָהּ אֲפִלּוּ בּוֹ בַּיּוֹם:

After having heard. After he heard and endorsed, saying, “I approve,” he recanted and annuled it, even during the same day.

ונשא את עונה. הוּא נִכְנָס תַּחְתֶּיהָ. לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁהַגּוֹרֵם תַּקָּלָה לַחֲבֵרוֹ הוּא נִכְנָס תַּחְתָּיו לְכָל עֳנָשִׁין:

He must bear her transgression. He must take her place. We learn from here that one who causes another’s downfall, must bear full punishment in his place.