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Nedarim 25a

נדרים כ״ה ע״א

Learn Nedarim 25a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Nedarim 25a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Whose understanding governs an oath, משה's oath wording, and the exaggerated vow about a snake like an olive-press beam

Overview

The amud opens with רב אשי's answer that an oath follows the plain, common meaning of its words, so we never imagine a person secretly meant ants. The גמרא challenges this from the court's warning before an oath: 'we make you swear by our understanding, not by a condition in your heart.' It answers that the warning blocks a trick like the cane of רבא, where a borrower hid coins in a cane and handed it to the lender while swearing he had paid. A second challenge comes from משה, who made ישראל swear 'by my understanding and God's.' The גמרא answers that this blocks a real second meaning of a word: an idol can truly be called אלוה. It then asks why משה didn't pick a clearer oath wording, and tests several, from מצוות to תורה כולה. Each can be read narrowly until '613 מצוות' is suggested. The final answer is that משה simply chose a wording that was easy on the people. The amud ends with the משנה's exaggerated vow about a snake 'like the beam of an olive press,' which means a snake notched on its back. That wording also teaches that a real olive-press beam must be notched, which matters for sales.

Opening lines

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: כִּי מִשְׁתְּבַע

He said to him: When he swears,

אַדַּעְתָּא דִידַן מִשְׁתְּבַע,

he swears based on our understanding,

וַאֲנַן לָא מַסְּקִינַן נַפְשִׁין אַשּׁוּמְשְׁמָנֵי.

and we do not bring ourselves to think of ants.

וְעַל דַּעְתָּא דְנַפְשֵׁיהּ

And according to his own understanding,

The steps (34)

  1. ResolutionAn oath follows the ordinary meaning of the words
  2. ChallengeChallenge from the court's warning before an oath
  3. QuestionWhat trick is the court's warning meant to block?
  4. ChallengeSo people do swear by their own private meaning
  5. ResolutionThe warning targets a different trick: the cane of רבא
  6. StatementThe story begins: a borrower claims he already paid
  7. StatementThe borrower hides coins in a cane and swears
  8. StatementThe cane breaks and the coins spill out
  9. ChallengeA new challenge from משה's oath in ערבות מואב
  10. QuestionWhat was משה really warning about?
  11. ChallengeThe proof: people do swear by their own meaning
  12. ResolutionAn idol really is called אלוה
  13. ChallengeWhy not simply swear to keep the מצוות?
  14. Resolution'מצוות' could mean the king's commands
  15. ChallengeWhy not swear to keep ALL the מצוות?
  16. Resolution'All the מצוות' could mean ציצית
  17. ChallengeWhy not swear to keep the תורה?
  18. Resolution'Torah' means only one תורה
  19. ChallengeWhy not swear to keep the תורות?
  20. Resolution'Torahs' could mean the laws of certain offerings
  21. ChallengeWhy not swear to keep the תורות and the מצוות?
  22. ResolutionEach word still keeps its narrow meaning
  23. ChallengeWhy not swear to keep the whole Torah?
  24. Resolution'The whole Torah' can mean just idol worship
  25. ChallengeWhy not say idol worship plus the whole Torah, or 613 מצוות?
  26. Resolutionמשה chose an easy wording
  27. ChallengeHuge snakes really exist
  28. Resolutionשמואל: 'Like the beam' means notched
  29. ChallengeAll snakes are notched
  30. ResolutionNotched on its back
  31. ChallengeWhy not just say 'notched'?
  32. ResolutionTeaching a side lesson about the beam
  33. QuestionWhat difference does it make?
  34. ResponseIt matters for buying and selling