Nedarim 65a

נדרים ס״ה ע״א

Learn Nedarim 65a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Releasing a vow only בפניו (משה in מדין, צדקיהו and נבוכדנצר), and רבי מאיר's cases that look like a נולד but are not

Overview

A ברייתא teaches that when someone is forbidden by a vow from benefiting from another person, the vow may be released only in front of that person (בפניו). רב נחמן finds the source in a פסוק: God told משה in מדין to go back to Egypt, which hints that משה had to release his oath to יתרו there, in front of יתרו. The גמרא then tells how צדקיהו swore to keep נבוכדנצר's embarrassing secret, had the oath released without נבוכדנצר present, and revealed the secret. When נבוכדנצר questioned the סנהדרין, they admitted that such a release must be done בפניו, and they sat on the ground in shame. A new משנה follows. In it, רבי מאיר says that some changes only look like a נולד, such as an evil father who died or did תשובה, or a bad dog that died. The חכמים disagree with him. The גמרא asks how a death could not be a נולד. רב הונא answers that the vow was tied to its stated reason. רבי יוחנן answers that the change had already happened before the vow was made.

Opening lines

The steps (14)

1. StatementA vow of benefit is released only in front of the other person
2. QuestionWhere do we learn this?
3. Responseמשה had to release his vow in מדין
4. ProofProof that משה actually swore to יתרו
5. QuestionHow did צדקיהו rebel against נבוכדנצר?
6. Responseצדקיהו swears to keep נבוכדנצר's secret
7. Statementצדקיהו has his oath released and tells the secret
8. ProofThe סנהדרין admit the release must be בפניו
9. ConclusionThe elders sit on the ground in shame
10. Statementרבי מאיר: Some things look new but are not
11. StatementExamples: the evil father, the bad dog, the snake
12. ChallengeBut death is surely a new situation
13. Resolutionרב הונא: The vow was tied to its reason
14. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: It had already happened before the vow