Moshe places an emphasis on the importance of a “Neder נֶדֶר“ (vow), directly to the tribal heads of Bnei-Yisrael. One might believe that the vow should have less importance in the Torah, while dealing with “heavier” issues and laws. The subject of vows is considered very important issue in HaShem’s “eyes”, as it is designed to be as “fence” in the face of sins. As King Solomon says, “Life and death are in the hands of the tongue” (Mishlie18:21). The tongue holds the keys to life and death. Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes of Bnei-Yisrael, saying “Zeh ha’davar” (“זֶה הַדָּבָר”) meaning “This is the word that Hashem has commanded.” Our Sages teach that all of the prophets received their prophecies with an “unclear vision” while Moshe saw with a “clear vision” each and every prophecy. All the prophets (except Moshe) had to interpret the visions they saw according to their abilities, a process that could be affected by the prophets’ own understanding and likings’. Moshe’s prophecy was different; he understood exactly what HaShem meant and transmitted it literally and perfectly to all.
The Zohar teaches us a profound lesson about words uttered by Jewish men. If a man takes a vow to Hashem… he shall not desecrate his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth shall he do” as its written “כְּכָל-הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיו, יַעֲשֶׂה” (verse 30:3). The Torah emphasizes the sacredness of a Jew’s word; to violate one’s word is to desecrate it. The Sefat Emet adds that a Jew’s word by its very nature is holy, even if what he has said is not “Devarim Shebekedushah” “דברים שבקדושה” (holy words), such as a berachah or words of Torah. What is the source of this sacredness? Regarding the creation of Adam HaRishon, the Torah writes (Beresheet 2:7), “And He blew into his nostrils the soul of life” “וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו, נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים; וַיְהִי הָאָדָם, לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה”. The Zohar explains that the one who blows, blows from within himself; hence man’s soul is a part of Hashem’s essence. This soul is part of HaShem as he gave Neshamah and made man into a living being. Targum Unkelos defines as “Ruach Memalelah” (“רוח ממלמלה”) a speaking spirit, as HaShem gave us the power to speak. In other words the life that is characteristic of man, which only Hashem could blow into him, is the rational soul that includes the “Koach Ha’dibur” (“כוח הדיבור”) the power of speech. For such divine process we must consider every word we speak prior to sounding off, as its considered “spoken” by HaShem.
Our Sages explain the immense power and importance of a vow. We know that Yakov made a vow to HaShem after fleeing from his brother Eisav. Yakov said (Beresheet 28:20 & 22) that “if HaShem protected him, fed him and brought him back to Israel, he will donate two-tenths (20%) of everything he had” (“יִּדַּר יַעֲקֹב, נֶדֶר לֵאמֹר: אִם-יִהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי, וּשְׁמָרַנִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ, וְנָתַן-לִי לֶחֶם לֶאֱכֹל, וּבֶגֶד לִלְבֹּשׁ”) and (“וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר תִּתֶּן-לִי, עַשֵּׂראֲעַשְּׂרֶנּוּ לָךְ”.) Unfortunately Yakov didn’t keep his Neder (his vow) upon his safe return. As a result his wife Rachel died, and his daughter Dina was raped. As it says (Beresheet 48:7) “And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan in the way” (“וַאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן, מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן בַּדֶּרֶךְ). The word Yakov used in that description is “Alay” (“עָלַי”), meaning it was by my own fault, as he didn’t keep his vow. He was punished twice once with Rachel’s death and once with Dina’s rape.
HaShem provided us with a process called “Hatarat Nedarim, a process through which our Rabbis (sometimes 3 witnesses) can nullify the vow. In verse 30:3 we see a hidden message within the words “Lo Yachel Devaro” (“לא יחל דברו”), meaning he shall not profane his word. The word “Yachel” has the word “Chal” (“חל“) in it which means to take effect, alluding to the vow not to take effect.
Moshe speaks to the presidents and teaches Bnei-Yisrael of the laws related to making a vow, as one who makes a vow to HaShem must keep such vow. This vow is considered as an oath between us and HaShem, and it is not to be taken lightly. By making such vow to HaShem, one is prohibiting himself from certain items or actions in order to better himself in honor of HaShem. The word oath in English derives from the word “Ott”“אות” in Hebrew, meaning covenant and a sign.
When it comes to vows HaShem does not discriminate between the righteous and the wicked. We know that Yakov made vow while fleeing from his brother Eisav, saying that if HaShem will guard and return him safely to Israel, he will then offer a sacrifice as soon as he arrives at the Promised Land. He vowed to make a Koraban at Mount Moria in Jerusalem, at the same place where Beit-Hamikdash stood (same place of Yitzchak Akeidah). HaShem did guard Yakov in his travels and did bring him back safely to Israel, and protected him from Eisav and Lavan.
Upon arriving in Israel, Yakov didn’t keep his vow and he was severely punished for it. His punishment was a horrific one, his daughter Dinah was kidnapped and defiled by Shechem, as it says (Beresheet 34:1-2), “And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land” (not being modest) (“וַתֵּצֵא דִינָה בַּת-לֵאָה, אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְיַעֲקֹב, לִרְאוֹת, בִּבְנוֹת הָאָרֶץ). Immediately thereafter it says, “And Shechem, the son of Chamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her; and he took her (raped her), and lay with her, and tortured her” (“וַיַּרְא אֹתָהּ שְׁכֶם בֶּן-חֲמוֹר, הַחִוִּי–נְשִׂיא הָאָרֶץ; וַיִּקַּח אֹתָהּ וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֹתָהּ, וַיְעַנֶּהָ”. We must learn from this the profound lesson of keeping a vow.
We also learned about the importance of a vow from king Yiftach (“יפתח“) and his promise to HaShem. Yiftach asked HaShem to help him win the war against the Ammonites, and he vowed to sacrifice the first one (cattle) who will come out of his house. Yiftach won that war and upon arrival to his house, his daughter came out first to greet him. Technically she would be the one to be sacrificed as Yiftach vowed to do, HaShem didn’t allow for such vow as he forbade human sacrifices. There are other incidents with such vows, as with Chanah and her son Shemuel, King David and others.
The Mishnah teaches us the laws regarding a “rash oath” that apply to men and to women, to relatives and to those who are not relatives, to those who are qualified to be witnesses, and to those who are not. It matters not whether the oath was made before a court or not, as long as it was uttered from the person’s own mouth. And if it was uttered deliberately, he is liable to lashes, but if unwittingly he brings a “Rising and Falling Offering”. The laws of “a vain oath” apply to men and to women, to relatives and to non-relatives, to those who are qualified to be witnesses and to those who are not. It matters not whether the oath was uttered before a court or not, as long as it was uttered by one’s own mouth. If it was uttered deliberately he is liable to lashes, but if unwittingly, he is exempt. For either of these oaths, if he was adjured by others, he is liable. Thus if he said, I have not eaten today, and I have not put on Tefillin today, and one said to him: “I adjure you”, and he said, “Amen”, he is guilty.
The Talmud tells us that the first Temple was destroyed due to the heinous sins of murder, promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters and idolatry while the second Temple was destroyed due to unreasonable hatred known as “Sinat Chinam” (“שינאת חינם”). The first Temple was rebuilt after seventy years of exile, while after the second Bet HaMikdash was destroyed, almost two thousand years later, we are still suffering in exile. That is the power of speech; in our case evil speech. Our words can build or destroy us and our Beit-HaMikdash. We must guard our words as they are very powerful as we witnessed many times in our history. HaShem commands the Kohanim (in past parasha) about “Ner Hatamid” (“נר התמיד”), the fire that stayed lit from night to night in both samples and tabernacle, with clear and pure olive oil. In this ongoing special light called “Ner Hatamid” we see that the word used here is “Catit” “כתית” (pounded) and “Ha’hin” “ההין” (partial). In Hebrew the word “Catit” has a numerical value of 830 to hint that this light will be illuminated for 830 years, combined years of both the first and the second Beit-HaMikdash stood (the first for 410 years and the second stood for 420 years, together is 830). The word and “Ha’hin” “ההין” is 70, alluding to the 70 years between the first and second (combined 900).
In chapter 31 we learn about the timing of Moshe’s passing. HaShem instructed Moshe to take revenge against the Midianites for the sake of Bnei-Yisrael. Thereafter HaShem told Moshe that he will be “gathering to his people”, in other words, he will not be entering the Land of Israel. With his amazing dedication to HaShem, Moshe didn’t even try to argue such statement and ordered Bnei-Yisrael to get ready for war against the Midianites. Any normal person, who hears such an announcement about their upcoming passing, will most certainly try to avoid this decree or delay it as much as possible. But not Moshe who doesn’t even questions such statement by HaShem, and rushes to fulfill HaShem’s will.
The question arose – Why did HaShem’s command Moshe to fight Midian following the discussion about the vows laws? Why did Moshe tell Bnei-Yisrael to “inflict vengeance ‘for Hashem’ on Midian” after Hashem told Moshe, “take vengeance for Bnei-Yisrael against the Midianites”? Since Hashem commanded Moshe, “Nekom” (take vengeance [against the Midianites), in the singular, why did Moshe not lead the battle himself? Why did Moshe send Pinchas HaKohen to battle the Midianites?
Hashem told Moshe he would die after the battle with Midian. Moshe thought that HaShem’s oath that he will not enter the land of Israel could be annulled; he showed that unlike man, HaShem’s oaths are irrevocable (according to Rabbi Bechaya). It showed that standing against Bnei-Yisrael is like standing against HaShem – vengeance for Him is like vengeance for them (according to Rashi). Moshe could not directly battle the Midianites with whom he had lived, benefitted from their hospitality and married a Midianite woman – one may not “throw stones into a well from which he had drunk” (Midrash Tanchuma). Pinchas started the Mitzvah to destroy the Midianites by killing Kisbi (the princess who sinned with Zimri), the daughter of Tzor. Kisbi was sent to seduce Moshe, but she met Zimri first. It was fitting for Pinchas to finish the Mitzvah. Pinchas’ mother was Tzipora’s sister – it was fitting that he avenge the Midianites, who sold Yosef to Egypt and forgot Yitro’s covenant with Moshe and HaShem.