To Swear or Not To Swear? That is the Question with Rabbi Aaron Dovid Poston

Heat. Heat. [Music] Shalom everybody. Welcome to the Abate Madrash. Welcome home to Torah. A warm welcome. A very warm welcome. As you know, we deal with the kakar using his works as the basis for our discussion. We're not using the classical Cleakar perouch uh commentary but we're using the gioreim which is written by the clear and he usually goes into medish tonight it's a mid tan before we begin I want to mention there we should our learning should be uh towards the raffle complete healing of yil Ari Benuth and Sarah Sara Miriam through our learning should have a sha and not to mention not to not mention of course our courageous soldiers on the front lines and all of the different fronts that we're confronting. We should be successful and bring the hostages home safely and quickly in good health. Okay, so we're in paras mats. This week is a double portion, but we're only going to deal with one verse and we're going to talk for the next hour about it. Of course, we always deal with what we call fundamentals, things that every Jew needs to know. So in this week's para not only in should we say the verse the verse is in chapter 30 verse two that Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes vos elamatos that they should speak to the children of Israel and what should they say mutak you are re you are released from your vows. When I say vowels, it's v o ws. Okay. From in fact, I think when I'm going to ma make the title of this class, to swear or not to swear, that is the question. Okay. To make a vow or not to make a vow, that is the question. Apparently the clear card says in other places that Moses gave over to the leaders to theim to release the people from the vows that they make. But who comes and approaches? Only those who have regret. If you have regret, you'll come before them and they'll have a discussion with you and they will release you from that vow that you regretted taking. If you don't regret taking it, you're not going to approach them. they're not going to release you. And we're going to see, it's actually a Gomorrah, but we're going to see this concept that if somebody makes a vow, it's like they built a bum. A bum is an altar. And it's forbidden to build a bumma in certain times of his Jewish history, most of Jewish history, outside of the temple to offer offerings. The building of the bum is forbidden in and of itself. And that's when someone makes the vow. Now, if they fulfill the vow, which you would have expected, that's a good thing. We would have thought that's a great thing. Khaz tell us it's as if they offered a sacrifice on that altar, which is another no. Two whamies, two big sins. The building of the altar, by the way, the altar is a high place. So, at least the clear explains, you're building something for yourself. You're building an altar for yourself. You're putting yourself way above everyone else. The Torah already gave us a lot of rules to follow. Certain things are forbidden. And you took upon yourself something that's permissible to everybody else, but I'm different. I'm special. I'm higher. I'm bigger. I'm way above everyone else. So there is a no no there. And then to offer Whoa, that's really bad. So what we're going to see tonight and I said the title will be to swear or not to swear because after we build a case or after the clear makes his case that it's really not a good idea to swear and or make an oath or a vow that's like he's going to really make it solid from the text itself from the Torah from the Nak we're going to find out there's a whole another story that there are very special people hopefully every one of us that it's actually permissible to make vows. So first we establish it's a no no and that's going to be for the average guy but then they're going to be special unique individuals and hopefully we are them we are part of that group and we're right remember on rashashana or right an elash we start to go to make a basin and we do hataris nadarim and on yamipur what's it called kidre we want to get rid of these things that bound us together. He's going to explain why this is a problem, why you're actually called the sinner if you make a vow. And if you fulfill it, it's even worse. When the Torah itself says, "Whatever comes out of your mouth, first of all, don't desecrate your words, but fulfill your words." Well, first of all, the way to read it is like this. Interestingly enough, at the end of verse two, I'm sorry, at end of verse three, it says, "He shall not violate his word according to whatever comes out of his mouth, he shall do." Who is being spoken? Who's the subject according to the clear in a certain way? It's the baston. The the the guy who made the vow should do whatever came out of his mouth. Meaning, it's not just a bast. If you can either take three layman or one, one, one wise guy, one wise guy is equal to three layman. So whatever comes out of his mouth, if he says you're released, you do whatever he says. He can they can also say no, you're bound. Okay. Also, it says should violate his word. It's in Hebrew, right? Loaro. He shouldn't desecrate his word but they can. Okay. So there is this concept of a basin. We all are familiar with it. Releasing you from vows. Okay. And I just want to mention about regret that if you have regret you have reason to go out of your vow. On Friday night we sing we say the last verse. Therefore I've sworn in my wrath. God himself sworn in a anger angry situation that they shall not enter my land of contentment. But he said it out of anger. The kind of vow that people are easily uh released from are vows from anger. And thank God because God himself made a vow that we would not come to the land of contentment. But he he said it in wrath which means he can get out of it. he can be released from it and hashem you follow that the reasoning so let's begin with the clearar we start off with this measures look in the Hebrew sheets by the way there are links to the original Hebrew sheets you get black and white you don't get color uh the links how you can get to the original Hebrew sheets and we encourage you to follow along and learn a little bit of Hebrew along the way so we already said the first verse Meaning of verse two is God spoke Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes. And then wait to hear this in the f following verse is need when a man or if a man makes a vow right he's yidor nether and you might ask why where's the nun in the word yidor. It's a good question. It should be yindor need but for grammatical reasons the nun is released is is uh is uh hidden. It doesn't appear and the clear will show us why it uses the word yidor not nether there's in other words it's not just coincidence that the nun disappears. So it's not a coincidence and we'll see why the word ye is used. Now, here's the God said to whom? To the Israel, to the Jewish people, one should be, by the way, it's in the source sheet on number uh two. It's the English translation. Um, Hashem said to the Jewish people, they should be zahiring, very careful, right? What was the word they used over here? Circumspect. I'm not sure what circumspect means, but they should be very careful. Refrain from making nidarim. And if you do it, now don't break them. That's literally what it means. But it could mean, first of all, be very careful. Don't make them a lot. Right? The word tifritsu is like to be spread out. Okay, that's one u definition or or a um u pes like to break through. So in other words, be careful making the darim. Don't break them. Don't violate them or certainly don't make them that often. And you know that you'll see Jews constantly saying bleeder. It's part of their part of their uh their vocabulary. Anyone who's either regular in doing them or breaks those those vowels, his end will be can mean like trespass, but it means basically faithless. You're not trustworthy. You you violated. You trespass the that's going to happen. In other words, it's likely to happen. You make a vow, you're likely to violate it. And that's the end. The bishu and anybody that does violate their oaths, he's considered a kofair. A kofair is a heretic is someone who denies the existence of God. That's how bad can become. And then the kicker is there is no forgiveness. That's my translation. He's bringing two verses. The first verse is in Exodus 20:7. You'll see this on number three on the source sheet. This actually appears twice in the Torah, right? The Ten Commandments appear twice. Once in Exodus, once in Deuteronomy, but it's the third. It's the third mitzvah of 10. It's the third statement of 10, right? We all know the Ten Commandments by memory, right? Of course. Ten Commandments. Of course you do. So the third one is you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. For the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes his name in vain. Now there's another translation. He will not absolve. What do you mean he won't hold blameless? I mean he'll blame you. He'll lo He won't cleanse you. He won't forgive you. He won't at you won't be atoned for. There's it's like the end, right? You don't want to be in that position to make an oath and then not fulfill it. Correct? >> Okay. So then he brings a puss from your mahu Jeremiah 4:2 and it says if you will swear and now as the Lord lives is a in Hebrew hashem it's a language of shua it's a language of an oath in truth and in justice and in righteousness nations will ble them bless themselves with him and boast about him so and you will swear Okay. As the Lord lives. So in other words, you will swear in truth. That's what it's saying. But the measure says, what is God saying to the Jewish people? Lo to you, do not hold. Do not reason. Do not think that it's okay that you're permitted to swear in my name. Even in the truth, you're not allowed to swear in my name at all unless So that's the ground rule. Don't don't really swear my even if it's the truth. You got that? Do not swear even if it's the truth unless unless you have all these character traits that is in found in number five on the source sheet in Deuteronomy chapter 10 verse 20. This is like real simple to follow. God says in Deuteronomy it's number five on the source sheet 10 verse 20. You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall worship him and you shall cleave to him and swear by his name. So according to the clear the way he understands he's bringing down the midash the you really shouldn't swear in God's name. You shouldn't make an oath unless you have these characteristics that you fear Hashem, that you serve Hashem, and that you what? You have the vacance Hashem. You cling to Hashem. So, that's fear. AOD you're ser you're in service to God. And you are you have Hashem. you have an intimate relationship with him. So basically the round ground rules are for average people no swearing. It's the wrong way to go. But if you fit this category of these three middle you have to have all three. Then it's permissible. But now we're going to see only in three circumstances. Okay let's go through it. Where we left off is still in the middle of the medish. He brings the verse Right. God you shall fear. Remember it's Deuteronomy 10:20. And him you shall serve and him in him you shall cling. And the verse says his name you can use to to swear if you have within you all these character traits then it's permissible then and only then it's permissible to swear my name. If you do not have all of these character traits, then you're not allowed. Beginning on the next paragraph on the right side on his car and paras in in um he's going to discuss where in a second but in Gmor page 77b which you can find number six on the sour it says if someone is there someone vows he's actually called a sinner right we I have this story if you want to look at it. This Roa said to Ravnakman, "Master, see the sage." See that sage? He came up from the west. Meaning he came up to Babylon uh he came to Babylon from Israel and who said the sage is attended to a dissolution. A dissolution of a vow is what we've been talking about, right? They're going to release somebody from a vow taken by the son of Rahuna and they disavowed his vow. Meaning they negated it. And you know what they said to him after they released him from his vow? Go and request mercy for yourself because you have sinned because you took the vow. As Ravimi the brother of Rousafra teaches with regard to anyone who takes a vow even if he fulfills it he's called a sinner. And what do we see what verses Rav Zevid says? It's based on Deuteronomy 23:23. Look in number seven on the source sheet. But before we get there, it may be inferred that if you did not refrain from taking vows, there's a sin. So you refrain from taking vows, you'll be without sin. Look at Deuteronomy 23:23 on source number seven. It says that if you refrain, right? If you ever go to the army, um you're on the well the I did the army. So, uh when we're on the the gun range and the instructor says, you think he says, you think he's saying mustard. No, there's no ral means stop. Everyone stop. You stop shooting, right? And you put your gun at 60°. Okay. So, if you refrain, you stop from making vows there will not be in you any sin. Very nice. So the clear card says why why is it what's the relationship between making a vow and being called a sinner being a sinner because what you're doing when you make a vow you're strengthening your you're the word is to excite it to incite it to irritate it to agitate your yates to arouse it right that's not what you want to move. But that's what happens, right? We all know the difference between someone who makes what, let's say you're mit you're commanded, and someone who's not commanded, whether it's the difference between a woman and a man or between a Jew and a non-Jew, right? There are differences in commandments. As soon as we're commanded, okay, let's take the Eevee example. You're on the way out of their house and you and you take the garbage, it's in your hand, and your wife says, "Don't forget to take the garbage." All of a sudden, you want to leave it behind. Yeah. Your parents say, you know, you have to do your homework, whatever it is, right? You're watching TV and you say like, "Next commercial, next commercial." You know, you know how it gets the as soon as someone tells you you have to do something, right? That's why you get more reward when you're commanded because there's a internal uh what's the word I'm looking for? >> Resistance. >> Resistance. Okay. So that's it says here you're awakening or agitating the yes. So the responds that he says to you what the Torah is not enough. So he wants you to right to violate that thing that you just made a net on or was forbidden to you by saying look you got enough. It's enough. you have enough uh forbidden things. You don't need to add more stuff. Let it go. You know, similar to the scenario with Adam and Eve, with Eve's conversation with the snake, right? Was not to touch or not to eat, right? She took him more than was necessary. And then the Sutton is able to trick. Okay. What's the point? What is what is the information need to in the direction? believe it or not, what the Torah itself is doing, it's kind of constraining a man within the constraints of the Yates. That's the best translation if we could just imagine that's what's happening and you want to break free. Who doesn't want to be free from that? The Yates in Gmoruka Nunbet. So that's number eight on the source sheet 52A. The bottom line is that the Yates is that the actually leaves alone just the the nations it's not so interested it leaves alone be but what does it do it provokes the Jewish people it strengthens itself against the Jewish people but when it comes to sages they have a bigger yahara now there is a typo here when it says this in this context it's based on a verse in Yoel in prophet Joel chapter 2:20 I'm not going to go through it but the bottom line of the Gmorrah says that the term and I'm going to change it the enemies of the Jewish people whenever you see the term enemies of the Jewish people it's talking about the Jewish people just a phrase theology the evil inclination seeks to corrupt the Jews more than it does the members of any other nation. Again, based on this verse and Abiah says, "And it provokes Torah scholars more than it provokes anyone else." Let's continue on. So, what did the Torah do? The Torah itself it bound the Jewish people within the binds the confines of the which is which strengthens itself when you make this nether when you make this vow. So it really looks like you shouldn't do it. In fact the verse in Deuteronomy 30:23:23 if you refrain from making a nether there won't be in you any sin. And what is that? There won't be within you the causes you to sin. That's what it means. If you don't make the vow, you're not giving room, space, power to the which will eventually bring you in the direction of sin. A vow. But but if you do vow then you will have this that will bring you or cause you to sin shalom because he's binding you. He's binding the person's binding himself into the confines of the like it says in Job. Now if we know anything about Job, look at number 10 on the source sheet. It's ver chapter 36:8. Job had extreme poverty. Extreme extreme sar and his friends were all stroking their beards. You must be a sinner. Why are all these bad things happening to you? It's the only answer. It's the only answer. Isn't that right? All these bad things happening to such a good person, it's got to be because of sin. Then the verse, look at it. It says, "And if they are bound with chains are caught with ropes of poverty." Rashi says, "If you see, right, a righteous men who are bound with chains of suffering and ailments are caught with ropes of poverty." Basically these friends were trying to get him to do chuva so he would be released from these chains of the of the sin it's all like like um the results the poverty came the the the restraints came because of the the sin of making oaths perhaps look at rashi down below it says with ropes of poverty which are cords in French it's only because they sinned before him that's the assumption that these friends of of Job said and he came to reququit them of for their own good to cleanse them and to admonish them to return to God. So that was the idea of the rebuke of the friends. So we're on the second line down on the left side. What what did the person do? He added onto himself like vanities. Masha the person made vows that brought in many more forbidden acts for himself and the same word is forbidden assur is the same word as being bound being bound together so that's all making sense amar that's why it says in gmoramos now I have to explain this I think I did in the the one who makes the vow, it's as if he built an altar to himself. He built for himself an altar. Now, this is like mindboggling that if he fulfilled the vow, he's it's as if he sacrificed on it, which as we said, hey, the Torah itself says, don't desecrate your words. Do whatever comes out of your mouth. But we already explained it according to the kakar that that's talking about the basin is releasing you. You should ask to get released. But again that's only in a case where you have regret. If you have no regrets you had yeshiva sadas no anger that's when you're up the creek without a paddle. Okay? So better really think about things before you say it. And he says, "The one who made the vow, it's he's actually serving his own inclination as opposed to Hashem." Okay. Up until now, we have been discussing this idea where it's not right. It's negative. It's not fitting to make Nadarim. All of a sudden, he switches gears. He says, "However, Lindor shutra shahutra lindor we actually find three ways I'm going to use the word circumstances there are three circumstances that the Torah hutra permits hutra that the Torah permits or god permits a person to make a nether I'll tell you what they are first outside we call them in extreme cases of need, sar, right? Pain, passion, where you want to fulfill the mitzvah quickly and properly with all your strength and fervor. And the third is called separation. In order to be laafish or pre-shoot, which is a way to achieve purity, in fact, the word kadosh really means separate. So precious the Pharisees, we today Jews today we are the descendants of the Pharisees. So precious is the ones who separate themselves from the general society. So let's look what he says. Number one, you can make a vow again. If you have those three character traits of would we say they were fear service to Hashem proper service to Hashem and intimacy he hashem so the first circumstance is sar and the example given is from a a medish but it's based on a verse in Genesis 28:2 verse 20 2820 where is it on the source sheet look in number 13 on the source sheet. Yakov uttered a vow, right? The the Yedar Yakov Ned. Again, you have that same Yedar without the nun. Same construct. The nun just disappears. And we'll discuss it shortly. Why Jacob made a nether? When did he make the Ned? Right after the dream. Right. He's running away from Asav. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place. He's on his way outside of the land of Israel. Right. What they say from the frying pan to the kettle or the kettle to the frying pan. One is worse than the other. Whichever one is worse to the fire. >> From the frying pan into the fire. That's what they say in Africa. South Africa. >> America. >> As they say in America. Okay. So, here we have it. This is a problem. Yakov made a nether, but it was permissible because he certainly had all those midotan character character traits. No question. And so he had all those character traits, but it was a mumar. That's what it says. And the second case that it's permissible and you're not making an oath that you're going to fulfill it. You want to fulfill it mahadin. You want to fill it in a certain time. You want to fill it in a passionate or lacerative uh hurry and quick passionate fervorous way. That's what it says. Just like it says in Psalms 10 119 106. Look in number 15 on the source sheet. I mean if you just just a side point if you look at Psalms 66:13 and 14 when we spoke about the idea of making a vow under distress that verse King David says I shall come to your house with burnt offerings I shall pay you my vows which my lips uttered and my mouth spoke in my distress just to bring home the point of tsar. Now what about the idea of fulfilling mitzvah in number 15 Psalms 119 106 King David also says I swore right? How does he say the I want to fulfill and guard and keep right I swore and I fulfilled to keep the judgments of your righteousnesses. So that's a second reason that it's permissible for a righteous person to make an oath. We're on the second right gimmel. What's the third scenario? We said precious to separate yourself. So Gimmel says so if somebody is going to make an oath his oath is in order to change his habits to make himself habitual in precish he wants to be separate he needs to be separate and that's the direction he wants to go in like for example someone who this is the direct translation is a glutton or a drunkard. So, we're going to take someone who's overly, you know, abusing substances or whatever. Maybe could be food, could be could be could be anger, could be something he wants to make a major change in. The example given was a glutton or a drunkard who makes a nether leas not to eat meat. So, it makes sense. You got three scenarios, three situations where the righteous person can make a vow. We saw Yakov with in in a situation of pain. We saw uh Ya um David Hamelik in a place of passion and also now separation. And we're going to look at peravos in a second. He says basically any kind of creating a distance between him and that thing that he's abusing like could be alcohol, could be drugs, could be whatever it is, right? porn. There's different things that people uh want to get away from and they know it's a mitzvah to do it, but they make a vow to make it even more strong and and to separate themselves to feel separate to feel you have to follow through in order to take themselves out from the box. You know, you have to do things sometimes out of the box, right? And we know some of the greatest rabbis, right? I won't mention their names right now. They all were out of the box. Okay. So, it says in perky vote and you can find this different numbers, but it's in number 16 on my source sheet, meaning it's not 10, that's for sure. It's uh chapter 3. Chapter 3 of perkyavote Mishna 13. So, you can correct that on your sheets. And again, sometimes it's 17, sometimes it's 10, but it's all there. In the name of Rabbi, Rabbi Aaka is saying these words that are that making vows is a is make is like a fence for separation over here. I would assume there the statement here is that it's a safety fence for abstinence. Okay, vowels are a safety fence for abstinence, right? That's like a nuzzier. a nuzier for whatever vanity, whatever reason he needs to make a major change in his life. And what does he do? He'll make this vow not to drink wine, right? Grow his hair long, not to have a cut and whatnot because he needs a major transformation in his life. 30 days takes 30 days to break a habit. That's what the Torah tells us. So minimum nazir is 30 days. So, Nidari Marcus, it also mentions Msuris. Msarus really means the oral Torah, the oral Torah. Well, he's a SEAG for the Torah. So, this is a little bit of a typo. So, Msurus is for the Torah. The way to keep the Torah is through the oral Torah and Oer is a seg. Oh, then maser do giving tithes is a for wealth. You want to be wealthy, make sure to tithe. There's no shortcuts. Okay? And a guard for wisdom is silence. Uh I actually have here in front of me the perkyavote of art scroll. I think it was worth reading just a short paragraph here on the nidarim seagriccious how vows are protective fence for abstinence. So these are their words not mine. One who is in control of himself and who is capable of self-denial without making vows is best advised not to make them. You have the will the willpower to do it. Don't make a vow. Just change your your behavior. But someone who's unable to subdue his darker side by the willful exercise of self-control may invoke a vow to strengthen his resolve. However, he should do so for a prescribed amount of time. An open-ended vow may be too difficult to keep indefinitely. When someone makes vows of abstinence and keeps them, the person does develop self-restraint. As this ability grows stronger, he finds it easier to refrain from indulging in forbidden pleasures. That's the Rambam. Rashi and Rav, however, recommend the use of vowels only when em when one embarks on a path of abstinence from sensual matters uh fearful of weakness, one may battle his evil inclination with the weapon of a solemn word. Abstinence is abstinence even from permitted pleasures is considered a trait which enhances the service of God. Uh maybe I'll stop reading that here. Uh you know what I think it's so important we'll do it anyway. Uh the ram pro provides a perspective extreme behaviors extremes of behaviors are not desirable. The ideal is the golden mean. Thus, neither indulgences nor aceticism is optimal, but rather a course between the two. When one's behavior inclines too far in one direction, however, it becomes necessary to incline toward the other extreme for a time in order to regain one's balance. By the way, if you have a piece of wood that's warped from water, so just trying to make it straight, it's not going to work. You have to bend it like in the opposite direction and then it will hopefully smooth itself out in the middle. Okay. So, we read about these three ideas. We just read Perky and he says one, two, three, four, five, six, seven lines down on the right side of This idea, this statement is now going to explain these three ways, these three ways that it's permissible, right? That to make a nether or an oath. So too, the midrash hints into this idea that we started with that verse in Deuteronomy 20:10. Actually, it's yeah, chapter 10 verse 20. Thank you. H it says, "Hem your God, you shall fear and to him you shall serve and to him you shall cleave." You're allowed then you can swear in his name. If you don't have those character traits, you cannot swear in his name. So too, it's also hinted these three ways. Sar, pain, passion and separation. These are also hinted. It's all spoken about and hinted at in this parha about these three things because of the verse itself. It says I'm putting the emphasis. We already put the emphasis on the word yidor. the the nun is dropped but it says laashem you're making the net to hashem you see how I'm putting my finger to hashem because that's the direction you're going in you want to be close you want to devous you want to be a servant a true servant of hashem so you're you're god conscious that's where you want to be um have clarity and your relationship so that's what he says it means right? The Pik says, "Or you making an oath to forbid something that's forbidden upon yourself, do not desecrate your word and everything that comes out of your mouth." Say you should do the Gore itself asks. You do have this redundancy. The means double, right? This redundancy. It already says, "Do not desecrate your words." So why does the Torah have to then add that anything comes out of your mouth, you should do, you're already not supposed to desecrate. So the truth is on a simple shot level if you read if you ever learn the gammorar a tremendous amount of time is spent on understanding words what does the word mean is that the word of an oath is it not the word of an oath and it depends on different time periods Jewish history different cultures different cities right it Babylon or Israel you learn a lot just about language what you're saying you have to know what you're saying you have to know what's coming out of your mouth am I taking an oath or am I not? Am I obligating myself much more? Right? You have lawyers. You have contracts. Oh, there's fine print. You might as well at least look at it if read it before you sign it. Right? This is these are your your it's like a vow, right? And you're you're you're obligating yourself to something. So the simple this last statement is the double language is to ch teach you that kinoim kinoim are like nicknames words that parallel other words that may or may not mean what you want it to mean in that context. We'll leave it at that. But what he's now going to say is it's much deeper than that. This double language is teaching us something else by way saying I'm going to say this is my shot my novel idea that actually hinted in this verse are theim that it's those three circumstances that it's permissible to make a nether alf when it says the nob the the one who's making the vow when he's experiencing distress or pain or he's in a tight spot. How do we know? Because it says it's because the one making the nether he wants to get close to Hashem. It's now we may you know why do good things happen to bad people? Why do bad things happen to good people? It's been Moses asked the question depends whose opinion whether he answered or not but the car is basing on the Rambam. May of bad things do not come to a person unless Hashem has removed from upon the person himself God removed himself and abandoned the person to nature to happen stance to coincidence to whatever you want to call mikarim happen stance it's like practice Hashem is looking out for you and then you cause something. We'll see shortly where Hashem has then hidden his face. Is he there? Is he not there? You just don't perceive him. But we'll talk about that shortly. But that's what's happening according to this. What is Sar? Sar is the pain you're experiencing from bad things. If the bad things are happening, it must be that Hashem has removed his blessing, right? He's hidden his face so to speak. This is what the Rambam says in the marim. And I have here number 18. It is a translation. But it's basically saying that when the person is so involved with himself, right, and not involved with godly matters, what's going to happen? It's like a cloudy day. The sun is shining but the clouds are covering the sun. The the the sun is not getting through the clouds. So you don't have the light emanating. I mean the light is really there just on the other side of the clouds. I'll read it here in Hebrew. Like someone who on a on a very cloudy day the the sun is not shining. Why? Because of the thickness of the cloud. It's a little play word but it means the cloud. The thickness of the cloud is separating between him and the sun. You can't see it. And the Rambam ex goes at length and discusses this in the mar. It's based on this idea of hester panim. God is hiding his face. And that's how the next paragraph begins. Basically this idea you should go at length. In other words, study. Do real dil due diligence in your study. This is worth of delving into and certainly not um superficially but in depth with strongsightedness. All negative things that happen in this world that you find happening in this world. It's all due to a separation ndal of Hashem. And we see in Deuteronomy 31:18 and number 20 on the source sheet, God says, "I will hide my face on that day because of all the evil they have committed." When they turn to other deities, I will surely hide my face because of the evil. It's clear as day. When they commit evil, Hashem removes himself so to speak. And this is what the Rambam also says. If you have God in your heart, you have this relationship, this intimacy with God, nothing bad will occur or happen to the person like it says. And this is in Isaiah 41:10. We have that. I think we had that already. No, number 21 on the source sheet. God says right through Isaiah, "Do not fear, for I am with you. Be not discouraged for I am your God." Right? There's nothing to worry about. When you have God with you, nothing bad will happen. Okay? Then it says the clear Visi Mikor, it's a little bit of a um literary license, but if we go to I'm not sure where the verse is. It's Job 22. I don't think I don't think it made the sheet. Might have Job. Look where. Oh, it's number 19. It's based on this verse. Remember the Nvim Rambam brought this verse as a proof. You just look up to the last line of number 18, right? Accustom yourself now to be with him and you will be complete and with them good will come to you. So Psalms 118 verse 6, acquaint now yourself with him and be at peace. What the clear is doing is taking both these ideas and saying what does it mean if you pa Allah if you turn to Hashem you will be tashim you will be complete you won't be lacking anything meaning you'll be totally protected from all evil that's what it seems to be saying we should all be on that level right that we find that the one making the vow at the time of his pain, of his distress. He has only one thing in mind, and that is to become close to Hashem. Again, we're talking about someone who already has a healthy fear of God, right? Someone, what else do we say that they serve God, they're in service of God, and they in they want to do um precious, I'm sorry, they have intimacy, Hashem. They have the Hashem. So that would make sense. Okay. So like it says in Psalms 57 verse two. Where do we see that on the sheet? Uh number 22. [Music] Be gracious to me. Oh God, be gracious to me. Because my soul takes refuge in you and in the shadow of your protection I will find shelter until the anger until the uh destruction process passes away. Okay. So the idea is the Vegas. Now we're even able to understand what Yakov did. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He was leaving the kettle running into the the pot the fire. It says the the the Yakov need Yakov made a Ned saying if God will be with me then God will be God to me. that what was he asking shalomar he was asking God don't allow me to be um heare uh you know up to the mother nature I want to be on your protection what do we say in taken it's better to be in you know up against God than against the human being God is forgiving human beings are less forgiving so I'd rather be, you know, under a little bit, you know, with God than with a human being. So that's what Yakov, he wanted God's protection. Okay? Oh, batumos or God forbid in the hands of the nations. I'd rather be with you, God, whatever situation with you than be in the hands of the nations. This is what we understand here. When a man makes a toem remember he's in a difficult distressful situation that what does he want to do through this pain he wants to come close he wants to bring himself close through the nether to God so he is not affected by all the negative uh what's the word I'm looking for? All the ne all the punishments, all the uh um pia all of the negative circumstances are going to happen. He was going to be hit. Zashidor, remember we said why the nun is not there. The word yidor. What's a someone just signed on a today? It's a dwelling. It's a dwelling. Hashem is our dwelling. Did you know that? Hashem is where we reside in Hashem. It doesn't have the nun. It's without the nun. The word is a language of dwelling of abode. An abodding. I don't think it's a verb. An abode. It's it's a dwelling who almar like it says in Psalms chapter 90 verse one. A prayer of Moses number 23 in the sori. The man of God. Oh Lord, you have been our dwelling place for all generations, right? Hashem, that's where we dwell within Hashem. Hopefully, we're conscious of that. And it says in Isaiah 26:20, number 24 on the source sheet, right? Isaiah is saying in God's word, my people, come into your chambers and close your doors about you. to hide for but a moment until the wrath passes. So that word is amii my people come into your rooms your dwelling I will protect you let the the negative stuff pass right just stay a little bit until the stay hide for a moment until the wrath passes this is what the midish was saying this is a few weeks ago we said that there's a measure that says God is compared to a which we already saw now which is a dwelling an abode which we already know is a room and a migdal is a fortress or some type of castle is saying we bring proof proof is brought from these verses This is like someone it's hinting to like someone who's running fleeing under the wings. You know, we talk about converts. Converts made a decision. We were born Jews, but converts people who made a decision to find protection under God's wings, so to speak, under his protection. Confra the wings mean his protection. to the shelter, the shade, the shadow is of his protection. [Music] So that's what someone who's experiencing, the running in that direction, he's afraid. He's fearing being left to chance. Mother nature's tough, right? It's very tough. God is merciful. He's making his dwelling with God or as close to God as possible. Just like someone who's running away from the soldiers of the city into the into the courtyard of the king because he's afraid of the soldiers in the city. So what comes out from this vowel? He's making his abode. He's making his dwelling place with Hashem. Now we understand the verse. It says which hints to the idea that he's making the nether out of pain. That was one. What about the second thing about being more passionate about doing mitzvah bet? Oh, he made an oath to forbid something upon himself. He is swearing. He's making an oath to fulfill mitzvah. [Applause] Yetra tukan at a time where he actually sees he perceives his getting the best of him. It's strong against him. We've all experienced that to something that's forbidden to him. Oh, where he jumps up and he swears just like Boaz does. So if you read in in Ruth chapter 3 verse 13, by the way it's very clear Boaz does not marry her or sleep with her that night. It's the next night he marries her. So this is the night that she comes and lies with him. It says stay overnight. Stay over tonight. It will pass in the morning. It will come to pass in the morning that if he redeem you, right, there's someone closer to to uh to Ruth, her hus ex-husband, her husband that died, late husband who could redeem her and he doesn't. Then Boaz promises, I will redeem you, but we're not sleeping tonight. We're not going to sleep tonight together. And he he makes us an oath. Look what he says. Stay over tonight. And it will come to pass in the morning that if he the other person plon redeems you well let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to redeem you I will redeem you. But what happens right tonight as the Lord lives lie down until the morning that's a language of swearing. Look at Rashi. Rashi says, "Some of our rabbis say he swore to his evil inclination for his evil inclination was contending with him." What does it say? Ah, you're single. She's single. No big deal. Right? Go ahead, be intimate with her. So he swore that he would be intimate with her only in marriage which took place the next day. Okay? Okay. So we w we saw the P in Ruth. Ho what did Boaz do within his own oath? He made forbidden upon himself something that already he was forbidden to do because he already stood and right he already swore and stood at Mount Si and that's what it means that he was taking upon himself in Iser to what does that mean the double language something that was already forbidden to him who mitzvah that he made this oath to fulfill a mitzvah that was the oath not to do the mitzvah but to fulfill it right there is this concept that you're not allowed to make an oath to something you already swore hari it's called avu shav a a a a an empty oath I already said at mount snee that I was going to fulfill the mitzvah that's what we when we stood at Sai, we we made a note. We were going to fulfill the mitzvah. So, what I think he's saying in this paragraph is you're not actually swearing you're going to do the mitzvah. You're swearing that you're going to do the mitzvah with fervor, that you're going to get up and do it right away. There's something about the personality that's going to approach the mitzvah, not the mitzvah itself. Okay? Cuz you cannot make an oath on something you already made an oath on. It's called a shva sha. It's a false oath. You follow that? So when you're making this oath, I am going to do it right away. That you could do. You can't I'm going to do the mitzvah that you already swore and that would be a a fake oath, a false oath. Gimmelcious. Do not Do not desecrate his word. He himself cannot desecrate his word. He wants to accustom himself. The one making the nether wants to accustom himself by separating. And we already know this idea in Gmorrahazara. Look at number 26. It's page 20B. Right? This idea that Torah study leads to care in the performance of the mitzvah. Care in the performance of the mitzvah leads to diligent in their observance. Diligence leads to the cleanliness of the soul. Cleanliness of the soul leads to abstinence from all evil. And this is the main point that abstension from evil leads to purity and the elimination of all base desires. So you see why abstinence is a good thing. And that's the quote. And this is what it means when it says he should not desecrate make mundane his words. Right? meaning of don't make your words is the opposite of don't make your words plain not just desecrated but don't right don't make them plain your words should be holy meaning through the nether see it brings you to holiness the then automatically your words won't be mundane or they won't be desecrated and he says someone who's spiritually awoke will understand what this means au so after according to him the pope pik is dealing that that verse is dealing with all these three ideas. How does it end? The verse ends. All that comes out of his mouth, he should do. So then the the nether the vow itself, it becomes a mitzvah. It's like a mitzvah that he has to fulfill. But if you have any other intent then it's a you have to have either as we said the idea of in terms of character fear what else service and deus and only in those circumstances of what circumstances sar what else I hear you precious is the third and the middle one is right so only in those circumstances that's what he's trying to say if you have any other intent then what happens then it's it's like you are offering up it's like you built a bummer and an altar and you're offering it on that bama and that would be forbidden low. The best thing is that he would the best case scenario when you make a nether is to find these three rabbis or find the one in order in order to release you from so you don't have to fulfill it. You may have thought, I made the word, I have to go fulfill it. You have to know that if you made the vow, you must try to get out of it. I understand we all have pride and we all think we're, you know what I mean? I made the vow, I got to stick to it. It's a mistake. Okay. Hopefully, you have regret, >> right? >> You can take this any time, >> huh? >> No, no, no. As soon as possible. as soon as possible. The what you do in rashon and yamipur is for vows that you don't really know about. Yes, if you know about a vow, you have to have a conversation, right? It says in the art scroll, these are for vows you don't know about. If you know about a specific vow, you must talk it out. You have to have a private appointment. Okay? These are for general vows or for simple not really serious vows on rashashana yam kipur. Anything of serious nature you know about you must have a discussion with a rabbi. Okay. So he says the best thing is that you go and you ask to get the the the vow nullified mimo that you think you're going to fulfill it to there's no benefit at all that's not going to help you at all that you think you're going to fulfill it zulot except if you are one of these three if you have these three character traits in any one of these three scenarios begin. If these are in the three circumstances, then and only then would the like we mentioned already that's what it means that you have to fulfill anything that comes out of your mouth. And I just want to read the next six or seven lines. Therefore, the regarding these three distinctions in the medish and it's based on the verse Hashem you shall fear him you shall serve and in him you shall cling as it says in my name you may swear it's only if you have all three character traits then in his name you may swear meaning to say that if you have in mind to make an oath for these three things oh or you're making an oath in the time of the situation or mitzvah or in order to fulfill the mitzvah in a passionate way Or you want to use the nether to separate yourself, make yourself holy, then in his name you may swear you begin with me. In these three cases you make the oath. So look, we're approaching tomorrow night is roes. >> We're approaching a 30 days before el right. Is there such a place that a chauffeur is blown in a city where people don't tremble? So here we are 30 days before right we're actually starting the nine days the worst catastrophes in our history has happened during those days. So we have a lot of let's say introspection chuva and don't despair when you do chuva beha right it's unbelievable I don't know if you're you're familiar at all with the idea I'maz but I I'm jealous when I see the spard doing when I see the spardim doing even right saying the 13 meters and blowing the chauffeur and doing the whatever it is they do when they do their first of all they saying the same words Ashkanazim it's it's it's really hard Shakespeareian Hebrew every single day it's a different it's a different thing the I think they have it right it's the same words in a joyous tone do chuva with joy never despair the har right he wants you to say I it's too hard right and it's too depressing and you you can list all the different names you Doing chuva should be a joyous occasion. It should be so uplifting and so if you can change one mida even one notch right it's tremendous it's greater than learning all of right so anyway my prayer here is onesh right that we should all get in touch with who we truly are on a certain extent know our names know our mission do mitzvah with love and happiness and joy Right. Right. And um I'm going to say overreach, but let's just say right because the idea preaches, but if we can just focus on what we need to do and know that Hashem loves us and he's with us and have really true debac and then finally and altogether have the Vegas Hashem Hashem, Hashem will return right the B mikdash to us his dwelling. He'll he'll dwell with us in the way that's really prescribed in the Torah. All the Jews will come home. Mashik will reveal himself, fight our wars. Not necessarily in that order, but that should happen any day now. And with that, have a great chabas and a great life. And we'll see you next week. 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