Nedarim 15

מנין שנשבעין לקיים את המצוה שנאמר (תהילים קיט קו) נשבעתי ואקיימה לשמור משפטי צדקך

Whence do we know that an oath may be taken to fulfil a precept? From the verse, I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. CXIX, 106. ');">¹</span>

והלא מושבע ועומד מהר סיני הוא אלא הא קמ''ל דשרי ליה לאיניש לזרוזי נפשיה

But is he not under a perpetual oath from Mount Sinai?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Every Jew is regarded as having sworn at Sinai to observe God's precepts. ');">²</span>

ואמר רב גידל אמר רב האומר אשכים ואשנה פרק זה אשנה מסכתא זו נדר גדול נדר לאלהי ישראל והלא מושבע ועומד הוא ואין שבועה חלה על שבועה מאי קמ''ל דאפי' זרוזי בעלמא היינו דרב גידל קמייתא

— But what [R. Giddal] teaches us is that one may stimulate himself.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By an oath, to do what he is in any case bound to do. ');">³</span>

הא קמ''ל כיון דאי בעי פטר נפשיה בקרית שמע שחרית וערבית משום הכי חייל שבועה עליה

R. Giddal also said in Rab's name: He who says, 'I will rise early to study this chapter or this tractate,' has vowed a great vow to the God of Israel. But he is under a perpetual oath from Mount Sinai, and an oath cannot fall upon another?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., an oath is not valid when referring to that which is already subject to an oath. ');">⁴</span>

א''ר גידל א''ר האומר לחבירו נשכים ונשנה פרק זה עליו להשכים שנאמר (יחזקאל ג כב-כג) ויאמר אלי (בן אדם) קום צא אל הבקעה ושם אדבר אותך ואצא אל הבקעה והנה שם כבוד ה' עומד

Then [again] if he informs us that a person may thus stimulate himself, it is identical with R. Giddal's first [statement]? — This is what R. Giddal teaches: The oath is binding, since one can free [i.e., acquit] himself by the reading of the <i>Shema'</i> morning or evening.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The passage commencing: Hear O Israel etc. (Deut. VI, 4 seq.). There is a definite obligation to study day and night, which is derived either from Deut. VI, 7 (and thou shalt teach them, etc.) or from Josh. I, 8 (This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth). But it is stated in Men. 95b that the obligation is fulfilled by the reading of the Shema' morning and evening. ');">⁵</span>

אמר רב יוסף נידוהו בחלום צריך י' בני אדם להתיר לו והוא דתנו הלכתא אבל מתנו ולא תנו לא ואי ליכא דתנו הלכתא אפילו מתנו ולא תנו

R. Giddal said in Rab's name: If one says to his neighbour, 'Let us rise early and study this chapter,' it is his [the former's] duty to rise early, as it is written, And he said unto me, arise, go forth into the plain, and there I will talk with thee. Then I arose and went forth into the plain, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. III, 22, 23. The Lord, having instructed him to go forth, had preceded him. ');">⁶</span>

ואי ליכא ליזיל וליתב אפרשת דרכים ויהיב שלמא לבי י' עד דמקלעי ליה עשרה דגמרי הלכתא

R. Joseph said: If one was placed under a ban in a dream, ten persons are necessary for lifting the ban.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Dreams were widely held to have a positive significance; indeed, as almost partaking of the nature of prophecy. As we see here, a definite quality of reality was ascribed to them. V. J.E. s.v. 'Dreams'. ');">⁷</span>

א''ל רבינא לרב אשי ידע מאן שמתיה מהו דלישרי ליה אמר ליה לשמותיה שויוה שליח למישרי ליה לא שויוה שליח

They must have studied <i>halachah</i>;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb., hilketha, v. next note. ');">⁸</span>

אמר ליה רב אחא לרב אשי שמתיה ושרו ליה בחלמיה מאי א''ל כשם שאי אפשר לבר בלא תבן

I but if they had only learnt [Mishnah],<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So Rashi and Ran on the basis of our text. Mishnah is the law in broad outline, which characterises the whole of our present Mishnah, as compiled by R. Judah I. Hilketha (halachah) (law, rule) would appear to connote here the Talmudic discussion thereon, i.e., the amoraic development of the Mishnah. For tanu ([H],) referring to amoraic teaching instead of Tannaitic. cf. Kaplan, Redaction of the Talmud, pp. 209 seq. Ran, Asheri, and Tosaf, offer another interpretation, based on a slightly different reading: They must have taught law, but not merely learnt it (themselves). ');">⁹</span> they cannot lift the ban; but if such as have studied <i>halachah</i> are unavailable, then even those who have only learnt Mishnah], but had not studied [<i>halachah</i>] will do. But if even such are unavailable, let him go and sit at the cross-roads, and extend greetings<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'give peace' — the usual form of a Jewish greeting. ');">¹⁰</span> to ten men, until he finds ten men who have studied <i>halachah</i>.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Tosaf.: the greetings of ten men at the cross-roads will remove his grief; but ten scholars are necessary for the removal of the ban. ');">¹¹</span> Rabina asked R. Ashi: If he knew [in his dream] the person who placed him tinder a ban, can this person lift the ban? — He answered: He might have been appointed [God's] messenger to ban him, but not to revoke it. R. Aha asked R. Ashi: What if one was both banned and readmitted<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'it was loosened for him'. ');">¹²</span> in his dream? — Said he to him: Just as grain is impossible without straw,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Jer. XXIII, 28. ');">¹³</span>