Nedarim 46

חסורי מיחסרא והכי קתני הרוצה שיאכל אצלו חבירו ומסרב בו ומדירו נדרי זירוזין הוא והרוצה שלא יתקיימו נדריו כל השנה יעמוד בראש השנה ויאמר כל נדר שאני עתיד לידור יהא בטל ובלבד שיהא זכור בשעת הנדר

The text is defective, and this is what was taught: He who desires his friend to eat with him, and after urging him, imposes a vow upon him, it is 'a vow of incitement [and hence invalid]. <font>And he who desires that none of his vows made during the year shall be valid, let him stand at the beginning of the year and declare, 'Every vow which I may make in the future shall be null.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This may have provided a support for the custom of reciting Kol Nidre (a formula for dispensation of vows) prior to the Evening Service of the Day of Atonement (Ran.). The context makes it perfectly obvious that only vows, where the maker abjures benefit from aught. or imposes an interdict of his own property upon his neighbour, are referred to. V. J.E. s.v. Kol Nidre. Though the beginning of the year (New Year) is mentioned here, the Day of Atonement was probably chosen on account of its great solemnity. But Kol Nidre as part of the ritual is later than the Talmud, and, as seen from the following statement about R. Huna h. Hinena, the law of revocation in advance was not made public. ');">¹</span></font>

אי זכור עקריה לתנאיה וקיים ליה לנדריה אמר אביי תני ובלבד שלא יהא זכור בשעת הנדר

[HIS VOWS ARE THEN INVALID,] PROVIDING THAT HE REMEMBERS THIS AT THE TIME OF THE VOW. But if he remembers, he has cancelled the declaration and confirmed the vow?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since, when vowing. he knows of his previous declaration, he obviously disregards it. as otherwise he would not vow at all. ');">²</span>

רבא אמר לעולם כדאמרינן מעיקרא הכא במאי עסקינן כגון שהתנה בראש השנה ולא ידע במה התנה והשתא קא נדר אי זכור בשעת הנדר ואמר על דעת הראשונה אני נודר נדריה לית ביה ממשא לא אמר על דעת הראשונה אני נודר עקריה לתנאיה וקיים לנדריה

— Abaye answered: Read: providing that it is not remembered at the time of the vow. Raba said, After all, it is as we said originally.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The received text is correct. ');">³</span>

רב הונא בר חיננא סבר למידרשיה בפירקא אמר ליה רבא תנא קא מסתים לה סתומי כדי שלא ינהגו קלות ראש בנדרים ואת דרשת ליה בפירקא

Here the circumstances are e.g., that one stipulated at the beginning of the year, but does not know in reference to what. Now he vows. Hence, if he remembers [the stipulation] and he declares: 'I vow in accordance with my original intention', his vow has no reality. But if he does not declare thus, he has cancelled his stipulation and confirmed his vow.

איבעיא להו פליגי רבנן עליה דרבי אליעזר בן יעקב או לא ואם תימצי לומר פליגי הלכתא כוותיה או לא תא שמע דתנן האומר לחבירו

R. Huna b. Hinena wished to lecture thereon [sc. anticipatory cancellation] at the public session. But Raba remonstrated with him: The Tanna has intentionally obscured the law,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' By giving a defective text. This implies that here, at least, the lacuna is not accidental, due to faulty transmission, but deliberate; cf. p. 2, n. 3. ');">⁴</span> in order that vows should not be lightly treated, whilst you desire to teach it publicly! The scholars propounded: Do the Rabbis disagree with R. Eliezer b. Jacob or not?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' But regard this as a binding vow. ');">⁵</span> And should you say that they differ, is the <i>halachah</i> like him or not?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the Mishnah teaches it as an individual opinion. ');">⁶</span> — Come and hear: For we learnt: If one says to his neighbour,