A thought on פרשת מטות
"...k'chol ha'yotzai mi'piv ya'aseh...""...all that comes from his mouth shall he do..." (30:3)
The Torah perspective on nedarim - vows - is that a person is responsible for his speech and his declarations. In an earlier parsha email (Chukas), we began to look at the deeper and loftier aspects of how our verbal commitments here can resonate with the decisive decrees Above. A neder is an expression of exactitude and din. It is a means of declaring that we are committed and bound by the structure of din. This is a way of showing our allegiance to Torah and its rules, and a way of demonstrating fealty to the word of HaShem.
The Recanati, whose writings illuminated us on those aspects of nedarim, takes us further and deeper this week. Our parsha discusses the imperative of adhering to our vows, as we see from the verse. Our halachic tradition, though, introduces a manner in which vows can be revoked or rescinded. There is a formula which a person can follow when he or she needs to retract from having made a neder. One cannot release oneself from this commitment but one can approach qualified others who can guide the process of nullifying that which was declared.
That process, however, runs much deeper than this. Chazal (Chagiga 10a) make an unusual statement: "Heter nedarim porchin b'avir" - the rules for releasing one from a vow float in the air. Generally, we understand that statement as a reference to the fact that there is no explicit rule in the Torah for releasing one from a vow. Rather, the rule and its formulae come from our mesorah.
The Recanati says that this statement has a more profound message. We know that a vow resonates with the powerful din or judgements which are decreed above. There are times when a decree of Divine din will have consequences which we experience as harsh and difficult. Just think of how fervently we pray in Avinua Malkeinu that HaShem remove His awesome decrees!
When a Jewish person has taken a vow and must, because of a pressing condition or other justified grounds, seek a release from his commitment, he turns to a great person or to a group of wise men. When they see fit to release him from the vow - think about Kol Nidrei - this compassionate move "floats in the air." It ascends above and is accepted Above. The
impact of that means of tempering din with compassion makes an impression in Heaven. It contributes to the Divine process which may resonate with a revocation of a gezar din.
As the Recanati has taught us over and again this year, there is a parallel between our actions below and the events which occur above. Heter nedarim is an example of this. Just as there is a means of releasing a person from din, there is a means of releasing people from a gezar din. When we follow the halacha and utilize it to guide people past difficult binds, HaShem may also determine to show us a decree of compassion.
The Recanati adds that this in hinted at by another cryptic statement of Chazal (Brachos 32a): "Hu aino mochel aval acherim mochlin lo" - he himself cannot forgive but others can forgive him. Now, at first glance, this refers to the reality that one who vows cannot himself pronounce his own release. Only a qualified authority or tribunal can do that for him. At a more profound level, the "he" of the phrase "he cannot forgive" refers to HaShem! Chazal allude here to the issue of rescinding a gezar din in Shomayim! For release of such a decree, He cannot forgive but others can do so. The act of others on this earth who seek to ease the predicaments of a Jew can lead to a reciprocal easing of loftier forces.
Wishing you a good Shabbos. D Fox
The Torah perspective on nedarim - vows - is that a person is responsible for his speech and his declarations. In an earlier parsha email (Chukas), we began to look at the deeper and loftier aspects of how our verbal commitments here can resonate with the decisive decrees Above. A neder is an expression of exactitude and din. It is a means of declaring that we are committed and bound by the structure of din. This is a way of showing our allegiance to Torah and its rules, and a way of demonstrating fealty to the word of HaShem.
The Recanati, whose writings illuminated us on those aspects of nedarim, takes us further and deeper this week. Our parsha discusses the imperative of adhering to our vows, as we see from the verse. Our halachic tradition, though, introduces a manner in which vows can be revoked or rescinded. There is a formula which a person can follow when he or she needs to retract from having made a neder. One cannot release oneself from this commitment but one can approach qualified others who can guide the process of nullifying that which was declared.
That process, however, runs much deeper than this. Chazal (Chagiga 10a) make an unusual statement: "Heter nedarim porchin b'avir" - the rules for releasing one from a vow float in the air. Generally, we understand that statement as a reference to the fact that there is no explicit rule in the Torah for releasing one from a vow. Rather, the rule and its formulae come from our mesorah.
The Recanati says that this statement has a more profound message. We know that a vow resonates with the powerful din or judgements which are decreed above. There are times when a decree of Divine din will have consequences which we experience as harsh and difficult. Just think of how fervently we pray in Avinua Malkeinu that HaShem remove His awesome decrees!
When a Jewish person has taken a vow and must, because of a pressing condition or other justified grounds, seek a release from his commitment, he turns to a great person or to a group of wise men. When they see fit to release him from the vow - think about Kol Nidrei - this compassionate move "floats in the air." It ascends above and is accepted Above. The
impact of that means of tempering din with compassion makes an impression in Heaven. It contributes to the Divine process which may resonate with a revocation of a gezar din.
As the Recanati has taught us over and again this year, there is a parallel between our actions below and the events which occur above. Heter nedarim is an example of this. Just as there is a means of releasing a person from din, there is a means of releasing people from a gezar din. When we follow the halacha and utilize it to guide people past difficult binds, HaShem may also determine to show us a decree of compassion.
The Recanati adds that this in hinted at by another cryptic statement of Chazal (Brachos 32a): "Hu aino mochel aval acherim mochlin lo" - he himself cannot forgive but others can forgive him. Now, at first glance, this refers to the reality that one who vows cannot himself pronounce his own release. Only a qualified authority or tribunal can do that for him. At a more profound level, the "he" of the phrase "he cannot forgive" refers to HaShem! Chazal allude here to the issue of rescinding a gezar din in Shomayim! For release of such a decree, He cannot forgive but others can do so. The act of others on this earth who seek to ease the predicaments of a Jew can lead to a reciprocal easing of loftier forces.
Wishing you a good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 11:58 PM
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