In Numbers (Bamidbar) 30, the Torah details commands regarding the nullification of vow (neder) and oath (shbu’ah).
Numbers 30:2 is clear that a man must do according to his word, and
that he cannot deviate from what came from his mouth, and must fulfill
his vows. This seemingly is the case regardless of age or status for a
man (i.e., a boy in his father’s house would be no different than an
adult man living on his own).
However, for a woman, the situation is different. If a woman is in her father’s house in her youth, her father has authority over her vows (v.5). If a woman is married, her husband has authority over her vows (v.8). However, if a woman was married, then becomes divorced or a widow, her bindings on her soul are not nullifiable by others (v.9), even if she returns to her father’s house.
Whether it be her father in her father’s house in her youth, or her husband, if one who has authority over the woman witnesses the woman making a vow, the text states that he can either remain silent when he hears it, thereby allowing her vow to stand (v4,7), or he can reprove her and nullify it, wherein she will be pardoned from it by YHWH (v.5,8). Her husband may confirm it or may annul it (v.13), similarly to her father when she is in her youth in her father’s house.
In regard to defining a vow (neder) and oath (shbu’ah), we’ll refer to some other passages in the law wherein those words are used:
neder/nadar
Leviticus 7:16, 22:18-25, Numbers 15, and Deuteronomy 12 refer to voluntary slaughters/sacrifices
Leviticus 27 refers to the valuation of vows for people and animals
Numbers 6 refers to vow of Nazir (Nazarite)
Deuteronomy 23:21 requires that the vow be performed promptly
Vows are also used elsewhere in Genesis and the TNK, such as Jacob vowing that YHWH would be his Elohim if he was provided for (Genesis 28:20-21).
shbu’ah/shaba’
Exodus 13:19 refers to Joseph binding Israel to take his bones in their departure from Kemet
Exodus 22:11 and Leviticus 6 refer to swearing that one did not steal
Leviticus 5:4 refers to oaths obscured
Numbers 5:21 refers to the oath of the jealousy offering
Exodus 13:5, Exodus 32:13, Deuteronomy 7:8, etc refer to the covenantal oath of YHWH with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Deuteronomy 1:34-35 refers to YHWH swearing to not allow that generation to see the land
Deuteronomy 10:20 speaks of swearing by His Name
The word for “oath” also means “seven”, and is used numerically in the text as well. Also, there are oaths in Genesis, such as Abraham having his servant swear regarding his quest for getting Isaac a wife (24:2-8).
Numbers 30 also speaks of isar, or bond, which is typically used for physically binding people or yoking animals (Genesis 39:20, Exodus 14:6). Its use in the sense of vowing is limited in the Torah to the commands of the chapter being discussed. Interestingly, v.13 refers to “oath of bond to humble soul”, which is similar to the wordings in the Yom Kippur/Day of Covering commands (Leviticus 16:29, Leviticus 23:27, etc), wherein one is required to humble their soul.
Returning to the nullification of vows, this has some interesting implications in the sense of the role of women by the standard of the Torah commands. While some might refer to the time of the Torah as a “different culture”, and the differences in the status of men vs women as a cultural issue, this is simply not the case, at least in this matter, as Numbers 30:1 clearly states that these were supposed to be commands given by YHWH through Moses. This authority and responsibility given to a man who has a daughter or has a wife is a matter of command and law. These literal commands cannot be overturned by personal theologies derived from vague wordings elsewhere, and they certainly have implications regarding what the commanded familial structure or gender hierarchy should be.
Another passage will be relevant to the subject of women’s rights in the Torah, and this will be addressed next week. This is the issue of women’s inheritance rights from Numbers 36.
This was written for the reading of parashah Matot, the rabbinic Torah portion. The actual written Torah (Exodus through Deuteronomy) does not command the parashah, nor does the calendar of the Torah necessarily coincide with the rabbinic calendar. I do think it is productive to have a weekly reading of the actual Torah, however, and this is a tradition that is frequently followed. Let’s get back to the true Torah, the written Torah.
(From prior posting on Gr. 7/17/14)
However, for a woman, the situation is different. If a woman is in her father’s house in her youth, her father has authority over her vows (v.5). If a woman is married, her husband has authority over her vows (v.8). However, if a woman was married, then becomes divorced or a widow, her bindings on her soul are not nullifiable by others (v.9), even if she returns to her father’s house.
Whether it be her father in her father’s house in her youth, or her husband, if one who has authority over the woman witnesses the woman making a vow, the text states that he can either remain silent when he hears it, thereby allowing her vow to stand (v4,7), or he can reprove her and nullify it, wherein she will be pardoned from it by YHWH (v.5,8). Her husband may confirm it or may annul it (v.13), similarly to her father when she is in her youth in her father’s house.
In regard to defining a vow (neder) and oath (shbu’ah), we’ll refer to some other passages in the law wherein those words are used:
neder/nadar
Leviticus 7:16, 22:18-25, Numbers 15, and Deuteronomy 12 refer to voluntary slaughters/sacrifices
Leviticus 27 refers to the valuation of vows for people and animals
Numbers 6 refers to vow of Nazir (Nazarite)
Deuteronomy 23:21 requires that the vow be performed promptly
Vows are also used elsewhere in Genesis and the TNK, such as Jacob vowing that YHWH would be his Elohim if he was provided for (Genesis 28:20-21).
shbu’ah/shaba’
Exodus 13:19 refers to Joseph binding Israel to take his bones in their departure from Kemet
Exodus 22:11 and Leviticus 6 refer to swearing that one did not steal
Leviticus 5:4 refers to oaths obscured
Numbers 5:21 refers to the oath of the jealousy offering
Exodus 13:5, Exodus 32:13, Deuteronomy 7:8, etc refer to the covenantal oath of YHWH with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Deuteronomy 1:34-35 refers to YHWH swearing to not allow that generation to see the land
Deuteronomy 10:20 speaks of swearing by His Name
The word for “oath” also means “seven”, and is used numerically in the text as well. Also, there are oaths in Genesis, such as Abraham having his servant swear regarding his quest for getting Isaac a wife (24:2-8).
Numbers 30 also speaks of isar, or bond, which is typically used for physically binding people or yoking animals (Genesis 39:20, Exodus 14:6). Its use in the sense of vowing is limited in the Torah to the commands of the chapter being discussed. Interestingly, v.13 refers to “oath of bond to humble soul”, which is similar to the wordings in the Yom Kippur/Day of Covering commands (Leviticus 16:29, Leviticus 23:27, etc), wherein one is required to humble their soul.
Returning to the nullification of vows, this has some interesting implications in the sense of the role of women by the standard of the Torah commands. While some might refer to the time of the Torah as a “different culture”, and the differences in the status of men vs women as a cultural issue, this is simply not the case, at least in this matter, as Numbers 30:1 clearly states that these were supposed to be commands given by YHWH through Moses. This authority and responsibility given to a man who has a daughter or has a wife is a matter of command and law. These literal commands cannot be overturned by personal theologies derived from vague wordings elsewhere, and they certainly have implications regarding what the commanded familial structure or gender hierarchy should be.
Another passage will be relevant to the subject of women’s rights in the Torah, and this will be addressed next week. This is the issue of women’s inheritance rights from Numbers 36.
This was written for the reading of parashah Matot, the rabbinic Torah portion. The actual written Torah (Exodus through Deuteronomy) does not command the parashah, nor does the calendar of the Torah necessarily coincide with the rabbinic calendar. I do think it is productive to have a weekly reading of the actual Torah, however, and this is a tradition that is frequently followed. Let’s get back to the true Torah, the written Torah.
(From prior posting on Gr. 7/17/14)
