- What are some commitments you've made - to yourself or to others - over the past year that you've followed through on?
- When you've had trouble making promises or commitments, what do you think has held you back?
Doing Our Best in Uncertain Times
קְח֨וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֤ם תְּרוּמָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה כֹּ֚ל נְדִ֣יב לִבּ֔וֹ יְבִיאֶ֕הָ אֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה זָהָ֥ב וָכֶ֖סֶף וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃
Take from among you gifts to the LORD; everyone whose heart so moves them shall bring them—gifts for the LORD: gold, silver, and copper.
- Note for context that this text takes place 3 chapters after the construction (and destruction) of the Golden Calf. In this text, Moses instructs the people about building the Tabernacle (the traveling temple, as it were, or "wifi router" for God's signal).
- From a simple reading of this text, and beyond the New Age-y translation, what do you think the "whose heart so moves them" qualification adds to the text? What might it suggest about one's commitments, or lack thereof, to contribute to the communal construction of the tabernacle?
ר' יצחק אומר יש להם על מה שיסמכו שנאמר (שמות לה, ה) כל נדיב לבו...
Rabbi Yitzḥak says: These halakhot (laws, about annulling vows) have something to support them, as it is stated: “Whoever is of a willing heart, let them bring it” (Exodus 35:5). This verse indicates that as long as one retains the same desire to fulfill the vow, they must continue to fulfill it, but if they regret taking the vow, they may arrange for it to be dissolved.
Even God Makes Unkept Promises
וַיְחַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָמָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ יֶחֱרֶ֤ה אַפְּךָ֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥חַ גָּד֖וֹל וּבְיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃
But Moses implored/appeased the LORD his God, saying, “Let not Your anger, O Lord, blaze forth against Your people, whom You delivered from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand.
- For context, this takes place in the same chapter and right after the Golden Calf episode.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַיְחַל משֶׁה, מַהוּ כֵן, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק, שֶׁהִתִּיר נִדְרוֹ שֶׁל יוֹצְרוֹ. כֵּיצַד, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעֵגֶל עָמַד משֶׁה מְפַיֵּס הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁיִּמְחֹל לָהֶם. אָמַר הָאֱלֹהִים, משֶׁה, כְּבָר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי (שמות כב, יט): זֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם, וּדְבַר שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁיָּצָא מִפִּי אֵינִי מַחֲזִירוֹ. אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם וְלֹא נָתַתָּ לִי הֲפָרָה שֶׁל נְדָרִים...וְכָל זָקֵן שֶׁמּוֹרֶה הוֹרָאָה אִם יִרְצֶה שֶׁיְקַבְּלוּ אֲחֵרִים הוֹרָאָתוֹ צָרִיךְ הוּא לְקַיְמָהּ תְּחִלָּה, וְאַתָּה צִוִּיתַנִי עַל הֲפָרַת נְדָרִים, דִּין הוּא שֶׁתַּתִּיר אֶת נִדְרְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתַנִי לְהַתִּיר לַאֲחֵרִים. מִיָּד נִתְעַטֵּף בְּטַלִּיתוֹ וְיָשַׁב לוֹ כְּזָקֵן, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד כְּשׁוֹאֵל נִדְרוֹ...וּמָה אָמַר לוֹ דָּבָר קָשֶׁה, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דָּבָר קָשֶׁה אָמַר לְפָנָיו תָּהִיתָ אֶתָמְהָא, אָמַר לוֹ תּוֹהֶא אֲנָא עַל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת לְעַמִּי, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר משֶׁה מֻתָּר לָךְ מֻתָּר לָךְ, אֵין כָּאן נֶדֶר וְאֵין כָּאן שְׁבוּעָה, הֱוֵי: וַיְחַל משֶׁה, שֶׁהֵפֵר נִדְרוֹ לְיוֹצְרוֹ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (במדבר ל, ג): וְלֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ לְפִיכָךְ נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, לוֹמַר שֶׁהִתִּיר נֶדֶר לָאֱלֹהִים, וְכֵן וַיְחַל משֶׁה.
“And Moses appeased God” (Ex. 32:11) But how? Rabbi Berachia said in the name of Rabbi Helbo in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak: Moses performed hatarat nedarim for his Creator.
How so? At the moment the Israelites made the Golden Calf, Moses stood up to appease God, so that God would forgive them. But God said to Moses, “I have already taken an oath about it!: “One who sacrifices to other gods shall be utterly destroyed! (Exodus 22:19),” and an oath which leaves My mouth cannot be retracted!”
So Moses said: Master of the Universe, didn’t you give me the Torah laws of permitting vows? … You are like an Elder who issues rulings: if he wants others to accept his ruling, he better first follow the law himself! And You who have commanded me about undoing vows, by law You should permit Your vow just as You have commanded me to permit for others!
Just then, Moses wrapped himself in his Tallit and sat like an Elder while the Holy One stood before him like a petitioner on a vow. …. And what did Moses say to God? Rav Huna, the son of Aha said: The answer is hard to talk about. Rabbi Yochanan said: Yes, the answer is hard to talk about. Moshe said before God: Are You very anguished? God said to him: I am very anguished about the horrible thing I said I would to My people!
At that moment, Moses pronounced: “It is permitted for you, it is permitted for you. There is no vow. There is no swear.” …
Rabbi Simeon, son of Lakish said: And that’s why Moses is called “a Man of God”. For he would make permitted the vows of God.
- What do you think God is emotionally feeling at the beginning of this story, when Moses approaches God? Is God angry, as described in the verses above, or something else?
- What is the take-home message of this story - about promises and uncertainty?
- What are some promises you've made to yourself or others that you wish you had fulfilled, but didn't?
- What commitments do you regret making over the past year?
- How would it feel to be released from those promises, by others or by God?
תנן במסכת נדרים (כג, ב), הרוצה שלא יתקיימו נדריו של כל השנה, יעמוד בראש השנה ויאמר כל הנדרים שאני עתיד לידור בזו השנה יהיו בטלים...וכך הוא המנהג בארץ ישראל, מתאספין בערב ראש השנה בבתי מדרשות עדה קדושה תלמידי חכמים ויראי שמים...עומד בפני העדה הקדושה ואומר בזה הלשון, שמעו נא רבותי דיינים מומחים... ואז מתרחק מהעדה הקדושה ד' אמות בחליצת מנעלים, ומתפלש באפר כאבל ומקבל על עצמו נידוי ויושב כמנודה. ולאחר שישב מעט על הארץ כמנודה וכאבל, אז קורין אותו העדה הקדושה ואומרים לו, אחינו אתה, אחינו אתה, אחינו אתה, מאחר שקבלת עליך את הדין. אז יעמוד מהארץ ומתפלל בדמעות להש"י
We learn in Masechet Nedarim 23b, that one who wants to avoid being trapped by their own vows should rise up on Rosh Hashanah and make the following declaration, voiding the vows of the past, and weakening the vows of the future...This is what they do in the Land of Israel, gathering together in the synagogues and school-houses before the sages, and makes the proclamation : "Hear me, my masters! All my vows, etc." Afterwards, one should take four paces back and sit away from everybody, alone as a mourner, as if one was in exile. After sitting apart for some moments, the judges call them back and say "Our brother! Our brother! Our brother!" Then, they can stand and truly pray.
התרת נדרים | Hatarat Nedarim: The Release of Vows/ Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
The petitioner:
What follows is not intended
to void promises I made to other people
from which only they can release me.
In the last year I have from time to time made vows,
sometimes speaking them out loud or had an intention,
a resolution to change something in my actions, behavior and attitude in my mind.
Some of these are in relation to myself, my body, my mind, and my soul.
Some of these deal with the way in which I conduct myself in relation to other people.
And most of all, there are those that deal with my relation to God.
Sometimes I took on a practice or a custom
and did it at least three times
and have since either willingly or unwillingly abandoned it
and I know that this, too, has the power of a vow.
Many times when I ask for prayers for some people
whether they are prayers for healing, for blessing
or for the repose of souls departed,
in which the formula includes,
“Because I shall contribute to tsedakah”
and I may have forgotten to do that or not been aware,
I ask you to release me from that, too.
All these I regret
and I ask you to recognize my regret
and release me from all those vows.
The judges:
Hearing your regret, we release you.
All is forgiven,
all is released,
and may it be that
in the same way that we here below
release you from theses vows and obligations,
so may you be released from the court above from the same.