What is a shevua and what is a neder? TB Shavuot 20

Today we begin the third chapter of our massekhet with TB Shavuot 20. We have studied almost 48% of our massekhet without learning anything about shavuot (the plural of shevua)! That changes now. To best understand today’s daf and going forward, I think we need a short introduction of the terms we shall come across as we study.

Shevua (שְׁבוּעָה)-an oath. A shevua is binding on the person taking the oath. For example, I take an oath I take a shevua not to eat this loaf of bread. The prohibition is going on the individual. If he transgresses his shevua intentionally, he is punished with lashes. If he transgresses his shevua unintentionally, he brings to the Temple a sliding scale sacrifice (קרבן עולה ויורד). The person cannot make a shevua what is already prohibited in the Torah since all of Israel took a vow to uphold the laws in the Torah. “וַיִּקַּח֙ סֵ֣פֶר הַבְּרִ֔ית וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה וְנִשְׁמָֽע: -Then he took the record of the covenant and read it aloud to the people. And they said, “All that YHVH  has spoken we will faithfully do!” (Exodus 24:7)

Neder (נֶדֶר)-a vow. A neder is on the object itself. For example, the contents of this coffee cup is prohibited to me. There are no legal consequences for violating a neder. One can make a neder on a mitzvah because is on the mitzvah and not the individual.

Shevuat Sheker (שְׁבוּעַת שֶׁקֶר) “When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael, he reported that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: If one takes an oath, saying: I will eat, or: I will not eat, relating to the future, and does not fulfill it, it is a false oath. And its prohibition in the Torah is from here: “And you shall not take an oath by My name falsely, so that you profane the name of your God; I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:12). ” (Sefaria.org translation) The shevua deals with something the future.

Shevuat Shav (שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא) “(the continuation Rabbi Yoḥanan’s statement-gg) “. If one takes an oath, saying: I ate, or: I did not eat, relating to past actions, and it is a lie, it is an oath taken in vain, and its prohibition in the Torah is from here: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not absolve of guilt he that takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).” (Sefaria.org translation) The shevua deals with something the future.

Association (הַתְפָּסָה) only works according to Rava with nedarim (the plural of neder will will). (As Shmuel teaches) “The verse states: “When a man vows a vow to the Lord” (Numbers 30:3). The redundancy in the phrase “vows a vow” teaches that when one associates a vow with another prohibition, it does not take effect unless he vows by associating it with an item forbidden by means of a vow. Association is derived from this verse and is limited to vows.” (Sefaria.org translation) The halakha follows Rava.