Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Yosef Shemtov
In this week’s Parasha, The Torah talks about the laws of nedarim(vows) and swearing. The Torah states if someone makes a neder (vow) or swears, he must keep his promise (a positive mitzva) and not desecrate his promise ( a negative mitzva).
There are a few different kinds of nedarim. However, our parasha talks about vows by which one forbids himself from doing something such as not eating a certain food etc. If someone makes such a neder (vow) and breaks it, halachically it is similar to eating non-kosher food. This proves how powerful the words that come out from our mouths are. Words can change a kosher food into a non-kosher food. Words can heal and words can hurt. Words can empower and words can discourage.
The Rabbis in the Talmud talk so much about the consequences of making vows and not keeping them. In fact, they discourage us from making vows because of these consequences. It is interesting to note that the biggest mitzva in the Torah-which is learning Torah-and the biggest sin in the Torah – gossip- are both done by mouth.
Let’s try to use our mouths for positive things like making people feel good and not use it to hurt ourselves and others.
Shabbat Shalom