Nedarim 9a — the Talmud in English

Mishna:

The Mishna before us brings a new type of yadot of vows, in which the one who vows, or swears, or accepts nezirut upon himself, defines his words, and they take effect according to their meaning.

One who says

“Like the vows of the wicked”—

this is

a vow concerning neziriteship, and an offering, and an oath.

Since it is the way of the wicked to vow and to swear.

[And they are not actually wicked; rather, since it is not fitting for the worthy to conduct themselves with vows and oaths, these who vow and swear are called “wicked.”]

That is, if he said, “Like the vows of the wicked, I am,” when a nazir passed before him, this is a yad for nezirut.

And if he said, “Like the vows of the wicked, upon me,” and an animal was before him—this is a yad for a vow of undertaking to bring an offering.

And likewise, if he said, “Like the vows of the wicked, from it,” and a loaf of bread was before him—this is a yad for the prohibition of a vow.

But if he said

“Like the vows of the worthy”—

he has said nothing,

since worthy people do not obligate themselves by a vow.

But if he said

“Like their donations”

of the worthy—this is

a vow concerning neziriteship and an offering,

since the worthy donate offerings and conduct themselves with nezirut. But the tanna did not mention an oath of donation, since the worthy do not swear at all!

Gemara:

We learned in the Mishna that one who says, “Like the vows of the wicked,” his vow or his nezirut takes effect.

And the Gemara assumed that it is sufficient that he said this expression in order to become forbidden by a vow and by nezirut. Therefore the Gemara wondered: But from where do we know from this expression that his intention is to vow or to accept nezirut?

And perhaps this is what he said: “Like the vows of the wicked”—

I have not vowed!

Shmuel said:

The Mishna is speaking

of

one who

says

“Like the vows of the wicked—

I am,”

or who says, “Like the vows of the wicked—

upon me,”

or

who says, “Like the vows of the wicked—

from it.”

And the meaning of “Like the vows of the wicked, I am” is—

“I am in nezirut.”

And the meaning of “Like the vows of the wicked, upon me” is—“I accept

upon myself, concerning an offering.”

And the meaning of “Like the vows of the wicked, from it” is—“I am forbidden

from it by an oath.”

And we raised an objection concerning it: From where do you know that “Like the vows of the wicked,

I am”

is acceptance of

neziriteship?

Perhaps

“I am fasting,”

he said!?

Shmuel said:

It is speaking here in a case

where a nazir was passing before him.

And we further raised an objection concerning it: Since this one who vows did not say whether his intention was to swear to eat the loaf or his intention was to swear not to eat the loaf, from where do you know that the meaning of

“from it”

is that he will not eat from the loaf

by an oath?

And perhaps his intention is the opposite—

Perhaps

one who says, “Like the vows of the wicked,

from it”—

an oath

“that I will eat it,” he said!

Rava said:

It is speaking in a case

where he said,

“from it—

that I will not eat.”

And we refute this:

If so,

since he explicitly said that he will not eat, it is obvious that he swore not to eat it, and

what

need was there

to state it?

And we answer:

Lest you say,

I would say,

“For he does not bring an oath out of his mouth,”

for this person did not bring an oath out of his mouth, but merely said, “Like the vows of the wicked, from it, that I will not eat,” and this is not an oath,

it teaches us this law,

that this is an expression of an oath.

We learned in the Mishna:

“Like the vows of the worthy”—

he has said nothing.

“Like their donations”—

a vow

concerning a nazir and an offering.

And we raised an objection concerning it:

Who

is the

tanna to whom it is different

who makes a distinction

between a vow and a donation,

that the worthy donate but do not vow?

Let us say,

should we say that our Mishna is

not Rabbi Meir

and

not Rabbi Judah

!?

For it was taught:

It is written in the Book of Ecclesiastes [chapter 5]: “That which you vow—pay”!

“And”

better that you should not vow

than that you should vow and not pay!

And the Sages expounded these two verses as follows:

Better than both,

than the one who vows and pays and than the one who vows and does not pay, is one

who does not vow at all; the words of Rabbi Meir.

It follows that according to Rabbi Meir, the worthy do not vow at all, neither a vow nor a donation.

Rabbi Judah says: “Better than both”

than one who does not vow and than one who vows and does not pay is one who

vows and pays!

And it follows that according to Rabbi Judah, the worthy even vow, whereas our Mishna distinguishes between a vow and a donation!?

And we answer:

Even if you say

that our Mishna is

Rabbi Meir’s,

it can be reconciled: