nedarim 28

being threatened by murderers, robbers....

and tax collectors.

making a false vow to someone who threatening, so that they won't kill or rob you. including a tax collector. the gemara is quick to point out that paying one's taxes is part of the law of the land and illegal to lie to the tax authorities. so tax fraud is ok if it is to self-appointed tax collectors. honest guv.

nedarim 27

not being punished for things beyond one's control. eg don't punish the rape victim.

but the wife who is waiting for her husband to return? what control does she have?

nedarim 26

dangerous onions

& dissolving the vow so one can eat the harmless ones.

nedarim 25

when vows are made, do they follow the intention of the one who is making the vow?
what if they make a mistake and end up banning the wrong people?

how specific does one need to be when making a vow? using terms that are ambiguous and open to interpretation, or generalisations. also on this page is the case of a man who resented people helping themselves to his figs, so banned them all with a vow. only to realise that his father was in the crowd helping himself.

nedarim 24

using vows so you don't give like a king.
or take like a dog.

making a gift exchange something that is mutually beneficial as opposed to being a dog, that only receives. Or a king who only gives.

nedarim 23

when one's wife ignores the vow and marries her daughter to who she chooses....

..... so how do the rabbis come clean and teach about vows publicly.

Abaye vowed that his wife should not benefit from him if she married her daughter to a certain man. His wife ignored him.... his vow was considered cancelled as he would never made this vow if he thought she would defy him. Also on this page is a story about Rava preventing another rabbi teaching publicly about vows, as if they knew that certain statements weren't valid they would have a casual attitude to vows, knowing that they would really be valid... just like Abaye.... hmmmm

nedarim 22

angrily blocking out God.

&

being too ready to include God in one's vows.

This page discusses seeing God too much or not at all. there is a long list about anger and how harmful it is - descend to hell, hemorrhoids, removes God's presence. There is also the issue of those who vow invoking God's name, and how problematic it is to annul those vows.

nedarim 21

when making a vow, it is important that other people understand what is being said.
it is part of the conversation when buying and selling

but they will also pay attention when you shun your daughter.

using vows as part of the haggling banter, everyone knows that it is just how the conversation goes between buyer and seller. not really intended as a vow. also on this page is a case where a woman vowed that her daughter should not benefit from her (who knows what the daughter had done...) but the vow was cancelled as the mother would never have vowed this if she knew that other people would know about the vow. 

nedarim 20

the imperfect babies that are born from imperfect relationships.

nedarim 19

the heavy hair of the uncertain Samson

&

the uncertain firstborns - who emerged first?

making uncertain/doubtful statements. One type of a Nazirite vow is to be like Samson (never cutting one's hair, unless it gets too heavy) but if this is doubtful then can never cut it.

nedarim 18

not being too sure about what one is vowing to abstain from - depends on where you live.

nedarim 17

building vows upon vows...

vowing not to eat figs, and then not to eat grapes and figs

nedarim 16

eating or not eating

&

vowing not to do a mitzvah that involves certain objects. no ambiguity.

nedarim 15

the husband who tries to stop his wife visiting her father's house may well end up in a situation where she refuses to sleep with him.

This page discusses a man vowing that his wife can get benefit from him if she visits her father's house. It also discusses that he can't vow to refuse his wife sex, as he has an obligation to her. but she can vow not to sleep with him.

nedarim 14

no sleeping

no closing one's eyes
& no sleeping with one's wife.

This page discusses making a vow that one's wife is like a relative, and therefore and forbidden sexual partner. and making a vow about not sleeping has to be with an object - not closing one's eyes.

nedarim 13

vowing that certain body parts of one's body won't benefit

&

but can't vow that one's wife's body is untouchable as one's mother's. Never a good idea to compare one's wife with one's mother.

nedarim 12

forbidden food

food that was always forbidden

&

food and drink that are only forbidden due to a vow

making a vow to not eat & drink is only a valid vow if one associates it with food that is not inherently forbidden.

nedarim 11

even after the blood has been thrown, and what was once forbidden can be eaten... it stays forbidden to the one who vowed it so.

nedarim 10

arguing over equivalent terms,
are they invented by the rabbis or can one swear in a foriegn language?

- do the rabbis only talk to each other, or are they are aware of the words of the other. This page discuss various terms one might use when making a vow.

nedarim 9

distancing oneself from one's past regrets, vanities, sins,
& regretting one's past attempts to atone for all the above.

nedarim 8

those who dream at night of being cut off and coldly shunned.

& those who feel the intensity and heat of the sun.

nedarim 7

excommunicating someone in their presence - have to be in their presence to welcome them back.
- but you've sent them away.

nedarim 6

betrothing a second wife as an afterthought that isn't fully expressed.

nedarim 5

refusing to get benefit from the others. Creates a wall when both are cut off from each other.

even the things that aren't fully expressed.

nedarim 4

concealing her vows & oaths

so this is why mesechet nedarim is in Seder Nashim. It's all about he can cancel her vows and oaths. What she says, and wants to do (or not do) doesn't matter if there is a man around.

nedarim 3

when the partial becomes real
and delay
the shaving, the end of the denial.

how can a Nazir be culpable of the sin of delaying? by not shaving at the end of the time of Nazirite vow. & partial declarations are as binding as a complete declaration of a vow.