That we not profane our words from vows: That we have been prevented that we not change that which we obligate ourselves in speech (see Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 157) — and even though it is without an oath. And these are vows — for example, a person will say [that] fruits of the world, or fruits of country x or y type of fruits are forbidden to him; and so too, [that] he will say his wife is forbidden to him; and similar to these things — that he is obligated to fulfill them. And about this is it stated (Numbers 30:3), “he shall not profane (yachel) his word.” And they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Sifrei Bamidbar 153:4), that he should not make his word non-sacred (chullin), meaning to say, that he obligate something on himself and not fulfill it. And the language of the Gemara [in] Shevuot 20b [is that] they, may their memory be blessed, said [when a person says] konam (a pledge to bring a sacrifice), he [is liable to] transgress because of “he shall not profane his word.” And so [too,] with anything that a man vows for a sacrifice or upkeep of the [Temple] or charity or for the synagogue or similar to them, he [is liable to] transgress because of “he shall not profane his word.” But with other matters — such as one who vows something to his fellow or who says, “I will” or “I will not do thing x” — even though it is ugly, and it is only small-souled people who do it, he does not transgress because of “he shall not profane his word”; only in the way that we have written. However, about it all is it stated in the Torah (Exodus 23:7), “Keep far from a false thing.” And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote that they are two separate commandments, vows to the Elevated realm and vows of utterance, and as we will write below in the Order of Ki Tetseh in the commandment of fulfilling what comes out of the lips (Sefer HaChinukh 575).
I have already written the root of the commandment regarding the matter of vows and oaths in the Order of Vayishma Yitro in the negative commandment of “You shall not take” (Sefer HaChinukh 30).
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed (Chagigah 10a) said, “He cannot pardon [it], but others can pardon it,” such as three commoners or one expert, as we have written in the previous commandment; [that] the same is also true when we ask about sanctifications and about donations to charity, so long as they have not come to the hand of the collector; and [that which] they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nedarim 59a), even about the priestly tithe or about the challah tithe, we may ask about them, so long as they have not come to the hand of the priest. And the rest of the details of the commandment are elucidated in Tractate Nedarim. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 203.)
And this commandment is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and made a vow or a prohibition upon himself — without an oath — and did not fulfill it has violated this negative commandment. But he is not lashed for it, as there is no act [connected] with it. And that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Temurah 3a) that one who swears, or transfers [holiness] or curses his fellow with the name [of God] is lashed, even though there is no act there, is only [when he] swears. But on account of the prohibition of “he shall not profane” regarding his vow or for a prohibition [on himself] without an oath, there are no lashes for it.
שֶׁלֹּא נַחֵל דְּבָרֵנוּ בִּנְדָרִים – שֶׁנִּמְנַעְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא לְשַׁנּוֹת מָה שֶׁנְּחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ בְּדִבּוּר (עי' סהמ"צ ל"ת קנז) וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בְּלֹא שְׁבוּעָה, וְאֵלֶּה הֵם הַנְּדָרִים, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיֹּאמַר הָאָדָם פֵּרוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹ פֵּרוֹת מְדִינָה פְּלוֹנִית אוֹ מִין פְּלוֹנִי שֶׁל פֵּרוֹת אֲסוּרִין עָלָיו, וּכְמוֹ כֵן שֶׁיֹּאמַר אִשְׁתּוֹ אֲסוּרָה עָלָיו. וְכַיּוֹצֵא בְּאֵלּוּ הָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁחַיָּב לְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (במדבר ל ג) לֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ. וּפֵרְשׁוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ספרי כאן) לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה דְּבָרָיו חֻלִּין, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיְּחַיֵּב עַל נַפְשׁוֹ דָּבָר וְלֹא יְקַיְּמֵהוּ, וּלְשׁוֹן גְּמָרָא שְׁבוּעוֹת (כ, ב) אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, קוֹנָמוֹת עוֹבֵר מִשּׁוּם לֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ. וְכֵן בְּכָל מָה שֶׁיִּדֹּר הָאָדָם לְקָרְבָּן אוֹ לְבֶדֶק הַבַּיִת אוֹ לִצְדָקָה אוֹ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן עוֹבֵר עֲלֵיהֶן מִשּׁוּם לֹא יַחֵל. אֲבָל בְּעִנְיָנִים אֲחֵרִים, כְּגוֹן הַנּוֹדֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ דָּבָר אוֹ הָאוֹמֵר דָּבָר פְּלוֹנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹ לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה, שֶׁלֹּא בִּלְשׁוֹן נֶדֶר וְאִסּוּר וְקוֹנָמוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מְכֹעָר וְלֹא יַעֲשׂוּ כֵּן רַק פְּחוּתֵי הַנֶּפֶשׁ בִּבְנֵי אָדָם אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא יַחֵל, אֶלָּא בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ. וְאָמְנָם עַל הַכֹּל נֶאֱמַר בַּתּוֹרָה מִדְּבַר שֶׁקֶר תִּרְחָק. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּתַב (בספר המצוות עשה צד) שֶׁשְּׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת חֲלוּקוֹת הֵן נִדְרֵי גָּבוֹהַּ וְנִדְרֵי בִּטּוּי, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּכְתֹּב לְמַטָּה, בְּסֵדֶר כִּי תֵצֵא, בְּמִצְוַת קִיּוּם מוֹצָא שְׂפָתַיִם (מצוה תקעה).
That we not profane our words from vows: That we have been prevented that we not change that which we obligate ourselves in speech (see Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 157) — and even though it is without an oath. And these are vows — for example, a person will say [that] fruits of the world, or fruits of country x or y type of fruits are forbidden to him; and so too, [that] he will say his wife is forbidden to him; and similar to these things — that he is obligated to fulfill them. And about this is it stated (Numbers 30:3), “he shall not profane (yachel) his word.” And they, may their memory be blessed, explained (Sifrei Bamidbar 153:4), that he should not make his word non-sacred (chullin), meaning to say, that he obligate something on himself and not fulfill it. And the language of the Gemara [in] Shevuot 20b [is that] they, may their memory be blessed, said [when a person says] konam (a pledge to bring a sacrifice), he [is liable to] transgress because of “he shall not profane his word.” And so [too,] with anything that a man vows for a sacrifice or upkeep of the [Temple] or charity or for the synagogue or similar to them, he [is liable to] transgress because of “he shall not profane his word.” But with other matters — such as one who vows something to his fellow or who says, “I will” or “I will not do thing x” — even though it is ugly, and it is only small-souled people who do it, he does not transgress because of “he shall not profane his word”; only in the way that we have written. However, about it all is it stated in the Torah (Exodus 23:7), “Keep far from a false thing.” And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote that they are two separate commandments, vows to the Elevated realm and vows of utterance, and as we will write below in the Order of Ki Tetseh in the commandment of fulfilling what comes out of the lips (Sefer HaChinukh 575).
שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה בְּעִנְיַן הַנְּדָרִים וְהַשְּׁבוּעוֹת לְקַיֵּם כָּל דָּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי כְּבָר בְּסֵדֶר "וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ", בְּלָאו "לֹא תִשָּׂא" (מצוה ל).
I have already written the root of the commandment regarding the matter of vows and oaths in the Order of Vayishma Yitro in the negative commandment of “You shall not take” (Sefer HaChinukh 30).
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה י, א) הוּא אֵינוֹ מֵחֵל, אֲבָל אֲחֵרִים מְחִלִּין לוֹ, כְּגוֹן שְׁלֹשָׁה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת אוֹ יָחִיד מֻמְחֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בַּמִּצְוָה הַקּוֹדֶמֶת, וְהוּא הַדִּין גַּם כֵּן כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁאָלִין עַל הַהֶקְדֵּשׁוֹת וְעַל הַצְּדָקוֹת כָּל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא בָּאוּ לִידֵי גַּבַּאי, וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל הַתְּרוּמָה וְעַל הַחַלָּה אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (נדרים נט, א) שֶׁנִּשְׁאָלִין עֲלֵיהֶן עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּאוּ לְיַד כֹּהֵן, וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה, מְבֹאָרִים בְּמַסֶּכֶת נְדָרִים [י"ד, סי' רג].
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed (Chagigah 10a) said, “He cannot pardon [it], but others can pardon it,” such as three commoners or one expert, as we have written in the previous commandment; [that] the same is also true when we ask about sanctifications and about donations to charity, so long as they have not come to the hand of the collector; and [that which] they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nedarim 59a), even about the priestly tithe or about the challah tithe, we may ask about them, so long as they have not come to the hand of the priest. And the rest of the details of the commandment are elucidated in Tractate Nedarim. (See Tur, Yoreh Deah 203.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְנָדַר אוֹ אָסַר אִסָּר עַל נַפְשׁוֹ בְּלֹא שְׁבוּעָה וְלֹא קִיְּמוֹ עָבַר עַל לָאו זֶה, אֲבָל אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה עָלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תמורה ג, א) שֶׁהַנִּשְׁבָּע וּמֵמֵר וּמְקַלֵּל חֲבֵרוֹ בַּשֵּׁם לוֹקֶה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מַעֲשֶׂה זֶהוּ נִשְׁבָּע, אֲבָל מִשּׁוּם לָאו דְּלֹא יַחֵל בְּנֶדֶר אוֹ אִסָּר שֶׁלֹּא בִּשְׁבוּעָה אֵין בּוֹ מַלְקוּת.
And this commandment is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and made a vow or a prohibition upon himself — without an oath — and did not fulfill it has violated this negative commandment. But he is not lashed for it, as there is no act [connected] with it. And that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Temurah 3a) that one who swears, or transfers [holiness] or curses his fellow with the name [of God] is lashed, even though there is no act there, is only [when he] swears. But on account of the prohibition of “he shall not profane” regarding his vow or for a prohibition [on himself] without an oath, there are no lashes for it.