Matot-Massei’s Ten Commandments’ Moment

Due to Judaism’s Lunar Calendar, the fifty-four Torah Portions get adjusted so all can be read annually. This year, to accomplish this, the Portions Matot and Massei are combined. Matot’s Ten Commandments’ moment involving vows and oaths is this Post’s topic.

Vows

Vows are essentially one’s word. What is the value of “one’s word”?

To me, as a Lawyer, it is everything-my currency. Both in litigation and case resolution, my opponents rely upon my oral representations. Likewise, I rely upon theirs. Over three decades of legal practice, I have observed lawyers become ferocious defending their veracity when it was challenged.

Antiquity

With less literacy and limited writing capabilities, “one’s word” in the ancient world had a greater currency. With paper not abundant as it is today, other writing surfaces were employed. Even pottery shards, aka ostracon, were employed.

Thus, it is no surprise that the Torah places emphasis on the “spoken” word. The Hebrew Bible legislates and comments on pledges and oaths. i.e. Jephthah’s daughter. Judges 11.

Oral words’ value extended beyond religious matters. In antiquity, pledges and oaths were essential to conduct both national and international trade. “One’s word” enabled business relations, marital relations, and friendships. Business and social commitments were reliant upon them. In those days, like present times, a nation’s reputation mattered.

The Divine Connection

In the Torah, “spoken” words made things happen. In the Book of Genesis, the utterance of “Let there be light” started the world’s creation. Genesis 1:3.

Even God’s name implies action; the Tetragrammaton has been interpreted by some to mean “he causes to be.”

Thus, “action” or “making things happen” arguably is core Israelite value. The Ten Commandments enhanced the reliability of human vows and oaths by attaching the Lord’s name. In essence, he Lord’s name evoked translated into a divine guarantee of sorts. The Decalogue’s Commandment: “You shall not bring up the name of the Lord, your God, for a falsehood.” enacted this notion. Exodus 20:7

Matot

At the Portion Matot’s beginning, there is a puzzling passage.

“A man who will make a vow to the Lord or has sworn an oath to make a restriction on himself shall not desecrate his word.” Numbers 30:3. It goes further, “he shall do it according to everything that comes out of his mouth.” Numbers 30:4

The passage appears to describe two different actions: a vow and an oath. The issue is whether an “oath” is different from a vow. The vow evokes the Lord’s name while it appears that an oath doesn’t. The oath, however, suggests that it is something divinely directed, ie. it suggests Nazarite-like oath. See Numbers 6:1-21.

This passage arguably elevates the value of “one’s word.” It extends out the concept that things are to be done or not be done based upon one’s words.

Prior to the passage, the Children of Israel were declared to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exodus 19:5-6. Was this commandment intended to give their words increased conviction?

Conclusion

“One’s word” in the grand scheme of things remains an important world issue as it was in antiquity. Nations and individuals are judged on their reputations for being honest with respect to vows or oaths.

While the Ten Commandments addresses the Lord’s name in oath or vow making, the Portion Matot creates a wrinkle. Matot suggests that sworn matters -without the Lord’s name evoked- are subject to the obligation of performance, a “shall”. This action may have created a slippery slope leading to consequences applying to human’s undeified “word.” The nature and extent of this expansion, however, might be limited to deity directed matters.

While Matot’s passage is unclear, it presented as an opportunity to reflect upon the spoken word’s value.

Be well!!

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