Chart of Vows and Promises

MOSHEH SPOKE TO THE HEADS OF THE TRIBES OF THE BNEI YISROEL AS FOLLOWS, ‘THIS IS THE LAW THAT HASHEM HAS COMMANDED.’ [ BEMIDBAR, 30 : 2 ]

איש (Man)

• קטן (Boy): Up till twelve years old. אין נדריו נדרים (His vows are not vows).
• מופלא סמוך לאיש (Boy): Aged between twelve years and one day and thirteen years and one day. נדריו נבדקין (His vows are examined).
• איש — “כי ידור נדר” (Man): Thirteen years and one day and older. “ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה” (He shall do according to all that proceeds from his mouth).

אשה (Woman)

• קטן (Girl): Up till eleven years old. אין נדריה נדרים (Her vows are not vows).
• קטן (Girl): Aged between eleven years and one day and twelve years and one day. נדריה נבדקין (Her vows are examined).
• נערה (Girl): Aged between twelve years and one day and twelve-and-a-half and one day.
  • פנויה (Unattached): נדריה נדרים (Her vows are vows) if her father does not object.
  • מאורסה (Betrothed): נדריה נדרים (Her vows are vows) unless both her father and her ארוס (betrothed) object.
  • נשואה (Married): נדריה נדרים (Her vows are vows) if her husband does not object.
• בוגרת (Girl or Woman): From twelve-and-a-half and one day and older.
  • פנויה (Unattached): נדריה נדרים (Her vows are vows).
  • נשואה (Married): נדריה נדרים (Her vows are vows) if her husband does not object.
• אלמנה וגרושה (Widow or Divorcee): נדריה נדרים (Her vows are vows). [But a נערה who is an אלמנה or a גרושה מן האירוסין reverts back to her father’s רשות (authority)].

NOTES:

1. ‘PART OF A DAY IS CONSIDERED AS THE WHOLE DAY’ — “מקצת היום ככולו”.
2. THE ארוס AND HUSBAND CAN OBJECT AND ANNUL ONLY SUCH נדרים THAT ARE בינו לבינה (between him and her).
3. THE OBJECTION — AND ANNULMENT — MUST BE ON THE DAY OF HEARING OF THE נדר.