Three Approaches to Vows in Rambam

One who is on a higher spiritual level must involve oneself with the physical world to sanctify the physical and also raise others, making such vows unnecessary.

A special inclusion for a single Chacham to annul a vow; a person who cannot restrain oneself from proper involvement in the world can make a vow of abstinence.

Three approaches reflected in Rambam regarding a Jew’s connection to permissible matters:

• First Level - נדר
  נדרים סיג לפרישות
• Second Level - בלי נדר
  קדש עצמו במותר לך
• 3rd Level – למעלה מנדר
  בכל דרכיך דעהו

Vows Are Praiseworthy
רמב”ם הל' נדרים יג, כגNot to Increase in Vows
רמב”ם הל' נדרים יג, כדNo Need to Separate with Vows
רמב”ם הל' דעות ג, אFor one who needs a vow to reinforce one’s resolve (a trusted fence)For one who has self-control to avoid the appeals of the outside worldFor one who is not drawn after worldly matters but can utilize them to make birurSeparating from the permissible by a vow; helps a person to fix one’s actions and separate from the “lusts” of the worldSeparating from the permissible without a vow; able to separate from unworthy matters without a vowNot separating from the permissible; can affect the material world in a positive manner