As the Jewish Nation continued preparations to enter the Land of Israel, the Torah turns to the laws of vows and voluntary pledges, and under what circumstances they can be annulled. You may ask what is the purpose of these laws being stated here. Last week we ended Pinehas with the laws of the sacrifices for each holiday, and the next perasha, Mas’e, records all the encampments of the Jewish Nation in the desert. Why vows and pledges, and why now?
The most basic answer, from Rabbenu Bahye (Bemidbar 30:2) is that though many of the sacrifices taught last week are required to be brought, some are voluntary. Our perasha therefore flows directly into the legal parameters and responsibilities of voluntary vows and pledges.
As Rabbi Sacks A”H explains (Keeping Our Word, 5771, 5776, 5784), “the Jewish Nation was about to construct a society unlike any other, a free society based on a covenant between the people and G-d, based on the Torah. The rule of law was to be secured not by force but by people honoring their moral commitments, their voluntary undertaking to G-d that what He commanded, they would do.” Most societies follow laws out of fear of punishment or personal benefit. The Torah brings forth a third way, one where people obey because they have freely chosen to commit to it.
The Torah teaches us that our words are not casual, but sacred, and capable of building, healing, and uplifting. A kind word to someone struggling can change their day, and a word of encouragement to a child can shape their entire life. In that sense, speech is not merely a legal instrument; it is a moral force. The Torah teaches that once a vow leaves your lips, it becomes binding, and even a serious intention to give charity can already carry halachic weight according to some. How careful must we be with our words, that if we change our minds about them, that we must annul them with a very precise ritual!
That is how seriously the Torah treats what we say. The Jewish People were taught this truth long ago: we must use our words and our commitments to build a better world. Captain Picard of the popular sci-fi “Star Trek” may have been onto something when he described life in the 24th century moving beyond personal accumulation of wealth and power stating: “We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity” (Star Trek: First Contact, 1996). Remember that though sticks and stones may break bones, words can in fact hurt but they also have the power to create. That is the power of speech. Use it wisely.