What is a vain oath? If he swore that which is contrary to the facts known to man, saying of a pillar of stone that it is of gold; or of a man that he is a woman; or of a woman that she is a man; if he swore concerning a thing which is impossible, [as e.g., `if I have not seen a Camel flying in the air`, or, `if I have not seen a serpent like the beam of the olive press`; if he said to witnesses, `come and bear testimony for me`, [and they replied,] `we swear that we will not bear testimony for you`; if he swore to annul a precept, [as e.g.,] not to make a Sukkah, or, not to take a Lulab, or, not to put on Tefillin: these are vain oaths, for which one is liable, for wilful transgression, stripes, and for unwitting transgression one is exempt |
שבועות 3.8 |
[If a man said:] `I swear I shall eat this loaf; I swear I shall not eat it,` the first is an oath of utterance, and the second is a vain oath. If he ate it, he transgressed the vain oath; if he did not eat it, he transgressed the oath of utterance |
שבועות 3.9 |
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