More Discussions for this daf
1. The wording on question and answer sheets 2. Niduy vs. Shamta 3. Niduy
4. Leket 5. Dasan and Aviram
DAF DISCUSSIONS - NEDARIM 7

Barry Epstein asked:

My question is,

It says if one takes God's name in vain that another is required to excommunicate him (although he must reinstate him immediately). My questions are the following:

1) My Rabbi looked in the Shulchan Arekh re my question of "do we do this today?" He said we don't but he wasn't sure why as the Shuchan Arekh says we DO do this today? What's the correct answer and why?

2) If one swears to "God" in vain, is that taking his name in vain given that it is in English and not one of the Hebrew names?

Barry Epstein, Dallas, USA

The Kollel replies:

I'll deal with your second question first.

Although many Acharonim -- including Kitzur Shulchan Orech and Mishnah Berurah -- write that Hash-m's name in other languages is a name of Hash-m for oaths and with regard to the prohibition of erasing, curses, and being said in vain, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (Achiezer 3:32) cites Rav Akiva Eiger who proves from the Rambam that the foreign language names have the status of a Kinuy, and therefore it is prohibited to swear by them or to curse with them but permitted to erase them and say them in vain. To the best of my knowledge it was commonly accepted in Europe to say "Gott" in Yiddish.

As for why we do not put people in Niduy, although I never found explicit mention of the reasoning, I think that it stems from the words of Rebbi Eliyahu Mizrachi (Teshuva 57) that in order to put someone in Niduy one must have perfectly pure intentions, only for the honor of Heaven, and one who has personal motives -- his Niduy is null and void. Who in our weak times can claim perfectly pure motivation?

Dov Zupnik

Yitzchok Zirkind comments:

The M"B O"C 85:10 which is taken from S"A Horav O"C 85:3 permits erasing, the Kitzur S"A discuses Nizrak Lashpa which is worse then erasing, and see Sdei Chemed Kuntres Hakllolim Mareches Ha'mem Kllal 13, among the Machmirim on erasing is the Yavtz in his Migdal Oiz (Even Bochein Pinah 2 Ois 10, it is interesting to note his opinion there in Ois 46 that one should be Nizhar to erase the Roshei Teivois HKB"H).

>> The Kollel wrote:

As for why we do not put people in Niduy, although I never found explicit

mention of the reasoning, I think that it stems from the words of Rebbi

Eliyahu Mizrachi (Teshuva 57) that in order to put someone in Niduy one must

have perfectly pure intentions, only for the honor of Heaven, and one who has

personal motives -- his Niduy is null and void. Who in our weak times can

claim perfectly pure motivation? <<

See Taz S"K 20 in Y"D Simon 334.

Kol Tuv, KVCT

Yitzchok Zirkind