## Kli Yakar on Numbers Chapter 30

###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:2:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/30:2:1)

**וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת.** מַה דִּבֶּר אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר, דִּבֶּר אֶל רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ אֵיזֶה דָּבָר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ עֲדַיִן מָה יֹאמְרוּ רָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד שֶׁהִגִּיד לָהֶם פָּרָשַׁת נְדָרִים, שֶׁחַיָּב רֹאשׁ הַמַּטֶּה לֵאמֹר אֶל הַנּוֹדֵר ״מֻתָּר לְךָ״. וְזוֹ הִיא הָאֲמִירָה שֶׁצִּוָּה לְרָאשֵׁי הַמַּטּוֹת שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעָלֶיהָ אָמַר: ״לֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ״, הוּא עַצְמוֹ לֹא יַחֵל אֲבָל אֲחֵרִים מְחִלִּין אֶת דְּבָרוֹ. וְעַל זֶה אָמַר: ״כְּכָל הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּיו״ שֶׁל הֶחָכָם הַמַּתִּיר לוֹ, כֵּן ״יַעֲשֶׂה״, אִם לְקַיֵּם, אוֹ לְהַתִּיר.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes.** What did he say to the heads of the tribes to tell the children of Israel? He spoke to the heads of the tribes that they should say something to the children of Israel, but he had not yet specified what the heads of the tribes should say to the children of Israel, until he told them the section about vows, where the head of the tribe is obligated to say to the one who makes a vow, “It is permitted to you.” And this is the statement that He commanded the heads of the tribes to say to the children of Israel. And regarding this He said, *He shall not profane his word* — he himself shall not profane it, but others can nullify his word. And concerning this He said, *According to all that comes out of the mouth* of the sage who permits it to him, *so shall he do*, whether to fulfill or to permit.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:1
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/30:3:1)

**אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַה׳.** שְׁנֵי מִינֵי נְדָרִים הֵם, כִּי הַנּוֹדֵר בְּכַעְסוֹ לֶאֱסוֹר עַל עַצְמוֹ אֵיזוֹ דָּבָר, נֶדֶר זֶה אֵינוֹ לַה׳, וְדַוְקָא ״אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר״, כְּשֶׁהוּא אִישׁ מְיֻשָּׁב בְּדַעְתּוֹ, קָרֵינָן בֵּיהּ ״הָאָדָם בִּשְׁבוּעָה״ (שבועות כו.), וְהוּא הַנּוֹדֵר לַה׳. אֲבָל הַנּוֹדֵר בְּכַעְסוֹ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁכַּעַס בְּחֵיק כְּסִילִים יָנוּחַ (קהלת ז ט) אִם כֵּן אֵינוֹ אִישׁ וְנִמְשָׁל כַּבְּהֵמָה. וְרז״ל (נדרים כב.) סִפְּרוּ בִּגְנוּת הַנּוֹדֵר וְאָמְרוּ שֶׁהַנּוֹדֵר כְּאִלּוּ בָּנָה בָּמָה וְהַמְקַיְּמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרִיב עָלֶיהָ. וְכִדְמוּת רְאָיָה לְדִבְרֵיהֶם, כִּי רַשִׁ״י פֵּרֵשׁ: נֶאֱמַר כָּאן ״זֶה הַדָּבָר״, וְנֶאֱמַר בִּשְׁחוּטֵי חוּץ ״זֶה הַדָּבָר״ כוּ׳. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי דּוֹן מִנַּהּ וּמִנַּהּ, מַה לְּהַלָּן בָּמָה אַף כָּאן בָּמָה, כִּי שְׁחוּטֵי חוּץ הַיְינוּ הַמַּקְרִיב בְּבָמָה, אַף ״זֶה הַדָּבָר״ הַנֶּאֱמָר כָּאן בְּנוֹדֵר מְדַבֵּר בְּמַקְרִיב בְּבָמָה, כִּי הַנּוֹדֵר דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ בָּנָה בָּמָה. וְטַעֲמוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר הוּא שֶׁיָּרְדָה הַתּוֹרָה לְסוֹף דַּעַת הַנּוֹדֵר, כִּי הוּא אוֹסֵר עַל עַצְמוֹ מַה שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹלָם נוֹהֲגִין בּוֹ הֶתֵּר, מִסְּתָמָא רוּם לְבָבוֹ הִשִּׁיאוֹ שֶׁמִּכָּל הָעֵדָה יִבָּדֵל וְהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכְּלָל.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“A man who vows a vow to the Lord.”** There are two types of vows, because one who vows in anger to prohibit something upon himself — such a vow is not for the Lord. Specifically, *a man who vows* — when he is a man settled in his mind, we read about him “the man with an oath” (Shevuot 26a), and he is one who vows to the Lord. But one who vows in anger, since *anger rests in the bosom of fools* (Ecclesiastes 7:9), is therefore not considered a “man” and is comparable to an animal. Our Sages (Nedarim 22a) spoke disparagingly of one who vows, saying that one who vows is as if he built a private altar, and one who fulfills such a vow is as if he offered a sacrifice upon it. As a sort of proof for their words, Rashi explained: “It says here *this is the matter*, and it says regarding sacrifices outside the Temple*this is the matter*, etc.” And I say, derive from this connection: Just as there it refers to a private altar, so too here it refers to a private altar. For sacrifices outside the Temple means offering on a private altar, and *this is the matter* mentioned here regarding one who vows speaks of offering on a private altar, because one who vows is similar to one who built a private altar. The reason for this is that the Torah understood the mindset of one who vows, for he prohibits upon himself what the entire world treats as permitted. Presumably, his haughtiness led him to separate himself from the entire congregation and remove himself from the community.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:2
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/30:3:2)

וּבְדֶרֶךְ זֶה מָצִינוּ בִּלְשׁוֹן רז״ל (חגיגה כב.): שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא כָּל אֶחָד הוֹלֵךְ וּבוֹנֶה בָּמָה לְעַצְמוֹ, כִּי כָל זֶה דֶּרֶךְ גֵּאָה וְגָאוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז״ל (סוטה ד:): כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ כְּאִלּוּ בָּנָה בָּמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ב כב): ״חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ כִּי בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב הוּא״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״בַּמֶּה״ אֶלָּא ״בָּמָה״, מַה עִנְיָן הַגַּס רוּחַ אֶל הַבּוֹנֶה בָּמָה? אֶלָּא וַדַּאי שֶׁמִּצַּד גַּסּוּת רוּחוֹ הוּא בּוֹנֶה בָּמָה לְעַצְמוֹ כָּאָמוּר. וְכֵן בָּמָה לְשׁוֹן גָּבוֹהַּ, וְאוֹתוֹ דֶּרֶךְ גֵּאָה וְגָאוֹן הַמָּצוּי בְּבוֹנֶה בָּמָה מָצוּי גַּם בְּנוֹדֵר, כִּי מִסְּתָמָא כַּוָּנָתוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֻחְזָק בְּחָסִיד וּפָרוּשׁ. אַךְ יֵשׁ מָקוֹם לוֹמַר נוֹדֵר בְּכַעְסוֹ יוֹכִיחַ, כִּי מִסְּתָמָא בְּכַעְסוֹ לֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן לְשֵׁם יוּהֲרָא, וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לְחַלֵּק בֵּין נוֹדֵר מִתּוֹךְ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת וּבֵין הַנּוֹדֵר בְּכַעְסוֹ, וּבַמֶּה תֵּדַע אֵיפֹה אִם זֶה הַנּוֹדֵר דּוֹמֶה לְבוֹנֶה בָּמָה אוֹ לֹא, כִּי אִם נָדַר בְּכַעְסוֹ וַדַּאי אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה לְבוֹנֶה בָּמָה. עַל זֶה אָמְרוּ: וְהַמְקַיְּמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרִיב עָלֶיהָ, נָתַן סִימָן מֻבְהָק עַל זֶה, כִּי כָל מַה שֶּׁהָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה מִתּוֹךְ כַּעַס, מִסְּתָמָא כְּשֹׁךְ חֲמָתוֹ הוּא בָּא לִידֵי חֲרָטָה וְאֵינוֹ מְקַיְּמוֹ, אֶלָּא הוֹלֵךְ אֶל הֶחָכָם שֶׁיַּתִּיר לוֹ. עַל כֵּן אָמַר: אִם הוּא נוֹדֵר וְאֵינוֹ מְקַיְּמוֹ אֶלָּא נִשְׁאַל עַל נִדְרוֹ, וַדַּאי בְּכַעְסוֹ נָדַר וּמִתְחָרֵט, וְאָז אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ בָּנָה בָּמָה. וּכְאָמְרוּ רז״ל (חגיגה י.): ״אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי בְאַפִּי״ וְגוֹ׳, בְּאַפִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי וְחָזַרְתִּי כְּשֹׁךְ הָאַף וְהַחֵמָה.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And in this way we find in the language of our Sages (Chagigah 22a) that one should not go and build a private altar [bamah] for oneself,** for all this is the path of pride and arrogance, as our Sages said (Sotah 4b): “Anyone who has haughtiness of spirit is as if he built a private altar [bamah], as it is said (Isaiah 2:22): *Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for of what account [bameh] is he?* Don’t read *bameh* [of what account] but ‘bamah’ [private altar].” What is the connection between a haughty person and one who builds a private altar? It must certainly be that due to his haughtiness, he builds a private altar for himself as mentioned. Also, the word “bamah” implies elevation. And the same path of pride and arrogance that is found in one who builds a private altar is also found in one who makes vows, because presumably his intention is to be regarded as pious and abstinent. However, one could argue that a person who makes a vow in anger proves otherwise, because presumably in his anger he did not intend it for the sake of arrogance. You must therefore distinguish between one who makes a vow with a settled mind and one who vows in anger. How would you know whether this person who vows resembles one who builds a private altar or not? If he vowed in anger, he certainly does not resemble one who builds a private altar. Concerning this, they said: “And one who fulfills it [the vow] is as if he offered a sacrifice on it [the private altar].” This gives a clear indication that whatever a person does out of anger, presumably when his anger subsides, he comes to regret it and does not fulfill it, but rather goes to a sage to annul it. Therefore, the text says that if he makes a vow and does not fulfill it, but rather seeks to have his vow annulled, it is certain that he vowed in anger and regrets it, and then he does not resemble one who built a private altar. As our Sages said (Chagigah 10a) regarding *which I swore in My anger* (Psalms 95:11) — in My anger I swore, and I retracted when the anger and wrath subsided.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:3
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/30:3:3)

אֲבָל הַמְקַיְּמוֹ וְאֵינוֹ בָּא לִידֵי חֲרָטָה וְאֵינוֹ נִשְׁאָל עָלָיו, סוֹפוֹ מוֹכִיחַ שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת נָדַר, וְחָשְׁדָה אוֹתוֹ הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁרוּם לְבָבוֹ הֱבִיאוֹ לִידֵי מִדָּה זוֹ שֶׁלָּקַח אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְצַד אַחֵר, עַל כֵּן הוּא דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרִיב עָלֶיהָ, כִּי הַקִּיּוּם הוּא גְּמַר דַּעְתּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַהַקְרָבָה תַּכְלִית בִּנְיַן הַבָּמָה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁמַּסִּיק שָׁם (נדרים כב): אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: כָּל הַנּוֹדֵר נִקְרָא רָשָׁע. מַאי קְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כג כג): ״וְכִי תֶחְדַּל לִנְדֹּר לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ חֵטְא״. וְיַלְפִינַן חֲדָלָה חֲדָלָה, כְּתִיב: ״וְכִי תֶחְדַּל״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם (איוב ג טז): ״שָׁם רְשָׁעִים חָדְלוּ רֹגֶז״. וְנִרְאֶה לוֹמַר דּוֹן מִנַּהּ וּמִנַּהּ, מַה לְּהַלָּן בַּחֲדָלַת הָרֹגֶז מִשְׁתָּעֵי, אַף כָּאן בַּחֲדָלַת הָרֹגֶז. כִּי אֵינוֹ נִקְרָא רָשָׁע כִּי אִם בְּאֹפֶן זֶה, שֶׁכְּבָר חָדַל רָגְזוֹ וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הוּא עוֹמֵד בְּנִדְרוֹ וְאֵינוֹ נִשְׁאָל עָלָיו, אִגְּלַאי מִלְּתָא לְמַפְרֵעַ שֶׁלֹּא מִתּוֹךְ כַּעַס נָדַר, כִּי כְּבָר נִשְׁתַּהָה כְּשִׁעוּר זְמַן חֲדָלַת הָרֹגֶז. וְעַל זֶה אָמַר: ״שָׁם רְשָׁעִים״, רְצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר הוּא נִקְרָא רָשָׁע כְּשֶׁחָדַל הָרֹגֶז וְאֵינוֹ נִשְׁאָל עָלָיו, וְאִם כֵּן וַדַּאי מִתּוֹךְ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת נָדַר כְּדֵי לִבְנוֹת בָּמָה לְעַצְמוֹ, עַל כֵּן הַמְקַיְּמוֹ נִקְרָא רָשָׁע כִּי דֶּרֶךְ גֵּאָה וְגָאוֹן לוֹ. וַאֲנִי מוֹסִיף עוֹד גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה, לִילַף חֲדָלָה זוֹ מִן ״חִדְלוּ לָכֶם מִן הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נְשָׁמָה בְּאַפּוֹ כִּי בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב״, מַה לְּהַלָּן בָּמָה אַף כָּאן בָּמָה. וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר כָּאן: ״אִישׁ כִּי יִדֹּר נֶדֶר לַה׳״, כְּשֶׁהוּא אִישׁ בְּנִדְרוֹ וְשָׁפוּי בְּדַעְתּוֹ וּמִתּוֹךְ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת נָדַר, עָלָיו אָמַר דֶּרֶךְ הוֹדָעָה: ״כְּכָל הַיֹּצֵא מִפִּיו יַעֲשֶׂה״, כִּי אֵין סוֹפוֹ לָבֹא לִידֵי חֲרָטָה. אֲבָל הַנּוֹדֵר מִתּוֹךְ כַּעַס, הַהוּא אָמַר וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה, כִּי סוֹפוֹ לִהְיוֹת נִשְׁאָל עָלָיו כְּשֹׁךְ חֲמָתוֹ. וְאוֹמֵר ״נֶדֶר לַה׳״ לְמַעֵט שֶׁלֹּא יִדֹּר לְשׁוּם יוּהֲרָא לִבְנוֹת בָּמָה לְעַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם ה׳ יִדֹּר.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**But one who fulfills it [a vow] and does not come to regret it and does not seek [rabbinic] release from it,** the end proves that he made the vow with a settled mind, and the Torah suspects him that his arrogance brought him to this trait, that he set himself apart. Therefore, he is considered as if he offered a sacrifice on it [a private altar], because the fulfillment is the completion of his intention, just as the sacrifice is the purpose of building a private altar. And this is what is concluded there (Nedarim 22a): Shmuel said: Anyone who makes a vow is called wicked. What is the scriptural source? As it says: *If you refrain from making vows, there will be no sin in you* (Deuteronomy 23:23). And we learn [through a verbal analogy] from “refrain” to “refrain” — it is written *if you refrain* [from vowing] and it is written there: *There the wicked refrain from angering* (Job 3:16).
It seems to me that we can derive from this comparison that just as there [in Job] it deals with refraining from anger, so too here it refers to refraining from anger. For one is only called wicked in this case: when his anger has already subsided, and nevertheless he stands by his vow and does not seek release from it. This reveals retroactively that he did not vow out of anger, since enough time has already passed for anger to subside. And about this it says: *There the wicked refrain*, meaning he is called wicked when the anger has ceased and he does not seek release from it. If so, he certainly vowed with a settled mind in order to build a private altar for himself. Therefore, one who fulfills it is called wicked, for the way of pride and arrogance is his.
And I will add another verbal analogy, to learn from this [use of the word] *refrain* to *refrain for yourselves from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for of what account [bameh] is he?* (Isaiah 2:22). Just as there [in Isaiah] it refers to a private altar [bamah], so too here it refers to a private altar. And this is what is said here: *When a man makes a vow to the Lord* — when he is a man in his vow, sound in his mind, and vowed with a settled mind — about him it says, by way of a statement: *He shall do according to all that proceeds from his mouth*, because he will not come to regret it in the end. But one who vows out of anger, about him it says: *He shall not break his word*, because he will end up seeking release from it when his anger subsides. And it says *a vow to the Lord* to exclude vowing out of arrogance, to build a private altar for himself, but rather one who vows for the sake of the Lord.


###### Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:4
[Kli Yakar on Numbers 30:3:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Numbers/r/30:3:4)

**לֹא יַחֵל דְּבָרוֹ.** אֲבָל אֲחֵרִים מְחִלִּין דְּבָרוֹ. טַעַם לְהֶתֵּר נְדָרִים בְּיָחִיד מֻמְחֶה אוֹ בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בֵּית דִּין, אָנוּ לְמֵדִין מִן הֲפָרַת הָאָב וְהַבַּעַל, כִּי כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהָאָב וְהַבַּעַל לְכָךְ יֵשׁ בְּיָדָם לְהָפֵר מִטַּעַם שֶׁכָּל אִשָּׁה בִּרְשׁוּת בַּעְלָהּ אוֹ בִּרְשׁוּת אָבִיהָ, וְאֵין כֹּחַ בְּיָדָהּ לַעֲשׂוֹת גְּדוֹלָה אוֹ קְטַנָּה בִּלְתִּי הַסְכָּמָתָם, וְדוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ הִתְנוּ בִּשְׁעַת הַנֶּדֶר עַל מְנָת שֶׁיַּסְכִּימוּ הַבַּעַל אוֹ הָאָב, וּכְשֶׁאֵינָן מַסְכִּימִים אָז לְמַפְרֵעַ בָּטֵל הַנֶּדֶר מֵעִקָּרוֹ, כִּי מִסְּתָמָא עַל דַּעְתָּם נָדְרָה אוֹ כְּאִלּוּ נָדְרָה עַל דַּעְתָּם, כָּךְ כָּל אִישׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הוּא בִּרְשׁוּת בֵּית דִּין וּמְחֻיָּב לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּ לוֹ הַבֵּית דִּין, וְכָל נוֹדֵר דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ הִתְנָה בִּשְׁעַת הַנֶּדֶר עַל מְנָת שֶׁיַּסְכִּימוּ הַבֵּית דִּין עִמּוֹ, וּכְשֶׁאֵינָן מַסְכִּימִין נֶעֱקָר הַנֶּדֶר מֵעִקָּרוֹ. וְכָל יָחִיד מֻמְחֶה נִקְרָא בֵּית דִּין, וְכָל שְׁלֹשָׁה הֶדְיוֹטוֹת, עַל כֵּן בְּיָדָם לְהַתִּיר נִדְרוֹ לְמָנְעוֹ מִן הַחֵטְא, כִּי כָל נוֹדֵר נִקְרָא חוֹטֵא, מִמַּה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כג כג): ״וְכִי תֶחְדַּל לִנְדֹּר לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ חֵטְא״. וּמַה שֶּׁהַבַּעַל וְהָאָב בִּלְשׁוֹן הֲפָרָה וְחָכָם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַתָּרָה, לְפִי שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה יוֹתֵר רְשׁוּת בַּעְלָהּ וְאָבִיהָ עָלֶיהָ מִמַּה שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְשׁוּת בֵּית דִּין, עַל כֵּן הֵמָּה בְּלָשׁוֹן הַמּוֹרָה עַל בִּטּוּל הַנֶּדֶר מֵעִקָּרוֹ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא הָיָה שָׁם נֶדֶר כְּלָל. אֲבָל לְשׁוֹן הַתָּרָה מוֹרָה עַל דָּבָר שֶׁהָיָה נֶאֱסָר בּוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה זְמַן מָה, וְאוֹתוֹ אִסּוּר הֻתַּר, כִּי אֵינוֹ מוּפָר מִכָּל וָכֹל, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בַּחֲרָטָה (עיין רמב״ם הל׳ נדרים פי״ג טו, וברדב״ז שם).

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“He shall not break his word.”** However, others can break his word. The reason for the allowance of vows [to be annulled] by a single expert or by three laymen who are called a court: We learn from the annulment by a father and husband. Just as a father and husband have the power to annul [vows] because every woman is under the authority of her husband or her father, and she has no power to do anything major or minor without their consent, and it is as if they stipulated at the time of the vow “on condition that the husband or father agrees,” and when they do not agree, then retroactively the vow is nullified from its inception — because presumably she vowed with their consent in mind, or as if she vowed subject to their approval — so too, every Israelite is under the authority of the court and is obligated to do whatever the court instructs them, and anyone who makes a vow is as if they stipulated at the time of the vow “on condition that the court agrees with them,” and when they do not agree, the vow is uprooted from its foundation. And any single expert is called a court, as are any three laymen, therefore they have the power to release their vow to prevent them from sin, for anyone who makes a vow is called a sinner, as it is stated: *But if you refrain from vowing, there will be no sin in you* (Deuteronomy 23:23).
And regarding why for a husband and father the language used is “annulment” [*hafarah*], while for a sage it is “release” [*hatarah*]: This is because a woman is more under the authority of her husband and father than all of Israel is under the authority of the court. Therefore, they are with a language that indicates complete nullification of the vow from its inception, as if there was never a vow at all. But the language of “release” indicates something that was initially forbidden for some time, and that prohibition was then released, for it is not completely annulled since the matter depends on regret (see Rambam, Laws of Vows 13:15, and Radbaz there).