## Teshuvot Maharam, Cremona Edition

###### Teshuvot Maharam, Cremona Edition 300:1
[Teshuvot Maharam, Cremona Edition 300:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Teshuvot%20Maharam/s/Cremona%20Edition/r/300:1)

**אמנם**לפי שהוא אסמכתא. וכל דאי לא קני וכבר נשאלתי על זה מגדולי צר"פת. ואמרו שנמצא בתשובת רבינו שמשון ז"ל דלא קנה. והשבתי דאסמכתא קניא במילי דהקדש וצדקה ונדר דרוב נדרים דאי נינהו. אם יהיה השם עמדי. וכן מצאתי בתשובת רב נטורנאי ב"ר מר הילאי גאון. דאסמכתא קניא במילי דצדקה. וכן דננו במה פעמים במעשים שבאו לפנינו. מאיר בר ברוך:

**Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, his life and his works, by Irving A. Agus. Philadelphia, 1947:**
*Q*. A vowed to quit gambling and promised to give one *mark* for a holy cause should he break his vow. He subsequently gave money to a friend to gamble for him. Must he pay the promised *mark?*
*A*. Vows are interpreted according to common parlance. If the phrase "I will not gamble again" includes, in common parlance, gambling by proxy, he must pay the fine. If, however, the implications of the phrase in common speech can not be determined, we must follow Biblical use of terms. In Biblical law a person is responsible for the acts of his agent unless the agent himself commits a sin by carrying out his mission. Although A's vow was made in the form of *Asmakta*, it is binding since all promises to a holy cause, even when made in the form of *Asmakta*, are binding.
SOURCES: Cr. 299, 300; Pr. 493, 494; L. 211, 212; *Mordecai Hagadol* p. 337b. Cf. Asher, *Responsa* 13, 2; *Agudah* B.K. 51.