ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף שמות 35:21

FOR ALL ‘NIDREIHEM’ (THEIR VOW-OFFERINGS) AND FOR ALL ‘NIDVOTHAM’ (THEIR FREEWILL-OFFERINGS). “Nidreihem (their vow-offerings). This is when one says, ‘I pledge myself [to bring an offering].’ Nidvotham (their freewill-offerings). This is when one says, ‘This shall be [an offering].’”¹¹⁸The difference between these two kinds of obligations will be clarified further on in the text. This is Rashi’s language.¹¹⁹Not mentioned in our Rashi. It appears to me that because Scripture states ‘l’phalei’ (to clearly utter)¹²⁰The word l’phalei contains also the letters of the word pele (wonder), and accordingly Ramban interprets the verse in this light. See Note 125. in fulfillment of a vow or for a freewill-offering,¹²¹Verse 21. and similarly it always uses this [identical] expression in the section dealing with the drink-offerings,¹²²Numbers 15:3. and likewise it is used in the verse, when a man ‘yaphli’ (shall clearly utter) a vow of persons,¹²³Further, 27:2. and so also in the section dealing with the Nazirite¹²⁴Numbers 6:2. — [therefore it appears] that “the vow” is something which comes in connection with that which is beyond our power, the person in distress vowing unto G-d that “if You will deal ‘wondrously’¹²⁵It is for this reason that Scripture uses in all these cases an expression of l’phalei or yaphli, for since the root is pele (wonder, surpassing, or extraordinary) it suggests that the vow-offering is generally made when a person is in distress, and vows that if G-d will do wondrously with him he will bring an offering. with me to save me from this trouble, then I will bring a burnt-offering or peace-offering,” similar to that which is stated: And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: ‘If G-d will be with me;’¹²⁶Genesis 28:20. And Israel vowed a vow unto the Eternal, and said: ‘If Thou wilt deliver this people into my hand;’¹²⁷Numbers 21:2. and they vowed vows,¹²⁸Jonah 1:16. and so also all similar verses.
And our Rabbis have said:¹²⁹In other words, the text now quoted apparently does not hold the opinion that a vow-offering is made only in time of distress, and a freewill-offering when one is in good circumstances. Rather, the difference between them is etc. “Which is a vow-offering? When he says, ‘I pledge myself to bring a burnt-offering.’ [Which is] a freewill-offering? When he says, ‘This [animal] shall be a burnt-offering.’ And what is the difference between a vow-offering and a freewill-offering? In the case of a vow-offering, one is responsible for it [and must replace it] if it dies or is stolen, [since he took upon himself a general obligation to offer an animal], but in the case of a freewill-offering, he is not responsible for it if it dies or is stolen” [since he did not assume a general pledge upon himself, but merely said that this particular animal should be an offering]. Now the reason for this difference between them [a vow and a freewill-offering],¹²⁹In other words, the text now quoted apparently does not hold the opinion that a vow-offering is made only in time of distress, and a freewill-offering when one is in good circumstances. Rather, the difference between them is etc. is because the custom of those vowing in the time of their distress is to say, “If G-d will be with me¹²⁶Genesis 28:20. [and guard me] in this [trouble], then I pledge myself to offer a burnt-offering or a [peace-] offering,” and this is not usually called a freewill-offering, [since he has not yet set aside any particular animal for it]. But [a vow which is followed] by setting aside immediately [an animal] and giving it, is called “a freewill-offering,” because from the moment of giving, his spirit made him willing.¹³⁰Exodus 35:21. Thus Scripture is stating here that whether he brings a burnt-offering or a peace-offering which he vowed at the time of his distress, or whether he brings them because his spirit made him willing — in either case it must be perfect [without blemish], for perhaps we might have thought that [it is more important that] the vow-offering should be perfect than the freewill-offering. This is the meaning of the verse.

Another meaning of our verse may be this: the words מוצא שפתיך תשמר mean that you should be very careful before you say anything (as it may be in the nature of a commitment). If, however, you did say something, treat it as if it were as sacred as a vow, i.e. כאשר נדרת לשם אלוקיך נדבה, "as if you had made a sacred vow to the Lord your G'd, instead of merely a voluntary gift of a secular nature." The Torah uses the expression נדבה to indicate the generous frame of mind you were in when you made this promise. We know that this is the general meaning of the word נדבה from Exodus 25,20: "which he donates in his heart," or Exodus 35,21: "which his spirit had donated."

Dagegen in den Stellen: Weil ein anderer Geist mit Kaleb war und er mir voll nachgefolgt (Bamidbar 14, 24). Es kam ein jeder, den sein Herz erhob, und jeder, den sein Geist dazu bewegte, brachte die Gotteshebe (Schmot 35, 21). Sichons Geist ließ Gott hart sein und kühn sein Herz, um ihn in Israels Hand zu geben (Dewarim 2, 30). Der böse Geist zwischen Abimelech und den Herren von Sichem (Richter 9, 23). Der Geist Gottes, der auf Jiphtach kam (das. 11, 29), der Simson bewegte (das. 13, 25), der sich in Gideon und Abischai kleidete (das. 6, 34; Chron. I, 12, 18). Der Geist, der den König Assurs zur Rückkehr bewegte (Kön. II, 19, 7). Cyrus Geist, den Gott weckte, um Israel die Rückkehr zu gestatten (Esra 1, 1). Der Geist der Untreue, der irreführt (Hoseas 4, 12 u. 5, 4), der Geist der Unlauterkeit, den Gott von der Erde entfernt (Sech. 13, 2), der feste Geist, der freie Geist, um dessen Erneuung David fleht (Ps. 51, 12, 14), der neue Geist, den Gott Israel verheisst (Jech. 11, 19; 18, 31; 36, 26; 27, 14) — in allen diesen Stellen ist Geist nicht das Erkennende, sondern das sittliche, die Willenskraft zur guten oder bösen Tat Bewegende. Selbst in den Stellen, wie Bereschit 26, 35 Rebekkas Schwiegertöchter waren ihr eine Geisteskränkung, Sam. I. 1, 15 Channah war gedrückten Geistes, die Geistes gedrückten (Ps. 34, 19), der gebrochene Geist (das. 51, 19), der geschlagene Geist, der hohe Geist, der niedrige Geist (Prov. 16, 18 u. 19) und sonst so oft, wo Geist derjenigen Seite unseres Seelenlebens entspricht, die wir Gemüt nennen, ist es ja eben die Bezeichnung desjenigen Momentes, in welchem unser Verhalten zu den Objekten außer uns seine Äußerung findet, in welchem sich unsere Zu- oder Abneigung, unsere Stimmung für oder gegen irgend einen Gegenstand, einen Zustand, eine Handlung vollzieht, und ist somit die Bezeichnung eben jenes Momentes, das die Geburtsstätte unserer Entschlüsse zum Guten oder Bösen bildet.