A Popular Dictionary of Judaism
A self curse if certain obligations or conditions are not met. The *Bible records many instances of oaths being taken and fake oaths were strongly condemned.
According to the *Talmud, oaths could be used as evidence in civil cases, but the oaths of minors, the insane, the deaf and known liars could not be accepted. Taking an oath involved touching a *Torah scroll and swearing by *God or by one of his attributes. From the 14th Century, *witnesses swore oaths that they were speaking the truth although this was not a practice for which there was universal approval. (See also *MORE JUDAICO).
This is the complete article, containing 103 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page).
View More Summaries on Oath
