In the vows passage (Numbers 30), the Torah determines that a woman’s vows depend upon her father or her husband (ishah), who may annul her vow provided they do so on the day they hear it. If they voice no objection, the Torah says the vows “stand”:

and her father heareth her vow, or her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father holdeth his peace at her, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. (Numbers 30:5)

וְשָׁמַע אָבִיהָ אֶת נִדְרָהּ וֶאֱסָרָהּ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ, וְהֶחֱרִישׁ לָהּ אָבִיהָ – וְקָמוּ כָּל נְדָרֶיהָ, וְכָל אִסָּר אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ, יָקוּם. (פסוק ה')

and her husband hear it, whatsoever day it be that he heareth it, and hold his peace at her; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. (Numbers 30:8)

וְשָׁמַע אִישָׁהּ בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ וְהֶחֱרִישׁ לָהּ – וְקָמוּ נְדָרֶיהָ וֶאֱסָרֶהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ, יָקֻמוּ. (פסוק ח')

If her father or husband objects and dissuades her from fulfilling it, however, the Torah declares that it does not stand and the LORD will forgive her:

But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth, none of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, because her father disallowed her. (Numbers 30:6)

וְאִם הֵנִיא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ, בְּיוֹם שָׁמְעוֹ – כָּל נְדָרֶיהָ וֶאֱסָרֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ לֹא יָקוּם, וַה' יִסְלַח לָהּ, כִּי הֵנִיא אָבִיהָ אֹתָהּ. (פסוק ו')

But if her husband disallow her in the day that he heareth it, then he shall make void her vow which is upon her, and the clear utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul; and the LORD will forgive her. (Numbers 30:9)

וְאִם בְּיוֹם שְׁמֹעַ אִישָׁהּ יָנִיא אוֹתָהּ – וְהֵפֵר אֶת נִדְרָהּ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ וְאֵת מִבְטָא שְׂפָתֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר אָסְרָה עַל נַפְשָׁהּ, וַה' יִסְלַח לָהּ. (פסוק ט')

If her husband annuls it after the day on which he heard it, he bears her iniquity:

But if he shall make them null and void after that he hath heard them, then he shall bear her iniquity. (Numbers 30:16)

וְאִם הָפֵר יָפֵר אֹתָם, אַחֲרֵי שָׁמְעוֹ – וְנָשָׂא אֶת עֲוֺנָהּ. (פסוק ט"ז)

These verses raise two questions:

  1. If her father or husband annuls her vow and prevents fulfillment, why does the Torah say the LORD will forgive her? It says the vow does not stand, so what requires forgiveness?
  2. If her husband annuls it after the day he hears, why does he bear her iniquity? The vow already “stands,” and she apparently must fulfill it. He prevents her, but why is she exempt from responsibility? Even if the Torah understands her position and exempts her from confronting him, why does it not again say “the LORD will forgive her”?

The answer distinguishes the obligation the vow creates for her from responsibility for ensuring fulfillment. The vow binds her from the moment she makes it, and this obligation does not disappear when father or husband annuls it and prevents fulfillment. The question is therefore not whether the vow exists, but who must ensure fulfillment and bear responsibility if it goes unfulfilled.

The Torah allows the father or husband, under whose responsibility she is, to accept responsibility for fulfillment or refuse it by annulling the vow on the day he first hears it.

Annulment that day means refusing that responsibility and instructing her not to fulfill it. The vow remains, and she is bound by it. But the Torah acknowledges that she is subject to their authority and that they may instruct her not to fulfill it. Hence “the LORD will forgive her” for not fulfilling her vow.

If they remain silent, making no objection on first hearing it, they confirm it and accept responsibility for her fulfillment. In this sense the vow “stands” upon them. If the husband later annuls it and prevents fulfillment, he therefore bears her iniquity. Although she made the vow, hence “her iniquity,” after confirming it he is responsible for its fulfillment. She no longer needs forgiveness for failing to fulfill it because he prohibited it and responsibility had passed to him.

Evidence that “shall stand” means more than remaining valid, implying someone upon whom the vow stands who bears responsibility, appears in the verses about widows and divorced women, who are not under a father or husband’s responsibility. It explicitly says: “But the vow of a widow, or of her that is divorced, even every thing wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand against her” (verse 10). She herself bears responsibility. We can therefore suggest that the corresponding “all her vows shall stand,” when father or husband does not object, means they stand upon him: he bears responsibility for her fulfillment.

Possible support appears in Hannah’s vow to give her son to the LORD (I Samuel 1). Elkanah did not object and afterward ensured that she fulfilled it: “And Elkanah her husband said unto her: ‘Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish His word’” (verse 23). According to the proposal above, responsibility passed to him when he did not object. His words thus express responsibility for Hannah’s fulfillment, from commitment to a vow now “standing upon him.”