Vayikra 5:4 · unit 4

Parashas Vayikra · Aliyah 6 · Passuk 5:4 · Unit 4 of 14

Complete Passuk

אוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תִשָּׁבַע לְבַטֵּא בִשְׂפָתַיִם לְהָרַע אוֹ לְהֵיטִיב לְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יְבַטֵּא הָאָדָם בִּשְׁבֻעָה וְנֶעְלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא־יָדַע וְאָשֵׁם לְאַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah cites Shevuos 26b.

Sefaria — Shevuos 26b
E-Daf · Shevuos 26b

Core Text — Shevuos 26b
אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: גָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ צָרִיךְ שֶׁיּוֹצִיא בִּשְׂפָתָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״לְבַטֵּא בִשְׂפָתַיִם״.

Shmuel said: If he resolved in his heart, he must bring it out with his lips, as it is said “to express with the lips.”

The verse’s insistence on “bisifasayim” requires oral expression. A shevu’ah that remains only in the heart does not create the oleh ve-yored of this verse.

Type of Learning: Diyuk from “bisifasayim” — oral expression is required, not mere mental resolve.
What Is Learned: A shevu’ah that remains only in the heart without spoken words does not create the oleh ve-yored of this verse. The verse’s language “to express with the lips” is the basis for requiring oral articulation.