Q&A: Protects and Saves
Protects and Saves
Question
Hello Rabbi.
I study in a yeshiva for baalei teshuva. The rosh yeshiva decided that because of the situation, there should be Torah study 24 hours a day in shifts, aside from the regular study sessions. Meaning, also during the breaks. Of course, for the regular sessions they don’t look for guys for a shift, because people are learning then anyway.
The person in charge came over to me and asked when to put me down. Now honestly, I do learn during the regular sessions, but during the breaks it really doesn’t work for me to learn. I’m making up some course and a few other things. And dodging it isn’t really possible; he’ll say to you, “Why don’t you want to stand guard (learn)?” and so on.
I told him that fine, I would learn during the afternoon break hour (and I only told him that because I had no way to get out of it).
Am I obligated to learn Torah at that time, or since I couldn’t really refuse, then no??
(By the way, I personally did army service, and I wasn’t called up for reserve duty)
Answer
For some reason I missed this question and only just now saw it.
I think you are not obligated to keep what you promised if you were under duress. Especially since this wasn’t a personal promise to the rosh yeshiva or to the person in charge; rather, they are organizing something for the benefit of the public as a whole. That would obligate you by the law of a vow, not by the law of a promise to someone else, but you did not intend it as a vow, and therefore you are not obligated by it. If the yeshiva establishes this as an obligation, then perhaps there is some obligation, because they are supporting you on that understanding. But if they are looking for volunteers (volunteering that you can’t refuse), then in my opinion there is room to dodge it.
Thank you very much, Rabbi