Q&A: A Condition in an Oath
A Condition in an Oath
Question
If someone takes an oath with a condition, but did not state a doubled condition, and the condition was fulfilled, is it considered a valid oath?
That is, he said: if x happens, I swear not to do such-and-such,
and x did happen.
Answer
An oath made on condition is an oath in every respect. See here: https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%AA%D7%A0%D7%90%D7%99/
If he did not formulate the condition in doubled form, that takes us into the laws of conditions irrespective of oaths. A condition that is not doubled does not take effect, and therefore the act stands while the condition is void. That applies to a condition phrased with "if." With a condition phrased as "on condition that," both the act and the condition stand even without doubling the condition, so long as it is clear that this was indeed the intent. In an oath toward yourself, you are the one who knows what your intent was.
I will just add that it is generally not proper to swear at all, and swearing conditionally is even worse. Because if the condition is not fulfilled, then you swore for nothing.
See also here: https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%AA%D7%A0%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%A9%D7%94/
Discussion on Answer
The intention was clearly that only if the condition was fulfilled would the oath take effect from the moment of fulfillment.
If this is an oath to someone else, phrased with "if" and not "from now," then the condition is void. If it is to yourself, it may be that the condition still stands even if it is not "from now" but rather "if," because for yourself, mental clarification is enough.
And should there be any problem annulling it before three laymen, when the regret is not about the abstention itself that I swore to, but about the fact that the abstention caused distress to someone else?
In my opinion, yes.
Thank you.
So bottom line: the condition is invalid, and in any case the oath takes effect in the case described?