GEN1280 (Continued from [[DEUT1295]] Deuteronomy 23:22 vow GATES 249-251 Indeed, we have been commanded not to take vows, as the pasuk says Deuteronomy 23:23, “But if you refrain from making vows, you will not incur sin”; our Sages derived from this Nedarim 77b: if you do take a vow upon yourself, you will incur sin.  The reason for this is that an oath is a pitfall before the one who takes the vow, lest he violate his word or delay its fulfillment.   But a righteous person is gracious and giving Psalms 37:21, with the need for taking a vow, unless he calls out of distress Psalms 118:5 [I.e., in times of trouble, when he calls out to Hashem for help], in which case a vow is in place, just as the pasuk states [this verse].   Likewise, when the leaders of the Jewish community, who represent the entirety of Yisrael, assemble together [Devarim 33:6] they vow [in public] with the intent of strengthening weak hands [Yeshayahu 35:3, Iyov 4:3; I.e. the righteous person will make a public vow to do a mitzvah so that the others will be motivated to do the mitzvah as well. GATES 251